IOWA CITY, Iowa — For the first time in his 26-year tenure, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz won't be on the sidelines on a game day. While that might be weird for fans, the players are focused on going 1-0.
"I think we'll just lean on each other and just, you know, worry about Illinois State, that's the biggest thing," said senior tight end Luke Lachey. "I think at the end of the end of the day, it's going to be all good."
Ferentz is still with the team all week long, preparing them for the Redbirds. On Saturday, it'll be about the personnel.
"It's going to be us 11 guys on the field that have to get the job done," said graduate senior safety Sebastian Castro. "He did make it a point, like, don't focus too much on him. And, I mean, he does want to be out there, but, you know, just do the job and just do it with our brothers."
That personnel isn't thinking about Ferentz' absence.
"We're focusing on trying to go out there and get a win," said senior defensive lineman Deontae Craig. "I mean, if you overthink it too much, it could turn into a distraction. And I mean, I know that nobody in the building wants to go out there and start off the season with a loss."
The preparations throughout the week are unchanged, with the biggest difference being the game day duties for assistant head coach Seth Wallace.
"We talk about a lot of things on Thursdays about what we do (on) fourth down (and in) four down territory, all those kinds of things, the situation, that situation," said head coach Kirk Ferentz. "But the only missing part is, you know, when you get in a game, sometimes there's a fuel that flies in the face of maybe what you decide on Thursday, and sometimes you just got to make a call and go with a gut instinct. So you know if that be the case, Seth will do a great job with that."
The Hawkeyes home opener kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday against Illinois State at Kinnick Stadium.