A Closer Look: Iowa defensive line

 THE DEPTH CHART

DE — 1. Drew Ott, senior, 6-4, 275; 2. Parker Hesse, redshirt freshman, 6-3, 240. 1. Nate Meier, senior, 6-2, 255; 2. Matt Nelson, redshirt freshman, 6-8, 270

DT — 1. Jaleel Johnson, junior, 6-4, 310; Faith Ekakitie, junior, 6-3, 290. 1. Nathan Bazata, sophomore, 6-2, 284; 2. Kyle Terlouw, junior, 6-4, 288

JALEEL'S GAS TANK

Last season, endurance seemed to be an issue for Iowa DT Carl Davis. It was a question he had to answer for NFL teams, and the answers were OK for the Baltimore Ravens, who drafted him in the third round and have been high on him all training camp.

Junior Jaleel Johnson is the new Carl Davis for the Hawkeyes. He's 6-4, 310 pounds and looks fit. Johnson isn't interested in the amount of snaps he can handle or is expected to handle. He's focused on one speed.

'I'm not really sure about that, I'm not really concerned,' Johnson said. 'The only thing I'm concerned about is going out and doing my best every single play.'

One thing that has been emphasized with Iowa's defense in this camp is getting to the ball. That also holds true for Johnson, even at 310 pounds.

'(Defensive line coach Reese) Coach Morgan, he always preaches running to the ball,' Johnson said. 'That way you'll increase your endurance, stamina, whatever you want to call it.'

STILL AN RB AT HEART

Senior Nate Meier wears No. 34 because he played running back when he arrived at Iowa. He was then moved to linebacker and then, finally, to defensive end two years ago.

Running back is intoxicating. It is a centerpiece position with touchdowns and everything. At one time, Meier was more running back-sized than defensive end. He still has love, and maybe a pang of regret, for the position.

'It was definitely a mindblower when they told me I was moving to D-end,' Meier said. 'I was actually kind of mad. I was having doubts. A lot of the seniors took me under their wing, helped me out, calmed me down.'

When coaches try to show players the wisdom in a position change, they'll used examples of how it worked in the past.

'They showed me Matt Roth and Broderick Binns and said, 'Yeah, they were undersized guys, but they got the job done,'' Meier said. 'They also said, 'If we didn't think you could do it, we wouldn't put you here.''

Roth wasn't exactly undersized at 6-4, 270 pounds, but Binns (6-1, 261) was. But hey, Meier is a DE and will be a second-year starter this fall.

Maybe what coaches saw in Meier was 'violence.' Defensive coordinator Phil Parker and defensive line coach Reese Morgan have used that word to describe Meier's skills.

Here's how Meier describes it, 'I'm a very intense guy on the field,' he said. 'I'm a really nice guy, like right now, but when I'm on the field, I don't really want to be your friend, especially with teammates. I'm trying to embarrass you every time. It's my mentality.'

NEBRASKA NOT A THING FOR OTT . . . KIND OF

Senior DE Drew Ott had offers from Iowa, Kansas State, Ohio and North Dakota State. The Trumbull, Neb., native had options, but, no, the state school wasn't one of those.

Ott was asked if as a player at Giltner High School he saw himself playing somewhere other than for the Huskers? 'Probably not,' he said. 'I was pretty brainwashed, just like everyone.'

If Ott feels an ounce of pain for no offer from Nebraska, he doesn't show it. Nebraska signed 17 in the 2012 recruiting class. The pockets were empty for Ott.

'They didn't have any scholarships,' Ott said. 'They just had low numbers, and they picked the guys they wanted. And I wasn't that guy.'

Instead of feeling self-pity over no offer from the home-state school (and, let's remember, this is four years ago now), Ott believes hooking up with Iowa and strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle was the thing that helped him become the 270-pound, all-Big Ten caliber defensive end he is.

'I'd never go back and do it again,' Ott said. 'Iowa has been a perfect fit for me. Crucial for my development, it's been great for me. It was a perfect decision for me. I'm happy it worked out this way.'

Has Ott ever sensed some cognitive dissonance back home? Does he here from family, friends, Husker fans who believe Nebraska missed the boat here?

'There's a little talk there,' Ott said. 'They probably wouldn't have screwed up if I went there and didn't develop with coach Doyle. It's all relative with what's been happening here.'

One of the things happening here is dissatisfaction for how the 2014 season ended. The Hawkeyes finished with three consecutive defeats, which, of course, included a bitter 37-34 overtime loss against Nebraska at Kinnick Stadium.

Ott is happy with his decision to come to Iowa, but, no, he's not at peace with the '14 Nebraska result. Ott scored on a blocked punt to give Iowa a 24-7 lead with 8:45 left in the third quarter.

From there, it was falling down a flight of stairs while carrying a birthday cake for the Hawkeyes.

'That one was tough, a tough one to swallow,' Ott said. 'A lot of questions. That one burned a little bit.'

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