IAFB Player Interviews 10-25-23
Hawkeyes talk during bye week
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00:00 In the sport we play, I mean, whether it's from a coach or just in your own head,
00:04 like you're going to be frustrated with yourself.
00:06 But I think our coaches, like I always remind myself,
00:11 listen to what they're saying, not how they're saying it.
00:13 Because obviously if you're a coach, you're putting in a lot of time and effort
00:17 and somebody messes them up, you're going to be frustrated.
00:19 And I think it's just all a part of, you know, understanding.
00:22 Like he knows that if I mess up or step wrong, like I'm already frustrated.
00:28 So yeah, he might get on me, but at the end of the day,
00:30 it's only because he knows like what we're all capable of.
00:33 And they all just want the best for us.
00:35 So this goes to all kids out there.
00:38 Don't listen to how they're saying it.
00:40 Listen to what they're saying, because it's always from the heart and
00:44 just want you to be better.
00:45 >> Thanks so much.
00:46 >> Yeah. >> How are you doing?
00:47 >> Good, I'm doing good, how are you?
00:48 >> I'm good. So you've been teammates with Sebastian Castro for
00:51 a long time since you've been here.
00:52 I guess, what are your thoughts on him as your player and
00:54 I guess as a teammate outside of the field?
00:56 >> I'll start off the field, Castro's a great dude.
01:00 We laugh and joke all the time in the locker room.
01:03 He's like kind of quiet sometimes, which I can kind of gravitate towards,
01:09 cuz I don't think I'm too outgoing, rambunctious mess, and stuff like that.
01:16 But on the field, I mean, you guys know what he brings to the table.
01:19 He flies around, he's always around the ball.
01:23 You can count on him to make a big play when we need it.
01:25 And just like everybody else out there,
01:28 I'm just fortunate to be one of those 11 out there on the field that gets to go out
01:32 there and compete with him.
01:33 >> Definitely, yeah, and the media's kinda labeled him as one of the hardest hitters
01:36 on the team.
01:36 Do you take offense to that kinda, or do you kinda-
01:39 >> No, I mean-
01:39 >> You take that, you think it's true,
01:41 you think it's right?
01:42 >> No, I don't hate to see anybody shine, get a nickname, any of that stuff.
01:49 As long as he's out there on my side of the ball competing with me,
01:51 that's all I care about.
01:53 >> Awesome, thank you.
01:53 >> Yeah, there's a lot of things, a lot of guys of getting really good and
01:59 a lot better than, like when I got here, right when I came,
02:03 Jennings Dunker had, I don't think, ever played tackle.
02:06 And you've watched the difference between him week one and now,
02:09 it's impressive.
02:11 And there's a lot of guys I could say that for, just all the guys that I play with,
02:15 all the guys that are practicing with me.
02:18 Everyone has gotten a lot better, and that's what makes us good.
02:22 And what makes us win games.
02:25 And I think when you have that improvement mindset, and
02:29 everyone truly believes it, not just say it, it'll help make everyone better.
02:34 >> And sort of how have you seen it coming out of you, even as an older player?
02:39 >> Yeah, I mean, I have gotten better this year from what,
02:42 the couple months that I've been here than I have in my entire career.
02:46 Just from what, I've been practicing here for two and a half months,
02:51 including camp, and I've gotten better than I did in the last three years where I was.
02:57 And it's credit to the coaches and credit to the guys, it's just part of it.
03:03 You're gonna get better here if you want to, and people want to, and
03:07 that's why people get better.
03:08 >> And is that just sort of culturally with Coach Barnett, or
03:12 I guess where does it all come from in your eyes?
03:14 >> He just,
03:16 really cares about the person before the player.
03:25 And I think when you have a coach that you can lean on, and
03:29 everyone knows they can lean on, then you can take Coach Barnett being hard on you and
03:34 pushing you because you know where it's coming from.
03:37 You know his best interest is for
03:38 you to become the best person you possibly can be and the best player you possibly can be.
03:43 And when you have a coach that wants for you to be the best,
03:47 then it's easy to sit down and be like, okay, he wants the best for me.
03:52 Now it's up to me to take it and run with it.
03:56 >> Awesome.
03:56 >> So what does a kicker do during a bye week that maybe you wouldn't normally do
03:59 during a normal week, or is it just more of the same?
04:01 >> Well, the bye week, at least here we all
04:08 stress the importance of resting and recovering.
04:11 So really for me, I mean, I kick today, but I probably won't kick.
04:14 Probably until next week when we need to start focusing on Northwestern.
04:19 >> Any fun plans, things maybe you wouldn't get to do during a game week coming up?
