At the annual spring football press conference, head coach Dan McCarney and his players all agreed that they have been enjoying their best spring practice.

“I have never been more proud in spring practice before,” McCarney said. “We have made good progress, gotten tougher and had tremendous competition.”

McCarney also described conditions for the spring football game this Saturday, 2 p.m., at Jack Trice Stadium.

“The first two quarters will be 12 minutes long,” McCarney said, “and I’ll decide at halftime how long we want the second half to run. Most of the time it will be our starters against the reserves. I’m trying something new this year by spotting the reserves 17 points at the beginning of the game, but the starters still better win.”

Sophomore split end Chris Anthony said the team has had a great attitude so far.

“We have had a whole year to get to know each other,” he said. “Guys from Los Angeles are having fun with guys from middle-of-nowhere, Iowa.”

McCarney said he would announce team captains for the 1999 season on Saturday and that a lot of players would see action.

McCarney explained that the number one quarterback spot has still not been determined between juniors Sage Rosenfels and Derrick Walker.

“Sage and Derrick are both athletic and have made major improvements this spring,” he said. “I have never been big on the two-quarterback rotation, but if that is what it takes to win, then we’ll do it.”

McCarney said Walker will get the initial start with the first team on Saturday as a result of a coin flip.

Junior center Josh Rank said that both quarterbacks have battled it out so far, but whoever is calling signals will need running backs to gain much rushing yardage.

“We have added the shotgun and option to the offense, but you’ll see us running the ball a lot,” he said.

McCarney said the offensive line must be able to open holes for the team’s running game.

“It’s hard to win if you can’t run the ball in the Big 12,” he said.

The offensive line will get to block for two exceptional running backs, senior Darren Davis and sophomore Ennis Haywood.

Davis has rushed for a pair of 1,000-yard seasons since taking over for his All-American brother Troy. If Davis can do it again this season, he would become the first ISU back to hit the millennium mark three times.

Haywood gained 185 yards on 30 carries last season, which was enough to gain him extensive playing time this season. The two backs bring different running styles as well.

Davis likes to juke defenders out of their jock, whereas Haywood prefers plowing over people, but both are effective.

The offense has a mixture of experienced and new players, but the defense will return several starters.

McCarney said the defensive line is getting “hard to block” and has been impressed with junior Ryan Harklau’s transition to nose guard.

Harklau thinks that he has settled in at the position and is having a lot of fun. Harklau echoed many of McCarney’s thoughts on containing the run and spring practice.

“You can’t win in the Big 12 if you don’t stop the run,” he said. “Everyone knows their role, and this has been the best spring practice since I have been here.”

The defensive line will also benefit from the return of third-team all-Big 12 selection, sophomore James Reed.

Reed has had 159 tackles in his first two collegiate seasons at the defensive tackle spot. Reed and the defense will benefit from the Cyclone with perhaps the best potential, freshman defensive end Reggie Hayward.

One of the nation’s most highly recruited prep talents two years ago, Hayward led the Cyclones with 5 1/2 sacks last year, contributing to the school record the defense set in sacks (33) last season.

Linebacker Jesse Beckom, 1998 Big 12 defensive newcomer of the year, believes the team is better than last year.

“Our defense is more aggressive and gets to the ball faster,” he said. “Our offense has a lot of heart.”

Beckom expressed that the team “is on edge” and “ready to get the season going.”

The big announcement was that freshman Ben Dougherty has been seeing repetitions at middle linebacker due to the team’s recent injuries at the position.

Dougherty had a terrific career as a prep quarterback at Elma, Wash., but has impressed coaches and players with his defensive skills.

“Dougherty is a damn good linebacker,” McCarney said. “He’s a playmaker, and just a good football player.”

Harklau has also seen Dougherty’s skills on the defense.

“He has impressed us all,” he said. “He knows how to play football and he’ll definitely play somewhere.”

Although it is still a few months until the Cyclones’ first game against Indiana State, McCarney hopes for a good outcome.

“The ISU fans have responded well to night games in the past and we would like a great crowd,” he said. “It is important to get off to a good start.”

Anthony was more blunt in his expectations for the 1999 season.

“The bottom line is we’ve got to win this year.”