• last year
Iowa Football player interviews 9-5-23
Transcript
00:00 but just looking forward to it.
00:02 What do you remember about last time at Jack Trice?
00:06 Well, I can really just remember, I guess,
00:08 how humble and modest the fans are out there.
00:12 It's a pretty nice place to play.
00:13 It's not like there's eight-year-olds
00:15 hanging over the fence giving you the rude finger
00:16 or anything like that.
00:18 So, yeah, excited to go back there
00:19 and enjoy such a pleasant environment.
00:22 How excited are you for Seahawk?
00:25 Yeah, I mean, all jokes aside,
00:27 it's probably my favorite game of the year.
00:29 You know, my favorite game that I've probably ever played
00:31 was at Iowa State a couple of years ago.
00:33 You know, it was obviously a big matchup,
00:35 which it is every year.
00:36 Every game is pretty big, but, yeah, that was a fun game.
00:39 So, to answer your question, yeah, very excited,
00:41 but just looking forward to going back out there
00:43 because didn't really have that good of a game
00:45 this past weekend,
00:45 so looking to rectify a few things.
00:48 What was the moment you remember
00:49 from that game two years ago?
00:52 There was probably a few moments,
00:53 you know, Matt Hankins' pick,
00:55 Camber with the scoop and score,
00:58 and it was just a fun day, you know,
00:59 like we were obviously two pretty highly ranked teams
01:01 and there was a lot of chat about, I guess,
01:04 them in the preseason and things like that.
01:06 So, it's always nice going there,
01:08 but they did the same to us last year,
01:10 so we got to get on back on them.
01:11 But, I mean, not really worried too much about the passes.
01:15 There's nothing I can do about it.
01:16 Just, yeah, really, really excited for this game
01:19 and, yeah, my mom and our little brother
01:21 will be there as well, so pumped for that.
01:24 When are they coming over?
01:25 They got here last Thursday.
01:27 Okay, how long are they staying?
01:29 Until the couple of days after the Michigan State game.
01:32 So, yeah, they'll be here a while.
01:33 How many games have they been to so far?
01:35 Well, just one.
01:36 Just one?
01:37 Yeah, we've only played one game.
01:39 They were here last year, though, right?
01:40 Yeah, they were.
01:41 Oh, sorry, yeah.
01:42 Yeah, last year they came to, what was it,
01:45 Iowa State, which we lost,
01:47 the Nevada game, which was basically,
01:49 they left it whenever the lightning and stuff came,
01:52 and then Michigan we lost.
01:54 So, they've never seen me win until this past weekend,
01:56 so, yeah, that was pretty cool.
01:58 What do you do to entertain them
01:58 when they're in town for so long?
02:00 They kind of just entertain themselves,
02:01 but I'll go out, I'm catching up with them after this,
02:03 and we'll just go out for coffee or lunch
02:05 or something like that.
02:07 My brother likes punting the ball around as well,
02:09 so, yeah, it's always good.
02:12 It's good having them here as well.
02:13 Makes life easy for me,
02:14 and they enjoy it just as much as I do.
02:17 Future Hawkeye?
02:18 Hopefully, yeah.
02:19 Last time you told us your brother was, like,
02:21 he was punting, he was getting bigger.
02:22 Has he gotten bigger since we've seen him?
02:23 Yeah, he loves his punting,
02:25 but surprisingly, he's actually really into his boxing.
02:28 So, yeah, he's only 13,
02:30 so I don't know if my mom's too happy about that,
02:32 but me and my dad love it.
02:34 So, yeah, I think he's trying to get his first fight
02:36 in the next couple of months, so that's pretty cool.
02:39 Back here, when I decided to come back,
02:42 that was one of my goals, just to be a captain.
02:44 And just being able to be selected by my teammates
02:46 is something that I'll never forget,
02:48 and I definitely take that to heart,
02:51 that they picked me to be out there
02:53 for one of the four captains.
02:55 So, something that I'll never forget,
02:57 and it's an honor to be a captain.
02:59 Overall, how do you feel about the defensive play week one?
03:03 I thought we started off well.
03:04 I definitely think that we kind of let off the gas
03:08 at the end of it, so that's something
03:10 that we have been preaching in practice,
03:13 just kind of staying after it
03:14 and just make sure we're playing the full 60 minutes.
03:17 This is a game that maybe is more special for you
03:19 than probably a lot of folks on the team,
03:20 just being from Aims.
