On Iowa having a top defense
“It isn’t any different than what it was in 2001 when I was at Texas Tech and played these guys in the Alamo Bowl. I’m being serious. They’ve been there 25 years or whatever it is and it’s been the same forever. For them to be able to sustain it like they have is something that is very unique and probably never going to be duplicated again. Same as it was last year. I gotta go back 25 years ago. Obviously there are going to be some things that are a little bit different, but it’s the same as it was last year. They’re a plug and play team. I thought they had really good players last year and the ones that they lost they replaced with really good players this year. It isn’t really tricky. They’re just sound with everything that they do and from a coaching perspective you gotta respect that.”

On preparing for Iowa
“It means a little bit more. It means a little bit more to the fan base; I know it means a lot more to them. It means a lot to Coach Rhule, coaches, players. I say this, going back to coaching in this game last year it felt different. I’ve only been in a couple of these type rival games. Pitt versus West Verginia, I was only a part of that once, but it felt different. Bedlam, I was only a part of that once Oklahoma versus Oklahoma State. It just felt different and I had that feeling last year against these guys. So yeah, we’re probably going to put a little bit more into it. That’s just some off season stuff and just looking at it, and how Coach Rhule runs the program is we’re trying to put ourselves in a position where we can win this game because it hasn’t happened in a while. We recognize that, we see it, we feel it, and it means a lot to us to go out there and play this game. We’re excited for the challenge.”

On the feeling of a rival game
“It’s just the buzz around it. I can’t explain what it is, but it just means more. These rival games, like I’ve said I’ve only been in three of them, but I had that feeling last year that I’ve had in years past. It’s just that there aren’t a whole lot of those rival games that exist any more; a lot of them have kind of gone away. Bedlam is one that has gone away, the Backyard Brawl is one that has gone away, so the ones that are still out there you have to relish the opportunity to be able to play those games. It kind of sucks that a lot of those have gone away but this one hasn’t so lets enjoy it.”