One-on-one with Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell

Daily Iowan Assistant Sports Editor Chris Werner chatted with Campbell at a media availability session on Sept. 20.

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Jerod Ringwald

Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell poses for a portrait during Iowa football media day at Iowa football’s practice facility on Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.

Chris Werner, Assistant Sports Editor


 The Daily Iowan: So, every week we do like a fun questions segment for The Daily Iowan, are you down to do that?

Jack Campbell: Yes sir.

DI: Awesome. So, I’ll start with a hypothetical NCAA football video game rating. I know Jay Higgins said you’d be like a 99.

Campbell: What’s the lowest rating?

DI: That’s a great question.

Campbell: Give me the lowest rating. I’ll be the lowest rating.

DI: Why do you want the lowest rating?

Campbell: Because I want that chip on my shoulder. You can make Jay Higgins a 99, though, alright?

DI: That’s fair. Do you remember the best and worst football play of your career, anywhere from youth until now?

Campbell: I’ll go my youth football career. The worst play was losing on like, I was in sixth grade and we were up by like five, and I think they threw a Hail Mary and won, so that was the worst. Then the best was, I was in like seventh grade and someone punted the ball, and I wasn’t the returner at all, but our returner didn’t pick it up. He was trying to make us get away from it so they could down it and I just picked it up and I ran it for a touchdown.

DI: Do you want to be back on the punt return now?

Campbell: I mean, I’ll leave that to [sophomore Arland Bruce]. It’s a lot of pressure, but I mean, it’d be pretty fun.

DI: Yeah, that’s true. Did you have, I know this is a while to remember, did you have a “welcome to Iowa” moment when you got here and realized this is the Big Ten and this is Iowa football?

Campbell: I would say probably freshman year in camp standing and watching a nine-on-seven period and watching Tristan Wirfs, and Chauncey Golston, and A.J. Epenesa, and all those other gigantic dudes going against each other. I was like, “I don’t know if I’m gonna make it here.”

DI: And then, do you have any extra pride, you know, being an Iowa linebacker? There’s a big NFL presence and a lot of history there.

Campbell: I would say so. It’s just been a blessing. I’ve just been so fortunate to have this opportunity. Being from Iowa, it just means a little bit more to me, I feel like. But yeah, For me right now, it’s my senior year, I’m just trying to leave my jersey in a better place. And also leave the [linebackers] room in a better place. These young guys, some day they’ll all be better than me — no doubt about that. But just trying to get them to realize that all those little things matter so much.

DI: Then two more, what does it feel like when the Kinnick crowd is rocking and you hear the ref’s whistle and everybody kind of knows it’s gonna be a false start?

Campbell: One of the best feelings ever. When you got those guys that can’t hear, you already know they’re on edge, and you’re a defensive guy, so you’re going on the ball, it’s one of the easiest things and most fun things to do because you can just attack and they have no idea what’s going on.

DI: Last one for you,  I know a lot of people have a song they listen to when they’re happy and when they’re having a good time. Do you have one you listen to when you’re really sad? Is there a go-to song when you’re down in the dumps?

Campbell: Sad? Honestly, no. I just turn on, I guess I just have a bunch of different playlists on my phone. I don’t have Spotify Premium, so I have to listen to ads, but I got like a Christian contemporary playlist I always just turn on. Doesn’t really matter what mood I’m in, but I’ll flick that on. I’ll also just flip some country on.

DI: So, you can’t really get into it because then it’s gonna be, “Want a break from the ads?”

Campbell: Yep, exactly.