AMES — For Cartevious Norton, there was nothing more important for a young running back than being on the field.

Growing up playing football and being surrounded by the sport, it was hard to get on the field, so if Norton had a chance to play, he gave everything he had. That was true when he got to Iowa State as well.

Despite dealing with injuries in high school, Norton was still high on Iowa State’s priority list when it came time to recruit him. The kid from Waycross, Georgia, was everything the Cyclones were looking for.

Norton was strong and powerful and had the speed to make big plays happen at will.

“What Cartevious has that he was given from birth is just he is forceful,” Iowa State running back coach Jordan Langs said. “Man, he is strong. He’s a hard tackle, and he’s a natural running back.”

Norton brought his talents to Iowa State and excelled from the jump. Iowa State needed a strong back to replace the likes of other feature backs that came and went.

Many big names found success on the team by being strong running backs who could fight for yards on every snap. That was a characteristic that immediately shined in Norton.

“Pound-for-pound one of the strongest kids in our football program,” Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said.

Norton started his true freshman season off hot as he took the field in the first game against SEMO. Although he only had three carries, he showed off his big-play potential right away.

Norton averaged seven yards per carry, which included one breakout run of 11 yards before he was finally tackled. That run turned the heads of all the coaches immediately as they realized how special he could be.

“He provides a lot man,” Iowa State offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase said. “He’s a big, powerful back, who does have big play ability.”

However, Norton’s success did not last long. Shortly into the game, Norton was slow to get up after a play and was sidelined.

Norton suffered a hamstring injury in the first game of the season. The injury was brutal for Norton since the running back position demanded a lot from his legs.

There is no good way to prevent a hamstring issue. Athletes can attempt to stretch more, hydrate better or improve eating habits, but when it comes down to it, hamstring injuries can just be unlucky.

“What can I do different?” Norton said. “Probably just stretch more.”

Not being able to prevent the injury was frustrating for Norton, because there would be no way of telling when the injury would crop up again. Unluckily for Norton, that time came sooner than later.

After resting for a couple of weeks, Norton got back on the field in the Big 12 opener against Baylor. However, Norton only carried the ball one time before he was forced out of the game again.

The news kept getting worse for Norton from that point on. It was discovered that Norton tore his hamstring. An injury that would sideline him for more weeks.

“Very frustrating, especially as a young guy,” Norton said. “I wanted to play. So as a young guy, yes, that was very frustrating. I didn’t know how to take it at the moment.”

Norton let that frustration get to him. Through a month and a half of the season, Norton had only touched the ball four times.

He knew he could help the team win games if he was on the field.

“I feel like I’m able to reach my best ability being healthy and being on the field,” Norton said.

Norton did see the field again during the 2022 season, but it was clear that he was not up to full strength. He got a majority of the carries, especially later in the season when starting running back Jirehl Brock injured his foot, but he never finished a game over 100 yards on the ground.

There were flashes of what his potential was, as he broke off big runs nearly every single game, but most other runs fell flat. Norton was overthinking a lot while he was injured, and it was clear that the mental roadblocks were still there.

“I was thinking too fast,” Norton said. “I was always thinking about the outcome, outcome, outcome; like what could happen if I was playing.”

While Norton was sidelined, he kept thinking about what he could do if he was on the field. Along with that, he did not have anyone to run to or talk to about his issues.

Norton is from Georgia, so his family is far away. His support system that helped him through tough times in the past was not with him to help him through his tough injuries at the start of his Cyclone career.

Of course Norton could still call his mother to talk, but it was different without her in person.

“I grew up with my mom,” Norton said. “I’m a mama’s boy. Can’t help it.”

Norton’s mother raised him by herself ever since he was a child. His dad died when he was just six months old. Although Norton never officially met his father, there is still a place in his heart for him.

Norton wears a big chain around his neck at all times with a picture on it of his father.

“I wasn’t able to meet him, so I wanna always carry a good picture,” Norton said. “I wanna always look down and see him. That just keeps me going through the day.”

Norton wears the chain all the time so he can look down and see his father smiling up at him. It serves as a reminder that he is watching over him.

