Every week, the Iowa football team meets with the media to discuss anything and everything. This week, thank goodness, was the last media availability before an actual game.

It gets rough just talking about what might happen.

Anyways, here’s what the Hawkeye players had to say.

C.J. Beathard

On the season ahead: “The older you get, it just becomes easier… I’m more excited about this season than I have been for any in the past.”

On Iowa’s questionable offensive line: “I’m confident, I have faith they’ll do a great job.”

What Iowa is expecting from Illinois State: “They got nothing to lose and they’re a good team. We can’t take them lightly.”

On his uncle, Illinois State offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kurt Beathard: “I haven’t really talked to him since before camp started, we didn’t really talk much about the game, it was family talk mostly.”

Austin Blythe

On whether the new facility has helped them break weightlifting records: “Maybe a little bit, but I think if we went out into the parking lot and did a hang clean there we’d get the same results. Throw a platform down there and a couple free weights, it’d be the same result.”

On morning practices: “Guys have got routine down, it’s going to be a huge advantage for us … I think that knowing you’re done with practice in the morning, just meetings in the afternoon, it’s a little different mentality.”

LeShun Daniels

On his running style: “I like to be a powerful runner, but I won’t shy away from trying to make somebody miss. I like to bring pain to other players.”

On his workload: “We’d all like 20 carries. Obviously not going to complain about that.”

Differences between the run-up to last season versus this season: “We’re probably a lot more jacked-up. Just from the way last season ended, it left a bad taste in our mouth.

On former Iowa linebacker (and current Redbird) Reggie Spearman: “We were pretty close when he was here, but obviously I haven’t talked to him as much since he’s transferred.”

Tevaun Smith

On the potential for more focus from defenses on him: “I’ve been preparing for that, but we got other wide receivers that can make plays too.”

Drew Ott