Iowa Football defenders
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00:00 We've gotten better since week one, obviously.
00:02 And there's a lot of offseason football, long spring ball, long fall camp.
00:08 So just having the opportunity to go against guys that aren't wearing the same
00:12 jersey is always fun.
00:13 >> Was that part of your explosion in week one, just the excitement of getting out
00:18 there and getting a chance to hit somebody that's not in the Honkai uniform?
00:20 >> Definitely, and just playing in front of Kinnick,
00:22 I just think that probably adds plus five stamina to any player out there.
00:29 It's just really exciting to get going, get the senior year going in Kinnick.
00:32 So excited to be back there this week as well.
00:35 >> Tell me what you know about Western Michigan,
00:37 what you're gonna see out of them on Saturday.
00:38 >> A little bit of Utah State and what we saw at Iowa State.
00:43 They got some tempo.
00:45 And I felt like we handled the tempo well against Utah State.
00:48 I mean, those guys were going pretty fast and
00:51 I felt like our communication was handled well.
00:53 And they got a new coaching staff and they did really well week one.
00:59 And we respect all our opponents and knowing that any offense we can play,
01:04 how they can hurt us.
01:05 So they're gonna get our best game.
01:08 We're gonna come prepared as usual.
01:09 >> What was the biggest area of progress for the defense from week one to week three?
01:17 >> Biggest progress, I'd say our ability just to communicate,
01:23 getting in and out of coverages with the use of motions.
01:26 And also just week two is early in the season, so
01:32 we don't really know what we're gonna get out of the offense yet.
01:35 I mean, we watched the UNI versus Iowa State game and
01:40 they didn't give us much of what they did against those guys.
01:43 So just when you're early in the year,
01:45 Coach Wallace just says be expected for the unexpected.
01:49 So I mean, we know the playbook's open week three.
01:52 Not everybody showed everything, obviously.
01:55 It's just being prepared for those looks that you didn't get to see in practice and
01:59 being ready.
02:00 >> As good as you guys have looked over the first couple weeks,
02:02 now you get Jermar Harris back this week too.
02:04 How excited is this defense to get him back,
02:06 add just one more crucial element to the secondary?
02:09 >> He's in my corner in the locker room and
02:12 just seeing how excited he was to get back out there for practice.
02:15 And I told him he's two weeks fresher than everybody else, so
02:19 he should be out there flying around.
02:20 But I mean, he's been having a great week of practice.
02:23 He's happy to be back.
02:26 You can tell football means the world to him.
02:28 So obviously, when he's gotten that opportunity back,
02:31 he's just did nothing but run with it.
02:33 >> That's something I'll look at here in the next year or two,
02:36 just kind of look back.
02:37 But all my focus right now is on Western Michigan.
02:39 >> Jason, they kind of remind him of Utah State a little bit.
02:43 What are the similarities?
02:45 >> Yeah, they're an uptempo outfit and the personnel they run is the same.
02:49 And I just think they're really well coached and physical at the point of attack.
02:53 >> What's the key against that tempo to make sure that you guys are all on
02:58 the same page?
03:00 >> Yeah, I think it all starts in practice, just being ready for
03:04 what we're gonna see.
03:05 And it's nice to have Utah State come in here week one, and so
03:08 we're kind of used to the uptempo outfit.
03:12 So that's good, but again, it starts in practice, just being ready for it and
03:15 communicating.
03:16 >> A win against a rival, now you move on is the focus now.
03:19 Hey, we gotta put that game behind us, we got a lot more season to play.
03:22 >> Yeah, absolutely, just put the game behind us and be ready to go.
03:25 Yeah, I mean, we're really excited for this game.
03:30 We're one and two as a program against them.
03:32 So that's kind of adding a little fuel to the fire right there,
03:34 just knowing that and just being ready for any challenge.
03:38 >> You guys were calling it over defense, but
03:40 now you get Jermar Harris back, Nick, this week.
03:41 I mean, how excited are you guys just to add an extra dangerous element to
03:44 the defense?
03:45 >> We're just really excited to have him back.
03:47 I mean, he's just a tremendous football player and an even better person.
03:50 So I'm just really excited to have him on the field and for
03:53 his leadership to be out there too.
03:54 >> Joe, how fancy are you guys as a defensive line to kind of the teams to
03:58 stop doing these quick routes, you actually have a chance to get back?
04:02 How do you kind of stay disciplined knowing that that's how the first couple
04:04 of teams attack you?
04:06 >> Yeah, I mean, I think as a defensive line, this is why I love that group so
04:10 much is it's not really about the stats.
04:13 It's just about if the team wins or not.
04:15 So we're all happy in the defensive line.
04:18 I know that we're not putting up a lot of sacks or anything like that, but
04:22 just running the ball and just doing whatever we can for the team.
