Spring camp in Iowa City has been underway for just over two weeks and there have been major developments on the defensive side of the ball thus far. The veterans of the group are cornerback Riley Moss and linebacker Jack Campbell. Both of them are returning for another season in Iowa City. However, it is the depth at all positions that are building high upside potential for the group. Some of the early enrollees have already begun to make a name for themselves, and the defense is building strength in all areas. These defensive storylines at Iowa Spring practice are pointing in the direction of producing another top defense in the country.
Defensive Backs
The secondary lost a few of its best players in Jack Koerner, Matt Hankins, and Dane Belton, but things are continuing to improve in the defensive backfield. Some names making an impression this Spring are Sebastian Castro and Cooper DeJean. Castro is listed as the starter in the “cash” position, the spot that Belton left open after heading to the NFL Draft. “Cash” is a unique defensive spot, as it requires knowledge of linebacker, strong safety, and cornerback. DeJean has stepped in for first-team reps at safety and has seen second-team snaps at cornerback. Defensive Coordinator Phil Parker has been impressed with DeJean. Parker said that he has done a great job and has the ability to play at multiple positions. DeJean was a highly-touted recruit who brings a lot of upside to the secondary.
Early Enrollees
Starting safety Kaevon Merriweather was impressed by TJ Hall, one of this year’s early enrollees in the secondary. The true freshman made a great play on defense on the first day of practice. Merriweather said he did something that you rarely see freshmen do. Hall overlapped the seam in a cover three defense to make a stop. Slot seam routes are one of the offensive patterns that can beat a cover three. Hall recognized this pattern, shed off of his cover position into man coverage, and overlapped the seam route to negate the play. The young player’s recognition on defense turned heads on day one, and he got high praise from Merriweather because of it.
Merriweather also had thoughts on another early enrollee in Xavier Nwankpa. He said in an interview with Chad Leistikow of Hawk Central, “he [Nwankpa] can move like any other DB in our room… I see it early that he is definitely going to be a great player here.” Nwankpa was one of the highest-rated recruits Iowa has ever landed, and there are a lot of expectations surrounding his name. Parker has said he is a guy that just wants to learn and get better. Nwankpa has the potential to be a stand-out guy early on. He is shaping up to do just that with his performance thus far in the spring.
Linebackers
The Hawkeyes will return three of the better linebackers in the conference next season in Campbell, Jestin Jacobs, and Seth Benson. Campbell and Benson combined for nearly 250 tackles last season, and Jacobs gathered 53 total despite not starting every game. These guys have the experience on the field and will continue to get mentally sharper as the season approaches. However, the story is not how the three starters have been performing, it’s how the guys deeper on the depth chart are looking.
Two and Three-Deeps
Junior Jay Higgins and redshirt junior Kyler Fisher are among the names getting attention this Spring. The two saw action in nearly every game last year and each recorded a key play on the season. Fisher caught the deflection off of the blocked punt against Nebraska and took it into the end zone. The score cut the Nebraska lead to five points in the fourth quarter and began the dramatic comeback victory for Iowa. Earlier in the season, Higgins recovered a fumbled kickoff return against Maryland, setting Iowa up inside the red zone. The Hawkeyes scored on the ensuing possession, turning the momentum in the game. The touchdown contributed to their 41 unanswered points against the Terrapins.
Linebackers coach Seth Wallace has been impressed with their development so far this Spring. With the stability in the starting linebacker role, Wallace has been able to get the backups a lot more playing time this Spring. He has noted Higgins and Fisher have taken great strides at the position. They are getting used to seeing the different variables required to play that role. This will give them a great jump on their development into the fall. Wallace has also pointed out the leadership he has witnessed from the starters at linebacker. Karson Sharar and Jaden Harrell are two freshmen at the position who have benefited greatly from that. Wallace also praised their strides this spring, and how they will be key pieces in the depth of the position.
Defensive Storylines at Iowa Spring Practice
While the record-setting interception numbers of last season might not be a realistic expectation for this year’s squad, the defense is shaping up to be just as tough. The linebacker group will be exceptional this season with their leadership and depth. The defensive backs have some shoes to fill, but the younger players are making big plays at spring practice. After two weeks of work, Parker’s defense continues to gain momentum.
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