Creston’s Downing to be ‘center’piece of Iowa State offense

AMES — For Creston native Trevor Downing, the past four seasons have been a roller coaster. After appearing in two games in 2018 (Kansas State and Drake) at right tackle and then redshirting, 2019 looked like it would be full of promise.

Indeed, 2019 was a success for Downing who now started at left guard.

Not only did the entire Cyclone offense find success by setting the school record in total offense (444.3), touchdowns (53), passing yards (4,047) and yards per play (6.4). Also during the 2019 season, Downing made his first bowl start in the Camping World Bowl against Notre Dame. The Cyclones lost, 33-9, but Downing was named Second-Team Freshman All-American by The Athletic and also Honorable Mention All-Big 12 by the coaches.

Fast forward 259 days, the days between the Camping World Bowl and the season opener for the then No. 23 Iowa State Cyclones against Louisiana and a chance for Downing to continue to build on last season.

However, at the 2:29 mark in the second quarter, Downing was seen on MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium with a serious turf toe injury.

In 2021, Trevor found the stride he might have been searching for in 2020 by starting in all 12 games of the regular season at right guard. The Cyclone offense was electric when they made it into the red zone as the offense converted on 47-of-49 trips, a school record. In the Cheez-It Bowl against No. 14 Clemson, Downing replaced Ames native Colin Newell at center. Downing was named a First Team All-Big 12 member by the coaches as well that season.

During Iowa State’s open practice held at Ames High School on April 1, Downing was seen where family, friends and the media last saw him on Dec. 29, 2021 at center, a position in which Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell sees the redshirt senior doing very well at this fall.

“For Trev, I would say it is his natural position,” Campbell said. “I think he’s got a chance to be one of the elite interior lineman in all of college football, I think you really saw that a year ago. We’ve always said ‘You’d love to have your best player playing center’ because it’s such a critical, especially in this conference where we see many different fronts.”

The offensive line, at least at the open practice and from left to right, included Tyler Miller, Jarrod Hufford, Trevor Downing, Darrell Simmons Jr. and Jake Remsburg.

“I think he’s got a great chance to be an anchor on this offensive line,” Campbell said.

In his own words

Simply put, moving from guard to center is different as there’s an additional moving part which is the football itself, and for Downing it’ll be an adjustment, but one he proved he could handle during the Cheez-It Bowl.

“Moving from guard to center is a big adjustment,” Downing said during a Tuesday press availability. “It’s just trying to find consistency in my play. It was also good that Newell was here for four years and played consistent football.”

Another important thing in regards to being the player that will be snapping to Hunter Dekkers, Rocco Becht or perhaps Ashton Cook this fall, is repetition with one’s quarterback to gain familiarity and confidence.

“As far as what I need to work on, just being more comfortable playing center,” Downing said.

When Downing was a freshman, the offensive line was consistent during the Valero Alamo Bowl season. This continuity and leadership is something Trevor looks fondly on as a now redshirt senior.

“We had great leaders, we had Ray Lima, Bryce Meeker, Kyle Kempt, when I think about those guys and how they handled their leadership roles, they really got to know people,” Downing said. “I’m trying to do the same thing. I’m here quite a bit playing pool with the young guys and I take pride in that, more so off the field than on the field.”

“It gets pretty competitive down there,” Downing added. “We broke a couple of pool sticks already this spring.”

Downing takes pride in keeping his quarterback’s jersey clean as well as going to work in the trenches.

“I like the griminess of it,” Downing said of the trenches. “I like getting my hands dirty and just coming off the ball and enforcing your will on a person.”

When Downing was at Creston, he helped pave way for Chase Shiltz who went over 1,000 yards in 2014 and 2016. Shiltz had a very successful 2015 thanks to Downing’s blocking, and others, as he rushed for 2,542 yards

Recruiting trail to present day

Downing, who was the 18th-best offensive guard and No. 431 nationally by 247Sports, had offers from Iowa, Kansas State, Minnesota and Missouri before ultimately choosing Iowa State.

He mades lots of trips to Ames, but Campbell first visited him during a 2017 road game in Shenandoah in which the Panthers squeaked out a 56-54 win against the Mustangs.

“I went to a basketball game and he had two DonJoy knee braces on, I never seen a basketball player play with two DonJoys on,” Campbell said of the three-star recruit who had four points, five rebounds, an assist, a steal and zero turnovers.

Campbell sees now, four years and a couple months after Downing officially committed to Iowa State on Dec. 20, 2017 as a massive win for the program.”Trevor for us was a monumental win,” Campbell said. “I don’t think over the last couple of years before we had gotten there we had been able to win that battle vs an elite offensive lineman in the state.”

Trevor Downing was named among 16 Cyclone student-athletes to the 2021-22 Farm Strong Squad. Iowa State and Iowa Farm Bureau team up each year to honor 16 Cyclones for their “hard work, commitment and integrity.”

“We knew what Trevor had the ability to be,” Campbell said. “I think Trevor is who Trevor is, his family is, the work ethic and the commitment to excellence that they stand for day in and day out. Trevor’s still the guy that plays the game on Saturday, goes home on Sunday works on the farm and comes back and gets ready for the next game.”

Downing, when he came in to the program, names like Julian Good-Jones (now with the Calgary Stampeders), Bryce Meeker, Will Windham, Collin Olson and Josh Mueller frequented the offensive line, now that he’s been here, he’s been a cornerstone of the Cyclones success.

“You’re not talking about a great legacy of offensive lineman that Trevor had seen before we got here, so Trevor really laid the ground work for us to build the offensive line moving forward,” Campbell said. “He’s been nothing short of exceptional, having to deal with adversity, missing a season, he’s been unbelievable. Honestly, we’re seeing his best right now, I say it’s been February, March, April, May, I think he’s got a chance to be the best Trevor he’s been and so far he’s been that for us and I’m really proud of him.”

The Cyclones open their season on Sept. 3 against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks.