Iowa Citrus Interviews 122723
Hawkeyes talk in Orlando
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00:00 He's from the SEC or Big Ten.
00:02 He's obviously ready to go.
00:03 And he was a good high school player as well.
00:05 So we're just going to leave it at that.
00:07 Have you given any more thought to your decision
00:09 that you're going to have to make?
00:11 No, not yet.
00:12 No, just kind of wait until after the bowl game,
00:14 I guess, to finally make a decision.
00:16 Who do you talk to?
00:17 Are you feeling pressure?
00:19 I don't feel any pressure.
00:20 Coaches have been real transparent with me.
00:23 And I can ask them any questions.
00:25 But really, I'll probably sit down with my parents
00:27 at some point, too.
00:27 I talk to them a lot and make decisions.
00:30 You haven't given a lot of the PGAs a chance.
00:31 That's what you're at all?
00:33 I mean, maybe a little bit.
00:34 But I mean, it's good for the Hawkeye program to get Jay back.
00:37 Obviously, one of the best talents in the nation
00:39 is a linebacker.
00:40 So--
00:40 Still a lot of guys who haven't announced yet.
00:41 How much are you recruiting them?
00:42 In what way is that?
00:43 In a good way or a bad way?
00:44 Well, I guess we'll see.
00:45 So if I were to come back, it'd be nice to have Jay back.
00:50 OK.
00:51 So I mean, any chance you get to play with guys like that,
00:55 it's certainly special.
00:57 Nick got cleared.
00:58 So he can have an extra year.
01:00 Has he talked about that with you guys?
01:01 Are you guys all talking about what you're going to do?
01:04 A little bit.
01:05 I mean, no one really knows quite yet.
01:08 I mean, we all have decisions.
01:09 We have our minds set right now.
01:11 But I think we're all just kind of waiting.
01:13 So after the bowl game, we can focus on the bowl
01:15 and be ready to go.
01:16 [LAUGHTER]
01:17 All right.
01:18 Thanks.
01:18 Awesome talk.
01:19 Thank you for yesterday.
01:21 I'll show you today.
01:21 Yes.
01:22 What's it been like being down here?
01:27 I mean, it's been amazing.
01:29 Get a chance to get out of the cold weather,
01:31 practice under the sun in December.
01:33 So always nice, especially down here with the guys.
01:36 So it's been a great trip so far.
01:38 What's practice like today?
01:41 Monday practice.
01:43 Luckily for us, we've had time back in Iowa
01:45 to get adjusted to the opponent and start watching film.
01:48 So really this whole week, not just today,
01:51 just going through stuff, trying to be clean,
01:53 have perfect practices.
01:54 So come Monday, we'll be confident and ready to go.
01:57 What do you know about--
01:58 what do you got to know about Tennessee?
02:00 I mean, it is what you get.
02:03 SEC opponent, big physical.
02:05 It's always going to be a great challenge, especially
02:07 in January, one bowl game.
02:09 So we're excited for the opportunity.
02:11 Really good team, really good coaching staff.
02:13 And it'll be fun.
02:14 Who are the people at your house that
02:16 we just didn't find out your roommate's coming back?
02:18 Good health with the rent.
02:20 No, I'm playing.
02:21 I'm playing.
02:21 But I'm super excited.
02:23 I didn't-- obviously, we're roommates.
02:25 But I really--
02:27 I was still with him.
02:29 I didn't really know what he was going to do.
02:30 So getting that news, getting off the plane yesterday,
02:34 definitely exciting.
02:35 And it makes-- gives that much more to look forward
02:38 to for next season.
02:39 Did you know it was coming?
02:41 I mean, I asked him quite frequently.
02:44 So I mean, I like to think I know him.
02:46 I had a good idea he might decide on coming back.
02:48 But it's his future.
02:51 He's got-- he had plenty of stuff that he had to figure out.
02:54 And I'm sure he's talking to the right people,
02:56 getting the right answer.
02:57 So I think I knew in my gut it was going to happen.
02:59 But I'm glad to see it come to fruition
03:01 and actually be a thing now.
03:02 And now you guys are more than one man?
03:04 Yeah.
03:05 So obviously, you don't want to pressure anybody.
03:07 Because like you said, it's their future, their decision.
03:09 They got to go through that process individually.
03:11 But I know if he ever sees this, we'd love to have you back.
03:15 We'd love to have you back again.
03:16 So how's bowl prep going so far?
03:19 I mean, we don't get to see practice.
03:21 So what's the energy like?
03:22 What's the excitement this week?
03:23 Yeah, it's like if you approach it the right way,
03:26 it's really good.
03:27 Bowl prep for the guys who have been playing a lot,
03:29 really just a chance to get your bodies back in shape,
03:33 heal up any injuries going on.
03:35 Also, but mainly supporting the young guys.
03:37 I mean, they take the bulk of the reps
03:39 during the past couple weeks.
03:41 And seeing them grow and seeing them advance, it's been cool.
03:45 And I mean, it's a great time.
03:47 You get more free time, no school.
03:49 You get to know people a little bit better.
03:51 So it's fun.
03:52 It's definitely an enjoyable experience.
03:54 Did you graduate?
03:56 No, I graduated next semester.
03:57 But we got a chance to celebrate like four or five guys, too.
04:01 So that's awesome, too.
04:02 We don't got to worry about missing and cheering
04:05 on other people.
04:06 So it's fun.
04:07 Indianapolis guy, what was it like when
04:09 you heard Jay Higgins was going to come back?
04:11 And did you encourage him to stay?
04:13 I mean, me and him being boys since we were literally
04:17 little kids, I never wanted to put too much pressure on him,
04:20 obviously, because his future is his future.
04:23 And I trust him that he talked to the right people,
04:26 went through the right process that he needed to.
04:28 And I'm happy to say that he is coming back.
04:32 I don't really think I knew too much, though.
04:35 Because like I said, I didn't want to impede too much.
04:37 But I'm definitely happy.
04:39 I know everybody else in this building's happy to get him.
04:42 Bowl prep's been good.
04:43 This is the longest bowl prep I've had.
04:45 So at times, it felt slow.
04:46 But we did a lot of practices that were good on our bodies.
04:52 And we're finally starting to get back
04:54 into the more physical practices.
04:56 And it's been good to get back into it
04:58 and start getting ready for this game.
05:01 How has this line kept itself together
05:04 with so many moving parts during the years,
05:06 so many guys in and out of the lineup?
05:08 Yeah, I mean, I think all credit to Coach Ferentz
05:10 and Coach Barnett.
05:12 We enjoy being around each other.
05:14 We enjoy playing for each other.
05:16 And I think that always helps when
05:18 you love the guys you're playing next to
05:20 and you love playing for the coaches.
05:22 I think it's always credits to them
05:24 whenever that is happening on an offensive defense.
05:28 Did this year kind of live up to the expectation of the coach
05:31 that you had for the transfer?
05:33 Yeah, I'd say more.
05:34 I mean, I expected it to be pretty cool.
05:36 But nothing can prepare you for just being part of a team
05:41 like this for Coach Ferentz.
05:43 I mean, you hear so much about him and playing for him.
05:46 It's a whole different level.
05:47 It's playing at Kinnick, playing for fans.
05:50 I mean, it's all been way cooler than I--
05:52 I mean, I knew it was going to be cool.
05:54 But it tops whatever I could have thought before I came in.
05:58 Suncate gave a bunch of linemen those controllers for Redmond.
06:02 Were you on that list?
06:03 Yeah, I was.
06:03 You were on the good list.
06:05 Yeah, I was.
06:06 What was that like?
06:06 It was cool.
06:07 That was like the first gift I've ever gotten from--
06:09 How helpful was he?
06:10 --like a teammate or a quarterback.
06:12 So that was pretty cool.
06:13 I feel a little spoiled.
06:14 He got us those controllers.
06:16 He texted us, I guess, a couple weeks before.
06:19 I tricked us and asked what console we played on.
06:22 And because he was going to get one.
06:24 So we all fell for it.
06:25 And he got us whatever console we had.
06:27 It was a PlayStation controller.
06:29 I had a PlayStation.
06:30 So it was cool.
06:31 And then Deacon got us some things too.
06:33 And yeah, I feel spoiled.
06:35 I feel like I need to get them something now.
06:37 So I'm not a video game guy.
06:38 So is that a big deal to get a controller?
06:40 A customized?
06:41 I mean, yeah, it was custom.
06:42 Yeah.
06:43 Yeah, it's yellow and number and the Tigerhawk on it.
06:47 Yeah, I mean, and they last forever, so--
06:50 or for a long time.
06:51 Yeah.
06:52 Yeah, it's cool, especially if you play video games
06:54 like all of us did.
06:55 Yeah, sorry.
06:56 I'm asking the same question.
06:56 No, all good.
06:57 Is this the healthiest you feel like the line's been
06:59 in a long time?
