NEW IOWA STATE COACH ENFORCES DRESS CODE

With Gene Chizik now coaching at Auburn, the Paul Rhoads administration kicked off yesterday at Iowa State. Rhoads had each players name taped to the front of their helmet as well, helping the new coaching staff identify everyone by face as well as by their number.And while some of the focus might have been on prized sophomore cornerback Leonard Johnson‘s hamstring injury, Rhoads was quick to change the culture of Cyclone football.And he started with the dress code.Rhoads sent every player who arrived to Tuesday’s indoor practice in sweatpants back into the locker room to change into shorts. According to Rhoads “the pants detract from an athlete’s mobility."Next on his list of dress code violations was wrist bands. Rhoads immediately banned them from the practice field as well."I think that’s something for sixth graders and fourth graders,” Rhoads said. I don’t think wristbands do anything to make you a better football player, so we stripped that down early."I’m not sure the sweatpants and the wristbands were what plagued Gene Chizik’s Cyclones, but Rhoads coming in and immediately paying attention to the details certainly can’t hurt.