There isn’t a group in school soccer that underwent as huge a roster overhaul this offseason because the Iowa State Cyclones.
Not a single starter is returning on both facet of the ball after head coach Matt Campbell left for the Penn State Nittany Lions. There aren’t many returning gamers beneath new head coach Jimmy Rogers, who at the least has some continuity with coaches and gamers following him from the Washington State Cougars.
Whereas each positional group has new contributors, one that individuals shall be retaining an in depth eye on is operating again. The three main rushers from final season all departed, leaving former walk-on Aiden Flora, who remained in Ames via the teaching change, because the main returning rusher.
He’s anticipated to be the starter when the group takes the sector for the primary time, however this shall be a committee method within the backfield. One participant who is predicted to tackle a big function, in accordance with Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, a part of the 247Sports Community (subscription required), is Arnold Barnes III, a switch from the Tulane Inexperienced Wave.
Arnold Barnes III set for sizable function with Iowa State
He was a late addition to the group, solely being added after Salahadin Allah suffered a season-ending harm throughout offseason exercises. Nonetheless, he shortly grew to become probably the most achieved operating again on the roster.
Barnes has 34 video games of expertise beneath his belt coming into his senior 12 months. He has carried the ball 161 occasions for 757 yards, averaging a strong 4.7 yards per carry, with six speeding touchdowns. That’s extra yardage than the remainder of the lively depth chart mixed.
Nonetheless, he doesn’t provide a lot as a pass-catcher, reeling in solely 10 receptions for 35 yards and yet another rating in his profession.
“I like AB,” Iowa State operating backs coach John Johnson mentioned. “He brings one other dynamic ability set to the room to the place he is highly effective, he is sturdy, 215 [pounds] kind again which have a burst and a little bit twist to him.”
Arnold Barnes brings totally different dynamic to Cyclones backfield
Primarily based on these feedback and the expertise he brings with him, Barnes will doubtless function as an early-down and short-yardage again for the Cyclones. Aim line work will doubtless be his as nicely, offering extra dimension to work between the tackles than Flora or Cameron Pettaway, one other switch.
With shiftier backs who each excel in house as return males, offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl might actually get artistic and have a number of operating backs on the sector on the similar time to present opposing defenses a unique look schematically.
Barnes doubtless wouldn’t have been on the group had Allah not gotten harm, however his late addition goes to show to be an excellent one for Iowa State. He enhances the opposite operating backs nicely and supplies some much-needed expertise within the backfield to take some strain off them.
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