03:22 Is there anything that you --
03:23 when you've gone back to Aims for these games in the past,
03:25 is there any specific trash talk
03:27 that you get from the fans,
03:28 or do you feel a little bit more singled out
03:29 from the fans or anything?
03:31 I don't know if singled out.
03:33 I think they're, you know, obviously it's a rivalry game,
03:36 so definitely a lot of trash talk there.
03:38 But I remember that, you know, going into the game in 2021,
03:44 I told myself, "I'm not going to look at any fans."
03:46 Like, obviously, they know I'm from Aims,
03:48 so they're probably going to be a little bit more --
03:51 what's the word I'm looking for?
03:53 Just more trash talk towards me.
03:55 I remember, like, a group of guys were yelling, "Joe, Joe,
03:59 Joe," like, they're like, "Three, two, one, Joe."
04:01 So I'm like, "These have to be, like, my buddies, right,
04:03 from high school."
04:04 Look around, definitely was not my buddies,
04:07 but they definitely let me have it.
04:08 So I just think it's a great environment.
04:10 I'm excited to go to Aims and play.
04:13 You've been a part of a lot of rivalry games
04:15 in your time here at Iowa.
04:16 Does the Iowa State one,
04:17 do you feel like that one has a little bit more intensity
04:19 even than the other games, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska?
04:22 I love all rivalry games,
04:24 but I think it's just -- it's so huge for the state.
04:26 You know, Iowa and Iowa State are playing,
04:29 everyone's talking about it.
04:30 So I feel like there's a magnitude there
04:32 and just excited, really excited to get to Aims.
04:35 With Jermari out, Deshaun Lee is kind of an extent famous.
04:39 What has stood out about him kind of leading up to the season,
04:42 being able to take that role?
04:44 Yeah, I mean, just to touch on --
04:46 Yeah, exactly, just touch on him.
04:48 I mean, he's came to practice every day, just ready to go.
04:51 Just really impressed with, you know,
04:53 how he's been able to get on the field
04:55 and how he played on Saturday.
04:59 Just really excited for him and just what he's been able to do.
05:02 How much easier is preparation just going into Week 2,
05:04 no matter who it was, getting to watch film on a team
05:07 that played three days ago
05:08 rather than trying to piece together a game going forward?
05:11 I wouldn't say it's necessarily any easier.
05:14 You know, especially this early in the season,
05:16 you only have one game to really look on.
05:20 And I guess that is more than last year,
05:21 but Iowa State this year, you know,
05:24 has a different, you know, look to them.
05:28 You know, and, yeah, it's not any easier.
05:32 They give us a lot of things that, you know,
05:33 we really have to look out for,
05:35 so we've been spending a lot of time on film,
05:37 especially this week.
05:38 Going up against an up-tempo offense
05:40 in 95-degree heat on Saturday, does that help?
05:44 It's almost like, you know, swinging the bat
05:45 with the donut on it.
05:47 Maybe everything else gets a little easier.
05:49 There's less weight, so it's a terrible analogy.
05:52 Just those circumstances, playing up-tempo in heat,
05:55 does that help prep you guys
05:57 for the rest of the season more in any way?
05:58 Oh, for sure, for sure.
06:00 Tempo and definitely with the heat,
06:02 tempo is -- it sucks to play against
06:04 because, you know, you always got to be out there.
06:06 You always got to be hustling,
06:08 sprinting back and forth every couple seconds
06:10 because you never know when they're going to snap the ball.
06:13 You know, having that as the first game of the season,
06:15 like, has definitely, you know,
06:16 gotten our defense, you know, mentally ready
06:19 to come out to anything that the team brings us.
06:22 Jay, after the game, said anybody in his position
06:26 playing Mike would have had a 16-tackle game.
06:30 I respectfully disagree with him.
06:31 I imagine you might, too.
06:32 What does Jay bring after, you know,
06:34 so many years of sticking with this program
06:35 and waiting for his time?
06:36 I mean, that's -- you guys don't just roll out
06:38 and do 16-tackle games to start a year.
06:41 Yeah, for sure.
06:44 Jay has been right behind Campbell.
06:46 I feel like in the last, you know, two years,
06:49 Jay could have went in there
06:50 and really, like, had significant reps.
06:53 You know, I think him learning from Campbell and Benson,
06:57 you know, it's put him kind of on,
06:59 you know, a little different level.
07:02 Yeah, 16-tackles is a lot of tackles.
07:05 No, that's a lot of credit to our D-line, though, too.
