Much of defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s press conference was centered on improvement.
By Ryan Rodriguez
Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker met with members of the media Wednesday afternoon to discuss the state of the defense midway through its bye week.
The Hawks will get back at it in a week and a half, when they take on Maryland in Kinnick Stadium on Halloween.
Linebackers
Parker was quick to credit the play of linebackers Ben Niemann, Josey Jewell, and Cole Fisher for much of Iowa’s success on defense in 2015.
A young core has matured in a big way on the field this season; however, there’s more to it than maturity and experience.
“I think they all have the ability to run. They’re physical, and they work together, and Coach [Jim] Reid does a good job with those guys,” Parker said. “I think Cole has done a good job of preparing, and he’s probably the most improved player that we have so far on defense, and Josey Jewell, he finally settled in into middle linebacker, has taken control since the springtime in two-a-days, and he’s really comfortable doing that.”
Iowa’s linebacker trio was seen by some as a weakness going into the year, but the three have responded remarkably to an increased workload.
“It all pertains to everybody playing and stepping up at the next level,”Parker said. “I think up front they’ve done a really good job.”
Defensive line
The Hawkeye defensive line has been battered by injuries all season, as have most of Iowa’s units this season.
The loss of Drew Ott was a huge blow, but the emergence of redshirt freshman Parker Hesse has been a pleasant surprise.
“I think he’s done a good job,” Parker said. “He’s been in the program over a year, and he’s got good strength and a high motor that kind of reminds me a little bit of Nate [Meier] as far as going, going, going all the time.”
In seven games, Hesse has recorded 7 solo tackles as well as a sack.
“He’s a smart kid, and he’s tough,” Parker said. “Obviously, losing Drew was a big factor in what we do, but the next guy stepped in, and we’re very pleased with the way that Parker Hesse is working.”
Secondary
One of the biggest developments out of the secondary the last few games has been the borderline obscene number of times that opposing quarterbacks have targeted Greg Mabin.
While it’s been almost comical, the logic behind it is pretty sound: When a team is facing a pick machine such as Desmond King, more often than not, it is going to try to avoid throwing his way if possible.
“I think when you’ve got Desmond [King], a guy who has a lot of picks, guys are going to try to throw away from him,” Parker said. “But I think that the maturity of Greg Mabin’s mental capacity, what he’s doing with the football and understanding the game is really improved, and I’m really looking forward to him improving.”
In addition to the increased workload, Mabin has also taken great strides in learning the finer points of football, inside and out.
“I think he’s really become a student of the game a little bit more,” Parker said. “There’s obviously some times that he needs to improve on some of his fundamental techniques and stuff like that. There’s a lot of upside left in him.”