IAFB O Interviews 090523
Iowa offensive player interviews 9-5-23
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00:00 How do you feel about that?
00:02 >> Yeah, I feel good.
00:03 I feel like there were, like you said,
00:05 a couple of things that we can always improve on.
00:08 And that's what the first week, you kind of go out there and you notice those things.
00:13 And I think that we learned and we're gonna be ready to fix those mistakes.
00:18 >> Does prep get easier after week one?
00:20 Again, you're talking about a team that had 60 transfers.
00:23 I know the defense is watching the film on four different teams,
00:26 trying to figure out what the SoC was doing and all that.
00:28 Does it get easier now that, okay, we've got film on a team that played three days
00:31 ago? >> Yeah, definitely.
00:32 I think that when you have that film, it's nice.
00:36 With Utah State, there are some new defensive coordinators and everything.
00:39 It is helpful to be able to watch the personnel you're going against.
00:45 And so I feel like it does get a bit easier.
00:48 But at the end of the day, it's all preparation.
00:51 And you gotta be ready every week.
00:54 >> You and Cade and Logan all brought up Mason's fourth quarter speech on Saturday.
00:59 We'll ask him what he said if he shows up.
01:02 But is he a speech guy?
01:04 Who is a speech guy?
01:05 I think he looks like something he's getting shaken up there to not speak up.
01:08 >> Yeah, I feel like Cade's a speech guy.
01:11 Mason, he is a speech guy, in my opinion.
01:14 He might not say that, but he always says the right things.
01:17 And he went out there and said the right things in that moment, and
01:20 that's what we needed to hear.
01:21 >> How much of a big deal has it been for Cade to take on the offensive line?
01:26 He's playing on Wednesday, but- >> Yeah, no, it's important.
01:32 I think that he has a lot of great experience, and
01:35 we're just happy that he's on our side to help us out with that.
01:38 >> [INAUDIBLE]
01:41 >> Kind of had a big first moment,
01:42 I don't know if it was first moment, or game two years ago,
01:45 when we were pretty new to the scene.
01:47 I don't know if you remember, but we had a pretty high catch early in the game.
01:49 What do you remember about that,
01:51 those moments from your first big ones on big stage?
01:55 >> Yeah, with it being Iowa State, I kinda thought about that recently,
01:58 just playing there.
02:00 Yeah, it was exciting.
02:02 I was just happy to go out there and help the team.
02:05 Yeah, it was just a super cool moment for
02:07 it being my second catch that year, but yeah, it's super cool.
02:13 >> What's the confidence level going into sideline moments like that?
02:16 >> Yeah, we're confident.
02:17 Obviously, you win throughout the week, and we're just gonna keep preparing and
02:21 take it one day at a time.
02:25 >> You have a kind of smile on your face.
02:27 >> What have you been told about the Cyhawk rivalry coming into it first time?
02:30 >> I heard it's a big deal.
02:32 I heard we don't have our trophy, so
02:34 we're gonna work to get that back this week for sure.
02:37 So yeah, it's gonna be good.
02:38 >> What have you heard about what their fans are gonna be like walking into
02:41 Jack Trice?
02:42 >> I heard it's gonna be pretty toxic, pretty toxic environment.
02:45 But it's gonna be loud, and you live for that, so it's gonna be fun.
02:49 >> Did you experience anything like that when you were at Charleston?
02:52 >> We played ECU, they were throwing cans and stuff at us, but yeah,
02:57 it was pretty fun.
02:58 >> You're treating that way too low key.
02:59 >> [LAUGH] >> Yeah, it's a big deal, but yeah,
03:02 it was crazy.
03:03 >> Were they empty cans at least?
03:04 >> Yeah. >> Okay.
03:05 >> Yeah, crushed up.
03:07 >> What are you seeing on film from Iowa State?
03:10 >> A lot of opportunity, for sure.
03:14 >> In what way?
03:15 >> In a good way.
03:16 >> [LAUGH] >> They have one of the better secondaries
03:19 probably in the country, TJ Tampa is considered one of the best cornerbacks.
03:23 What do you see from them specifically,
03:26 especially in that kind of 3-3-5 and their deep safety?
