Iowa State hopes success in "fun" sneaks continues Saturday at Cincinnati

AMES — As the real estate shrinks, the stakes rise.

The goal line beckons as mere feet form the line of demarcation between success and failure.

It’s tense, trying and taxing — but it’s also a center’s dream when a sneak or plunge is dialed up inside the one-yard line.

“(It’s) fun getting to use the QB sneak,” said Iowa State center Jim Bonifas, who provided push and maybe a little pull for five short-yardage rushing touchdowns in last Saturday’s 39-14 rout of Arizona at home. “That’s always great. You enjoy that as a center.”

Cyclone quarterback Rocco Becht rushed for a single game career-high three touchdowns — all from one-yard out. Tailback Carson Hansen rushed for two short-yardage scores as No. 14 ISU (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) bulldozed its way to its first true conference road test of the football season: Saturday’s 11 a.m. matchup with surprising Cincinnati (3-1, 1-0) at Nippert Stadium.

So expect a lot more resistance up front from the Bearcats’ defense, which could be bolstered by the possible return of first-team All-Big 12 defensive tackle Dontay Corleone, who has missed the past two games because of an ankle injury.

He’s considered questionable this week but one thing is certain: Former ISU linebackers coach Tyson Veidt — now in his second season as the Bearcats’ defensive coordinator — will devise a strong scheme to keep the Cyclones as far from the goal line as possible on Saturday.

“I think what Tyson’s done defensively (with) that group, they’re confident, they’re tough, they’re physical,” ISU head coach Matt Campbell said. “They run to the football.”

So do Campbell’s Cyclones, who rank fifth in the Big 12 in rushing defense (118.2 yards per game), while Cincinnati checks in at fourth (107.0). Sure-handed tackling from safeties Marcus Neal and Jamison Patton, along with the swarming efforts of linebackers such as Caleb Bacon and Kooper Ebel have helped ISU limit opponents’ big-play prospects in recent weeks.

Now the Cyclones’ linebackers corps welcomes back formerly injured hard-hitters Carson Willich and John Klosterman for the second straight week, which should aid the quest to contain dangerous Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who’s accounted for 14 touchdowns while throwing just one interception this season.

“They have a really good offensive line,” said Willich, who totaled five tackles in the win over Arizona. “They’re physical, they’re fast, and their quarterback’s good, as well. He knows his reads. He can run really well, too, on third and short and things like that, so we’re gonna have to be good in all phases.”

ISU, meanwhile, has been strong across the board with its own running game this season despite generally meager marks on the stat sheet. The Cyclones average 151 rushing yards per game — which ranks 13th in the Big 12. They’ve also faced two top-30 rushing defenses in Iowa (sixth nationally) and Arizona (28th) already this season, and have earned the tough yards on the ground when it’s mattered most.

Case in point: The Cyclones’ fourth-down conversion rate. ISU’s been successful in all five of those situations this season, including one of those scoring sneaks by Becht last Saturday against the Wildcats.

So when push comes to shove, Bonifas and his offensive line mates have excelled, particularly in those goal line situations that players in the trenches dream about.

“I think we’ve made great progress,” said Bonifas, who reclaimed the starting center job after serving as a backup last season. “I think that’s the goal, continued progress. Obviously the moment you settle, you’re gonna get beat. So we’ve gotta keep pushing to improve and that’s gonna be our goal: Just continued improvement and never being satisfied.”

Even after pushing the pile for five short-yardage rushing touchdowns last weekend — a Campbell era single-game record for a conference game. Fortunes can change quickly, especially on the road. And Bonifas said he and his fellow ISU lineman can become even nastier as the real estate shrinks and the tension spikes.

“Just general physicality,” the 6-foot-5, 320-pound redshirt senior said. “You’re never gonna be at the point where you’re satisfied with that.”

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