What Kelvin Bell has stressed to his defensive linemen from day one is if you stay ready, you don't have to get ready. Once the Big Ten season was back on, his guys hit the ground running with good senior leadership and a big group of younger players working behind them. At media day, Bell discussed his position group and much more.
Read our notes and watch some of the video below.
Q: What have you seen from Logan Lee and Jack Heflin?
BELL: I mentioned Logan last spring. He’s an extremely detailed guy. He takes notes all the time and now it’s time to put those notes to use. He has played more football in the past few weeks than he has in his career because last year he was hampered at times by some injuries. He has the ability to play inside and outside and I am excited to have him in the rotation.
Jack Heflin is a transfer from Northern Illinois. He is a great fit for Iowa. The scheme is just a little bit different and I think I am his third defensive line coach that he has had in his five years, so there are some technical things he has to get better at. But, from the standpoint of what it means to be a good teammate and a guy who has 31 starts, he understands what it takes to play winning football. He fits in well with our guys and I am excited to have him as part of the room.
Q: What are your expectations for Nixon this year?
BELL: Be a good teammate. Period. Be a good teammate.
When I talk about being a good teammate, that means setting a good example and holding others accountable. If he can do those two things, he will be a good teammate.
Q: Does that mean leadership?
BELL: That is above being a good teammate.
Q: John Waggoner played DE last year and now on the depth chart he is at DT? Did you see something you liked from him moving inside?
BELL: I have talked to guys about this before. We recruit defensive linemen. Everyone is going to go outside at some point in time because I want them to know it because if you need a spare tire, you don’t care if it goes on the left or the right or the front or the back. You just want to get it on the car. That’s how I look at John. I think he’s a really good player and I want to get him on the field, but I don’t want to be selective about where I put him and he’s going to have to have knowledge of inside and outside.
Q: You were pretty passionate about the racial issues before everything happened within the Iowa program. What have you seen in the last few months to give you confidence things are on the right track?
BELL: I think just having more open and honest dialogue about social injustice. I have talked about this before, in a team setting the environment is the same for everyone, but everybody’s walk is different. The workout might be at 8:30, but my walk is going to be different than your walk. Having open and honest dialogues and knowing where people are coming from and being accepting and showing empathy is important. The feedback that I have been given from our players is every day we have an opportunity to earn trust and follow through on what we said we would do. We want them to hold us accountable, just like we need to hold them accountable to the rules and regulations that we set for them. Everything is good right now, but it’s a daily walk and test to make sure you are following through.
Q: We talked to Brandon Smith a few months ago about the changes with the flag and such being led by a football player in Mississippi. You are from Mississippi, what did you think of those changes?
BELL: To me, I am excited that guys are starting to use their platform. We always say with privilege there is great responsibility, but there is also a great platform too. When you sign on to play at a university it doesn’t mean you just stick your head in the sand. If there is something unfair or unjust, you should feel free to voice that opinion. I am glad that guys are using their platform for the right things. I just keep hoping they keep using it.
Q: It is partly on the coaches to let them know that it’s ok?
BELL: Part of it as coaches is for us to be mentors and we have to offer that gateway and permission to do that. At the same time players don’t understand. Coach Ferentz gave us a quote from Jim Caldwell the other day, “Young minds aren’t cultivated enough to understand the consequences of their deeds”. We have to understand that and know that every decision a young person is going to make is going to be a good decision. We have to have a balance and let them learn for themselves. We have always tried to look at the best interest of the player.
Q: Is there a pecking order at defensive end right now?
BELL: They are all battling and you are only as good as your last practice. I don’t want to put too much sugar on one guy and dirt on another. Every practice we want guys to come out and compete and then it’s our job to put the best guys out on the field. Some guys have a little bit longer leach. They have played longer and they deserve it. Some guys get more reps in practice because frankly we want to see more. So pecking order? No. But, they are competing and pushing each other. I don’t like to say it’s the defensive ends. It’s the defensive line because you don’t know who will be out there.
Q: Coach Parker said potentially a rotation of 8-10 guys. Do you feel comfortable with that number?
BELL: That’s some lofty expectations out there. I mean, 8 -10? I don’t want to put guys out there where I have to turn around and not watch just to fill that quota. We are always trying to develop guys. 8-10 would be great. I would have to have it and there are some possibilities there. Guys will develop and earn their way on to the field. Coach Wallace said it was 16 days to Purdue, 10 guys? Hopefully by Minnesota or what’s later, Wisconsin, there will ten guys.
Q: What about Matt Lorbeck? He was going to redshirt, but now he has a free year to play? Does he fit into the plans yet?
BELL: He is another guy who because of the transfer rules, he finished up his college under graduate this summer. He didn’t show up here until August 10th. You know what happened August 10th? They shut things down. We actually got to start practicing with him once we opened the gates back up. We threw him in the deep end and we are seeing if he can swim. It’s too early to tell right now where he fits in, but I am excited about his potential.
