Spring Preview: The Linebackers

AMES, Iowa - Spring football is right around the corner. Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell is entering his fourth season in Ames and aiming to keep the momentum of back-to-back eight-win seasons going.

Cyclones.com will preview each position in the upcoming weeks. Today we take a look at the linebackers.

Linebackers

Synopsis
Tyson Veidt's work with the Iowa State linebackers has been remarkable.

Losing an All-American in Joel Lanning, Veidt, who was a nominee for the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant in 2018, regrouped and put together an outstanding unit that featured three All-Big 12 performers a year ago.

The good news is that two of those players return in Marcel Spears Jr. (6-1, 215, Sr.#, Olathe, Kan.) and Mike Rose (6-3, 228, So., Brecksville, Ohio).

Spears is the definitive leader of the linebacking crew, starting 26-straight games and earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors for the second consecutive season at Will linebacker in 2018.

Spears had 69 tackles, 8.0 TFL and a pair of interceptions in 2018. His two interceptions, which included the second pick-six in his career, came against Texas Tech to earn Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades for the third time in his career.

He was the Defensive MVP of the Liberty Bowl in 2017 and won the Alamo Bowl Sportsmanship Award after posting nine tackles and 1.5 TFL vs. Washington State.

The Mike linebacker position was solidified with the incredible rookie season by Rose in 2018. Rose started every game a year ago to earn First-Team Freshman All-America honors from the FWAA and The Athletic.

Rose, who became the first freshman defender to start a season-opener since 2006, broke out in a big way, ranking fourth on the team in tackles (75) and third on the team in TFL (9.0), the second-best total among NCAA rookies.

The honorable mention All-Big 12 selection also recovered a fumble for a touchdown in ISU's dramatic come-from-behind victory over Kansas State. Rose has a chance to be the best to ever play the position at Iowa State.

A key position battle in the spring will be finding the replacement for Willie Harvey at Sam linebacker.

Harvey wrapped up his solid career in 2018 with 289 tackles and 31.0 TFL.

Three viable candidates fighting for increased playing time will come from Jake Hummel (6-1, 228, Jr., Des Moines, Iowa), O'Rien Vance (6-1, 235, So.#, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and Will McDonald (6-4, 220, Fr.#, Pewaukee, Wis.).

Hummel made another major step in his second year in the program in 2018, recording 31 tackles and 3.5. He was a quality backup to Spears at Will and could find his way into the starting lineup at some point.

Vance, who redshirted in 2017, was also a capable backup in his rookie season a year ago. Vance posted 24 tackles and 4.5 TFL as a reserve at Mike linebacker.

McDonald played in four games at defensive end in 2018 before securing a redshirt. McDonald, who had three tackles and a sack, is an incredible athlete, earning all-state in football and basketball, and was the state's discus champion as a prep.

The staff hasn't officially moved McDonald to linebacker, but they will test him out there this spring because of his versatility.

Bobby McMillen (6-2, 230, Sr.#, Naperville, Ill.), Tymar Sutton (5-10, 222, Jr.#, McKeesport, Pa.) Chandler Pulvermacher (6-2, 204, Fr.#, Hartland, Wis.) and Gerry Vaughn (5-11, 211, Fr.#, Atlanta, Ga.) are back.

McMillen has been a special teams star and reserve in his first three seasons in Ames. He missed most of the 2018 season with a knee injury, but registered nine tackles while playing in all 13 games in 2017.

Sutton has played primarily on special teams in his first two seasons and Pulvermacher was able to redshirt in 2018 while appearing in four games.

Vaughn played in two games a year ago but was able to earn a redshirt.

Campbell On The Linebackers
"I think this will be a fascinating group to watch. We have stalwarts like Marcel Spears Jr. and Mike Rose back, both leaders and guys that are at their best every single day. You then have Jake Hummel, who has continued to improve each year, and O'Rien Vance, who in his first year of collegiate football had big moments. It will be a big off season for them to see if they can push for a starting spot. Chandler Pulvermacher and Gerry Vaughn both played on special teams for us last year and we feel they have high end ability. Will McDonald is a name and a guy that made huge plays for us and has the ability to play linebacker or defensive line. I think we've got some guys that have a lot of ability and it will be really interesting to watch."

Players Mentioned

Willie Harvey

Jake Hummel

Joel Lanning

Will McDonald IV

Chandler Pulvermacher

Mike Rose

Marcel Spears Jr.

Tymar Sutton

O'Rien Vance

Gerry Vaughn

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