Clones Confidential
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Iowa State Football: Offensive Tackle Preview

By Brian Spaen

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October 1, 2011; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones player Kyle Lichtenberg (69) blocks Texas Longhorns player M. J. McFarland (88) in the fourth quarter at Jack Trice Stadium. Texas beat Iowa State 37-14. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Throughout the offseason, we’ll take a look at each position of the Iowa State football team. From the tackles on both sides of the line to the quarterbacks, get to know each player that will represent the Cyclones next season. They’ll be an important part of our life for four months.

First, here’s a look at the four offensive tackles at the right and left sides of the line.

Projected Depth Chart

(as of May 2nd from Cyclone Fanatic)

Left tackle

  1. Jacob Gannon (65) – Junior (Iowa City, IA)
    6-foot-7, 300 pounds
  2. Brock Dagel (72) – Sophomore (Cherokee, IA)
    6-foot-8, 298 pounds

Right tackle

  1. Kyle Lichtenberg (69) – Senior (Bettendorf, IA)
    6-foot-6, 296 pounds
  2. Jamison Lalk (76) – Sophomore (Council Bluffs, IA)
    6-foot-6, 295 pounds

There’s three key returners that played in all 13 games last season on the offensive line. One of them is Lichtenberg, who started in every game last season and has played 38 straight games for the Cyclones since 2010. He’s played hard for the Cyclones and also been excelling in the classroom, spending three straight years on the first-team All-Academic Big 12 and is listed on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for six semesters. He had the highest GPA on the team in 2011.

Clearly, Lichtenberg has the smarts to also excel on the field; with all his playing time he’ll just get better in his final season. That experience will be valuable with a younger core which had Gannon start in just two games last season on the other side. Don’t think for a second that Gannon doesn’t have the potential – he had the team’s highest GPA in 2012.

What also helps is none of these players will be thrown into the fire. Both backups, Lalk and Dagel redshirted in 2011 and played in all 13 games last season.

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