INDIANAPOLIS -- Iowa senior linebacker Jay Higgins has grown into one of the team's most confident -- and entertaining -- public speakers over the last 12+ months as he's settled into his role as a team leader and star player.
But Higgins isn't just quick with a one-liner -- he provides thoughtful, detailed responses as well.
At Big Ten Media Days, Higgins talked about a variety of topics, including the potential for the Hawkeyes to make the 12-team playoff, how he can improve on last year's performance, what it's like seeing Caitlin Clark everywhere he goes and more.
Iowa's ability to make the new 12-team College Football Playoff was a main item of discussion during Higgins' availability with media, and the senior captain expressed confidence about the Hawkeyes' chances of being in the playoff field. "I feel like if you're in the Big Ten Championship, there's a high chance you're a part of that 12," Higgins said.
"It starts one week at a time. Our goal is to win the Big Ten championship -- that's our number one goal. If we keep our benchmark the same, something tells me we can be part of the 12. Every game matters, [so] there's no sense in looking at the end of the year. We've got Illinois State first. It's simple -- try to win every game. [The Playoff] is a good problem to have at the end of the year."
So what does Iowa need to do in order to be one of the 12 teams in the College Football Playoff?
"If we're going to be a playoff team, we need to be a Big Ten Championship team," explained Higgins. "That's what we try to do every year. We're trying to win every game."
He noted that the path to that Big Ten Championship Game had changed somewhat with the end of divisional play in the Big Ten. "Now it's win as many games as possible. You want to win every game. Every week is important. Every win counts and that's our goal," Higgins noted.
"If we get to the end of the year and we won the games that we deserved to win, then I think we can definitely be a part of those 12 teams. It would be cool to be a part of history and be a part of the first [12-team] playoff."
When asked how he could improve on his performance last season, when he recorded 171 tackles and earned First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-America honors, Higgins jokingly lauded his ability as a recruiter instead.
"I'd say my recruiting [has improved], for one. Some of these freshmen have come in here and I'm like 'Jeez, these dudes look like animals.' We got Chima [Chineke] from Texas, oh my gosh. This new freshman defensive line, these new freshman linebackers, and a new freshman tight end too," said Higgins.
"And then I'm like 'I got [Sebastian] Castro to come back, Quinn [Schulte], [Luke] Lacehy, Nick Jackson, you know," he said with a laugh. "I don't want to take credit for it, but I did post that I was coming back first."
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"We lost the Cooper, I couldn't get Cooper [DeJean]. If I would have got Cooper, I probably would have stopped playing ball and went full-time recruiter," he laughed.
More seriously, Higgins is focused on his ability as a leader this fall -- and on just being one more cog in a defense that's full of standout players. "For next year, I want to be the best leader that I can be. We got a lot of dudes playing high level football. I don't feel like I'm the guy, that I have to be the guy," said Higgins.
"I watch tape and Sebastian Castro, Nick Jackson, Quinn Schulte, these dudes play high-level ball. Ethan Hurkett, Aaron Graves, there's just so many dudes that play high-level ball," said Higgins, before lapsing back into his trademark deadpan sarcasm. "I think I might just coast this year, blend in with everyone else, and let them make all the plays."
Higgins also heaped praise on Xavier Nwankpa, a former 5-star recruit turned second-year starter at strong safety. Higgins acknowledged that Nwankpa's journey hadn't been the same as the one walked by many other members of Iowa's defense.
"When a 5-star walks into the locker room, his path is different," Higgins explained. "He had to win [over] the team. You have people judging him and he did a really good job of putting his head down and working. It was really easy to accept him with open arms. [He's] never [had] a sense of entitlement while he's been at Iowa, never felt like he was given anything -- he's worked for everything."
Higgins described the strong on-field relationship that he and Nwankpa have forged -- although it took some bumps (and breaks) along the way. "I love turning around [on the field]. That's the guy I listen to. Nick listens to Quinn, I listen to Xavier," Higgins said.
"[Nwankpa's] thumb was messed up - it's really hard to give me a signal when your thumb's in a case that doesn't move," Higgins said. "We got pretty close real quick, because if I don't know the call, I'm freaking out. And I don't like when I don't know the call [laughing]. So he had to change his signaling using one hand. Little stuff like that brought us closer together."
Finally, Higgins, an Indianapolis native himself, was asked what it was like to see images of Caitlin Clark, the city's newest famous resident, all around town. One large mural of Clark had particularly caught his eye.
"She's been here for how long?" he asked. Three months, he was told.
"I'm 22, guys, I've been here my whole life. And I don't think anyone's ever thought of putting a mural of me anywhere. Or at least artwork -- [even] a piece of canvas. She's got a whole wall. But what she's doing is special. If I could shoot the ball from half-court, I'd probably get a mural, too," he joked.
"The buzz that's going through the city -- we value sports around here. I feel like this was a great environment for her to come succeed in," Higgins said.
"It's cool to say 'the Indiana Fever, my hometown.' I'm repping the Fever, I'm repping Caitlin and Iowa," Higgins said. "If I'm out in public and I've got a Tigerhawk on, there's a high chance they're asking me if I know Caitlin Clark. And I keep it at that, I don't even tell them I'm an athlete, I just tell them I'm a normal student, this is the Caitlin Clark show."
Indeed, the Caitlin Clark Show may have moved a few hours east to Indianapolis, but the return of Jay Higgins for one final season with the Iowa defense should help ensure that there will be plenty of fireworks in Iowa City this fall.
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