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Iowa State University Athletics
A Special Senior Class
12.03.2020 | Football
AMES, Iowa – There are 17 of them. Seventeen seniors with different backgrounds and unique individual stories will possibly play in their final home game at Jack Trice Stadium this weekend.
One has been a Cyclone for six years (Landen Akers).
Twelve took a leap of faith five years ago when head coach Matt Campbell was hired, "Trusting The Process," when playing football at Iowa State wasn't held in high regard.
Four arrived later, solidifying spots in the lineup while making seamless transitions.
In all, this group will leave Iowa State with a legacy cemented forever: highest College Football Playoff ranking in school history (No. 9), four-straight winning seasons in conference play, school-record seven conference wins in 2020, big plays and monumental victories.
The leadership and commitment from the 2020 seniors has led ISU to a 30-18 record since 2017, the most fruitful four-year period in school history. Campbell has noted often what this senior class has meant to the resurrection of the Cyclone football program. This was affirmed prior to the season when Campbell made the decision to anoint all the seniors as co-captains for their efforts in changing the culture of Iowa State football.
Cyclones.com reached out to every senior to summarize what it meant to be a Cyclone and Cyclones.tv produced a tribute to this outstanding class.
Click on the link above to watch the video.
Lawrence White
"I'm proud of being a role model for the younger guys, someone they can look up to and be there for them and support them. That's what I want my legacy to be, somebody who cared for everybody and always had a helping hand."
"It's been really cool to see this program grow and the changes that have been made since we got here. We came at a special time and we all trusted what Coach Campbell was saying when we basically had nothing to show for it. It's been pretty special watching this class achieve from the ground up."
"My final game is going to be emotional. I feel I have been a 'team guy' my whole career and poured a lot into this whole thing. My first season was Coach Campbell's first season. Coming in with him and seeing all the accomplishments we've been able to do together will make it hard knowing it's about to come to an end."
"Playing as a freshman in the Oklahoma win in Norman in 2017 was a great moment. It felt like we had been working so hard and grinding with so many people invested, and that was the first piece of gratification we got back while investing into "The Process." That was huge. The joy we felt that day and knowing that we can do this. We all knew then if we buy into this it will work."
Greg Eisworth
"The whole reason I came here is meeting good people. We have great souls on this team and I've learned and grown from them. I call this my journey. Ames will always be a huge part of my journey. Faith, football and life in general. There is great people and great growth here. That's what I will reflect on the most."
"I'm really going to miss the people, my teammates, coaches and all the great people in the city of Ames. I haven't had a chance to reflect on much because we aren't done yet. I will more than likely be emotional in my last game here."
"It's going to be pretty emotional in my last game, especially for me being here for five years. This team has come a long way since I got here. Starting off at 3-9 and ending the way we are right now has been a lot of fun for me and for the rest of the seniors just to see all the progress."
"Every once in a while I will think about all the accomplishments. I think we really came up from nothing and brought this program to be something."
"I'm going to miss the guys in the locker room, even though this season has been a little bit different. I will cherish the memories with the guys, hanging out with them even outside of football. I will also miss the people and the coaches. The people really care about you here."
"What I'm going to miss the most is the great atmosphere that the Iowa State fan base has. They support us everywhere we go. Also having the great memories on the field and all the special things we've been able to accomplish."
"When our class came into the program we were 3-9 and the year before wasn't a great season. Coming in here, we kind of changed the culture and the outlook of what Iowa State football should be. That's the one thing I'll remember the most."
Enyi Uwazurike
"Changing the culture is what I am most proud of. How we all bonded and all the fun we had with each other, because it's not like a factory here. We actually care about the person that plays next to us. That's 100 percent what I'm going to miss the most."
"I think once I'm done I'll sit back and be like 'wow,' especially being an Iowa State fan my whole life, I'll be like, 'wow,' that was a special five years'. I can't even put into words how special it was for me just to represent Iowa State."
"I will miss all the people I've met. Back home, my football team was around 20 people, so being around 120 guys you can make a lot more connections. I will miss the interactions every day."
"What I'll miss the most is the fan base, the atmosphere, the stadium, the fun I had with my teammates in the locker room, my coaches and all that. Just the fun times I had."
"I'll miss the community when it's all said and done and the guys that you play with because you make memories for life, that's something that you always take with you."
"Iowa State is like a second home. It's a place where you are encouraged to grow and a place dedicated to your success."
Players Mentioned
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RB
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TE
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