Iowa offensive player interviews
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00:00 Going to Ames, did that prepare you for the reception you'll probably receive?
00:05 It'll probably be a lot louder at Penn State, but yeah, definitely it prepared us.
00:10 But I think the most we're going to get prepared is going a week at practice.
00:14 It's all going to come down to us still executing plays and everything.
00:18 It seems like the line has taken some major strides over the last couple of weeks.
00:22 What do you say about their chemistry right now?
00:25 They're clicking. Them boys work hard. They watch film a lot.
00:28 I see it right after we eat breakfast. They're right back in the film room.
00:31 Every chance they get, as you can see, it showed up last week.
00:34 They're all on the same page and everybody doing their job, executing.
00:38 Knowing how difficult it's been for them to grow and mature and become the line that they are now,
00:44 do you take special pride in watching them being able to do that?
00:48 Can you see their confidence growing?
00:50 Yeah, it also motivates us backs to make sure that we run the ball good and run hard
00:56 so we can show the work that they put in and make them look good and make them look better than everybody else thinks of them.
01:02 So, yeah, it's always a good day.
01:05 There's different blocking schemes here and there that we haven't seen in the past, counters, stuff like that.
01:11 Does that change what you guys do as running backs at all?
01:14 Nah, I mean, on the line they just do their job and they make it easy for us.
01:19 At the end of the day, I feel like on the line got the hard part. We just make sure we got to run the ball.
01:24 What about steps? With the slant, what's your aiming point there versus maybe in the counter?
01:31 I mean, obviously, counter is not an outside run. Slant is outside.
01:37 Of course, there's going to be two different aiming points, but we don't get into all the aiming points and all that stuff.
01:43 Connor Colby seems to be enjoying the counter. Have you noticed that as well?
01:49 Yeah, I mean, they get the pull, they get the hit. I mean, them guys physically, that's what they like to do.
01:54 They like to hit. So I like for them to like that too. It makes my job easier.
01:59 The block.
02:01 Yeah, the block. I'm here to make a place for the team and doing stuff to help my brothers be in successful positions makes me smile.
02:06 I love seeing LeSean get all the recognition from the Big Ten and you guys, Brain Media, stuff like that.
02:12 But, you know, when we watch film, we know that my block is crucial for it.
02:15 And he shows me love. He told me he's going to take me to a Canes date.
02:20 I got a lot of dentists coming over here.
02:24 An IL deal, Canes?
02:27 It might be. Might have to get one here. I don't know.
02:31 This Penn State secondary, really good. What have you seen from them on your film, specifically the corners?
02:37 Yeah, corners are really good. Like you said, they play their role. They know what they're doing.
02:41 And they're really athletic. Good builds. And just, you know, Penn State corners, they got great defense all the time.
02:47 And we're definitely going to have our work cut out for us.
02:50 That's probably a lot of press man stuff like that. So we're going to have to use a lot of our tools.
02:53 Things are working in practice. I think we've been doing all offseason and they're going to come to play this game.
02:58 When you go up against corners in secondary, that plays a lot of man like that.
03:01 Does it change your mentality at all in the way you have to approach the game?
03:05 You know, you got to be more physical because they're going to try to put hands on you.
03:07 They're going to try to dictate where you want to go on the field and you got to know what you're trying to do.
03:11 So you kind of got to use that physical presence against them and use your physicality versus them just to be able to get your routes off and do what you want to do.
03:19 What's this like for you going back to your kind of part of the country? You got a lot of tickets to get?
03:24 Yeah, I got a lot of tickets to get. I got a lot of family trying to come to the game, friends, stuff like that.
03:28 So it's going to be pretty awesome getting to play in front of all my friends and stuff like that, my family, getting them all back to the East Coast and seeing them.
03:34 Your mom's been out here for a while, right? How's that been?
03:37 Yeah, she was out for three weeks. We were together. It was great, man. I love having my mom around all the time.
03:41 We did some escape rooms and stuff like that. So we had a fun time, man.
03:45 Now you're going to have all your friends and family, but the other 100,000 are going to be against you.
03:48 Yeah.
03:49 Do you kind of relish that opportunity to kind of go in there as like the us against the world?
03:53 Oh, yeah. We love that. We definitely love that.
03:55 The crowd is like we've been talking about this whole week, like just loving how it's going to be so loud in there, the whiteout game.
04:01 We just like it feels it's going to be really cool to go there and play in that type of atmosphere.
04:05 Like we like that they even booked that game for us to do that. So we're pretty excited for that.
04:10 What was it like getting your first career touchdown?
04:12 Yeah, it was awesome going out there and scoring, being able to celebrate with my friends and my people and everything like that.
04:18 Even coming after the game to be with my mom. I'm glad she got to come out here and see my first touchdown.
04:22 So it was pretty awesome.
04:24 Yeah, just a lot of opportunity to run the football. And I think that's what we're going to pride ourselves on, just being tough and running the ball.
04:30 You guys love playing in Kinnick. But is there a sense of us against the world when you go on the road against 100,000 fans?
04:36 Definitely. I mean, especially they're all going to be hyped up for this game.
04:40 And I wouldn't want to go in there with anyone else.
