Iowa defensive players 11-14-23
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00:00 generally work out pretty well. So yeah it's it's pretty darn cool saying that
00:07 we won't let up one rushing touchdown but we still get a lot of football left
00:11 and the goal is to continue to improve. There's certainly areas that we have
00:16 fallen short and up front with the D line linebackers secondary or yeah the
00:23 DBs everybody everybody's had their areas in which they need to improve we
00:27 just got to focus on those and continue to take steps forward. Keep that number
00:30 at one. All right thanks Logan. What do you see from Illinois? They're a good team
00:34 they they have historically wanted to run the ball they're very good on they
00:39 have these huge packages on third down third and shorts so they're a good team
00:44 that has interest in running the ball but having some new success this past
00:48 week in passing. Five hundred and six yards. Yeah yeah they might balance it out a little bit but their
00:54 identity isn't running the ball I believe. How important is getting pressure on the
00:58 quarterback? Yeah it's always important biggest thing is just trying to allow
01:03 the take take some time off of the DBs having to cover so it's always going to
01:10 be something that we're working on but you you really are able to rush the
01:15 quarterback when you establish a strong run defense so stop the run is going to
01:20 be the biggest area so we know when they're going to be passing. You guys get
01:23 a shutout like that what's it mean to like for you guys to do that for Coach
01:26 Parker and the defensive coach? Shutouts always feel good and there's a there's a little bit
01:30 more to a shutout than just an average than just an everyday win not that it
01:35 there's everyday wins I shouldn't say that but yeah the shutouts definitely feel good and
01:39 it's it's just great to see everybody celebrate those ones too so yeah it
01:46 means a lot. How are you guys evolved as a defense do you think how have you guys
01:49 gotten better as the season's running on? Yeah I would say I would say just being
01:54 able to fine-tune our positioning our fundamentals our effort and our
01:58 understanding of what other people are going to be doing around us we've just
02:02 established a ton of trust in the guys like for the D-line we've established a
02:06 ton of trust in the guys beside us and guys behind us so I think I think that's
02:11 kind of the progress we've made. No broad question but what is it that makes Coach Parker so effective?
02:16 When you put a finger on one or two things that just day in day out. Yeah his energy his
02:20 expectation for consistency and being able to uphold the standard that he set
02:24 and if anything comes to that he will let you know and I think and we all love
02:31 him everybody everybody loves Coach Parker so it's just he does things a
02:36 little bit differently and and we're all honored to be able to play for a guy like that.
02:42 Early in your career and like pretend like he didn't know your name is that true?
02:46 I mean I don't know about to that extent but you know he's definitely it's an
02:51 interesting relationship that he has you know especially with the walk-ons but he
02:55 he's definitely one of those guys you have to earn his trust from and you know
02:59 I mean every day when I come in I'm still trying to you know earn his trust
03:03 is what it feels like and so yeah I would say just every day I was just
03:07 trying to build trust with him. Is there like a moment where you felt like you
03:11 were starting to kind of gain some trust with him? I mean I guess there's certain
03:17 times you know where you know if he sees something he'll come up and talk to me
03:21 and be like hey what do you think about this or what do you think about that and you know
03:24 just kind of open communication between us you know about what's the best best
03:27 thing that we can do defensively just to try to go out there and get a win.
03:30 In terms of like you watching film like what is like this week like what is when do you
03:36 watch film how much like what is that routine kind of like? I mean I'll pretty
03:41 much start watching you know as soon as we leave this interview up until we have
03:45 meetings at about five o'clock you know and then around nighttime it's usually
03:50 I'm usually more chill just getting homework done and stuff like that but
03:53 it's pretty much a lot of film study all week you know just trying to prep for
03:56 the opponent and really kind of watching it too with the DBs in the DB room you
04:00 know a little bit before meetings too which is big for us too you know just open communication.
04:04 So like when you leave like that's you start on Sunday or Saturday night for the next?
