COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: Day 42

Cyclone Fanatic is counting down the days until Iowa State’s season opener against Northern Iowa by bringing you a stat, former Cyclone moment or any other random tidbits every morning to help countdown the days.

Today the countdown reaches day 42.

No. 42 – Sacks allowed by Iowa State in 2015

It wasn’t any secret that the biggest thing holding back the Iowa State passing attack in 2015 was the offensive line.

The Cyclones allowed 42 sacks to their opponents, a number that put them last in the Big 12. Oklahoma was just ahead of them with 41, so they weren’t really that far behind the rest of the conference.

The sacks allowed by the Cyclones accumulated to 229 lost yards in 2015, and that’s a number that will obviously have to be decreased for the ISU offense to find more success in 2016.

Luckily, the Cyclones have the skill position players necessary to make an offensive jump this fall. Finding a way for the line to play at an average level could be the key.

Jared Stansbury

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Jared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.

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