The only time the chain is not around Norton’s neck is when he is on the field. It is too precious to him to get snatched in a game. However, the second the game ends, the chain goes right back around his neck.

Whenever he needs to uplift himself or remind himself why he does what he does, he can always look down.

“It’s like my why,” Norton said.

Along with his father motivating him to succeed, Norton also had his mom by his side the entire time. Norton would always run to his mom with problems, because she was there for him when no one else was.

“That’s somebody I go to every time,” Norton said.

When Norton was dealing with his injuries, he could not run to his mom like he used to. He was over 1,000 miles away from home.

“That’s tough, because you know, I’m a long way from Georgia,” Norton said. “Being here and then being hurt, mom’s not here, so, I mean that was tough.”

Without his mom with him, Norton was forced to mature. He had to grow up, and grow up fast.

Being forced to mature turned out to be a good thing for Norton. He learned a lot about how he should react when bad things happen.

“It helped me become the man I am today,” Norton said. “Because I had no one to just run to so I could be babied and stuff.”

Norton had to tough it out himself.

Growing up playing and watching football, Norton never wanted to watch from the bench. He wanted to play.

For Norton, it was frustrating that injuries kept him from playing. It was even more frustrating watching his team struggle game after game. The Cyclones finished the year with only four wins.

Norton knew he could help the team win, if only he were on the field and healthy. If it were not for the injuries, he would have a chance to change the Cyclones’ season for the better.

“I just felt like it was pointless,” Norton said. “Like I was pointless.”

When Norton had no one else to turn to, the people around him helped him out. The coaching staff helped keep Norton’s head up. They did not want him to get too low and fall into a dark place, because they knew how hard it would be to get him out of there when he was ready to get back on the field.

After the injury-filled season, Norton made an effort to get back to full health. He got foot surgery to help with an injury that bothered him during the back half of the season.

That surgery took place after winter break, which kept him out of the spring scrimmage game. Norton healed up fast from the surgery, but it was the rehab that took time. He spent a lot of time in the pool trying to get back to 100% and feel his foot again.

All the time Norton spent watching his teammates practice ended up being a good thing for him. He could finally take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

“Now looking back, I realize I could learn a lot more from sitting back and watching,” Norton said. “We’re all put in positions for reasons. I feel like some things happen for a reason. Now I’m more mature, and I feel like I know how to sit back and watch and observe stuff more.”

That maturity helped Norton move into a more veteran position on the team. He dealt with his injuries and got back on the field the right way.

“You kinda look at since he’s been here, he’s kinda got stopped up at times just dealing with some injuries,” Scheelhaase said. “To have 12 straight practices where that guy’s been out there full steam ahead, I really feel like it’s built a good foundation for him.”

When the 2023 season rolled around, Norton was unexpectedly asked to step up into a leadership role. With Brock leaving the team, Norton had to be the veteran back that all the young guys looked to.

Luckily for Norton, he had the mindset that the coaching staff was looking for. Norton was willing to put in the work and fight every game for wins. He knew what he needed to work on in the offseason and built himself up into a better player.

“Always take the little yards, because those yards matter,” Norton said.

Having the mindset to get vertical and push for yards when it mattered most was beneficial to Norton. That was the kind of guy the team was looking for in a leader.

“When the lights come on, and the moments come, who’s gonna be the guy that’s gonna make the play,” Campbell said. “That’s not just the 20-yard run, that’s the third-and-one, who’s gonna stick their foot in the ground and get a first down.”

There was a reason that Norton was the first running back to step on the field for the Cyclones’ 2023 season. He had already put in the work and effort the season before and improved himself into the leader he needed to be.

The injuries helped Norton see the game differently. It was no longer about what he could do on the field. It was about what he could do as a person on and off the field to help the team as a whole.

The offseason matured Norton into a better player and a better person. With many more games left in his Cyclone career, Norton is more ready than ever to accept whatever challenges are thrown his way.

“I feel like that’s my responsibility, especially being here last year and actually playing,” Norton said. “I know it’s kinda early, like, I’m only a true sophomore, but it’s time to step up and actually be that leader that I have to be.”