Aug 10, 2026 · 12 min
Iowa State bets on speed to transform its defense
DAILY CLONE: Can the Cyclone Defense Hold Teams to Less Than 15 Points Per Game?
The episode tests whether Iowa State’s new defensive structure can turn Jesse Bobbitt’s 15-points-per-game target into a credible standard.
- 1Jesse Bobbitt’s defense departs from a traditional 4-2-5 through shifting linebacker alignments, coverage duties, and disguised looks.
- 2Sullivan Schlemgen’s late freshman-season breakthrough makes him a useful test of the system’s demand for speed and range.
- 3The revamped linebackers must still fill run gaps while covering more ground horizontally and contributing across the field.
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Jesse Bobbitt recalls Sullivan Schlemgen becoming a major contributor as a true freshman, including a memorable play against Ole Miss.
The brief
Jesse Bobbitt has set Iowa State a demanding defensive benchmark: allow 15 points per game or fewer, despite the difficult starts discussed from last season.
The new structure moves beyond a traditional 4-2-5, using linebacker alignment, coverage responsibility, rotation, and disguise to create uncertainty before the snap.
Sophomore Sullivan Schlemgen’s route from South Dakota to Iowa State included preparing like a starter while buried on the depth chart, then breaking through late as a freshman.
Bobbitt’s account of Schlemgen’s major freshman contribution, including a memorable play against Ole Miss, frames year two as a test of growth rather than discovery.
Schlemgen fits the new defense because it prizes smaller, faster linebackers who can fill gaps, cover ground, and play sideline to sideline.