By Wendell Barnhouse | Big12Sports.com Correspondent
wendell@big12sports.com

This isn't Paul Rhoads' first Iowa State rebuilding effort.

Building a winning program in Ames is something with which Rhoads is familiar. He was an assistant for former coach Dan McCarney.

"I go back to those first three years, '95, '96, '97, and we went three wins, two wins, one win," said Rhoads, a native of nearby Ankeny. "That is part of building a program. That is where we are at now."

Although Rhoads left for a job at Pittsburgh, McCarney eventually turned the Cyclones into winners. They won nine games in 2000 and participated in five bowl games over a six-year span.

Rhoads knows it can be done. He says this year's roster is the most talented that he has had in his short tenure. Rhoads also knows the reality of the situation.

"We could be a better football team and not have it show up in the won-loss record," he said.

Iowa State went 7-6 and won a bowl game in 2009, Rhoads' first year. Last season, the Cyclones were 5-7 and just missed out qualifying for the post-season.

In 2010, Iowa State faced perhaps the nation's toughest schedule. Nothing has changed. This year, nine opponents participated in bowl games.

Rhoads' teams have featured a blue-collar defense that keeps the Cyclones competitive in both games. With junior linebackers Jake Knott and A.J. Klein - who combined for 241 tackles - the defense should again be reliable.

The offense needs to start pulling its weight - and it's a unit that must replace two play makers.

Over the last three years, quarterback Austen Arnaud and Alexander Robinson combined for nearly 80 percent of Iowa State's offensive production. Both must be replaced.

Sophomore running back Shontrelle Johnson had his moments as a backup last season but he must prove that he's can handle 20 to 30 carries a game.

Arnaud's replacement at quarterback will be Steele Jantz. A 6-3, 225-pound junior-college transfer, Jantz has impressed the coaches and his teammates with is throwing and running skills.

"He is able to scramble if we are spread out and if we need to do a read or anything like that," tight end Kurt Hammerschmidt told the Ames Tribune. "I think with him carrying the ball I'm very comfortable with that as well as throwing the ball. He throws it very accurately and very strong."

Last season at San Francisco City Community College, Jantz threw for 3,676 yards and 37 touchdowns. Making the transition to Division I-A competition will be a challenge.

"I feel comfortable," Rhoads said. "Guys come from junior college all the time and make this transition.

"Steele emerged by displaying the three qualities that we were looking for most consistently. That's decision-making, that's throwing accuracy and that's getting things done with his feet."

Iowa State Schedule

Sep. 3	Northern Iowa
Sep. 10	Iowa
Sep. 16	at Connecticut
Oct. 1	Texas*
Oct. 8	at Baylor*
Oct. 15	at Missouri*
Oct. 22	Texas A&M*
Oct. 29	at Texas Tech*
Nov. 5	Kansas*
Nov. 18	Oklahoma State*
Nov. 26	at Oklahoma*
Dec. 3	at Kansas State*

* - Conference game

Coach: Paul Rhoads, third season at Iowa State.
2010: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in North Division.
Returning starters: 5 on offense, 7 on defense.
Key returnees: Linebacker Jake Knott; Linebacker A.J. Klein; Offensive tackle Kelechi Osemele; Running back Shontrelle Johnson; Quarterback Jerome Tiller; Quarterback Steele Jantz; Corner back Leonard Johnson; Wide receiver Darius Darks; Wide receiver Darius Reynolds.

Skywriters Tour History
In a tradition that harkens back to a previous era in college football, sportswriters and broadcasters would gather in a central location and go on an annual conference-wide tour, traveling from campus-to-campus to cover preseason practices. The tour provided fans with unprecedented daily coverage from each school by moving the group between campuses by charter bus or air service and thus was dubbed the Skywriters Tour.