Four downs with the D-line

QUICK LOOK BACK: Remember the D-line against Northern Iowa and Iowa State? No, you don't, probably. The D-line was sort of non-existent in the first two games. The Hawkeyes didn't pressure UNI QB Pat Grace without blitzing. Iowa State put up 190 rushing yards on the Hawkeyes.

It was a quiet start, certainly not what this group expected. Adrian Clayborn, Broderick Binns, Christian Ballard and Karl Klug met with D-line coach Rick Kaczenski, who sort of let them have it before the Arizona game. But I think it was more than that. Remember, fall camp is 25 days of hell in hot and humid. You could make an argument for this group having "camp legs." The starters probably took a lot of reps and might've felt it in those first two games.

Camp legs or meeting, either way, this unit was Iowa's best over the next eight weeks. You can look at Ohio State, maybe, as a gap. The Buckeyes smacked Iowa for 229 rushing yards, but, for the most part, this was the rockstar group in 2009.

Clayborn took the next step and is poised for national award candidacy in '10. He finished third in the Big Ten with 11.5 sacks and finished the season as the hottest D-lineman in the Big Ten. Binns was a first-year starter last season and proved to be just about everything coaches thought he would be. He finished second on the team with 6.0 sacks and led the Hawkeyes, incredibly, with nine passes defensed. The long arms paid off.

Klug took advantage of his first season as a starter, finishing second behind Clayborn (20 TFL) with 13 tackles for loss along with 5.5 sacks. Ballard made the unselfish move from D-end to tackle last season and had nine tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

Clayborn, Ballard and Klug will be seniors this season. Ballard will be out this spring after some offseason surgery.

FOURTH DOWN -- CONCERNS: Depth is the only legit concern.

The third tackle likely will be Mike Daniels, who made 10 tackles in limited action last season. The third DE is Lebron Daniel, who made two tackles in even more limited action last season.

Fourth tackle might be Steve Bigach, who was listed as a No. 2 early last season and must've been injured. He didn't see any legit playing time that I can remember. Maybe an incoming freshman sees some early PT -- with Anthony Ferguson Jr. (280) and Carl Davis (300) coming in with legit size. Daniels is junior and is probably a write-in for 2011. The other one? No one will worry about that until next January, but a few players from a large group of underclassmen will have to make the leap from developmental to possible starter.

End is pretty much the same story. Is Dominic Alvis the No. 4? He's a redshirt freshman who is a few pounds away

 from serious playing time. I was recently asked about Joe Gaglione, who missed all of 2009 after shoulder surgery. He didn't dress for Orange Bowl practices. I'm guessing he sits out the spring before gearing up next fall.

For 2010, I don't see the D-line depth going any farther than Daniels and Daniel.

THIRD DOWN -- ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: Iowa coaches saw the need and the 2010 recruiting class is studded with incoming D-linemen.

Here are the new ends: Alvis will be a redshirt. Gaglione has a chance to get his career back on its feet. Juco transfer Joe Forgy also comes online after redshirting last season. Louis Trinca-Pasat is an incoming freshman whose future appears to be as a DE. Mike Hardy will come in as a DE, but with his frame, 6-5, 260, he could be a DT candidate or maybe even an OL.

New DTs include: Redshirt freshmen Scott Covert 6-2, 240) and Marty Hopkins (6-3, 230) are in the mix this season. Both were hurt at different points last year, so I'm not sure where they are in their development. Probably at least a year away from serious depth chart candidacy. Remember, they came in undersized. Ferguson, Davis and Donovan Johnson are the incoming frosh. Johnson is 6-2, 245 and might start his career as a DE.

These are the names of the future, which begins directly after the final snap of 2010.

SECOND DOWN -- BATTLES BREWING: Really, the only jockeying here will be in the three deeps. The starting four is set. Most of the group behind the four are in developmental mode, so 2011 is going to be a focus for a lot of these players.

That said, Daniels and Daniel are extremely important players this season. D-line is combat every down. In Iowa's last game, the Orange Bowl, Georgia Tech was hit with a chop block penalty, 15 yards for two players engaging a DL, one up high and the other at the legs. That description shows you the brutal nature of the position. Ballard had some surgery. Also shows you the brutal nature.

At some point, Daniels and Daniel are going to matter. If nothing else, Iowa's September games can clock in at 80-plus degrees, especially that Sept. 18 date in Tucson. After last season, do you think the 'Cats are going to sign off on a night game for the Hawkeyes. Uh uh. They're going to want a 2:30 boiler.

If you take battles brewing to the Big Ten, Iowa's D-line is going to have competition with Ohio State (Cameron Heyward) and Purdue (Ryan Kerrigan). Ohio State might be deeper, but also might not have the overall firepower among the four starters. Kerrigan is a star at Purdue. Is the supporting cast there? Also, Wisconsin might be able to take a run at the title, led by J.J. Watt, a 6-6, 285 DE who played his best football at the end of last season.

FIRST DOWN -- "On Iowa" predictions for 2010: Iowa is in a pretty good position here. Yes, Clayborn is a known entity. He'll be locked in a season-long wrestling match with Heyward, Kerrigan and Watt for first-team all-Big Ten. Penn State DE Jack Crawford isn't bad, either. With Clayborn's 2009 in neon at this point, of course, he's going to see more double teams and more running backs chipping off him. That's OK for a couple reasons. Clayborn is a 290-pound force of nature. He'll still win his share of battles. Also, Binns showed last season he's also a pass rusher to deal with. Who do you block? Iowa's rush defense numbers tumbled slightly last season, so that might be the challenge for this group. In case you're wondering, Clayborn (15.5 career sacks) needs 26.5 to catch Jared DeVries' career mark of 42. The season record belongs to Leroy Smith, who had 18 in 1991.

Top performances of 2009:

The D-line had a fantastic season. I'd rate four of their performances among Iowa's top 10 (this will be a blog this summer, bet on it) last season.

1. DE Adrian Clayborn vs. Penn State: 53-yard blocked punt returned for a TD.

2. LB Pat Angerer vs. Penn State: 14 tackles, interception, forced fumble.

3. SS Tyler Sash vs. Iowa State: three interceptions, forced fumble and two tackles for loss.

4. TE Tony Moeaki vs. Michigan: six catches for 105 yards and two TDs.

5. DE Broderick Binns vs. Penn State: eight tackles, 2.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks.

6. Clayborn vs. Georgia Tech: two sacks, nine solo tackles.

7. WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos vs. Ohio State: 99-yard kick return for TD, three catches for 71 yards.

8. P Ryan Donahue vs. Arizona: 51 avg. on five punts, including a long of 62 and four punts of at least 50 yards.

9. Clayborn vs. Michigan State: four tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

10. QB Ricky Stanzi vs. Indiana: Yes, five interceptions, but two fourth-quarter TDs in a comeback victory.