 | 2010 FB Position Preview - Defensive Line |
 by Dr. Jay
Hawkeyes.Org Editor
Today continues with #4 in my 10-part preview of the 2010 Hawkeye Football team. In this
10-part series, I'll detail each position by pointing out who's gone, who's returning, and who's
new. Plus, I'll discuss where I feel the strengths of the team lie, and where the weak links are.
Today's installment: Defensive Line.
Movin' On: DE Chad Geary, DT Travis Meade
Movin' Up: SR Adrian Clayborn, SR Karl Klug, SR Christian Ballard, JR Broderick Binns,
JR Lebron Daniel, JR Mike Daniels, JR Thomas Nardo, JR Joe Forgy, SO Steve Bigach, SO Joe Gaglione,
RS FR Casey Kreiter, RS FR Martin Hopkins, RS FR Scott Covert, RS FR Dominic Alvis
Movin' Over: None
Movin' In: DT Carl Davis, DT Anthony Ferguson Jr., DL Mike Hardy, DL Donovan Johnson, DE Louis
Trinca-Pasat
Movin' Out: JR Cody Hundertmark (switching to Offensive Line)
The outlook for the trenches on the defensive side of the ball is great, but once you get past the
starting four, depth becomes somewhat of an issue. All four starters return, headlined by the 2009
breakout star Adrian Clayborn, and the starting unit is tabbed by some to be the best defensive
line in the nation. The same starting four anchored a defense that was 10th in the nation in total
defense, and 34th in the nation vs. the run, allowing only 123 rushing yards per game in 2009. Statistically,
this fall's squad looks to rival the defensive lines from 1981, 2002, 2004, and 2008. Iowa should be wicked
against the run once again, especially if additional help from the new linebackers materializes as hoped.
It all begins with DE Adrian Clayborn, who made a lot of Hawk fans happy by skipping the draft and returning
for his senior season. Clayborn was Orange Bowl MVP, a 2010 pre-season all-American, on the Lombardi award
watchlist, and projected as a top-5 draft pick in the 2011 NFL draft. He gained instant national attention
in '09 after blocking a punt at Penn State, and returning it for a score. At the other DE position is Broderick
Binns, who joins his teammate on the Lombardi watchlist. Binns showed great speed and pursuit as a freshman
and started all 13 games last season as a sophomore. In the summer offseason, Binns was arrested for OWI,
and will almost certainly sit out the first game or two of the 2010 season as punishment, but that shouldn't
change the effectiveness of the group as a whole, once he returns to action.
On the inside, seniors Karl Klug and Christian Ballard return to provide more headaches for offensive guards
and centers around the Big Ten. Coach Norm Parker thinks Klug could become the next Matt Kroul, and Ballard's
versatility is evidenced by the fact that he moved inside from DE prior to the 2009 season to make room for
the distruptive Binns in the starting lineup. All four starters had nine or more tackles for loss last year
and numerous QB sacks. After those four, however, things become a little less certain.
Chad Geary and Travis Meade graduated without getting a ton of field time, due to the talent of the younger
players who are now starting, which leaves only two other defensive linemen with any real experience. Lebron
Daniel and Mike Daniels, both juniors, saw action in all 13 games last year, but Lebron had only 2 total stops
at DE, while Mike had 16 total as 2nd team DT. The way the Iowa defense is structured, these six guys will
almost certainly represent a basic rotation again in 2010 to keep fresh bodies on the field. With Clayborn
as the number one target on the scouting report for offensive linemen, he'll likely see double-teams which
should open up opportunities for the other linemen to make plays. Another player with experience who would
have projected playing time in that rotation is Cody Hundertmark, who after two years on the D-line is moving
to the offensive side of the ball. Hundertmark is a talented player who saw the field as a true freshman in
2007, but with Clayborn and Ballard coming on in 2008, took a redshirt year. Hundertmark made the switch to OL
after the 2009 regular season, just before the Orange Bowl.
Thomas Nardo and Joe Forgy fill out the second team, but neither has seen any game action at Iowa. Nardo has been
in the system for a couple years learning from the starters, and Forgy redshirted 2009 after transferring in from
Ellsworth junior college. Bigach and Gaglione likewise haven't played a snap at Iowa, and are still working
on increasing their size, though Bigach has a big lead and is physically more ready to play. Kreiter, Hopkins,
Covert, and Alvis are all coming off their redshirt years, and are unlikely to see any action unless the injury
bug hits, but form a nucleus for future D-lines. The true freshmen at this position are intriguing and bring
high praise for their high school careers. All were 3-star recruits. Carl Davis from Michigan is physically
imposing at 6'5" and 295 pounds already, while Donavan Johnson from Arlington, TX knows former Iowa DB David
Cato's younger brother. Johnson was impressed with Iowa's win at Penn State, and the defense against Georgia
Tech in the Orange Bowl. Anthony Ferguson, Jr. comes to Iowa from Gilman High in north Baltimore, MD. He
already has size at 6'3" and 280 pounds, and will join his HS coach's son, also a freshman, at Iowa this fall.
Mike Hardy, a 6'5" 270-pounder from Appleton, WI, and Louis Trinca-Pasat, at 6'3", 250 pounds from Lane Tech HS,
IL round out the new additions to the scout team.
Overall, the first team DL is proven and powerful. They have experience, demonstrated ability, and great talent.
Beyond the starting four, there is depth in the number of bodies, but not a lot of depth as far as game experience,
so injuries could quickly change the landscape if any of the second-teamers are asked to move up and start. Daniel
and Daniels will contribute but both give away a bit of size. In addition to the rotation of 4 starters plus the 2
"Dan's", Forgy and Bigach have the advantage of JuCo experience and size, respectively. Look for Nardo, Forgy,
Bigach, and Gaglione to start making some noise, especially on special teams. We'll continue tomorrow with one of
the few question marks on this year's squad. Iowa always seems to do well plugging the "next man in" into this
slot, but as with Hodge and Greenway a few seasons ago, replacing a duo of productive seniors will be no small
task. Next up: Linebackers
Previous Installments:
Intro
Quarterbacks
Kickers
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