Diversity is an aspect often sought at a university. In the classroom, across campus and even on the football field, diversity is a trait that many will tell you is crucial to success and harmony.

Diversity is found in the 1998 Cyclone linebacking corps. This diversity is not an issue of ethnicity (although the ratio of Caucasians to African-Americans is nearly 50-50 at linebacker). Diversity of experience, age, size, style and setting are what more easily springs to mind.

The 1998 ISU linebackers range in classification from freshman to senior. They range in age from 18 to 23.

The squad comes to Iowa State from as far away as Sacramento, California, and as close as West Des Moines.

This season’s linebackers have competed in as many as 27 past collegiate contests and as few as zero.

The starters have played collegiately at nearly every level of organized competition, from junior college to Division 2 to Division 1A.

Tying together this crew of talented individuals is proven leader Dave Brcka.

The two-time academic All-Big 12 selection was elected a team captain last season, the first time a sophomore was so honored in over 100 years at Iowa State.

The honor was bestowed after an incredible freshman season in which Brcka piled up 127 tackles and started all 11 games.

In ’97, the tackle total dropped to 67 due to a knee injury sustained in practice after the season’s fourth game. Brcka missed two contests, but played through the pain the remainder of the year to post the respectable numbers that he did.

Brcka says the injuries have healed and he’s ready to turn in another career performance as a junior.

Dave will open the season as the Cyclones’ starting inside linebacker. He and his 20 games of experience will be flanked by two players who have never played a single snap at this level before.

Despite this lack of Division 1 experience, Jesse Beckom and Ab Turner have demonstrated serious skills at their outside linebacker positions.

Beckom came to Iowa State last year after excelling at Trinity College, an NAIA Division 2 school in Illinois.

When Beckom discovered that Trinity did not offer the architecture program he sought, he moved on to Iowa State and became a walk-on addition to Coach Dan McCarney’s football team. After being honored as the 1997 Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year, Beckom is ready to start.

The Chicago-native impressed McCarney at the outset as an extraordinary physical specimen. Entering his junior year, Beckom has less than 5 percent body fat and, at only 210 pounds, can bench press 425.

On the other side, Ab Turner is also not without college football experience. The two-time all-Denver Prep League selection out of high school spent one season on the Colorado State sideline as a redshirt.

The next year, Turner transferred to Grosmont College, where he racked up big numbers as a freshman. His 64 tackles, four sacks and two recovered fumbles were enough to get him a try-out at Iowa State, where he has now moved into a starting role.

Behind Brcka, Beckom and Turner on the depth charts are three more solid athletes.

Senior Kipwana “Kip” King has improved steadily over the last three seasons and will back up Brcka at inside linebacker. Of his 31 tackles last season, 23 were solos. Kip also forced four fumbles, a team high.

Behind Beckom on the outside is sophomore Jim Morse. As a redshirt freshman last season, Morse recorded 40 tackles and a sack and moved into a starting role by mid-season.

Louis Van Dyke, like Turner, is a recent addition to the Cyclone team. Van Dyke, a 1998 junior, transferred to Iowa State this year from Sac City College of Sacramento, California.

Voted the team’s most inspirational player, Van Dyke led Sac City to a 7-4 record and a victory over Santa Rosa in the Shriner’s Bowl.

A couple of other tough competitors vying for playing time at linebacker are junior James Elmore and redshirt freshman Andy Moser.

Elmore has 114 tackles over the past two seasons, but missed Spring ball due to injury. His three sacks tied him for second on last season’s team. Moser was a solid defender and an outstanding tailback in high school, where he managed 2,004 yards and 206 points his senior year.

With the solid leadership this linebacking corps has, their diversity should serve as an advantage. With a combination of speed and strength, the Cyclone LBs may again anchor the defense, leading the charge against both the run and the pass.