07:08 You know, us as a defense, like, you can't go out there
07:11 and get 16-tackles without everybody out there doing,
07:14 you know, their job.
07:15 So big credit to Jay,
07:17 but also big credit to the defense, in general.
07:19 And, of course, it's Cyhawk League,
07:20 so what's the mood going into that game,
07:23 whether it's here or at A's?
07:26 Um...
07:29 Obviously, you know, it's a rival game.
07:33 You know, for me, personally,
07:34 I kind of try to keep a level head,
07:37 try to see every game the same.
07:40 But definitely the tension's a little higher.
07:43 Everybody knows, you know, there's expectation
07:46 to go out here and, you know, beat this team.
07:49 But, you know, that's the same every week.
07:51 So for me and I think for a lot of guys,
07:54 it's not a whole lot different other than, you know,
07:57 the environment that we're about to go into.
07:59 As an instinctive, do you try to avoid, like,
08:02 text messages from friends and family
08:04 and people that are hyped on the outside for this game
08:08 to kind of keep that level head?
08:10 Um...yeah, I kind of do.
08:12 I kind of do kind of try to avoid the text messages
08:16 and stuff like that,
08:18 especially 'cause where I grew up,
08:20 it's Cyclone territory.
08:23 I feel like we've converted a lot of people to Hawkeyes,
08:26 but, you know, it's still heavy Cyclone,
08:28 so I try to stay out of it 'til the game.
08:31 What have you seen from Aaron's...
08:33 Well, there's so...in my town,
08:35 there's a lot of people that are Iowa and Iowa State fans,
08:38 so there's a lot of trash talking in school and stuff.
08:42 So it was fun, fun competition, I think.
08:47 Fun to watch, you know, growing up as an Iowa fan.
08:51 You mentioned that some people stay Iowa,
08:54 Iowa State fans, and, you know,
08:56 those things get sort of set in stone.
08:58 Who's the closest person to you
08:59 who is still an Iowa State fan
09:01 despite the fact that you're a Hawkeye?
09:03 Um...shoot.
09:07 One of my closest friends from high school,
09:11 he actually goes to Iowa State,
09:14 who's an Iowa State fan,
09:15 and then my head coach in high school,
09:19 I think he's still an Iowa State fan as far as I know.
09:22 I don't know if it's changed since I've got here,
09:25 but probably those two guys.
09:28 There's really a bunch of people from my town
09:30 that are Iowa State fans as well.
09:33 For you, have you been to Jack Trice?
09:35 Yeah, yeah, I've been there.
09:37 I went there as a recruit, yeah.
09:40 And then I was at the Iowa State game
09:43 when there was those rain delays.
09:45 2019.
09:46 2019, yeah. I was at that game.
09:49 Did you stay out the game?
09:50 I did, actually.
09:51 I remember running back to my car
09:54 in the downpouring rain in Ames,
09:57 and then walking all the way back to the stadium
10:00 to watch the rest, and then I was there.
10:04 I think UNI, Iowa State, they played him close.
10:08 It was fun to watch.
10:09 But yeah, I think it's a great atmosphere there.
10:11 It should be fun.
10:12 So that 2019 game,
10:13 seeing the game essentially won by a punt gunner,
10:18 got to be a little bit inspirational for you, right?
10:21 Yeah, it was fun to watch,
10:23 and just to realize the importance of all three phases,
10:27 you know, especially in a tight game
10:29 and a rivalry game like that, how important that is.
10:33 Thanks, Scooter.
10:34 Turnover margin, I imagine,
10:36 for the parents to stress in that,
10:37 which seems to be a factor of your excitement.
10:40 Yeah, I think, you know, anytime you can get turnovers,
10:42 it helps your team out a lot.
10:45 You want to take the ball away and take care of the ball.
10:49 You know, we think that's a huge difference
10:52 in rivalry games and trophy games,
10:55 especially, you know, your in-state rivalry
10:57 and what it's been like in the past, you know,
10:59 with the difference in turnovers.
11:02 We feel like that's a big advantage
11:05 if we can have that.
11:07 So you've seen a lot of Ohio wins
11:10 when you go on from Jack Trice over there,
11:12 but from playing with him,
11:14 does that knock you a little bit?
11:15 Yeah, it does.
11:17 You know, having played in the game last year,
11:20 and it would be my first time playing against him
11:22 and losing, you know,
11:24 it hasn't sat real well for me, with me,
11:27 but I'm looking forward to the opportunity
11:29 to go over there and play in Jack Trice for the first time.
