For a college football program that doesn’t routinely attract top-flight talent on national signing day, the Iowa State Cyclones have shown remarkable consistency when it comes to playing defense.
To be sure, ISU’s “3-3-3” defense has had a profound influence on how teams across the country have adapted to combat the proliferation of high-octane offenses. Defensive coordinator Jon Heacock’s brainchild has proven to be more than just a good idea, though. It works as well in application as in theory, and ISU executes the scheme as well as anyone.
Since 2017, the Clones have finished no worse than third in the Big 12 and 49th overall in scoring defense.