Even behind Knott, ISU LBs are strong

AMES - Iowa State linebackers Jake Knott and A.J. Klein landed on every significant college football awards watch list this preseason for good reason.

But it's the two nationally-recognized standouts' internal “players to watch” chart that should most intrigue Cyclone fans.

Meet Jeremiah George, who sits behind Klein on the depth chart, and Jevohn Miller, Knott's No. 2.

“Jeremiah, especially, has come a long way,” said Knott, who achieved first-team all-Big 12 honors for the second time last season despite dealing with a panoply of injuries. “They both have a tremendous amount of talent and ability and are figuring out how to transfer that to the field. I think they're both really starting to do that.”

For George, getting to the I-fully-get-it stage has been a long journey.

The junior's consistently wowed coaches and teammates alike with his ability.

Steadiness didn't always come, however, which limited George mostly to special teams situation - until now.

“I took a step back right before the spring and really looked over the whole playbook,” George said. “I tried to understand it as best as possible and I sat down with Coach (Paul Rhoads), (defensive coordinator) Wally (Burnham), Jake and A.J., whoever would help me. I just picked their brains about little stuff.”

That made a big difference, prompting Rhoads to declare that the light had “gone on” for George and no subsequent power outages have occurred.

“Jeremiah George is a pivotal member of our 2012 defense because he allows us to play three linebackers more frequently, which I like to do, which Wally likes to do,” Rhoads said. “You love to play your base defense on first and second down and keep those guys on the field. With Jeremiah being able to do that, A.J. slides out to our SAM linebacker position and we can keep that group on the field.”

If the 5-11, 225-pound George performs as expected - and Miller, C.J. Morgan and Deon Broomfield continue to develop, Knott and Klein won't be the only standouts mentioned in the Cyclones' second line of defense.

Lindy's 2012 College Football Preview dubbed ISU's linebacking corps the second-best nationally behind Georgia's.

“Jake and A.J. have set the bar high,” said Miller, a 6-1, 242-pound sophomore from Brooklyn (Iowa). “But for me and Jeremiah, we don't expect anything less out of ourselves when its our turn to play.”

Miller, Rhoads is convinced, can ably fill in when Knott needs - or is willing to take - a break.

“Hopefully health reasons (good ones, for Knott) make it until 2013 that he becomes a takeover guy,” Rhoads said.

George's spotlight time begins now.

“He can play,” Knott said. “He can hit and he's fast. He's physical, he's strong. If we can just let him do that, he's going to make some eye-opening plays this year.”

In other words, leave the light on for him.

“It's slowly started to shine,” George said. “I don't want to say its at its brightest point, but by Sept. 1, I think you guys will see. It will be like, ‘Here we go. There's Jeremiah George.' And I'm excited for the opportunity.”

The depth chart

No. 1s - SLB: Deon Broomfield, jr., 6-0, 196, or C.J. Morgan, soph., 6-3, 213; MLB: A.J. Klein, sr., 6-2, 244; WLB: Jake Knott, sr., 6-3, 239; the rest: Jeremiah George, jr., 5-11, 225; Jevohn Miller, soph., 6-1, 242.

The guys

Klein and Knott have steadily developed into two of the best linebackers in college football. Both are likely NFL Draft pics and come off of first-team all-Big 132 seasons. Knott is happily all in once piece after off-season surgery, which breeds great optimism for a unit already ranked top five nationally by a variety of pundits. “He's healthy as a horse,” Cyclone Coach Paul Rhoads said of Knott. Klein was the Big 12's co-defensive player of the year in 2011. He led ISU with 116 tackles, while adding two sacks and a pick six. Knott had 115 tackles, two interceptions (and a redirect of a tipped ball that found Ter'Ran Benton's hands, helping key the Oklahoma State win). Broomfield and Morgan shined at times when the spread got extra spready, combining for 40 tackles, two for loss.

The other guys

George emerged from spring ball as ISU's most improved player. When asked who might be the Jeremiah George of fall camp, Rhoads said: “Jeremiah George.” It's likely Goerge, who played primarily on special teams with Klein and Knott making plays all of last season, will see the field a lot more in 2012. Rhoads is excited about the prospect of playing his base defense more frequently. It will be a tricky proposition, though, given the need for a nickel back against Big 12 offenses. “If you play in your base, you can't run all your coverages,” defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said. “But we're going to have (George) on the field every snap we can have him out there.” Miller's progressed rapidly under Knott's wing, but will be a fill-in down-and-distance player unless Knott gets hurt again - and actually leaves the field.