Notable information and quotes from Tuesday’s Iowa football media availability
By Tyler Devine
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football team’s annual media day event took on a different look Tuesday.
The event that usually takes place in August, and in person, took place virtually on Zoom in which 11 offensive players from Iowa’s 2020 Leadership Group spoke with the media about the upcoming season.
11 members of the Iowa defense will address the media Wednesday via Zoom, and head coach Kirk Ferentz and several members of the Iowa coaching staff will speak to the media in person Thursday.
Iowa plays its first of eight regular season games against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., on Oct. 24.
Here are some notable quotes and information from Tuesday’s media availability.
Position, Name, Year, Height, Weight, Hometown, Notables
OL Tyler Linderbaum, So., 6-3, 289, Solon, Iowa, Started all 13 games in 2019/Honorable mention All-Big Ten/2020 Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports
On Spencer Petras – “I’ve been fortunate to be roommates with Spencer for a year, going on two. He just has a commanding personality, what you’re looking for in a leader. He has great leadership skills. As each day goes on, he’s just building more and more confidence, which is good to see. You started to see that last year. I know coach Ferentz hit on it where (Petras) was hitting his stride and being more confident. And I think Spencer has put in a lot of work, and worked hard, to get where he’s at now, and now he just needs to show what he can do on the field.”
WR Brandon Smith, Sr., 6-2, 215, Lake Cormorant, Miss., 37 receptions for 439 yards and five touchdowns in 2019
On sacrificing social life to be able to play the season – “Everybody on the team knows how important playing football is, because we’ve been working hard and practicing and all this. We wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that. Everybody knows the safety precautions of what they have to do to be smart. You know, wear a mask if you go to get food and everything. It’s a fairly known topic, so everyone is on the same page.”
WR Tyrone Tracy, So., 5-11, 203, Camby, Ind., 36 receptions for 589 yards and three touchdowns in 2019
On his admiration for offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, who was implicated in some of the allegations of racial disparity during the offseason – “He stood up and said a couple things, but we also had personal conversations, as he had 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. But we did have our personal moment. I went in and talked to him, and we’re on board and just going straight ahead.”
OL Cole Banwart, Sr., 6-4, 296, Ottosen, Iowa, Seven career starts

Updating his health after playing only three games last season due to injury – “Right now, I’m full go. I feel really good, I’m excited for this year just like everybody else is. Just excited to get right back on the field.”
OL Alaric Jackson, Sr., 6-6, 315, Detroit, Mich., 2020 preseason second-team All-America by Athlon Sports/Outland Trophy preseason watch list/Third-team All-Big Ten in 2019
On whether or not he thought about opting out and slimming down – “I was looking forward to the season for the most part. Just wait and see what happens from a football aspect, just because there was no deciding factor.”
“I’m still 320 (pounds). Nothing has changed, just lost some body fat, that’s all.”
RB Tyler Goodson, So., 5-10, 200, Suwanee, Ga., Preseason second-team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports/Doak Walker Award preseason watch list/First true freshman to lead Iowa in rushing with 638 yards in 2019
On his mom wanting football to happen and his dad not before the Big Ten decided to play – “They didn’t really bother me too much about it. They told me about what they were thinking about the situation we were going through. But really, for my mom, my brother actually got the virus awhile back, so she was just concerned for the safety of me, him and my little brother back at home, and also about the players. And, I think, my dad’s thought process, he just wanted to see football being played. I don’t think it was any controversy to it.”
RB Mekhi Sargent, Sr., 5-9, 209, Key West, Fla., 2020 Doak Walker Award preseason watch list
On Brian Ferentz and former strength and conditioning coordinator Chris Doyle – “Honestly, coach Brian is a great man, he’s a great coach. Never had a problem with coach Brian, never had a problem with coach Doyle. I can’t speak for a lot of people who did have those problems. But, for me personally, I’m from a diverse location, Key West, Fla., so I never really had problems with the racial disparity, so I never experienced it here at the University of Iowa.”
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Sr., 6-1, 179, Newark, N.J., Holiday Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player/2020 Paul Hornung Award preseason watch list/2020 preseason first-team All-America kickoff return specialist by Athlon/Second player in school history to score a rushing, receiving and kickoff return touchdown in one game
On watching other teams play while they awaited the Big Ten’s return to play decision – “Other teams playing, it was pretty tough, knowing that you can’t play. Teams are going out there and playing, being able to go out there and do the thing they love. That being taken away from us was pretty tough. So, it was rough. And then finding out we were able to play, it was like Christmas. Everybody happy, excited. Anybody you talked to on the team had a big smile on their face ready to go get back to work.”
RB Ivory Kelly-Martin, Jr., 5-11, 204, Plainfield, Ill., Played in four games in 2019 before redshirting/Has played in 25 games with six career starts
On his close friend, junior linebacker Djimon Colbert, opting out of the season – “We all have personal stuff going on in our lives. And I know he has good reason for his decision that he made. We’ve always been saying we’re going to support them 100% and respect their decision no matter what. He made his decisions for his reasons, and that’s not anything for me to talk on.”
K Keith Duncan, Sr., 5-10, 179, Weddington, N.C., 2019 consensus All-American/Set Big Ten single-season record with 29 field goals/2019 Lou Groza Award finalist and Big Ten Kicker of the Year
On kicking with no fans – “I personally love fans, love home games, love away games. That’s what football is about. Sports are fun because of fans. I really wish we could have as many fans there as possible, under the same circumstances that I’m sure will be set in place. It’s definitely different. We’ve kicked in Kinnick a couple times over the spring, seeing how we’re going to kick with no fans. It’s interesting, there’s a science behind how the wind patterns change when there are no fans, so that’s definitely something
to take into consideration. But, just getting used to it, the first couple games are going to be interesting.”
QB Spencer Petras, So., 6-5, 231, San Rafael, Calif., Will make first career start in week one against Purdue/Has played in five games in Hawkeye career
On how dynamic the Iowa offense could be this year – “We’ll have to see how it all comes together Oct. 24, but I have high expectations for this offense, our coaches do as well. As players, we know how could we can be, and we’re all excited to go out there and compete.”
On making calls at the line of scrimmage without fans – “I think it’s going to benefit a lot of offense. Especially in our conference where every road game, for the most part, is a challenge with communication. It’s going to be great. We’ve got some road games this year that I think it’s going to be better for us. The communication will be easier, I’ll be able to work the cadence more, that kind of thing.”