Completed Event: Football versus #15 Utah on September 26, 2026 , Loss , 17, to, 31
Iowa State University Athletics
12.04.2009 | Football
AMES, Iowa ? Iowa State strong safety David Sims has made some of the biggest plays of the Cyclones' 2009 bowl-bound football season, the kind of plays where you had to get yourself to the right place at the right time.
Sims has been doing that all season long. That's why the junior was voted the Big 12 Conference Defensive Newcomer of the Year by the league's coaches. It is also part of the reason Iowa State, picked for last in the Big 12 North Division before the season began, is headed to a bowl game in its first season under head coach Paul Rhoads.
“David has helped us in so many ways this season,” Rhoads said. “He did the right things for us game after game. I told this team before the season that a bowl was a realistic goal. If that was going to happen, David was going to be a part of it.”
Fast forward to Oct. 24. ISU trailed at Nebraska, 7-3 in the second quarter of the schools' Big 12 Conference showdown in cavernous Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. On third-and-4 at the ISU 16-yard line, Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee tried to hit tight end Mike McNeil over the middle. The ball was tipped by ISU middle linebacker Jessie Smith. McNeil had it for a second. But Iowa State free safety James Smith tore the ball away from the Husker at the Cyclones 1-yard line. Nebraska running back Roy Helu had his hands on the ball but as the pigskin lingered an inch from the turf, Iowa State's David Sims grabbed the ball and returned it 16 yards. Huge play.
Cyclone fans sweated out the ensuing official review of the play in which six players touched the ball. Sims didn't.
“I knew I had it,” Sims said. “I saw the pass was thrown a little behind the tight end so I bumped him and the ball was there.”
On a day that the Iowa State defense forced eight Husker turnovers, Sims' pick was the one that led to a Cyclone touchdown in Iowa State's 9-7 win over the eventual Big 12 Conference North Division champions. It was ISU's first win in Lincoln, Neb. since 1977.
Sims is not surprised by his performance or the effort of his teammates, even though the Cyclones were nearly a unanimous choice for last in the Big 12 North after a 2-10 2008 season which ended with a 0-8 mark in the league.
“Coach Rhoads made going to a bowl a goal of our team,” Sims said. “I knew we had the talent.”
Sims played a major role in ISU's surprise season after transferring to Iowa State from Butte (Calif.) Community College. The Gainesville, Fla., native leads ISU with four interceptions. He also forced three fumbles. The junior has also averaged 23.7 yards on 18 kick returns this season.
Sims' path to Iowa State was no yellow brick road.
The son of a barber and medical office receptionist, Sims was a running back and cornerback for much of his career at Gainesville High School. The Purple Hurricane football program boasts Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis. Gainesville graduates include Tom Petty and Eagles' guitar man Don Felder.
In the sixth game of his senior prep season, Sims tore the ACL in his right knee. Sims had gained the attention of college recruiters but they backed off after the season-ending injury. Sims'mother Kadesah Johnson wanted her son to take the next year (2006-07) off to allow his injury to heal properly.
It was a hard time.
“I started getting depressed,” Sims said. “I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I knew I needed to find a place to play.”
Sims lived part of that 2005-06 year with childhood friend Troy Douglas, who was interested in playing in junior college.
“I told him if he could find a place to go I would go with him,” Sims said. “He found Butte College.”
It was a long way from home but just two hours from the home of Sims' grandmother, Pat Sims.
“Troy had sent them a highlight film,” Sims said. “I told them I wanted to play running back but they wanted me as a safety. The coaches at Butte told me that they already had a lot of competition (at running back). I laughed when they told me that, I thought it was kind of funny. Finally they said, ?come here and we will see what you can do.'”
Sims showed them and then some.
“By the end of our first scrimmage, I was No. 1 at running back,” Sims said.
But adversity struck again.
“I got hurt during the second game of the season,” Sims said. “I had a stress fracture in my fibula. I sat out three games and came back and played hurt until the last couple games.”
Sims was the starting running back to begin the 2007 season. But a hamstring injury limited his playing time and effectiveness.
“(The Butte) coaches had gone out and recruited several backs in case I got hurt again,” Sims said. “When I got back, I was sharing reps. I knew this was my last year of junior college and I needed to play. I told them I would switch to safety after the first game.”
It was a fortuitous move.
“I jumped on the scene real quick,” Sims said. “We ran the same scheme at Butte that I had played in high school.”
Sims' stats affirm that he was a quick study. He recorded 72 tackles, three interceptions and five fumble recoveries in 2007. Sims returned a fumble 99 yards, a blocked kick 98 yards, a missed field goal attempt 106 yards and a kick return 86 yards for scores.
“It helped a lot that I had spent all that time on offense,” Sims said “I could read the scheme and react.”
Sims had offers from several NCAA Division I schools.
“Kansas State, Mississippi, Washington State recruited me,” Sims said.
Sims however, committed to San Diego State, where he had come into contact with assistant coach Chris Ash. It would be an important introduction. But Sims was keeping his options open. He had sent out another highlight tape before Christmas to West Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Miami, LSU, Florida State and Oklahoma.
“I sent it out on a Monday and on Thursday West Virginia called,” Sims said. “They were reserved, saying we are going to evaluate your tape, blas?, blas?. But five minutes later Oklahoma called and sounded excited about having me come there.”
Sims committed to the Sooners. In May of 2008 Sims headed for Norman, Okla. and ran into another roadblock.
“I went there to report but they said I was a class short,” Sims said.
Sims went back to Florida and finished the class but the Oklahoma door had closed.
“By then it was already late in the recruiting process and there weren't a lot of openings.”
Re-enter Chris Ash.
“Coach called me and at first I didn't even know he was at Iowa State,” Sims said. “I came for a visit in January (2009) and was hosted by (ISU free safety) James Smith. I wanted to play. I flew home (from the visit) and was back for school a couple days later.”
Participating in spring football was a real plus for the history major.
“It was very important,” Sims said. “I was able to get adjusted in terms of football.”
Sims has made a great transition.
“Coach Rhoads is different than many head coaches,” Sims said. “He is really down to earth.”
Now, both Rhoads and Sims have their feet on the ground in the right place at the right time.
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, November 04
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