The Iowa State running game broke out in a big way in Saturday’s 45-21 loss to Missouri.

ISU rushed for 187 yards against the Tigers on Saturday after averaging a paltry 33 yards rushing in the first four games. The Cyclone rushers also ended their touchdown drought.

The Cyclones rushed for two touchdowns Saturday after having none in the first four games.

Jerome Heavens scored the first rushing touchdown of the season for the Cyclones with a 6-yard run off-right tackle that tied the score, 7-7, with 10:45 left in the first quarter. Heavens’ touchdown run was set up by Darren Davis’ 34-yard scamper down the left sideline.

“As soon as I got the handoff, I saw the hole,” Heavens said of the touchdown play. “I ran right behind Joe Parmentier, and I was just real happy to score.”

Heavens, a redshirt freshman from Inglewood, Calif., drew the praise from ISU Head Coach Dan McCarney. He said it was not bad for a converted fullback who was starting his first collegiate game.

“Jerome Heavens did an excellent job since we’ve moved him back from fullback to running back,” McCarney said. “[He’s] one of the most-improved players on this team. Competition is really good at running back right now.”

Heavens’ father, Jerome Heavens, Sr., played collegiate football at Notre Dame before playing for three teams in the National Football League with the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears.

Heavens was highly recruited out of high school after rushing for over 1,600 yards and being named second-team All-American by Blue Chip magazine his senior season.

However, the younger Heavens said he had no desire to follow in his father’s footsteps at Notre Dame.

“I kind of gave them the sense that I didn’t want to go there,” he said. “I didn’t really want to try to live in my father’s shadow. I went up there for football camp a few times, and I felt a little pressure, and I didn’t want to deal with that.”

Davis, too, had a role in Saturday’s improvements.

Davis sparked the ISU running game Saturday by rushing for 130 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown. Davis made comments after the game that the Cyclones could have been more successful Saturday if they ran the ball more, especially in the second half.

McCarney said Tuesday Davis was just showing his competitive spirit.

“Troy or Darren Davis, if we could give them the ball 50 or 60 times a game, that’s not going to be enough,” McCarney said. “They just have that type of pride. They believe every time you give them the handoff, they are going to score a touchdown.”

ISU has turned the ball over 16 times this season and has only forced six turnovers. McCarney blamed a passive defense for the turnover disparity.

What’s more, the ISU defense has only recorded nine sacks, as opposed to giving up 22 sacks to its opponents.

“You have to be a real tough, physical defense if you’re going to force turnovers,” McCarney said. “That’s how you knock the ball loose. People are not going to sit on the ground for you; you got to knock it loose. We just have to be more physical, more explosive, when tackling.”