• 2 years ago
Cooper DeJean interview
Transcript
00:00 to be on special teams, you have a team that can start?
00:03 >> Yeah, I feel like that's where everybody gets their start.
00:06 At Iowa, we take pride in a lot of special teams, as many people know.
00:10 And we understand that's a big part of the game.
00:14 It helps out the defense, helps out the offense,
00:17 putting them in a good position to score the football.
00:20 And I think that's why a lot of the older guys take a lot of pride with it.
00:24 And you see them helping out the younger guys who may be on special teams
00:28 throughout the season, throughout practice.
00:30 I think that's what makes Iowa so special.
00:34 We're really like a three, I don't know how you say it,
00:38 we use all three phases of the game to win football games.
00:43 >> Is there something especially you've noticed about veterans and
00:47 starters and guys that just don't wanna leave that route,
00:49 don't wanna leave that special team?
00:51 Is there a point of pride that I am a part of that team too?
00:54 >> Yeah, I mean, I think just the guys doing whatever it takes to help this team.
01:01 I think we know special teams, like I said,
01:04 is a big part in what we do at Iowa.
01:07 So I think that's why a lot of the older guys want to be on that field in those
01:13 moments, cuz they know how important it is to us.
01:16 >> There's a player on the team that you guys,
01:20 you're a great guy player for Iowa, Cesar, do you want him?
01:23 >> Yeah, I think there's a couple guys on the defensive side.
01:27 Xavier Wampa, he kinda got his feet wet a little bit in the bowl game.
01:33 But I think he took a lot of steps forward this spring.
01:36 And I think as well as Aaron Graves on the defensive line,
01:42 he played a lot as a freshman.
01:44 But he plays with a lot of confidence, and
01:47 I'm looking forward to watching those two guys this season.
01:50 I think they'll have big seasons.
01:53 >> So you're Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, I'm sure you're aware of that.
01:57 Is that a surprise to you, given you're just a junior?
02:01 >> Yeah, a little bit.
02:02 I mean- >> What's your reaction?
02:04 >> It was a cool honor to have, obviously.
02:08 It is a preseason though, and everybody's 0-0, nobody's played a game yet.
02:12 So it doesn't mean a whole lot, I guess.
02:16 But I just wanna focus on being able to put my best foot forward out on the field,
02:21 and proving that I'm worthy of that on the field, on Saturdays.
02:25 >> You know Jack Campbell's preseason defensive player last year, and won it.
02:29 >> Someone mentioned that to me earlier.
02:33 >> What do you have to do to win?
02:35 >> Yeah, I think just going out and playing my game, and
02:40 doing what Coach Parker expects us to do on the defensive side.
02:44 Which will go a long way in helping our team win games.
02:50 >> My name is a junior, so a preseason offensive player,
02:52 you're obviously not on your schedule this year.
02:54 But what do you remember from that matchup last year,
02:56 what makes him a tough matchup?
03:00 >> Yeah, he obviously is a special player.
03:05 There's not many like him.
03:09 He's tall, long, he can run, can catch the ball anywhere around his body.
03:13 But their whole receiver room, I mean, they got a lot of talent in that room.
03:21 So it was a challenge last year to go up against them.
03:25 But it was a fun challenge, I think.
03:26 I think a lot of guys love that opportunity.
03:30 >> That's a hard, as you say, because of the rest of that room,
03:32 hard to give extra help on him maybe.
03:34 So what does an individual DB have to do to try to win it?
03:38 >> Yeah, you really just gotta play your game.
03:42 And trust your coaching staff that they'll put you in the best position
03:47 to be successful, which is what a lot of the guys at Iowa take pride in.
03:53 Just trusting our coaches, trusting our preparation.
03:55 We believe we prepare better than any other team in the country,
04:02 week in and week out.
04:02 >> With the way that Iowa embraced the transfer portal until the first time this
04:06 year, what's the key as a returning guy to integrate them and
04:10 to keep the culture of the business up?
04:12 >> Yeah, I think those guys have came in and fit right in with us.
04:16 I don't think it was a hard transition for them at all.
04:20 I think they came in and felt like family right away.
04:24 And I think I'm already close with Cade.
04:28 He's one of my closest friends on the team already.
04:29 And I know a lot of other guys, like Jay and Nick, they're roommates already.
04:36 So it's cool to see those guys just come in and fit right in.
04:42 And it comes down to the culture we have built under Coach Ferentz
04:48 to make that transition easier.
04:49 >> I know that's not something I was done a lot of.
04:51 How fun is it just to see guys who are gonna be immediate contributors and
04:55 help you guys right away?
04:56 >> Yeah, it's fun to gain a different perspective,
04:59 especially from guys who played in the Big Ten against us.
05:03 And to understand what they think about the University of Iowa when they get here.
05:07 So it's fun to conversate about that and talk to them.
05:12 And laugh about some things.
05:14 And talk about some things that happened in this building a couple years ago with
05:19 a couple of them, which obviously we weren't very excited about.
05:22 But it's just been fun to have those guys around.
05:26 >> What are you better at?
05:26 Go ahead, Pat.
05:27 >> Do you feel any pressure to live up to what you've become with all this hype?
05:31 Or is that something you use to your advantage, pressure?
05:33 >> Yeah, I mean, I like pressure.
05:36 I think I'm just gonna keep being myself, though.
05:40 I mean, I feel like that's the best I can do.
05:43 Just keep doing what I'm doing.
05:44 Keep getting better at the game of football and
05:47 fixing the mistakes I made last year.
05:50 And just overall, helping this team win.
05:53 >> You learn much from watching Riley Moss,
05:55 just the way he conducted himself over the years, play the same position now?
05:59 >> Yeah, yeah, I've learned a lot from him.
06:02 Obviously him being an older guy when I came in.
06:04 He taught me a lot about playing corner at this level,
06:10 which is something I didn't really know much about coming in.
06:13 So it was a lot of fun to be his teammate and learn from him.
06:20 >> If you had to pick one thing that's the hardest about playing corner,
06:22 is there one thing you could pick out, like the biggest challenge?
06:26 >> Biggest challenge?
06:27 >> Being a cornerback at this level.
06:28 >> I feel like it depends on who you're playing, what team.
06:32 Obviously, some guys are harder to cover.
06:37 Some teams are harder to play in zone just because of the concepts that they run.
06:41 So there's many different challenges, I think.
06:44 >> What are you better at this year than last year?
06:46 >> I feel like I've gotten better at my press man coverage.
06:53 That's something that I really focused on this spring and
06:58 this off season, even working on my own with some of the older guys.
07:04 And then I feel like I'm just getting better at the little things such as footwork.
07:08 The film study has been a big part of this off season,
07:12 especially with the linebackers and DBs.
07:17 Just looking at past games, how could we be better?
07:20 And looking at games this year as well.
07:24 >> At this stage in your development, can you become a lot faster, speed-wise?
07:28 Can you improve on that, or do you think you've kinda hit your peak speed-wise?
07:32 >> Yeah, I think I can continue to get faster.
07:36 I think that'll help me as well in the long run,
07:40 just becoming bigger, faster, stronger.
07:43 That's something we strive for.