By Mario Williams | [email protected]
The Iowa secondary had a lot to do with the Hawkeyes’ success last season, especially from the defensive unit in general.
By starting two dynamic cornerbacks in Greg Mabin and Desmond King, the Hawks have a dangerous duo most opponents won’t want to see this season.
Mabin and King secondary are arguably among the strongest and most veteran units on the team. Both are in their last seasons, there’s no surprise that they’ll bring their A-game every Saturday.
“We need to win as many games as possible,” Mabin said. “We try to go out there, take it one game at a time, and try to win every game that we play. We’re not going to sneak up on anybody this year. That just means we have to work extra hard to be ready and prepared for all the games coming.
“Normally, we’re the underdogs going into games, so this is new. It’ll be weird being favored. But we’re just going to do what we do, control what we can control, and not worry about anything else.”
King, who would have been in a NFL training camp right now had he left, decided to stay for his last season as a Hawkeye.
He comes into this season with many accolades — he won the Jim Thorpe Award last year and is on the Bednarik Award Watch List, Nagurski Trophy Watch List, Thorpe Award List, and the Paul Hornung Award Watch List.
To put that into perspective, King and Mabin have accepted the leadership roles they’ll have this upcoming season. King has also been named one of the co-captains for the defensive unit.
While there’s a little chance either senior spends much time on the sideline, unless they’re injured, King noted that some underclassmen could see time on the field.
“We’re still a strong piece of our team,” he said. “I feel like we have a complete defense this year; we have a lot of guys who are ready to play and a lot of guys who are ready to step in.”
Because King and Mabin play the same position, they talk about football, they’re always locker mates and hotel roommates, and there’s always some type of laughter going on.
Last season, they combined for 83 tackles and 10 interceptions, and they broke up 21 passes.
Even though King has more of the spotlight being the Thorpe winner, Mabin believes he’s taught him how to be patient.
“At first, he was kind of like not trusting his abilities,” Mabin said. “But we’ve talked over and over, and I feel like he definitely trusts what he can do now. He’s showed it numerous times.”
If a quarterback on an opposing team is smart this season, he’ll know not to throw anywhere near King’s direction.
With King being the best defensive back in the country last season, Mabin is aware that most teams will give him their best shot and throw in his direction.
“I mean, how many cornerbacks can say they get to play with a Jim Thorpe Award winner?” Mabin said. “I already know teams are going to be taking shots my way. I’ve been preparing for that all off-season, and as the season rolls on, hopefully, I’ll be able to rise to the challenge.”
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