04:43 We have we have a great group of guys and we're all we're all confident we're going to do it.
04:47 You know, we're practicing against the crowd noise today and we're going to be ready.
04:52 So you guys are 3-0, but you feel like this is a week where you can make a statement not only to yourselves,
04:57 but other people say, hey, we're here to play this year.
05:00 Most definitely. I know we all feel really confident in this week.
05:04 We're confident in our preparation. We're going to be putting in the work to be able to see the rewards on Saturday.
05:10 But I know that we're viewing everything challenge over threat.
05:13 So we're not walking in that environment. It's going to be hostile.
05:17 It's going to be us against the world, but we're not going to look at it as a threat.
05:20 It's going to be more of a challenge to us. So we love challenges here.
05:24 We're going to embrace those and continue to just work hard and execute.
05:28 Practicing against the crowd noise. What was that like?
05:31 You feel like it was preparing you for this weekend?
05:33 Yeah. I mean, obviously nothing can quite simulate a hundred thousand fans screaming out their hearts.
05:38 But, you know, we had the speaker pretty close up to the huddle.
05:40 So like Kate's having to like yell and stuff and get those plays in.
05:43 So I think for what we have, I think it's definitely good to prepare like that.
05:49 What's the biggest step you've taken from Voguer?
05:52 I mean, football wise, just how he prepares.
05:57 You know, he's always just watching film, just always being ready.
06:02 He knows his assignments. He's always ready to help the younger guys.
06:06 And just really loves football, loves the guys and just loves the camaraderie.
06:10 And then just as a person, he just treats people so well and is like the nicest guy you could ever meet.
06:14 So just try to be more like him.
06:16 And, you know, he treats everyone with respect and he's just a great person more than anything.
06:22 So I think that's awesome.
06:24 How confident was that when you had...
06:26 Yeah, he was a step up for sure because we lost some key playmakers.
06:30 But that's all it is. I mean, next man up, we're going to execute for sure.
06:34 You're a guy that likes going in these environments where it's us against the world, a hundred thousand people against you.
06:39 How much do you relish in this opportunity?
06:41 I mean, yeah, it's a great opportunity to have.
06:43 I mean, to go out there and show the world what we've got.
06:46 I mean, it's going to be great.
06:48 You probably didn't get to go.
06:50 Happy Valley was probably what was on the schedule for Charleston, Southern, I guess.
06:53 Yeah, it happens.
06:55 How much are you just individually looking forward to this compared to where you were a year ago?
06:59 I'm just focused, you know, focused on the game for real.
07:02 I'm not even worried about the environment or anything.
07:05 I'm just worried about what I can do to help the team.
07:07 Do you like Pants a hit?
07:09 Oh, yeah. Yeah.
07:10 You like them?
07:11 I like them. For real.
07:12 So, it's going to be different.
07:14 You feel like this team kind of has a chance to make a statement this week?
07:16 Your three know, but this is a top-ten team on a road atmosphere.
07:20 Yeah, I mean, we already know what we're capable of, so there's nothing new to us.
07:24 I feel like we already know what we have to go out and get done, so it's going to be good.
07:29 I feel like with Cliché out, receivers can kind of pick up some of that production, I guess.
07:35 Yeah, I mean, you know, it's football.
07:37 People get injured, and unfortunately, Luke got injured.
07:41 So, it's this next man up.
07:43 We're going to step up our game.
07:44 Everybody's going to have to step up to come together as a team, so it's a team game.
07:48 You're going to face one of the best secondaries in the country and some of the best DBs.
07:54 How is maybe your experience in Aims against some of them?
07:57 How do you think that may help prepare you for this?
08:00 I mean, yeah, we've been preparing the whole offseason for this season,
08:03 so I feel like we're well-prepared, and, you know, it's another game,
08:08 so we've got to just come out and be ready.
08:10 Specific to their challenge, what do you see from their defensive backs,
08:14 their corners especially, you know, like Kane and those guys?
08:18 Yeah, I mean, some good players, but we've got talent, too, over here,
08:22 so it's going to be a good game.
08:24 How much more development is there in this passing game with Kane missing time in camp?
08:29 It seems like you guys are just kind of still feeling your way.
08:33 Can you repeat that?
08:35 Do you feel like there's still, you know, plenty of development for this passing game?
08:39 It seems like it's a little bit here, a little bit there.
08:41 With Kade missing time in camp,
08:43 it seems like you guys are still trying to all get on the same page.
08:46 I mean, yeah, you can improve anywhere.
08:48 We're always looking to improve and perfect our crafts and execute all the time,
08:52 so we're always working to get better.
08:54 Do you feel that in practice, though?
08:55 Can you see it starting to click, and how does that kind of manifest itself?
08:59 Yeah, I mean, as the weeks go on, you can see how we're building on
09:03 and starting to look more together as a unit.
09:06 Have you noticed, Kade, you're more comfortable as the more reps that come?
09:10 I mean, it seems like he's just sometimes a little off here and there,
09:13 but have you noticed him getting a little more comfortable back there?
09:16 Yeah, I feel like he's a good leader, a great quarterback back there for us.
09:19 He's the perfect guy to be back there throwing the ball.