Tracy continues to improve
As a redshirt freshman, Tyrone Tracy lived up to the hype of a playmaking wide receiver who was electric with the ball in his hands. Last season he hauled in 36 passes for 589 yards and three scores. He also had one rushing touchdown that occurred in Iowa's Holiday Bowl victory over USC. The sophomore wide out discusses how good this group of receivers can be, how he tried to improve in the off-season, and the chemistry he has with Spencer Petras.
Q: There’s been a lot of talk about the wide receivers in the Big Ten that opted out and then came back in the Big Ten. Do the Iowa wide receivers carry a little chip on their shoulder because they don’t get the talk?
TRACY: I wouldn’t necessarily say a chip on the shoulder, but we do come in every day looking to go to work. I do want to say that on Saturday’s we will go out and do what we need to do for the team and produce and make the offense more explosive.
Q: How trying was the off season this year with all the uncertainty?
TRACY: Mentally it was challenging. As football players, we want to be on the field. We want to be out there with our brothers, so it was challenging. Once we got the news that we were actually having a season, it really didn’t change a whole lot because we were already in the facility working out and training and doing conditioning. Now we are taking it to the field and putting in work and being together there.
Q: What kind of chemistry do you have with Spencer Petras and what are you doing to try and build it?
TRACY: The off season played a good part in the chemistry because Spencer is the new quarterback. It helped the wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs because we got together and got the chemistry down and it did help in the long run.
Q: Brian Ferentz came up during the racial bias investigation. Did he have any words for you as he stood before the team to address those things?
TRACY: Brian stood up and said a couple things. We also had personal conversations, as he did with other players on the team. I respect Brian in every single way. He hasn’t done anything to me. He hasn’t said anything bad to me, so the remarks that were said about him were very shocking. We did have our personal moment and we talked about it and we are on board and looking forward.
Q: Last year you said that when people saw you on the field, you wanted them to know you were explosive as a player. What are one or two things that you wanted to be better in this year?
TRACY: Even though I was explosive last year, I feel like I can be more explosive this year. Looking at the film, I feel like my route running could be better. Also, as a leader, I feel like I can improve there with the offense and with the team in general.
Q: You had to play all three receiver positions. How has your game grown as a result and how has the group grown collectively that maybe you couldn’t last year?
TRACY: It was very challenging just to learn every position. Coach Copeland really helped me to soak it all in and learn it the best way that I could. Now that I know every position, there’s not just one position that I am playing. I am not just going to start out at X and play there. We have so many playmakers in the receivers’ room and so many playmakers on offense, so knowing all the positions it will give Brian Ferentz the chance to do anything with me.
Q: How explosive and good can the offense be? Could it be the best offense in the Big Ten?
TRACY: Right now I feel like we are going to be the best we can be. I am not going to say we can be the best in the Big Ten or the best in the country because we haven’t seen what we can do on Saturday’s. We are just trying to be the best we can be in practice and that will reflect on Saturday. If that’s the case we will be a very good and explosive offense.
Q: You have been practicing. What have the last few weeks felt like? Has it been like regular camp even though you are going to school?
TRACY: It is definitely feeling like training camp. I feel like I am here 24/7, even though I am away quite a bit. It is difficult and challenging because you have school on top of all the football and all the lifting and rehab that you have to do to prepare for the next day. The coaches and the assistants all help us to come together and try to move forward in the right direction.
Q: Brandon Smith brought up Charlie Jones as a guy who has been doing well. What can you tell us about him?
TRACY: Charlie is a special guy. He is going great right now and making plays all over the place. I am very excited to see what he can do on the field on Saturday’s. He’s fast and athletic. We just have to see how it will translate on Saturday’s. Right now he is the guy at practice today, so we will see.
Q: With everything that has gone on in the last six months for you guys with Covid and the racial inequality stuff, how much of a relief was it just to get on the field and play football?
TRACY: It felt good the first day I got out there. It was a relief because they kept saying we were going to have a season and then we weren’t going to have a season. To actually go out there and practice and run plays with coaches watching and reviewing the film and all that stuff, it was good to have that routine again. I am just waiting for the first game.