[bears9]

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Not unlike opposing ball carriers, when the potshotting preseason naysayers babble about perceived deficiencies within the University of Iowa football ranks, they stop in their tracks when referencing the interior of the Hawkeye defensive front.

Around Big Ten Conference football circles, the letters KO soon will be replaced when referring to a knockout tackle. Instead the letters KK -- representing King and Kroul -- provide a more adequate substitute. Seniors Mitch King (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington) and Matt Kroul (Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon) will be four-year starters when the 2008 season begins. Both are physical specimens -- Kroul is 6-foot-3, 277 pounds and King is 6-3, 264. Both are using spring practice to springboard into a successful 2008 fall campaign.

"It was all last season that motivated us to work hard this off-season and get back on the field as fast as possible," King said. "We know what date it is and we're preparing for that first game and we're just working hard"

King & Kroul solidify Iowa's defensive fortunes :: 4-year starters are leading by example this spring