Iowa State tailback Darren Davis made a point on Saturday in the Cardinal and Gold spring scrimmage. There is a second coming of Davis here at ISU.

While brother Troy was awaiting to see which team would select him for the NFL, Darren was running the ball all over the field to total 136 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries, leading the cardinal team to a 38-0 victory.

”I have a long ways to go, and I can’t say that yet,” the Iowa State running back said.

”As I grow older, we’ll find out. I just go out and play the game. Sometimes, I’m able to take it to another level. I had a day to show my stuff, and I went out there and did it.”

ISU head football coach Dan McCarney was pleased with Davis’ efforts.

”Darren is really extremely elusive in the open field,” McCarney said. ”He’s really going to be an outstanding running back at Iowa State.”

It was also a day for junior quarterback Todd Bandhauer to shine for the Cyclones. Bandhauer completed a whopping 17 of 19 passes for 209 yards in the game.

”I gained the confidence I needed to take into the summer,” Bandhauer said.

”I’m pleased with the game, but obviously, I’m upset about the interception. But that’s just one play. Other than that, it was a perfect game running the ball and throwing the ball and controlling the offense.”

Bandhauer’s performance was no surprise to McCarney.

“He’s done that all spring. He’s completed over 70 percent of his passes. I know that’s not a Nebraska defense every day in practice, but we’re encouraged,” McCarney said.

Although the offense was there for the Cardinal team, the biggest concern before the game was the defensive end of the ball. The Cardinal defense held the gold offense to a net 78 yards for the game, an encouraging stat for McCarney, who can see his team’s defensive improvement.

“We’re a little more athletic than we’ve been, and we have a little more depth. We still have to make a lot of improvement physically between now and when we get started again in August,” McCarney said.

On the down side for ISU, senior and expected starting corner back Kevin Hudson and junior Damian Gibson, expected starting tight end, were suspended from Saturday’s game and lost their starting positions due to alcohol related incidents on Thursday.

“This foundation had been based on discipline, and that will never change as long as I’m here,” McCarney said. “Both of these kids have had fantastic springs, not just good ones. But they made a mistake and they made a bad decision and they’ll pay for it.”

Hudson and Gibson face charges of public intoxication. McCarney said they will perform 40 hours of community service while both will also go through a counseling program.

The Cyclone football team opens the season on August 30 against Oklahoma State.