Last season, the defense of Iowa State’s football team left a little to be desired. The statistics have been adequately covered. Everyone knows that Head Coach Dan McCarney’s “D” didn’t get the job done.

What some people don’t realize is that the Cyclones’ defensive woes are spread fairly evenly across the entire defensive team.

The inability of the line and linebackers to stop the run has been reported constantly, but the defensive backfield can’t entirely escape judgment.

Last season, the Cyclone secondary gave up 2,120 passing yards and 17 passing touchdowns.

Opposing quarterbacks averaged an efficiency rating of 153.3 points, the worst in the Big 12 and 107th in the nation (of 112 Division 1A teams).

One of the many areas that needed revamping in the offseason was the defensive backfield.

To hear the Iowa State coaches discuss the situation, the 1998 secondary will be head-and-shoulders above last year’s version.

The improvement begins with the starters and sophomore Dustin Avey is a year older and a year wiser.

The Ames native has been hampered this fall by a hamstring pull, but should be healthy enough to compete for a starting role on Saturday.

Avey stepped in last year when intended strong safety starter Tracy Williams went down in week one.

Avey had 17 tackles (10 solo) in his first start against Oklahoma State and ended the season with 63 (fourth highest total on the squad).

The 1996 Des Moines Register 4-A Player of the Year highlighted his season with a 94-yard interception return for a touchdown at home against Colorado on November 8.

Avey will compete with fellow sophomore Doug Densmore for the starting nod at strong safety as the Cyclones continue to try to replace the likes of Williams, Preston Rhamy and free safety Kevin Hudson.

Hudson finished his senior season as Iowa State’s second-leading tackler with 93.

Densmore played in all 11 games last season, making several starts at corner. He ended the year with 29 tackles.

Behind Avey and Densmore on the depth chart is redshirt freshman Adam Runk.

Runk, who two years ago was honored as USA Today’s Minnesota Player of the Year, brings great athleticism to the backfield.

At free safety this season, the Cyclones will feature junior Jeff Waters, a transfer from Los Angeles Southwest Community College.

Waters piled up 80 tackles and eight interceptions in his two junior college seasons.

He was also a big INT contributor in high school, picking off 16 passes in three prep seasons.

Behind Waters is another junior college transfer, Jason Parrott. Parrott registered 76 tackles, eight passes broken up and one INT last year at Saddleback Community College.

Starting at the corners this season are junior Jamarcus Powers and sophomore Breon Ansley.

Powers, a USA Today preseason All-American out of high school, spent his first two years of collegiate eligibility at Blinn Community College.

The fastest player on his team, Powers led the Blinn defense to a ranking of tenth in the nation last year. He was honored as a J.C. Gridwire All-American at season’s end.

The other cornerback, Ansley, played in all 11 games and started a lot last season because of a number of injuries to teammates.

Ansley finished the year with 33 tackles and has shown a great deal of improvement in the offseason.

Behind Ansley and Powers is senior Dawan Anderson.

Anderson, a starter since 1995, is still fighting a hamstring injury that slowed him during two-a-days, but should be ready to go on Saturday.

The four-year starter is among the fastest players on the team and has been since coming to ISU.

Over his four-year career, Anderson has racked up 130 tackles, broken up 24 passes and five interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns in ’96.

Sophomore Ryan Sloth and junior Javon Daniels will also compete for playing time at the cornerback positions.

The 1998 Cyclone secondary will emphasize its speed advantage and try its best to cover up a deficiency in size.

Avey and senior Kemp Knighten are the largest players in the backfield, at only 200 and 210 pounds respectively.

The four projected starters average right at 180 pounds each and stand only an average of 5-foot-10.

Luckily, though, the Cyclones have a great deal of quickness in the likes of Ansley, Anderson and company.

If they can overcome the more physical short passing game, they should be able to avoid the deep threat and force teams to beat them on the ground.