11:32 Should be a fun environment.
11:34 How was the film for you from your first game?
11:36 I mean, you come in as a preseason Big Ten player of the year,
11:38 so I'm sure expectations are high internally.
11:41 Yeah, I feel like there are some things,
11:45 some plays that I gave up
11:47 that shouldn't have been given up.
11:50 You know, I felt like there was an opportunity out there
11:53 in the prior turn game that I could have had
11:56 that I missed out on,
11:58 but it's the first game, you know,
12:00 we've got to get better each week,
12:02 and hopefully we will.
12:04 How have you seen Sebastian Castro improve from last year?
12:07 Yeah, he's improved a lot, I think.
12:10 Just if you watch him on the field,
12:12 just the way he flies around and flies to the ball,
12:14 it's crazy.
12:16 Even in practice, you can see it, you know, in camp,
12:19 how he flies around, how he can cover guys.
12:22 He can really do it all, I think.
12:25 Is this week different?
12:26 Does it feel different as compared to another game
12:28 during the season in terms of the intensity
12:30 and the lead-up to it?
12:32 Yeah, I think everybody understands
12:34 that it's a big game for us, you know,
12:36 it being our in-state rival,
12:38 being a trophy game, you know,
12:40 there's that little added importance
12:43 with the trophy and in-state rival,
12:46 so I think guys know how important this game is,
12:49 and we're preparing for it.
12:51 Were you on the field very much in Aims
12:52 the last time you guys played Iowa State?
12:54 Any special teams or anything?
12:55 I wasn't there at all, no.
12:56 Didn't even go there?
12:57 No, no.
12:58 How excited are you for them for this first trip to Aims
13:00 to get a chance to see that environment in person?
13:01 Yeah, I'm excited.
13:02 I've heard a lot about it, seen pictures and stuff,
13:06 but, yeah, I think the Hawk Walk
13:10 is something that the guys talk about, you know,
13:13 when you're walking like a single file line
13:14 and all their fans are around you.
13:16 Yeah, it should be a great environment.
13:18 Are you going to stand up to the trash talk?
13:20 Because you've heard some bad trash talk,
13:22 I'm sure, before, right?
13:23 Yeah, I try not to pay attention to it,
13:25 but I'll just walk right past, listen to it,
13:28 maybe smile, walk past.
13:30 Are you soaking it in?
13:32 Like, are you really thinking, like,
13:33 "All right, here's what he said I'm going to get,"
13:35 or do you just not listen to it at all?
13:37 No, no, I try not to let it get to me.
13:41 I'm sure you've been asked this,
13:42 and I know it's the coach's decision,
13:44 but are you wanting to play offense?
13:47 Do you think you can add that to your play?
13:50 I mean, I know you don't want to give away trade secrets
13:53 or anything like that.
13:54 You know, if they want me to, I'd be happy to step over,
13:59 but I don't know if that's in the plan right now.
14:05 Do you hear people talk about it on the outside,
14:08 the locker room?
14:09 I mean, how do you just approach that?
14:11 And I remember through the years,
14:15 guys have kind of lobbied to get out there on offense.
14:19 Yeah, I mean, people say you just really can't
14:22 pay too much mind to it.
14:24 The coaches will make the decision at the end of the day,
14:27 and I'm happy playing on the defensive side of the ball.
14:30 Right now, especially, it's a little hot out right now,
14:34 so the conditioning part of it is tough.
14:37 Physically, you think you can handle it, though,
14:39 just playing three phases?
14:41 I mean, it depends on what the snaps were, but I think so, yeah.
14:46 Cool.
14:47 How much excitement was there around Jay on Saturday
14:49 after his game?
14:50 I mean, 16 tackles is something we haven't seen at Iowa
14:52 in almost two years.
14:54 What was that like in the locker room,
14:55 just talking to him after the game?
14:57 Yeah, I mean, to be honest, I didn't even know that he had
15:00 that many tackles because that's just how he is.
15:03 That's how he operates.
15:04 He makes plays, gets back to the line of scrimmage,
15:08 gets ready to go for the next play until I saw it came in
15:11 on Sunday.
15:14 But yeah, that's really just how he operates.
15:17 He's a guy that can find the ball really well.
15:21 He's a great leader on our defense,
15:23 and just the way he plays the game,
15:27 it really brings everybody else along as well.
15:29 Yeah, I mean, I assume as a--