Also, really missing Ott and Meier

[uihawk82]

Wow the Nelsons are trying but they are so tall and thin compared to real big time Off tackles. The blockers are getting under the pads and getting better leverage on all of our Dee linemen. But Ott and Meier held the edge and also were good at crashing down the LOS to help tackle runners.

I am just not seeing the Dee Ends crashing down the LOS to help stop the opposing running game.

Are there some other Dee ends on the team that could maybe be in the game in running situations?

 

[NikeHawk21]

If they ain't stopping the run and they ain't rushing the passer I'd go ahead and say they just aren't very good. I was never a Meier fan either. You need DEs who are at least athletic enough to tackle a QB when they have a chance.

It sucks because we've actually had some good DEs in the KF era, but lately they've been pretty weak.

 

[Stanzi]

Ott was great but he was also hurt almost all of last year so it's hard to say we're missing him.

 

[Xerxes]

I love the size of the DEs. They're just not ready to play. Better recruiting would have them where they should be at this junction of their careers: on the 2nd team. Ott should still be there, but KF burned the RS in a lost 2012 season.

But you're right, Iowa does miss Ott and Meier. They were good players. They also miss Kreiger-Coble, Lomax, and Smith(another wasted RS). Thats the problem with Iowa. Even when they return good players they often don't have the bottom to top talent on the roster to replace those "B" level college players that most good programs replace easily but are valuable contributors to programs like Iowa who can't replace them easily.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I believe it was Marty Tirrell who said last year that Nate Meier was the vocal leader of the D last year. We miss Ott's play but he was even hurt for most of the year last year so I somewhat feel that can't be the difference on D.

Maybe it is Meier's leadership that is missing.

 

[NCHawker]

Go back and look at the Taxslayer bowl and several others that year, OTT wasn't that impressive. He got a lot of hype in the spring for blowing by that new walk on tackle Botteger?

Meyer was a tough SOB. But not so great to make a difference. Nelsons are young, they'l be good in time.

Still think Jim Reid is what they miss.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Missing Ott?? Ott actually had a small window of success before unfortunately getting hurt and missing pretty much all year last year. More telling is the depth problem not having players to plug and play.

Both lines on this team suck.