[Bernini]

I know Iowa State has an inferior football program and it's only spring practice, but it's looking like Kimberly's head coach had a legitimate reason to be annoyed at us spurning Klein and thus steering Hardy elsewhere this cycle. Klein has already cracked the 2-deep on a defense that only employs 2 LB's (5 DB's in their base), and both 1st-teamers are returning senior starters. So he's essentially equivalent to a starter there already.

Originally Posted by wcfcourier

3.) Freshman A.J. Klein was the early star of preseason camp. Klein, a 6-1, 234-pounder who wears No. 47, flew around the field at practice, and especially displayed athleticism when producing a ‘pick-six’ on a Jerome Tiller pass over the middle late in practice. Klein’s play drew a rave review from Coach Rhoads.
“A.J. Klein stuck out to me,” Rhoads said of the Kimberly, Wis., native. “He got off blocks, tackled with great angles. He moved well.”

Originally Posted by "DesMoinesRegister

It's Christmas break. A.J. Klein's phone rings.

Who'd be phoning at this time, he wondered, not immediately recognizing the number.

None other than Paul Rhoads, seeking the first recruiting save of his infant Iowa State football coaching career.

"That was special of him to call me," Klein said. "I told him I was 100 percent committed."

And now, Klein enters the second week of two-a-days as one of the early stars of camp. He's already up to No. 2 middle linebacker, behind Jesse Smith, on the depth chart. Not bad for a guy who was preparing for his final high school season a year ago.

"The thing that puts him ahead a little bit is that he understands the position," Rhoads said of the 6-foot-1, 234-pounder. "He gets it. He understands how to body up receivers, and he understands how to pick gaps."

Klein, who turned 18 in July, moved ahead of transfer Matt Taufoou "because Matt's missed a little practice with a hamstring (injury)," Rhoads said.

"A.J. he's committed to learning everything there is to know about how to play the position very well."
Klein committed to former Cyclone coach Gene Chizik, but wavered when Chizik took the Auburn job last December.

"Once Chizik left, I was iffy," Klein said after practice Friday. "He had me shut down my recruiting. I told a lot of other big schools that I had made my decision and I wasn't changing my mind.

"But when Chizik left, I opened it up again."

Thus the save.

"He was sniffing around a little," Rhoads said. "His was one of the first tapes I watched, and right away, I knew he'd be a perfect fit for our system.
"I called him and gave him my word that he would be the first person I'd visit."

So Rhoads got on a small plane and flew into a small airport near Klein's home in Appleton, Wis.

"I flew into the airport up there, and there was a mountain of snow on that tarmac," Rhoads said. "It was the biggest mountain of snow I'd seen, other than being in the Rocky Mountains."

The trip was worth it.

"It's not easy for a freshman to play linebacker at this level, but A.J. can do it," Rhoads said. "It's one of the three hardest positions for a freshman to play, quarterback excluded."


Playing the line both sides of the ball is the toughest, Rhoads said, because of going against strong, veteran players.

"But the linebacker," Rhoads said, "has to know more than anybody on the field.

"They have to play the run fast, and they have to play the pass fast. You have to know it all, and you have to be physical enough to stand up.

"Physically, A.J.'s big enough, fast enough, and strong enough to play as a freshman."