04:25 >> I was gonna say, you haven't exactly been given a lot of opportunity to get in
04:28 the backfield because of how these couple of teams attack you.
04:31 And I guess just from your standpoint, how valuable is that gonna be going forward
04:35 knowing that you've had to stay disciplined in your keys and knowing that
04:38 Nick Jackson's had to drop back into coverage probably more than he thought he
04:41 would this entire season in the first couple of weeks?
04:44 >> I think it's very valuable just to stay disciplined, like you said, and
04:47 just a big thing for us.
04:49 I say it all the time, but just improving and seeing stuff on the film.
04:52 Maybe we could have been a step quicker there, been more physical there, or
04:57 even honestly, just everyone hustling the ball more.
05:00 So I think that's just critical and I think that'll do us well later on.
05:05 >> A lot of things to get their ballplayers some space and
05:07 present a lot of challenges to different defenses.
05:09 So I mean, I definitely think that it's a huge game and
05:13 we have to win it.
05:14 I mean, we have to do our best and compete and play our game.
05:17 >> How's the defense challenging themselves?
05:19 Anything specific to improve?
05:22 >> I mean, I think just like every single day we gotta get better.
05:24 I mean, there's little things, ins and outs, coverages, front adjustments,
05:28 everything like that that we have to just be dialed in on just to get better.
05:33 Because I mean, sure, we saw different things that could present issues and
05:37 now we have to correct those.
05:40 >> They played a high tempo, 90, 100 plays in the first couple games.
05:45 Did Utah State kind of give you guys a way to adjust to that or
05:49 a feel for that?
05:50 >> I mean, yeah, I think Utah State was very fast, very uptempo,
05:55 very fast-paced.
05:57 So I mean, I think that Western Michigan presents a lot of those same challenges
06:01 and it's just gonna be an uptempo game and
06:03 we know we have to be ready and make our adjustments quick.
06:05 >> Is that typical yo-yoing back and forth between that to Iowa State to
06:11 back to the uptempo?
06:12 >> What do you mean by that?
06:14 Just like- >> Going back from-
06:15 >> Going back and forth, right.
06:17 >> Yeah.
06:17 >> I mean, I just think that the way our coaches prepare us, they do a great job
06:22 just like presenting us with challenges within the tempo and
06:25 within non-tempo and stuff like that.
06:27 So I think that we'll be ready for that.
06:31 >> No, no, just do your job.
06:32 >> And I just think that they're a heck of a football team.
06:34 So just being able to make those adjustments and see it and
06:37 know that it's a lot different than Utah State.
06:40 But we have to be ready for the tempo part of it too.
06:42 >> They seem to like to run the ball more.
06:44 Is that fair to Western Michigan?
06:46 >> They like to run it.
06:47 >> Yeah.
06:48 >> Yeah. Is that easier for you guys, better for you guys than pass?
06:52 >> I mean, everything's just an adjustment really.
06:56 So I mean, I think when you get the passes and stuff like that,
06:59 you gotta get your jobs fast.
07:00 When you get the run, you gotta be able to set the front, be ready for
07:03 those adjustments.
07:04 So I think everything presents different challenges.
07:06 I know this coordinator is really good and
07:09 he's gonna present us some issues and we're gonna have to adjust.
07:13 >> How much better did you feel about yourself week one to week two?
07:17 >> Definitely felt like it was the fire simmering down a little bit.
07:22 So definitely getting thrown in there.
07:24 But every single day just trying to get better.
07:27 And I think it's slowing down a little bit.
07:29 So we're getting ready.
07:30 >> How do you feel in coverage?
07:32 It seems like teams are putting you in that position where you're having to cover.
07:36 >> Yeah, I mean, I think that, I think it's good.
07:39 I mean, I'm really- >> Did you do that a lot at Virginia?
07:42 Are you pretty comfortable in coverage?
07:45 >> Yeah, I mean, I feel like I'm comfortable in coverage.
07:47 I'm not- >> I'm not sure that, yeah, obviously.
07:50 >> Scared of the moment or anything.
07:51 But I think that there's just adjustments.
07:54 Going from Mike to Will, it's every single week I think that we have to adjust.
07:59 And I gotta see routes different and I gotta be ready for it.
08:02 >> Seems like your defensive lines reputation proceeds and
08:06 teams are hitting you guys with a quick passing game.
08:09 Do you anticipate that going forward?
08:13 >> I guess we'll see.
08:13 I mean, we'll continue to see.
08:14 I think every week is gonna present different challenges.
08:17 Right now we're worried about Western Michigan.
08:20 They have some deep concepts, but they also have some short game too.
08:24 So we'll just be ready for whatever we get thrown at us and have to adjust.