DL Bain ready for the next level

Bolingbrook (Ill.) four-star defensive tackle prospect Ryan Bain (6-foot-2, 260 pounds) has returned to the wrestling mat this winter after his appearance in the high school all star game in Texas. Bain talks about his decision to verbal to Iowa, his all star game experience as well as his goals playing for the Hawkeyes next fall and more.

"Making my verbal commitment to Iowa wasn't that hard of a decision for me," Bain said. "I really built up a great relationship with Iowa coaches, and they were very straight forward with me in my recruiting process. The coaches as well as the direction of the program is what convinced me to verbal to Iowa."

Bain said his official visit helped him make his final college choice.

"Taking my official visits definitely helped me in making my decision. In the beginning of my recruiting, if I decided to verbal without taking any visits I would have most likely have ended up at another school. The visits I took definitely gave me a much closer look at each school. After my visits, Iowa was on top followed by Minnesota and Wisconsin and that's how things finished for me. The official visits gave me a good chance to get know the players and the coaches better at each school. I was glad I took my visits."

Bain's recruiting process was definitely filled with peaks and valley's.

"Early on things were slow, especially in early May. Once the colleges started to make in school visits and also started to see my tape, then things definitely picked up. Once September 1st rolled around the phone really started to get crazy. We just got used to all of the calls I guess, because it didn't seem to get too bad, plus I started to narrow things down and that sort of narrowed down the calls. I guess I just got used to the calls and stuff."

Bain admitted that his experience at the national all star game in Texas was his first real experience on the defensive line.

"I really didn't know how to play defensive line at all. I basically played linebacker my entire high school career at Bolingbrook, and the coaches asked me what position I wanted to play at the all star game. I really wanted to get a taste for my college position, so I asked to play on the defensive line. At the beginning of the week, the other defensive linemen were really showing me up, because they knew technique much better than I did. I wanted the challenge of playing defensive line against the best offensive linemen in the country that week. By the end of the week the coaches asked me if I had much experience playing the position because I started getting sacks and getting into the backfield. I still didn't have any technique, but I think I just got used to the position and I earned the starting spot in the game. I was pretty proud of that. I had a forced fumble that I didn't get credit for in the game, plus I made a few tackles. I guess I played OK."

Bain is a part of an outstanding recruiting class for Iowa, and Bain is excited about the talent expected to sign for the Hawkeyes.

"Iowa will have a great recruiting class, and we know that we have a lot of potential. As long as we understand that we all need to work hard, with the type of people we'll have I know that we'll be able to accomplish great things."

Was Bain swayed by the large and talented group of prospects from the Chicagoland area heading to Iowa City in making his final college choice?

"I guess it's a good thing to have a bunch of kids from the Chicagoland area heading to the same school, but it really wasn't that big of a deal for me in deciding on Iowa. That's not the reason I decided on the Hawkeyes."

Bain will now focus on getting ready to play on the defensive line for the Hawkeyes after signing his Letter of Intent on February 2nd.

"I'm going to head to Iowa this summer, and I'm looking forward to working with Coach (Ron Bernard) Aiken on getting better at the defensive line position. I'm also going to hit the weights really hard this off season and put on more weight and size."

Bain also has plenty of personal and team goals when he arrives in Iowa City.

"My short term goal is to contribute as a freshman. I also just want to work as hard as I can to learn my new position. Long term my goal is to definitely help Iowa win games as well as some Big Ten championships, and that's with an s on the end. I also want to help Iowa win a national championship."