Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell and several players met with the media Tuesday to discuss the canceled week one game against South Dakota State and to preview this week’s matchup with Iowa.

Hurry-up offense bodes well

It didn’t take long for Iowa State’s offense to move the ball down the field and score on its first possession Saturday.

The Cyclones started on their own 17-yard line and marched down the field in just five plays.

Redshirt senior Kyle Kempt found redshirt junior Hakeem Butler across the middle on 3rd and 12 for a first down. The Cyclones didn’t huddle and instead ran to the line for the next play, a 9-yard run by junior David Montgomery.

“It was just effective because of the game plan, what we saw from them coming forward,” Kempt said. “We thought tempo was a good way to get them out of place and it ended up working out.”

Montgomery’s run set up a 2nd and 1 situation, where the Cyclones again ran a hurry-up offense. Kempt found junior Deshaunte Jones on a screen play for a 55-yard touchdown.

The score, of course, didn’t count in the end because the game was eventually canceled. But the final three plays of the drive showed Iowa State’s ability to get set and communicate it’s next play effectively, which could benefit the team going forward as defenses struggle to keep up with the pace.

“We pride ourselves on getting [set] as fast as we can,” said junior offensive lineman Josh Knipfel. “Trying to get the defense off its game. Trying to give us an advantage of them not getting set up.”

Offensive line facing tall task

Iowa’s defensive line is consistently one of the better units in college football. That’s no different this year.

“I think [it] is a great challenge,” Campbell said. “I couldn’t be more impressed, you go back through the last two, three years of this football team and when they needed to make a play, that defensive line has spearheaded things.

“I think you’re getting one of the best defensive lines in the country.”

Last week was a prime example of Iowa’s defensive line. Northern Illinois was sacked five times and faced constant pressure off the edge from Iowa.

The Hawkeyes recorded a late safety in the final quarter, thanks in part to help from the defensive line.

Iowa State’s toughest task Saturday might be containing the Iowa pass rush and creating running lanes for Montgomery. The weather may make the trench battle even more important.

Campbell defends suspension decision

Controversy arose after Iowa State’s canceled game. Seven total Cyclone players were suspended, three of which were suspended for one game.

Campbell and athletic director Jamie Pollard decided to count the canceled game as fulfilling the suspension, which caught the eye of fans and media members.

Campbell defended the decision Tuesday.

“It would be naive to think [they’re only missing] a game,” Campbell said. “The reality of those situations… there’s a lot of other things that go into it other than just the game aspect.

“When you don’t get to practice with the first team for the last month, or you’re on the scout team for the last three weeks, or you had to get up in front of your teammates and apologize, maybe earn your way back on the team — those are the teachable moments,” Campbell added.

The three players who were suspended for one game — redshirt senior Kamilo Tongamoa, redshirt senior De’Monte Ruth and redshirt junior Julian Good-Jones — should be available for the Cy-Hawk game. Ruth and Good-Jones were back on Iowa State’s depth chart this week.