CHICAGO – Iowa defensive end Drew Ott grabbed some headlines in the spring for comments he made about departing quarterback Jake Rudock. Here at the Big Ten Football Media Days Thursday, the senior clarified his statement.

Rudock announced that he would be graduating from Iowa and transferring to Michigan where he would be eligible right away. He started the last two seasons for the Hawkeyes before being replaced by C.J. Beathard on the depth chart in January.

Asked about the move during a conference call in April, Ott said he was surprised by Rudock’s exit.

“I thought he had a little more fight in him. But, I guess maybe an opportunity (showed up) over there at Michigan. I don’t know too much about it," he said.

Ott’s words mostly were perceived as a slight on his former teammate. Thursday, he said that wasn’t the case. He meant it as a compliment in that Rudock is a fighter.

Watch what else he had to say about that topic, winning the hay bale toss at Solon Beef Days, what he sees in freshmen D-Ends Matt Nelson and Parker Hesse and more in this exclusive video from AllHawkeyes.com: