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Iowa State University Athletics
Meyers Gaining Confidence on the Defensive Line
08.14.2014 | Football
AMES, Iowa – Many Iowa State fans hadn't heard of Mitchell Meyers until last spring. Meyers, a 6-4, 262-pound sophomore defensive end, played in all 12 games last season in a back-up role for the Cyclones.
The Woodlands, Texas native registered 14 tackles and 1.5 for loss in his limited play in 2013, but Meyers introduced himself to Cyclone Nation during the spring game when he recorded six tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Meyers is now listed as the No. 1 left end for fall camp and he's hoping the success he had in the spring will carry over into the fall.
“The more reps you get the more comfortable everything feels,” Meyers said. “The experience of playing with the ones in spring ball has definitely helped.”
Meyers is still learning his position. He has a new defensive ends coach in Stan Eggen and has an entirely new set of terminology to master.
Eggen likes what he's seen in Meyers so far.
“He's a talented young man,” Eggen said. “He wants to be good, but now he's got to learn how to play with the consistency and play faster. Not that he wasn't playing hard, but just learning how to play faster with a more sense of urgency. He's starting to do that.”
Meyers will team with team captain and All-Big 12 defensive end Cory Morrissey on the defensive line. Morrissey is the leader of the group, and both will have help with the addition of junior college transfers in Dale Pierson and Trent Taylor.
Both have impressed Meyers so far in camp.
“Taylor and Pierson have come in and done well,” Meyers said. “They will help us.”
Meyers was a multi-sport talent in high school. His size helped him excel in basketball as well. One of his AAU coaches was Reid Gettys, a member of Houston's famed Phi Slamma Jamma team in the 1980s and Big 12 basketball color analyst.
Meyers is hoping to use his athletic ability to find his way into the opponents' backfield in 2014.
“Coach Eggen has really stressed getting off the ball faster,” Meyers said. “Once you get off of the ball and shoot your hands, that tackle starts to set on you, and once he sets, you can really get a move on him. You just have to get off of the ball first.”
The Woodlands, Texas native registered 14 tackles and 1.5 for loss in his limited play in 2013, but Meyers introduced himself to Cyclone Nation during the spring game when he recorded six tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Meyers is now listed as the No. 1 left end for fall camp and he's hoping the success he had in the spring will carry over into the fall.
“The more reps you get the more comfortable everything feels,” Meyers said. “The experience of playing with the ones in spring ball has definitely helped.”
Meyers is still learning his position. He has a new defensive ends coach in Stan Eggen and has an entirely new set of terminology to master.
Eggen likes what he's seen in Meyers so far.
“He's a talented young man,” Eggen said. “He wants to be good, but now he's got to learn how to play with the consistency and play faster. Not that he wasn't playing hard, but just learning how to play faster with a more sense of urgency. He's starting to do that.”
Meyers will team with team captain and All-Big 12 defensive end Cory Morrissey on the defensive line. Morrissey is the leader of the group, and both will have help with the addition of junior college transfers in Dale Pierson and Trent Taylor.
Both have impressed Meyers so far in camp.
“Taylor and Pierson have come in and done well,” Meyers said. “They will help us.”
Meyers was a multi-sport talent in high school. His size helped him excel in basketball as well. One of his AAU coaches was Reid Gettys, a member of Houston's famed Phi Slamma Jamma team in the 1980s and Big 12 basketball color analyst.
Meyers is hoping to use his athletic ability to find his way into the opponents' backfield in 2014.
“Coach Eggen has really stressed getting off the ball faster,” Meyers said. “Once you get off of the ball and shoot your hands, that tackle starts to set on you, and once he sets, you can really get a move on him. You just have to get off of the ball first.”
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