When the yellow flag hit the ground one might have expected the morale of the ISU defense to hit rock bottom.

But the response to the fourth quarter roughing the kicker penalty by the ISU defensive unit during the 1996 Homecoming game versus Missouri showed that this group of kids is ready to shed the losing image of previous Cyclone teams.

“I never saw our players with their heads down,” ISU head coach Dan McCarney said. “These kids played to win today. I didn’t see anybody flinch on our sideline when we got that roughing penalty.”

The level of confidence is growing among this young defensive unit, which started only two seniors against Missouri on Sept. 28. “I hope part of it is that we’ve grown up, we’ve matured,” McCarney said.

A couple years ago, the defensive unit for ISU might have been complimented with the adjective porous. They ranked 103rd out of 107 teams in overall defense in 1994. In rushing defense, they finished last in the nation.

The Cyclones went winless in 1994, tying one contest against Oklahoma State to avoid an 0-11 record.

Many things have changed since then. A new head coach, facelifts in the program including the new grass field surface and the Jacobson Building, and many new members on the defensive side have added up to a whole new outlook while the other team is calling the signals.

It’s not to say that the ISU defense has become a top-notch unit in the country. But they have seen significant improvement. “We are playing more physical football,” McCarney said.

Early indications were mixed. In the season opener against Wyoming, a Dawan Anderson interception return for a touchdown was countered by a fourth quarter collapse that allowed the Cowboys to tie the game and eventually win in overtime.

“There were times when the defense played better than any time last year,” McCarney said after the loss. “We’ll learn from this game.”

Anderson, whose interception return gave the Cyclones an 18-point lead early in the third quarter, also looked at the loss as a learning lesson. “I saw the defense getting stronger,” Anderson said. “We need to try and work better as a unit.”

In the final fifteen minutes of each of the three games following the Wyoming loss, the Cyclones have given up a grand total of zero points.

Lesson learned?

The Missouri game was the greatest testament to the unit’s growth. Trailing by seven points, the defense stiffened, allowing 76 yards to the Missouri offense during the final quarter.

Forty-eight of those yards came in the final 50 seconds as short passes by Missouri quarterback Kent Skornia were completed against the ISU preventive defense which was protecting a 14-point lead.

The new members of the defense are realistic about their improvement. “We wanted to play better; we’ve been terrible at times,” said freshman defensive lineman Bill Marsau. “We stepped up [against Missouri] and kept fighting. We’re proud of our defense.”

The positive response to the roughing penalty was a huge turning point for the unit. “We knew we could stop them,” Marsau said. “We had just fought way too hard to turn up short.”

Holding strong for the win brought ISU’s first winning streak since 1989. “We wanted to be the team to break that streak,” Marsau said. “That is one of the steps to turn around a program.”

Derrik Clark, a transfer from Waldorf Junior College, is another factor that has led to the upswing in the ISU defense. The junior linebacker currently leads the team in sacks with three, giving the Cyclones the pass rushing threat that is needed.

And playing football at ISU is giving him what he needs, too.

“When I walk down that walkway and hear the fans screaming their heads off for the ‘Clones, I just thank God that I’m here,” Clark said.

The enthusiasm has rubbed off on the field. “I’m not going to take a down off out there,” Clark said. This attitude brings breaks, such as the fumble deep in ISU territory by Missouri fullback Ron Janes.

“That 14-point swing was everything,” Clark said. “We made a stand, playing to the best of our ability. When you’re playing tough, you’re going to get the breaks.”

The team is still giving up an average of 466.5 yards per game, which is still a bit high. “We were a bit sloppy in the first half; we probably had about a dozen missed tackles,” McCarney said. “I’m never happy with giving up 31 points, but we played well enough to win the ball game.”

Working on the defensive coaching staff at the University of Iowa for 13 years and as the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin for five years creates for a high priority on the defensive side.

“I’m not real shy by nature, especially when we’re not playing good defense,” McCarney said.

One indirect factor for the improved defense that should be mentioned is No. 28. Yes, the running back Troy Davis.

“We realized that we do have a very good offense and that Troy was having a great day,” Marsau said. “We knew we couldn’t let up.”

Davis finished with 378 yards rushing on the day.

“We go against [Davis] in practice, and he can throw some real moves on us,” Clark said. “I’m glad he’s in our backfield.”

Opinions of the man running the ball for the Cyclones run very high on the defensive side. “I don’t see anyone better than T.D.,” Clark said. “There’s a lot of good backs, but we have the best one.”

The growth process is far from complete, but the feeling of confidence is there. “We knew we had gotten stronger,” Marsau said. “We can beat teams that we were not previously capable of beating.

“The spirit is changing.”