03:31 >> No, we're just working on our game plan.
03:33 We're just working to better our offense so
03:36 we can perform our very best against them, cuz they're gonna be good.
03:39 We're just trying to be the best we can for them.
03:43 >> Big flip, is that catching on?
03:44 >> [LAUGH] >> Only Nico calls me that still, but
03:47 yeah.
03:48 >> After watching the film,
03:49 how do you reflect on kind of what you did on Saturday?
03:52 >> A lot of improvements to be made.
03:56 It's only up from here, it's week one, so it's a good start, I think.
04:00 >> Like improvements, like what specifically?
04:01 >> I mean, you can improve anywhere, as the way I see it.
04:06 I mean, nothing's really perfect.
04:09 So if you just strive for perfection, then that should be the goal.
04:13 >> I think you said on Saturday you had a lot of messages on your phone
04:15 after the game.
04:16 You caught up on sending texts back, at least already?
04:18 >> Yeah, yeah, I had to send out the thank yous, and
04:21 I was very appreciative of all the love I got, so it was good.
04:25 >> What kind of feedback did you get from your dad and your brother?
04:29 >> They were pretty satisfied with it.
04:31 They were happy.
04:32 It was a good first game for me, I guess, and they enjoyed watching it.
04:37 It's my favorite shirt.
04:41 >> It should be.
04:42 >> Watched some film, impressions of your guys' performance on Saturday?
04:46 >> I think it was pretty good.
04:48 I think we have a lot of things to improve on, though,
04:49 just kind of fundamental stuff.
04:50 And that's what we're working on this week, just getting a little bit better.
04:53 >> What are some of those fundamental things that you guys have been working on?
04:56 >> Well, just kind of basic stuff, like first step, and
04:58 then eye aiming point when you're punching.
04:59 And just like the day one basic stuff, so yeah.
05:03 >> What's the confidence level going into this Saturday?
05:08 >> I don't know, we're more focused on ourselves and kind of what they're doing.
05:12 They're definitely a good team and they have a good defensive scheme.
05:14 They've been doing really good the past couple years of how they play their
05:17 defense, so we're just kind of working on getting better fundamentally and
05:20 just kind of doing the stuff we need to do.
05:22 >> What are you looking forward to at your side?
05:25 >> I think kind of the whole game, it's gonna be awesome.
05:27 It's gonna be a good time.
05:28 >> Part of the conversation after the game on Saturday was about the run blocking.
05:33 >> Sure. >> And just that they showed some things
05:34 that you weren't exactly expecting in the run game.
05:37 >> Sure.
05:38 >> You guys are a little bit more familiar with Iowa State, obviously,
05:41 more confident, more comfortable going into this one in terms of that run blocking.
05:44 >> I mean, I don't know, I'd say maybe about the same,
05:48 cuz at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter the kind of front they play,
05:51 as long as you're fundamentally sound.
05:52 You kinda still have your assignments with your guys and
05:54 who you're supposed to block.
05:55 So you just gotta have good fundamentals when you go into the game.
05:59 >> What do you think went wrong with the run blocking on Saturday?
06:02 >> What do you mean, just overall?
06:05 >> Yeah.
06:05 >> Do you feel like a specific play or something?
06:10 >> Yeah, or just was there something that you feel like just
06:14 you guys had an issue fundamentally with or?
06:17 >> I'm not sure.
06:19 I guess I haven't seen a specific play you're talking about.
06:23 >> All right.
06:24 >> Yeah.
06:25 >> With the communication, I think Logan said that he's felt a lot more comfortable
06:28 kinda commanding and pointing things out, I guess, just from terms of last year to
06:31 this year, what's kinda the communication level like in terms of comfortability in
06:35 you guys as a whole chemistry wise?
06:37 >> I'd say we're definitely more on the same page.
06:39 So when he gives a call, I know all the different kinds of ways that maybe the call
06:44 would differentiate or how I'm supposed to play it based on the front they play.
06:46 So that's definitely something that's a lot better this year for all the guys.
06:50 So that definitely helps a lot with being more comfortable calling stuff.