Coming into the season, the Iowa linebacker core was the talk of the defense.

Jack Campbell, Seth Benson and Jestin Jacobs had combined for 45 career starts and 84 games played. However, after just one game the group is being broken up, as Butkus Award Watchlist selection Jestin Jacobs is out with an injury and will miss the Cy-Hawk game on Saturday.

Senior LB Logan Klemp out of Jewell, Iowa will get the start at the Leo position on Saturday, looking to help out an Iowa defense that held the South Dakota State Jackrabbits to 120 yards and forced two safeties that proved to be the difference in a 7-3 win. Klemp saw time on Saturday at linebacker after Jacobs went down in the first half.

“He did a good job, and he's an older guy. It wasn't a surprise,” said Kirk Ferentz during Tuesday’s press conference. “He's been one of our really core special teams guys, and I talk about that all the time. That's really where you learn how to play, at least defensive guys. They start out there, and he's been really dependable, very productive that way, and I think everybody respects the work that he's done on special teams, not only this year but going back.”

Logan did not record 53 tackles or start nine games last season like Jestin Jacobs did, but he has played 18 career games as a major contributor on a very reliable special teams unit.

Jack Campbell and Seth Benson both cut their teeth on the special teams unit early in their Iowa careers and are both All-Big Ten performers at this point in their careers. Linebacker Coach Seth Wallace talked a bit about his group during media day and explained why they are able to be so successful when they are pushed into a starting role due to a coaching decision or an injury to a starter.

“These (linebackers) get a taste of football pretty early because they’re out there on special teams, so they can’t hide from it. That only advances them when the time is right for them to go in there defensively. They’ve already gotten their feet wet.”

“You go back, and you look at the punt block against Nebraska, then you pause it at the end when Kyler Fisher’s running into the end zone. You look behind him and you’ve got three other linebackers behind him that were on that punt rush…they get a taste of football (at Iowa) pretty early.”

Behind LB Kyler Fisher in the picture is LB Jay Higgins, former LB Mike Timm and the aforementioned Logan Klemp.

“That to me is where I’ve got the advantage as a linebacker coach in growing that room because they’re being used in so many facets of our team.”

Kyler Fisher is another name to keep an eye on Saturday afternoon if someone else takes snap at the Leo position besides Klemp. The redshirt junior has appeared in 21 games over the course of his Iowa career and has recorded eight tackles, including a solo tackle in opener Saturday.

Kirk was asked about the potential of playing a little more Cash look with Cooper DeJean on Saturday with injury to Jacobs, but he mentioned that Iowa State runs some personnel groups that will warrant using the Leo over the Cash.

“They'll do some two tight end stuff and get heavier, and those guys did a good job Saturday. If they do that, we'll make our adjustment with our personnel, be it Logan Klemp, or we've got some position flexibility with some of the other guys. We'll figure that out. But it will probably be a mix for us on Saturday like most times.”