IOWA CITY – Tyler Kluver still gets goosebumps thinking about it.

Back in May, the redshirt junior for the Iowa football team, sat down for a meeting with Hawkeye head coach Kirk Ferentz. Kluver asked Ferentz how his coach thought he performed during spring football practice.

How about well enough for Kluver to be put on scholarship ?

“(Ferentz) said, ‘You know, we think that at this point you need to be rewarded for what you’ve done.’ It was really nice to hear that,” Kluver said. “That’s a big thing obviously. It was a dream all along. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Honestly, it’s hard to put into words. It’s really cool.”

Up until that point, Kluver, a Marshalltown native, had been a walk-on for the Hawkeyes since he stepped foot on campus in 2013. It’s a testament to the work the former Bobcat has put in for the Hawkeye program.

Yet, Kluver said nothing has changed, and it doesn’t feel any different being placed on scholarship.

“You would think it would. At this point it’s just knowing what you’ve done up to this point has been good and you’ve been doing your job,” Kluver said. “That’s all I’m really here to do is to do my job. Luckily my job is not very hard. I guess if you do things right long enough, good things happen.”

Being put on scholarship just added another success to an otherwise very successful past 12 months for Kluver on an individual level, as well as a team level. Kluver had a front row seat to the incredible and unexpected 12-0 regular season run the Hawkeyes delivered in 2015, which placed the team in the Big Ten Championship and culminated with a Rose Bowl appearance.

Being part of the team that set a new school record last season with 12 wins, but not playing a spotlighted position like C.J. Beathard at quarterback or Desmond King at defensive back, allowed Kluver to enjoy the season in different ways while still getting his job done.

“As fun as last season was, great and everything, what people might underestimate is the actual week-to-week stress that kind of brings,” Kluver said. “You do have to sit back, and I think everyone does it a different way, but you do have to sit back and enjoy it somehow. It’s not a position a lot of us have been used to.

“It was usually Sunday morning where I would sit back with my roommates and sit on the couch before we had to head in for the day and just think, ‘All right, well, that’s another one. That good.’ With the team we have the 24-hour rule. Coach Ferentz always says enjoy it for 24 hours, and then we leave it behind us. “

But now it’s onto the 2016 schedule. The changes the 2016 season brings, instead of being a young guy, Kluver now finds himself the crafty veteran of the special teams unit. It’s Kluver’s turn to take what he learned from former Hawkeye kickers Mike Meyer and Marshall Koehn, punter Dillon Kidd and long snapper Casey Kreiter, who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos, and pass that knowledge to a new group of specialists.

The core of specialists included four kickers vying for the open kicking position. It was sophomore kickers Miguel Recinos and Mick Ellis listed on the two-deep depth chart released at the beginning of fall camp, but freshman Keith Duncan is the one Ferentz has said is atop the most recent depth chart ahead of the season opener this Saturday against Miami of Ohio. While Duncan has emerged as the guy who will start the season handling field goals and extra points, Ferentz said Recinos and Ellis continue to fight for playing time.

That’s where the value of Kluver’s experience comes in handy.

“He’s taken charge of the whole unit. He’s really consistent with field goal and punt snapping for us. We’re certainly glad we have him on our team,” said special teams coach Chris White. “(Kluver) has just grown up tremendously since he’s been here. We need him to be a leader in that group right now because it’s going to be a long way to sort this thing out, and he’s going to have to help us out.”

Kluver said the life of being a specialist is kind of figuring things out on his own. That’s where he would look to guys like Kreiter, Koehn, Kidd and Meyer to help him figure whatever it is out. While the responsibilities have changed to that of veteran leader, and it seems surreal to Kluver that it’s his turn to be the guy in charge, it’s a role he’s most comfortable being in.

“Now I’m that guy. It’s crazy to think. It doesn’t really feel like my fourth year, but it’s here already. It’s just something I have to balance,” Kluver said. “It’s not too big of a deal, but is definitely important. I have the responsibility and I take responsibility for my group. If they don’t perform well, it’s a reflection of me to some extent.

“I like being a leader. In high school I was always the guy, and I was in that role. Coming into college, no more linebacker, and I was a young guy. So I was kind of thrusted out of that position. I feel more comfortable in a leadership role, and I’ve enjoyed so far to that point leading the guys. They’re a good group of guys.”