On the field, Nik Moser is back at home. After spending nearly his entire previous playing career in the defensive secondary, Moser was moved to linebacker for the 2003 Cyclone football season.

After a season chasing opposing players in the backfield, however, Moser is making his return to the position he is most familiar with.

“It’s a good switch,” Moser said. “Erik Anderson is good at outside linebacker, and he played there most of the season last year when I got hurt. That’s a good fit for him, and it works out because I can move back to safety, [which is] more of a natural position for me.”

Moser was recruited by Iowa State to play defensive back, which earned him a spot on the Des Moines Register’s All-State First Team as a senior in high school.

“We brought him in as a defensive back and tried him at defensive back,” defensive coordinator John Skladany said. “[Last year], we wanted a guy who could give us speed off the edge.”

Skladany also said Moser’s size and quickness were taken into account in the decision to move him back to safety.

“He’s better fit for being a safety; it’s a better spot for him,” Skladany said. “His attributes will help [him more at safety]. He has good size and is athletic with good speed.”

Moser also sees the wisdom in his coach’s move.

“I was an undersized linebacker, there’s no question about that,” Moser said. “Going back to safety, I’ll be able to run more stuff down and utilize my speed more than I could at linebacker.”

Standing 6 feet tall and weighing just under 200 pounds, Moser has the body to go toe-to-toe with wideouts. It’s his speed that could set him apart from the competition.

“Being back deeper [on the field], you can see stuff develop more than at linebacker,” he said.

Though he may have been undersized at his position last year, Moser didn’t let that slow him down.

Six games into the season, Moser was among the team leaders in tackles, recording 43 takedowns and also forcing two fumbles. His season, however, was cut short by a cracked heel that he suffered in a loss to Texas Tech. He suited up for the Cyclones’ next game against Texas but wasn’t able to play.

“That was frustrating,” Moser said. “It was tough, but at the same time there was Erik Anderson who was capable of playing [that position]. It was tough to watch, just like it’s tough to watch when you’re a redshirt freshman. It’s tough to watch when you know you can play.”

After sitting out the final half of the year, Skladany said Moser returned to workouts and spring practice with a fierce determination.

“Those things are tough, and he was determined to get back,” Skladany said. “It was good to see he was ready for spring ball..”

With his return from injury to a position he knows well, Moser is anxious for the season to begin.

“We’re all ready to play a game,” Moser said. “We’re probably not ready physically or mentally assignment-wise, but I think everyone wants to get back on the field and get going.”