Oct. 24, 2013
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IOWA CITY, Iowa – Former University of Iowa defensive lineman Karl Klug will serve as honorary captain when the Hawkeyes hosts Northwestern Saturday in Kinnick Stadium (11:01 a.m., BTN). Klug currently plays for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, who have an open date on their schedule this weekend.
Klug is a native of Caledonia, Minn., who was a three-year letterman as a defensive tackle from 2008-10. He started all 26 games over his final two seasons while helping the Hawkeyes post a three-year record of 28-11. During his career, Iowa concluded the 2008 season with a 31-10 win over South Carolina in the Outback Bowl, defeated ninth-ranked Georgia Tech 24-14 in the Orange Bowl following the 2009 season and beat 12th-ranked Missouri 27-24 in the 2010 Insight Bowl.
He was a permanent team captain as a senior and was Iowa’s defensive Most Valuable Player. He earned second team all-Big Ten honors from league coaches and media. Klug was selected to compete in the East-West Shrine game following his senior season. He was a fifth round NFL Draft selection of the Tennessee Titans, one of six Hawkeyes selected in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Now in his third season with the Titans, Klug has played in all seven games this season, with one start, and has played in all 39 games in his NFL career. He forced and recovered a fumble earlier this season in a win over the New York Jets, scoring his first career touchdown with the recovery. Klug recorded 10.5 QB sacks in his first two seasons, most among Titan defenders in those two seasons.
At Iowa, Klug totaled 57 tackles as a senior, leading the Hawkeyes in both tackles for loss (13-67) and QB sacks (5.5-47). He earned the Iron Hawk Award and the Hayden Fry “Extra Heartbeat” Award as a senior. He amassed 140 career tackles, including 31 tackles for loss (126 yards) and 9.5 QB sacks (76 yards).
Klug will accompany the Iowa captains to the center of the field for Saturday’s pregame coin toss. He will also be with the Hawkeyes in the locker room before and after the game, and on the sidelines during the contest.