04:23 >> Well, I'm going home.
04:26 I'm going to see my brother.
04:28 He's a senior in high school.
04:29 So it's probably gonna be the last game I ever get to see him play in,
04:34 at least as a high schooler.
04:35 So looking forward to that.
04:37 >> How cool is that that that lines up where you get to go and see that?
04:39 >> It's pretty cool, cuz last year, it was a funny thing is,
04:43 their bye week was the same as our bye week last year, so I didn't get to see.
04:47 It was pretty unlucky, but I mean, I'm looking forward to it.
04:50 Plus it's good to temporarily take a mental break from football.
04:54 But we take it one week at a time, and
04:57 next week immediately focus goes back to business in Northwestern.
05:00 >> You go to a college game when you're back?
05:02 I mean, you try to go, I don't know, who's your team?
05:04 Clemson, Georgia, USC, who are your guys?
05:06 >> I mean, when I was younger, I used to go to South Carolina games a lot.
05:11 Yeah, that was my team growing up who I liked.
05:14 But usually I'd try to stay away from football like that.
05:19 Cuz if I go to that game, I won't be in it.
05:20 I won't be like, what's the kicker doing?
05:23 What's the punter doing?
05:24 Yeah. >> Will you kick it all while you're back?
05:26 >> No, I won't kick until probably Monday.
05:29 >> What's the scouting report on your brother?
05:34 >> I mean, I don't know, we'll see after this game.
05:38 I haven't seen him kick in person yet, at least in a high school game.
05:41 Cuz when I was back in high school, I mean, I was there, so.
05:45 >> Does he ask you for advice?
05:49 I mean, do you guys talk kicking all the time?
05:51 >> We do talk kicking a lot, actually.
05:54 Usually it's me yelling at him, why are you not doing this?
05:56 Why are you not doing that?
05:57 But at the end of the day, we're brothers, we're pretty competitive.
06:00 So say if we weren't in season, I kick with him all the time out of season.
06:05 >> How do you just reflect on that?
06:08 >> We practice a little bit.
06:10 >> Yeah, definitely getting some rest in right now.
06:12 Those long eight games, long eight seasons, I mean, eight games this season.
06:15 So definitely good to get some rest going this week.
06:17 >> My week is a lot for self-scouting and just kinda looking what you guys are doing.
06:22 What have you guys seen so far this week just on film and
06:26 what has stuck out to you about the first eight games?
06:28 >> Yeah, we're just going through all the games, trying to see where we're at and
06:32 how close we are to making some plays and seeing where we can get better at.
06:35 Pass game, run game, blocking with the receiver and stuff like that.
06:38 So this week is more just fine-tuning those details, getting all that individual
06:43 work in and instead we're going to team,
06:45 working on all the things that we've been missing and lacking this season so far.
06:48 >> What about you?
06:48 What have you liked, what you've done in the first eight games, or
06:51 what do you hope to maybe increase going forward?
06:55 >> Yeah, I think I played decent these first eight games.
06:58 I definitely still wanna just make some more plays for us offensively,
07:02 give us a little spark whenever I can.
07:04 And get more in the blocking game and the run game, help our running basket,
07:09 some extra yards and stuff like that.
07:10 So that's kinda what I'm looking at for me.
07:12 >> Do you think you caught that third down pass?
07:15 >> Yeah, I knew I caught it, I just didn't know if I had a foot down.
07:18 But I definitely knew I snagged it, I was confident in getting the catch all the way.
07:21 I just, I knew the ball was so far out of bounds,
07:23 I didn't know if I actually got a foot down, but it's a good catch.
07:26 >> You guys, Kirk always talks about playing the best football in November.
07:30 I mean, does it really matter that the bye week's this week?
07:32 It seems like it's a really good time for
07:34 you guys just kinda refocus before that November stretch kinda hits.
07:38 >> Yeah, definitely a good time for the bye week.
07:39 A lot of guys are banged up and this is a good time for us to get some rest.
07:42 And then when we get back out there for these next four games,
07:45 our bodies are gonna feel a lot better and we'll be locked and loaded, ready to go.
07:50 >> Is it a tough way to go into the bye week?
07:51 I mean, not just a loss, rivalry loss, close one.
07:53 I mean, is this about a tough way you can go into a bye week?
07:56 >> Yeah, definitely was a tough one.
07:58 Hard fall game and just you gotta let that one sit with you for a while,
08:01 cuz you don't got a game this week.
08:03 You gotta wait until next week to finally get back on the field and
08:06 make the match for what happened last week.
