Angelo Provenza, starting outside linebacker for the Iowa State football team, has become one of ISU’s most dominating defenders this season, but the road to success has been paved with many hardships.

Provenza, a fifth-year senior in health and human performance from Aurora, Colo., lasted his redshirt freshman year without injury, but he could have never foreseen the obstacles that would lie ahead.

In 1992, during his second year at ISU, Provenza complained of pains in his shins. The problem was thought to be shin splints, but later proved to be much worse.

“I kept saying that my legs were killing me. They kept saying ‘This is college football, suck it up,'” Provenza said. “It got to the point where it hurt to walk. It turned out that splints had developed into stress fractures.”

But the most devastating blow to Provenza that year came when he received news that his father had passed away.

“I was a wreck. I was emotionally in the tubes. I couldn’t get my mind straight. I had problems on the field and in the classroom,” Provenza said. “I also switched positions to linebacker. I came here as a fullback. But it wouldn’t have mattered where they would have stuck me.”

That year went on and Provenza struggled, but made it through. In 1993, injury would once again strike Provenza in only the second practice of his sophomore season.

“I hyperextended my knee. I did come back that season, but I couldn’t work my way back into the lineup. I was healthy, but I think I got labeled. They would be like, ‘Don’t try him, he’ll get hurt.’ A lot of people had written me off. But this is football. Every day could be your last,” Provenza said.

Provenza came back the next season and worked his way into a position where he would be sharing time with former ISU linebacker Matt Nitchie. But on the last day of two-a-day practice, injury struck again.

“I worked almost all the way through. Then I slightly tore the medial cruciate ligament in my knee. I came back though, and got some time,” Provenza said. “Then I separated my shoulder in an off week. The doctors said it was a slight separation, but I could still play. I was like ‘Alright, cool!’. It later got so bad that I couldn’t brush my teeth or comb my hair. I eventually had surgery on my shoulder and missed all of this year’s spring ball.”

Now it is Provenza’s senior year, and the dedication is paying off. After being switched to outside linebacker, Provenza is excelling.

“It wasn’t easy. I had to prove I could play outside linebacker. I was undersized when I played inside linebacker. Now I can use my speed,” Provenza said.

His speed has also been utilized at the strong safety position.

“From a coverage standpoint, he can do that. He can run with a lot of kids that some outside linebackers can’t. And yet he’s got the ability, the speed, and the physicalness to step in there and play at the line of scrimmage for us,” said ISU Head Football Coach Dan McCarney. “He really has the elements and ingredients of what we’re looking for when we go out to recruit at that position. He’s a big-time hitter. He’s really a big-time hitter.”

This season Provenza has been busy racking up big honors along with his big hits in the first four games of the season. Provenza has earned ISU defensive MVP honors twice this season while racking up 31 tackles, including two sacks.

“[Provenza] and Matt Straight have been our two most consistent players on defense. He’s going out and having that senior year that you want all your seniors to do. I’m real happy for him,” McCarney said. “I wasn’t here before but I’ve heard about all the injuries and adversities. Up to this point, he’s really taken out his frustration on the other team. He has a chance to finish up with an outstanding senior year.”

Even with these accomplishments, there still may be some skeptics.

“I don’t think about what people think of me. Regardless of what has happened, I still go out and give it everything I have,” Provenza said.