07:00 It has to be, right?
07:01 Yeah.
07:01 You've got time to heal.
07:03 Yeah, absolutely.
07:04 That's a big thing about bull prep is we did practice,
07:07 but we also had a lot of days for our bodies
07:10 to heal and get better.
07:11 And I think for the most part, everyone's--
07:13 Cale Krog has been out the entire season.
07:15 He's practicing.
07:16 He practiced today.
07:17 Sweet.
07:18 Yeah, I think everyone, for the most part, is pretty healthy.
07:20 And I mean, you're always going to have bumps and bruises
07:22 that you're going to have to play through.
07:23 But that's just part of it.
07:25 You kind of accept it and enjoy it.
07:26 Really just trying to get better at the daily things we do.
07:29 Put in some footwork.
07:30 Just build some more bonds and help the young guys grow.
07:33 How much have you--
07:35 do you feel like you've grown much now since December?
07:39 Oh, yeah, for sure.
07:40 Just going through.
07:41 You see more things.
07:41 Watching more tape back and just seeing little things
07:44 that you can do to get better.
07:45 What's been the biggest learning thing for you this year?
07:50 Throughout the year, probably just picking up
07:52 the real speed of the game.
07:53 Throughout the course of the year,
07:54 it started a lot faster and it's starting
07:56 to slow down a lot more compared to the beginning of the year.
07:59 What's the biggest thing that you've
08:01 learned over these last few years in Phil Parker?
08:04 Really just being confident in what you're doing.
08:06 As long as you're confident in what you call
08:07 and everyone's on the same page, you'll
08:08 allow everything to function correctly.
08:10 Kind of going back to when you were a recruit
08:12 and you could have pretty much gone anywhere,
08:14 how much of the appeal to Iowa was Phil Parker?
08:18 He was a big part of it.
08:19 Just knowing how he produces, how he teaches guys,
08:22 and just going through and helping him get to the next level.
08:26 How much of a relationship have you built with him?
08:28 I feel like I have a pretty good relationship with him.
08:30 Just going through, talking to him outside the facility,
08:32 just at dinners or when we have chances to get food and stuff,
08:35 it's just building a relationship with him.
08:37 Good to see you.
08:38 Good weather.
08:39 Oh, yeah, definitely.
08:40 Definitely.
08:41 Glad to be in this weather.
08:42 Feels good.
08:43 How did the scooter treat you last night?
08:45 Good.
08:45 It got me where I needed to go.
08:47 We went to the carnival.
08:48 So that was fun, yeah.
08:51 I was vlogging, actually.
08:53 That's what I was doing.
08:54 I was vlogging, getting a few shots of what we were doing,
08:56 stuff like that.
08:57 But yeah, we went to the carnival, so it was fun.
08:59 How would you say that this month has
09:02 been for the offense, trying to get the winning
09:06 and show up well?
09:08 Yeah, I would say over the months,
09:10 just seeing the team is just getting better,
09:13 just overall at what we're doing and understanding
09:15 what we're doing, I would say.
09:17 And definitely just as far as the receivers group,
09:20 just stepping up and being the leaders that we
09:21 need to be on the team and just bringing
09:23 that spark that comes to the team and the offense and things
09:26 like that.
09:26 So I would just say daily improvements.
09:29 Deontay Hines, obviously, leading the program.
09:32 But thoughts on that and also the guys
09:35 that you have back and going into this week?
09:37 Yeah, definitely.
09:39 Deontay Vines is my guy.
09:40 I miss him, definitely.
09:41 I talked to him probably three or four times since he left.
09:45 But yeah, we just got to keep the train rolling, pretty much.
09:49 Keeping the main thing the main thing.
09:50 And the same goals that we had, just keep them going.
09:53 And that's all we could do.
09:55 What's the point of confidence for you,
09:56 from maybe mid-season, Caleb, to now?
10:00 I'm trying to kind of broken out a little bit, not describe.
10:03 Yeah, a lot more confident, just to see
10:06 where I kind of fit in in this offense and what I could do.
10:08 And even giving my coaches the confidence and me as well.
10:13 So I would just say a lot more confident, just on the field,
10:16 knowing that any play could be mine,
10:18 and just being ready for it and preparing for it.
10:22 How excited are you to go against--
10:24 SEC gets all that rap about, I don't know,
10:26 SEC's the speed, or SEC this, SEC that.
10:28 How excited are you to compete against an SEC team?
10:31 I'm super excited.
10:32 I never expected to really go over there and play them.
