The 2023 Iowa defense may be without some key fixtures at defensive line, linebacker, and the secondary, but players and coaches said at media day on Friday that the Hawkeye ‘D’ has all the makings of another standout season.
After a dominating 2022 season in which Iowa allowed just 4 yards per play and 13.3 opposing points per game, that No. 2 nationally-ranked defense took a hit after the NFL Draft in April.
With former Hawkeye defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness, linebacker Jack Campbell, cornerback Riley Moss, and safety Kaveon Merriweather all on NFL gridirons this fall, this year’s defense features plenty of players rising to meet the moment.
After sitting behind Campbell and fellow linebacker Seth Benson for three years, Jay Higgins now has a chance to be in the spotlight. The senior and Indianapolis native said he was waiting for this moment, but was never sitting on his hands during those years.
“I think I just kept my head down, just kept working and waiting for the opportunity,” Higgins told reporters during his media availability. “It’s up to me to take full advantage of it. I just make sure that I’m always learning and trying to get better.”
Higgins credited Iowa linebackers coach Seth Wallace for not letting him “become stagnant,” and “always sharpening my tools.” When speaking with reporters, Wallace was complimentary of Higgins for not only his character but for absorbing the lessons learned from the LB room.
“We’ve always had an unbelievable bond within that linebacker room,” Wallace said. “What you would see out of Jay Higgins is not only a product of himself, how he was raised, and the type of kid he is … but it’s also a product of the guys that he’s been around during his time here … these guys are coaching themselves.”
The Hawkeyes already feature a star in the secondary with cornerback Cooper DeJean, a first-team All-Big Ten selection by media members in 2022, and a preseason second-team All-American by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele in 2023. According to Iowa defensive coordinator and secondary coach Phil Parker, there are plenty of qualified suitors to play across from DeJean on the right side.
These players include junior Jermari Harris, sophomore T.J. Hall, junior Brenden Deasfernandes, as well as redshirt freshman Deshaun Lee. On the most recent two-deep depth chart, Harris is slated as the starter with Lee as the second string. Hall backs up DeJean on the left side.
After posting 34 total tackles along with four interceptions during the 2021-22 season, Harris was listed as the first-team right cornerback to start last season but didn’t play because of an undisclosed injury. The Chicago native returned to the gridiron this spring, and his comeback has not gone unnoticed by Parker, even if not in true game scenarios.
“It’s early in camp, we haven’t played anybody other than our first-team offense, and after a while, you start seeing [the offense] over and over and over,” Parker said. “But I’m really happy with his progress, his leadership, and how he’s handling the situation.”
Returning at right defensive tackle is redshirt senior Logan Lee. The Orion, Illinois, native recorded 54 tackles and three QB hits last season. For Hawkeye defensive line coach Kelvin Bell, Lee has stepped up his game as a leader this season.
“As a youngster, Logan was a guy who came in with innate leadership abilities, being a high-school team captain, but I think he’s really learned the hard part of team leadership,” Bell said. “Being able to talk about the consistency of doing things the right way, most importantly, with leadership, trying to uphold that example … You’ve got to be able to talk it just as much as you walk it.”
Even though Van Ness never started a game for the Hawkeyes, his stout production off the bench could be mirrored by second-string defensive tackle Aaron Graves. Graves said he put on 20 pounds during the offseason but also grew in terms of his mental in-game awareness.
Graves gave one example of his sharpened mental game: when he’s positioned on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard – called a three-technique – and sees that the running back is on the opposite side of the center, then Graves can widen out his alignment, as the running back will most likely run in Grave’s direction.
The 295-pounder said he is also working on his bull rush, which will not only assist him when up against larger offensive linemen but also help him in pass defense by unlocking more speed.
The members of the 2023 Iowa defense are confident in themselves but also unafraid to demonstrate passion and celebrate their improvement.
Graves described the defensive line as “fun”.
“Obviously, we take our job very seriously, but we like to have a lot of fun,” Graves explained. “Like if somebody gets a sack, we’re all hyped up for it. We’re all running around going crazy.”