04:09 Oh for the next game? Oh we start on Sunday afternoon for the next opponent.
04:13 You like have it on your phone? Yeah yeah which is really nice so it's you know mobile which is nice.
04:18 Yeah.
04:20 Have you thought about next year at all or how much have you thought about what you want to do next year?
04:25 No not really you know I was just saying earlier I'm just trying to prep for Illinois right now
04:29 and you know still a lot of football left to play and you know when it's the end of the year and
04:34 it's time to think about it then you know I think that's when it's time to think about it.
04:37 What will you weigh? I mean when you think when you do think about it what type of things?
04:42 You said what will I weigh?
04:43 What will you weigh? Like what factors will weigh into when you do decide to think about it?
04:49 You know just certain things you know what the future looks like for me you know maybe at the
04:54 next level or here or you know or what else you know in life but just a lot of different things
05:00 I think that I have to sit down especially talk to my parents about and think about so.
05:04 How far along are you in school? Have you graduated already? What are you doing like
05:08 academically at this point? I was I've been a pre-dental major track and so
05:13 I've been applying to dental school as well and so that's also an option hopefully.
05:18 Gotcha.
05:19 But yeah a lot of different things that a lot of different factors.
05:22 Yeah seems like this university's put you in a pretty good position.
05:25 Yeah yeah it's a good university so I recommend it to other students.
05:29 Okay.
05:29 I don't know if you've heard some of the post game.
05:32 Um and we understand that this week is the most important week and
05:36 what we can focus on is how we do things and that that just helps us continue to play
05:42 football at the level we're playing. Coach Farris speaks about November football
05:47 here at the University of Iowa and that's that's just us trying to get better week to week.
05:51 I feel like if we put all our focus there we'll like where we're at.
05:55 When the offense is playing like it was last week what does that do for the defense?
06:00 Spend a little more time on the sideline. What does that do for you guys?
06:03 Yeah we uh defense got 40 snaps uh last week so I'm feeling fresh.
06:08 Uh I feel like I can go play two games this weekend.
06:11 Um feel ready to go um but I'm just just happy to see those guys success.
06:16 Um I have to see Caleb and um Jazz run the ball and you have Caleb Brown um getting those uh
06:23 reception yards and so it's good to see those their their hard work pay off for them.
06:29 Uh and obviously I love watching the game of football so if I'm on the sideline
06:32 uh on the bench that that's good for me.
06:35 Do you feel a difference of fewer snaps from Saturday?
06:39 How important is that against an Illinois offense that looks to be clicking?
06:44 Yeah um I feel like last last week helped our defense.
06:48 Um basically took usually like half the snaps we usually take so
06:52 I mean we're all feeling fresh we're all ready to go.
06:55 Um I mean I'm eager to get out there. I like those snaps.
06:58 I like uh when we're out there a lot so but that's me personally.
07:01 But I'm eager to go.
07:04 Obviously the offense got quarterbacks playing really good right now both quarterbacks actually.
07:08 And then their run game has been pretty good so we we know we got our hands full this week and um
07:14 like like any week we we know how to how to um handle all their weapons.
07:19 I was gonna say are you preparing for both quarterbacks just in case?
07:21 And I guess what are the differences and there were some differences in their game so far?
07:25 Uh we we know that they like to run uh number nine uh that was a guy from Ole Miss.
07:30 Um um he he's done a great job up to that point and uh we we knew he went out with a concussion
07:37 and then their backup quarterback from Ball State um Muncie, Indiana that was my first offer.
07:43 Um so uh he he went out there last game and I mean had a had a heck of a game.
07:49 Um I think he was a big time offensive player a week or something like that so
07:53 obviously they're they're playing really good.
07:55 Their offensive coordinator knows how to get both of those guys involved and obviously the run game
08:00 kind of balances them out so we we understand uh that we need to prepare
08:05 for basically everything and that that's the fun part.
08:08 Before the game against Illinois I know you're probably joking that he isn't looking forward
08:12 to it because he might cry again. What's the key in uh taking all that emotion
08:17 and moving on to a game? It's quite important.
