After being a highly touted prep recruit, Ladell Betts has lived up to his lofty expectations. Betts emerged as Iowa’s premier back last season as a freshman and will be looking to avoid the sophomore jinx in his second year wearing the black and gold.

Betts racked up 73 yards on the ground on only 15 carries against a stingy Nebraska defense last week. His performance was one of the few bright spots in the Hawkeyes’ 49-7 loss to the Cornhuskers.

“He was close to having some real big runs against Nebraska,” Iowa State head coach Dan McCarney said. “We think he is an outstanding back.”

Betts’ 5-11, 206-pound frame allows him to elude tacklers with break-away speed or simply to play straight-ahead, smash-mouth football. His versatility is accentuated by his pass-catching ability, which has gained him the respect of opposing teams.

“He is physical, he is fast, he is a North and South guy and has the ability to put it into an extra gear,” McCarney said. “He is a real quality Division I back.”

The Cyclones tamed Betts and the rest of the Hawkeye team in last season’s upset. Betts was held to only 27 yards on 11 carries but did manage Iowa’s only touchdown.

Betts tallied 679 yards rushing last season, which was a Hawkeye record for a freshman. He also set the single-game mark for a freshman by rolling up 151 yards against Indiana.

He also topped the century mark against Northwestern with 112 yards and scored a touchdown. Betts terrorized the Wildcats by hauling in nine receptions for 96 yards, which gave him 208 all-purpose yards for the game.

As the season progressed for Iowa, it became evident that Betts would fill the position once controlled by Sedrick Shaw and Tavian Banks. Betts started eight of the Hawkeyes’ 11 games and seems to be their running back of the future.

After redshirting the 1997 season, Betts stepped in to fill Iowa’s void in the backfield. Along with fellow freshman Kahlil Hill, Betts led an Iowa offense that would have otherwise been in disarray.

Betts and Hill each accounted for five touchdowns apiece to lead the squad as well as set a Hawkeye freshman record. Betts’ 20 receptions also places him fifth in Iowa’s freshman receiving records.

Before Betts even arrived at Iowa, he had amazing accolades. Coming out of Blue Springs, Mo., he was named a Parade and SuperPrep All-American and selected to the Blue Chip Dream Team.

Betts has made the transition to the collegiate level and is ready for a breakout year in 1999. After a solid performance against Nebraska, he has been in the back of McCarney’s mind as well as the minds of Cyclone defenders.

A downfall in recent years has been the Cyclone’s inability to stop the running game. In last season’s game against Iowa, Betts was held in check, which must happen again this season for an ISU victory.