08:08 So definitely hurts to kinda just be out in the situation with that loss, but
08:12 we just know we gotta keep going forward and worry about what's ahead.
08:15 >> Joe Evans said after the game.
08:17 >> It's been good just to slow down a little bit, like I said.
08:20 I can definitely tell my body's feeling better already,
08:22 just getting some extra sleep and stuff.
08:24 So it helps a lot.
08:26 >> How important is the last month of the season in the grand scheme of things?
08:29 I think Deontay said that that's where the contenders rise and
08:32 the pretenders fall.
08:33 How important is the last month of football for you guys?
08:37 >> Yeah, I think it's very important.
08:38 I mean, the entire season is important.
08:40 Obviously, each game we take it just a game at a time and
08:44 try to focus everything, all our efforts on that specific week.
08:47 But yeah, it's super important.
08:50 >> I mean, how does it feel going into the bye week against six and
08:52 two with all your goals pretty much still in front of you?
08:55 >> Yeah, it feels good.
08:57 I mean, our coach, Coach Bell, always says everything he wants in front of you,
09:01 you just gotta go take it basically.
09:03 So I think it's up to us to do whatever we wanna do with this opportunity.
09:08 >> Got about 10, 12 minutes for our routine.
09:11 >> Thanks, Ethan. >> Yeah, thank you.
09:12 >> How's it going?
09:16 >> How you doing?
09:17 >> Good.
09:18 >> I feel a little bit of good news coming today for Noah Shannon.
09:21 On that defensive line, what would it mean to you guys sort of on the field to get
09:26 him back in there and then off the field, what would it mean to get some good news?
09:30 >> Is he coming back or what?
09:31 >> It might be an announcement from the NCAA today.
09:34 >> Okay.
09:34 >> I'm waiting on a call from him.
09:37 >> That'd be awesome.
09:37 Yeah, I'd be so happy for him.
09:39 I mean, he's been through a lot this year as we know, but
09:43 if we get him back, that'd be amazing for the whole room and for him, obviously.
09:47 >> Yeah.
09:48 >> And then what's it sort of been like to have his leadership when even when it
09:53 looked like he wouldn't be back at all this year just to still have him in the room
09:57 and help him out?
09:58 >> It's been huge.
09:59 I mean, his mindset's just been positive.
10:03 I mean, he's been super inspiring for all of us.
10:07 He's one of our best guys, obviously, and just seeing him even get back to practice,
10:11 I was like, he hasn't lost a step.
10:13 He looks really good out there, and I'd be super happy for him if he could get back here.
10:16 >> How's the energy been?
10:21 >> I mean, the energy's been great.
10:22 We got a 24 hour rule, so when I'm 24 hours up, next man, next team.
10:30 We just focus on the next team, focus on the next game,
10:33 cuz we can't just sit around contemplating about the last game.
10:37 We know it's a long season, so we can't worry about what happened.
10:42 I mean, it's unfortunate, but
10:44 we always focus on the next game after the 24 hour rule.
10:47 >> How do you run so hard?
10:49 Did you develop that?
10:50 Is that something you've always done?
10:52 Just how does that come about?
10:53 >> All my life, ever since I was young.
10:56 I think that's what stands out about me.
10:59 All my life, I've always been running the ball hard.
11:01 You can even go back to high school.
11:05 Little League, I got Little League highlights on YouTube.
11:07 I always ran the ball hard.
11:09 I always ran with a purpose.
11:10 So I feel like that's my identity, and
11:13 that's why I wanna get better at every time.
11:15 I'm trying to put a guy's face in the dirt, anything.
11:18 I'm just trying to run through people, make them feel me every time.
11:21 >> I think a couple of your teammates have just talked about your grill.
11:24 I guess just how did you get it done?
11:27 Just how did that come about?
11:31 >> I went to Florida over a break, and I got it done there.
11:37 And I just got them molded, they molded my teeth.
11:40 And then I had to wait probably a month for it to be done.
11:44 And then I went back home, I got it put in, and the rest is history.
11:51 >> Nobody in Iowa is doing that.
11:52 >> No. >> [LAUGH]
11:54 >> But all the guys like it though.
11:56 They always say, Chaz, I'm gonna go get a grill, like cool.
11:59 I'm gonna go get a grill, Chaz.
12:01 I'm like, nah, bro, you don't need no grill.
12:03 >> [LAUGH] >> Has no one else ever gotten one so far?
12:07 >> No.
12:09 >> You almost be copying it at that point though too.
12:11 >> Yeah, appreciate it.
12:12 >> Right? >> Yes, sir.
12:13 >> You see the look.
12:14 [BLANK_AUDIO]