The Iowa State Cyclones run the football.

Looking at the history of the ISU gridiron, it’s easy to see that establishing the running game is a top priority and the Cyclones’ ticket to victory.

A quick glance at the record books turns up backs like Tom Vaughn, Mike Strachan, Dexter Green and, of course, Troy Davis. Running backs have carried Iowa State throughout its history and will continue to do so.

Sure, you can find the likes of receivers Tracy Henderson and Ed Williams if you look hard enough, and sure, their yardage totals are impressive. However, big passing seasons like last year are few and far between. They generally only show up when the running game can’t be established, and the Cyclones find themselves constantly behind.

Players and coaches alike will tell you the ground game is what makes or breaks a football team. Junior Darren Davis knows this first hand.

“We’re going to establish the run,” Davis said. “We’ve talked about that a lot. You have to run first, pass second. That’s how you win.”

To be a little more specific, Darren Davis is how you win. Davis enters his junior year at the top of his game and, finally, in perfect health.

“Who knows what could happen if I stay healthy,” Davis said. “My goals this year are just to stay healthy and to keep doing everything at 110 percent.”

Even last year, when Davis was hampered constantly by injuries, he managed 1,005 yards on the ground. He also picked up 130 yards receiving, found the endzone five times and averaged 4.7 yards per carry.

Davis has averaged five yards per carry since coming to ISU two years ago and averaged 111.7 yards per game his sophomore season.

Davis also managed over 100 yards on four occasions, despite playing less than eight full games. He racked up 247 yards in the home win over Baylor and 261 yards at Kansas.

Darren ranked 15th nationally among running backs and was honored as a third-team All-Big 12 selection.

Obviously, Darren will lead the Cyclone assault this season. He has begun to emerge from Troy’s shadow, and a healthy season should bring fans from the past to the present.

The comparisons to Troy haven’t bothered Darren, and they certainly haven’t strained his relationship with big brother.

“I talk to Troy almost every day,” he said. “He’s doing fine, and he keeps telling me not to get down on myself and to keep going strong.”

Darren also isn’t bothered by the acquisition of new offensive coordinator, Pete Hoener, and the changes he’s made.

“The schemes will be a little different, but we still plan on running the ball,” Davis said.

Behind Davis in the two-deep at tailback is Jerry Moses, Jr. The sophomore picked up 52 yards last season on 15 carries and is looking for more playing time in ’98.

Moses, the son of former Cyclone Jerry, Sr., was a first-team all-state selection out of high school. He broke all of his father’s rushing records at Waterloo East, piling up 1,331 yards and 14 touchdowns his senior year.

Moses wants to get his hands on the ball as much as possible, but he is eager to contribute in any way he can.

“I play with a lot of enthusiasm,” Moses said. “That’s part of my role right there. I get guys excited and try to contribute to some big plays.”

Moses is a very capable backup to Davis, should the injury-bug hit him once again.

At fullback, the Cyclones may not have a Davis-caliber ball-handler, but Hez Jackson and Joe Parmentier should be able to get the job done.

James O’Neal (220 yards on 58 carries in ’97) and Jerome Heavens (94 yards on 27 carries) are no longer with the Cyclones, so Parmentier and Jackson will be forced to contribute.

Jackson didn’t touch the ball last season, and Parmentier had only 23 yards on 11 carries.

The numbers may look like a cause for concern, but only until their roles are considered. Cyclone fullbacks will be asked to block for the tailbacks this year, and Jackson and Parmentier are about as good as they come in this category.

Parmentier, who has been starting for Iowa State at fullback since 1996, is a ferocious blocker with good hands. On the two or three plays that Joe wasn’t opening holes for the Davis brothers the last two seasons, he was catching touchdown passes (three in ’96).

Parmentier sat out Spring ball this season with an injury, but is said to be fully recovered and ready to play.

Jackson is starting this season at fullback. Hez has played for Iowa State in a reserve role the last two seasons and has yet to take a hand-off. He has the experience as a blocker that Coach Dan McCarney is looking for.

In high school, Jackson had only 620 yards and six TDs as a senior but was still a highly-touted recruit. Hez was the lead-blocker for tailbacks who picked up 1,200, 1,400 and 1,900 yards his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. Jackson is a proven hole-opener and will use his talents to pave the way for Darren this year.

Also competing for playing time in the backfield this year are true freshmen Atif Austin and Ennis Haywood, sophomore Robert Lewis and senior Andre Lee.

Austin and Haywood are coming off as huge high school senior years. Austin recorded nearly 2,000 yards of rushing offense last year in Florida, and Haywood comes to ISU ranked one of the top 16 prep running backs in the state of Texas.

Lee, on the other hand, is coming off three big seasons on the Cyclone defensive line. The 6-foot, 270-pound tank has 39 tackles and two sacks over the past three seasons and is moving to the offensive backfield for the first time since high school. As a prep, Andre rushed for over 2,000 yards.

Cyclone hopes will again rest on the shoulders of a Davis and a running game. If healthy, Darren and company could translate those hopes into one of the more successful seasons in recent memory.