Q: Talk if you could, a little . . . was it an ankle injury that kept you out
of spring, or . . . ?
Moses: It was my foot. I had broke my foot, that kind of kept me out of
spring, so . . .
Q: You guys had to overcome a heck of a lot.
Moses: I know, right? But every setback is just setting you up for a setup,
that’s how I look at it. A setback is just a setup.
Q: Now, you’re taking more because . . . OK, you’re a return guy,
right?
Moses: Yes, sir.
Q: But they need a number-two option behind Todd, I mean . . . how much are
you gearing up for a year in which you’re beyond a specialist, it’s more from
specialization to versatility for you as a receiver and everything?
Moses: Yes, sir. Well, you know, my foot feels great . . . I’m ready to step
in and just play a big role, a leader role, you know, my senior year. So
hopefully we can do big things this year.
Q: How do you feel coming back from Crohn’s . . . is this the best you’ve
felt going into a season?
Moses: Well, like I say . . . God is good, because I feel great. I feel
super.
Q: Milan, how is ‘NFL training camp’ going?
Moses: Wow, you know . . . it seems just like it. It was awesome. It’s hot
out here, you’ve just got to push yourself and keep going, you know? It’s a lot
of competitive spirits out here, we just feed off one another.
Q: Is the intensity a little bit higher than it was maybe last year, I mean,
having to start practice over and then Coach talking about . . . you guys coming
up to his expectations?
Moses: Well, you know, he’s right about that. We kind of started off practice
a little sluggish, but we ended up picking it up, like you said the tempo has
picked up a little bit, you know. It’s no walking around; it’s full go all day,
all day. You’re tired out here.
Q: If you could . . . how important is the offensive line? I know that’s a
dumb question, but you guys have got to replace four out of five starters
up front. How hard is that to do and how significant is it to what you guys do
in terms of timing?
Moses: Well, you know, the offensive linemen we’ve got now, they worked hard
all spring. They’re great guys, they’re physical, they’re strong. They’re a
great offensive line, you know? They’re looking good. We just can’t wait to get
started.
Q: What about the cohesiveness? Because that takes time, to get a unit to
work together, five guys to work as one. Can they do it in three weeks?
Moses: Oh yes, they can do it. Anything is possible, you know? Like I said,
they’re looking good, you know . . . look at them. They got bigger, they’re
mentally stronger, so it’s just going to be an awesome season.
Q: In terms of the first thing, the conditioning program, talk to us about
what you think Coach Sheppard brought to this team that may have been missing in
the past.
Moses: Well, you know, we always worked hard here at Iowa State. At any
Division I college, you’re going to work hard, but Coach Shep . . . boy, boy,
boy! He’ll push you. He’ll push you ’til you think you can’t go no more. You
know, that’s when the mental stage comes in. That’s where he trained us to be
mentally tough. But boy . . . it was tough making it through this winter . . .
and summer and spring, so we should be in the best shape of our lives right
now.
Q: Now, three of the priorities of Coach Sheppard and Coach Chizik . . .
making you bigger and stronger, making you more explosive and making you faster.
Talk about those three things, and did that get accomplished this
summer?
Moses: Oh yeah, you can just look around and just tell . . . just look how
everybody’s moving around, running, you know. They’re more defined, more bigger,
more faster. You know, that’s football, that’s what you need . . . speed and
‘physicalness,’ toughness. That boils down to football.
Q: Now, he said this is going to be the most physical team in the Big 12. Are
guys buying into that?
Moses: Ah yeah. We already bought it. We’ll put our money on the line. We
bought into it, you know, we’ll die for the next person next to us. That’s how
we feel. We feel like a close unit.
Q: Now, I want to just go through the offensive units real quick, beginning
with the line. Andrew asked you a couple of questions, but just in terms of the
eye test, looking at where these guys were last January when Coach Sheppard
arrived and looking at them today, the first day of practice. Talk about what
they look like, talk about how they’re hitting, talk about even how their
techniques and things are coming along.
Moses: Well, they’re . . . like I said before, they’re looking great. They
got stronger, they got mentally tough. They just . . we can be a dominant
offensive line, you know, and that’s what you need. Offensive and defensive
line, you know, that’s what builds . . . you can build a football team around
that. And that’s what we’re doing.
Q: How are the three JuCo’s, Blaes, Alvarez and Dedrick, doing? They were
here at National Signing Day and spring camp.
Moses: They just jumped right in, just like they’d been here all along. They
jumped in, started working hard. They’re committed to the program. It’s just a
great deal to have them here with us.
Q: We saw Number 99 catching passes and the only one on the roster was Howe.
Has he moved over to the. . . ?
Moses: Tight end.
Q: He’s moved over from defensive line?
Moses: D-end to, I believe, tight end . . . so yeah, that was great move for
him.
Q: So how are the tight ends looking?
Moses: Great. Great. You know, Barkema, returning starter for a while. He’s
looking great, so we’re looking alright.
Q: Running back’s a big question. This program wants a 1000-yard back. Talk
about Jason (Scales), and also what’s J.J. (Bass) and Cameron (Bell) looking
like?
Moses: Well, they’re all looking good, like I said. We just started
two-a-days, we can’t judge too fast, but they’re all just working hard in the
weight room, so that’s what we’re judging off of right now. But they’re all
looking great; they’re competing.
Q: Last question. In terms of the . . . perhaps the strength of this team,
the wide receiving corps . . . there seems to be a lot of depth. Talk about the
guys on that unit, and how you see so much talent being blended into this
offense.
Moses: Well, you know . . . the whole wide receiver corps is just talented.
They’ve got heart . . . we’ve all got heart, we’re all competitive and we all
don’t want to lose against that defensive back. So we’re looking forward for a
great year this year.
Q: Wallace . . . is he as fast as he was billed to be?
Moses: Oh yeah, he’s got some speed, boy. I thought he had a wind behind him.
(Laughter)