10:37 Just a different conference, but here we are.
10:39 I mean, just definitely a good opportunity
10:42 to be able to go showcase my talent, and you know what I
10:45 mean, definitely get the win, hopefully.
10:46 Are you recruiting any of the defensive guys to come back?
10:49 I know there's a bunch of defensive guys
10:51 that could come back.
10:51 How much of a talk is that on the team?
10:54 All the time.
10:55 It's really like a joke, I mean, but we definitely
10:57 want to see those guys back, see them again for another year.
11:01 Nick and Jay definitely want to see those guys come back
11:04 and showcase the big guys.
11:07 You know what I mean?
11:07 Was it big news when Jay Higgins got announced yesterday?
11:11 Yeah, yeah, he said he's not finished.
11:13 It's huge.
11:14 Yeah, that was exciting, because I definitely
11:16 joked to him about it.
11:17 I definitely just told him to come back.
11:18 He got to come back and stay with us.
11:20 He can't leave us, that's all.
11:22 Is there anything the offense can do differently
11:24 in this game, given the extra prep time,
11:26 do you feel like, that might be able to surprise some folks?
11:29 You would say differently?
11:32 I think I feel like with the game plan we've got,
11:34 I mean, if we follow through what we've been practicing,
11:37 I think we could--
11:38 I think that's golden right there.
11:39 If we just showcase what we've been doing in practice
11:42 and, you know what I mean, make the makeables,
11:44 I think we'll be all good at the end of the day.
11:46 What do you want to ask us about Marco Relena?
11:48 What do you see from Marco in practice?
11:50 What do I see from him?
11:51 I just saw two great balls from him, just like 30 minutes ago.
11:57 It was crazy.
11:57 Yeah, there was some deep balls, and they looked good.
11:59 I was like, you just showed me two great flashes
12:01 of something special.
12:02 That's what I told him.
12:04 That's it.
12:04 That's what I got for you.
12:06 He definitely is building up.
12:07 That's for sure.
12:09 I'd love to see him on the field, too.
12:11 When did things kind of click for you,
12:13 if you like, this year, in person?
12:15 We saw you kind of in the Northwestern game.
12:17 You were number 81.
12:18 Yeah.
12:20 For your first career catch.
12:21 I mean, I could put it there, as far as--
12:24 I mean, I've been working towards it, obviously.
12:27 It was just a matter of time that it come, and it did.
12:30 So yeah, probably at that point, it clicked for me.
12:35 Just a matter of opportunity, as it just came to me,
12:38 and just knowing that I could do it.
12:39 You know what I mean?
12:40 It could be put on film.
12:41 It could be a regular thing for me.
12:43 You know what I mean?
12:44 So I would probably say that time,
12:46 just stepping up after Deontay Vines,
12:48 and just taking that role of a leader on the team.
12:51 And yeah, I would say that probably that point.
12:55 You got all the football things, obviously, this week.
12:58 Any of the non-football things that you're looking forward to?
13:01 Honestly, I'm more just looking forward
13:03 to being here with my family.
13:04 I've only been to Florida one time,
13:06 so it's just nice being able to explore a new area,
13:08 and see with my family, and play football.
13:11 It's great weather.
13:12 Nice to-- yeah, I was going to say, 60-something feet.
13:15 My buddy sent me a picture back home.
13:17 It's actually snowing.
13:18 So we definitely got a lot better weather here.
13:22 How much of a confidence boost was this year,
13:24 where you were kind of called on a little more than probably
13:27 expected with all the injuries?
13:29 I mean, it's been a huge confidence boost, just
13:31 knowing that the coaches trust me,
13:33 and are allowing me to go out there and play football,
13:35 and just have fun.
13:36 It's helped a lot.
13:39 What has Luke been saying to you over the course of the season?
13:42 He's just been a tremendous leader for me,
13:44 ever since I've been recruited here.
13:46 He hosted me when I was a junior or senior in high school.
13:49 And ever since then, we've had a great relationship.
13:52 And he's just been a great leader and role model for me.
13:55 Anybody that you-- who maybe we don't see a lot of,
13:59 that you've been really impressed by during ball prep?
14:02 I'd say just the whole younger class, the freshmen.
14:06 They're really-- this is a time of year
14:08 where they finally get to take a lot of reps,
14:10 and grow, and take another step forward.
14:13 I don't know if there's anybody in particular I'd point out,
14:16 but I just said the freshman class has done a great job
14:18 with ball prep.
14:20 What's the biggest thing that you've had to--