08:21 I mean yes that's a good question because uh you can usually get distracted in like a moment like
08:26 that um but uh uh like I feel like everyone here has been trained just like just like just to
08:33 remember what's important or how we like to focus on the game in a sense but uh I mean
08:39 I mean I feel like the way I do it is just like I just always have like I mean I could speak up
08:44 like for everyone else but just always just be focused on what's going on and uh I mean
08:49 just like in any football game like there's a lot of emotion into it and there's a lot of ups and
08:55 downs and it's just remembering and sticking to like our principles just focusing on what's important.
09:01 Did you get any looks from Illinois in high school?
09:04 Uh Dick Buck's kid uh can't remember his first name. I know it's Buck's kid so it's a good deal.
09:11 He used to coach I don't know if he still does but he was recruiting for a little bit uh they never
09:17 offered but uh no that's one thing I do remember was I was getting recruited by this kid so but
09:23 they never offered but uh nothing never had nothing against that but uh but uh yeah.
09:32 Sebastian this defense has just not only gotten incrementally better each week but
09:37 just kind of seems like looking back at week one to now where the team is at now
09:41 it's just gotten I wouldn't say astronomically better but but significantly better. What has
09:47 allowed you guys to do that and how have you guys done? I mean uh just like I mean we we preached
09:54 on improving uh every week and I mean it's week 10 so uh we're at where we want to be
10:01 uh in a sense of like an improvement and just getting better each week and every uh
10:05 every day really and um now I feel like we've done that and uh I mean we're not gonna we're
10:13 not gonna be playing our best football at the end of the year we're gonna be playing our best
10:17 football uh at the end of the year of course and uh and we're doing exactly what we talked about and
10:23 I mean yeah we just put in the work and then the product I mean it's just showing up.
10:30 For me you know outside of the game obviously that's my main focus and I told my parents that
10:37 you know this I don't want this to sound harsh or anything but you know I'm gonna save you know
10:42 me getting emotional for after the game because you know last year we had senior day against
10:48 Nebraska and weren't able to get the win so it's a different feeling in the locker room so we're
10:53 gonna save that for you know after but um just being I want all the focus to be on my parents
11:00 you know me running out to them um they've gone through so much you know with me being here as a
11:06 walk-on um helping me you know out my first couple years by you know helping me pay for college so
11:11 I want all the focus to be on them and really none of it's beyond me to be honest with you.
11:15 Joe the defense has not only gotten incrementally better each week but it seems like you go back
11:22 to week one and I wouldn't say it's a totally different defense but you guys are looking elite
11:27 again um what would you say about how far you guys have come as a defense?
11:31 Oh yeah I think I say the same thing every single time but I really believe it's it's how we
11:40 practice and I seriously will you know say that every single time but it's how we practice it's
11:46 how we you know go about our things um upholding the standard you know every single day we're
11:50 going out there and just giving it all um so just improving just like the little details and
11:57 and all that so I think you know by doing that every single week it's going to stack on you know
12:02 you talk about the 95 and five percent you know and it's just going to keep stacking and we just
12:07 keep stacking weeks and that's why I think we're looking that much better. Through 10 games you
12:11 guys have only allowed one rushing touchdown um which I haven't gone back to look at any previous
12:15 year data but that's still pretty impressive I have to imagine historically that I would only
12:19 give up numbers like that is there's is that something you guys take pride in or something
12:22 that you guys have focused on at all in terms of the run game or is it just kind of coincidence
12:25 that it's happened that way? Um I think it's just coincidence I mean obviously as a defense
12:30 we don't want them to score so um we don't really think too much about you know only allowing one
12:37 rushing touchdown um we do have our goals that we look at after um after games and stuff like that
12:42 so um obviously we're we're keen into that and keen into looking at you know if we met those
12:48 goals but we really haven't talked about you know only allowing one rushing touchdown as a defense.