Iowa D-line: Mike 'the Beast' Daniels talks the talk

IOWA CITY - Unlike many of his brethren who consciously recite the company-flavored rhetoric, Iowa defensive tackle Mike Daniels lives his life by the cliche.

Daniels, a 6-foot-1, 275-pound junior, orally resembles a drill sergeant with his cadence. He's confident, direct and delivers his comments in a deep baritone voice.

Here's a glimpse into the soul of Mike Daniels:

“Just to be considered as anyone on this Iowa football team is amazing within its own,” Daniels said. “Frustration? Never. The hay is never in the barn, always working hard. The reps will come.

“(Games are) just like practice; that's how I have to approach it. Just guys wearing different colors. If you practice hard enough, the game is another rep to you.

“Expectations? Work hard and get better. Every single day. That's what we do.”

Combined with his superb work ethic and devotion to team values, it's no surprise that Daniels has won over his coaches. He offers nary a complaint about playing time and performs his tasks with precision and dedication.

“Everything this guy does is intense,” Iowa defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski said. “He is intense. Homework, the training room, Coach (Chris) Doyle, the practice field ...”

Daniels, 21, has become somewhat of a super substitute on what many people consider college football's best defensive line. He played in every game last year and recorded 10 tackles, including 1.5 for loss.

Perhaps Daniels' greatest contribution came at Wisconsin last fall. Iowa had given up consecutive scoring drives of 12 and 11 plays, respectively, and trailed the Badgers 10-3 late in the second quarter. Kaczenski inserted Daniels at defensive tackle, and Daniels disrupted the first play for no gain. Two plays later on third-and-2, Daniels and fellow defensive tackle Karl Klug combined to hold running back Curt Phillips to a 1-yard gain and forced a punt.

Following that drive Wisconsin rushed 11 times for minus-5 yards and didn't score another point.

“(Daniels) went in there, and he was a spark,” Kaczenski said. “That was his role last year. ‘Hey, Spark, go push those other guys.' I think what it tells those other guys is we've got a guy right behind you that can do just as good of a job.

“He's a disruptive guy. Mike's got a high motor. He's good in tight spaces. I think he's got a great understanding of the game. Over the years the experience that he's got and the downs that he's played, he's taking all that in. He learns from it.”

Daniels has made an impression upon Coach Kirk Ferentz, who said “we consider him to be a starter, too,” at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. Fellow defensive lineman Broderick Binns said Daniels “brings out the beast in d-line.”

“He only has one mode, and that's beast mode when he's out there he's throwing people around,” Binns said. “You guys have got to watch out for Mike Daniels this year. He'll get a lot of playing time.”

Daniels, 21, grew up tough in Blackwood, N.J. He proudly admits he's the result of a strong family life. His mother, Carlene Daniels, and older sister, Jeneca Smith, enforced the law in his household, and he grew up strong because of it.

He said he fears them more than he does Ohio State.

“I know a lot of people refer to me being a tough person - I still don't see it - but I give that all back to my mother and my sister,” Daniels said. “Very scary women. Any success I have in life I attribute all to them.

“And my father, he's a very large man, a very intimidating man. But he was the nice one. My mom and my sister, they were not letting anything up. I attribute everything back to my stable family life.”

Daniels said he chose Iowa because it resembled a family atmosphere. He said the players are like brothers and his coaches, especially Kaczenski, are surrogate parents. He's majoring in sociology and one day hopes to work with children.

“I want to work with kids where you have leave a positive with a younger generation, that's something I learned from Coach Kaczenski,” Daniels said.

Cliches are a dime a dozen. Mike Daniels, no matter what he says, is not.

DEPTH CHARTING

DE -- Adrian Clayborn, sr., 6-4, 285; Lebron Daniel, jr., 6-2, 250

DE -- Broderick Binns, jr., 6-2, 251; Joe Forgy, jr., 6-4, 255

DT -- Karl Klug, sr., 6-4, 270; Thomas Nardo, jr., 6-3, 277

DT -- Christian Ballard, sr., 6-5, 297; Mike Daniels, jr., 6-1, 275

In The Huddle

Clayborn has received borderline unanimous preseason All-American honors. He was ranked as the Big Ten's top player returning by ESPN, Clayborn had 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss last year. "Adrian's just had a great season last year and is one of the better players that we've had throughou our program in the last decade," Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said. ... Defensive tackles Karl Klug and Christian Ballard also have received preseason accolades. The unit as a whole was ranked No. 1 nationally by Rivals. ... Defensive end Broderick Binns is suspended for the opener following a drunken driving charge. It's likely either Daniel will replace Binns or Mike Daniels will start at tackle and Ballard will move to defensive end. "Christian's played end before and we're not afraid to put Mike in there and start a game," Iowa defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski said.

Numbers Game

Iowa returns every starter from 2009. The foursome, which started every game last year, produced 27 sacks and 202 tackles. ... Ballard has started 26 consecutive games and Clayborn has 24 starts. ... The unit will lose every starter but Binns next year. ... The defensive line combined for 53.5 tackles for loss last year totaling 242 yards.