JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
THE MODERATOR: We'll bring Norm Parker in now.
Q. Norm, where are the cups so you can demonstrate how you're going to play defense?
COACH PARKER: We don't have enough cups and that table is not that wide (laughter).
You know, like Georgia Tech, they're different than us what they do offensively, but they're different in a different way than Georgia Tech's different. They're as different from us as Georgia Tech, but they're different in a different way, if that makes any sense.
Q. Tell us about your thoughts, how you're feeling.
COACH PARKER: Obviously, I took a little setback there. I'm walking more now in the walker. I walked 150 yards which I thought was pretty good for taking off. I've climbed 14 stairs, which can get me in an airplane, I hope.
It's getting better. It's just taking a while. Takes a while to get it done.
I can say this. The people at University Hospital and the people at Mercy in Cedar Rapids, they were fantastic. You couldn't ask for a better experience. There's things you'd rather do. But they were great. They were great.
Q. Feel good otherwise?
COACH PARKER: Yeah, yeah. You know, I come in the office and I stay in the office longer, do that kind of stuff. I'm more involved than I was before, so... But we're trying. When I was gone, I thought the other guys did a great job.
Q. How much did you miss football when you were gone, the coaching and the kids?
COACH PARKER: I really missed it. The first game I got to come to was the Michigan State game. I was sitting at that game up in the press box and thinking to yourself, This is really where I want to be. This is who I am, what I live for. So there's no questions of my intentions that next year is to be back, to be back stronger and healthier than ever.
Q. Do you hear from a lot of people, strangers, people relating to your situation?
COACH PARKER: Yeah, you know, I've been in football for a while. Between the players, excoaching friends, that kind of stuff, there were a lot of cards, get well. You really don't get a chance like you'd like to answer every phone call or answer every card, respond to every card, that kind of stuff. But that's what keeps you going a lot.
Yeah, there's been a lot of that. A lot of that.
Q. Was it frustrating to watch the team playing in the fourth quarter with the defense needing a stop to win it, watching them struggle?
COACH PARKER: You know, that's football. I mean, sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. Really, if you asked me to explain this year, the Big Ten, I'd say it was the year of the quarterback. I mean, I think we got beat and we had trouble controlling some really, really good quarterbacks.
I mean, if you take this league, I mean, you could argue about who's the best. Is it Pryor? Is it Persa? Is it Stanzi? Is it the kid from Indiana? I mean, you go on and on and on with the quality quarterbacks that were in the league, and they were all good enough to beat you. They were all good enough to beat you, you know. These guys are taking the ball and running all over with it.
If I had to explain this year's Big Ten season, it was the years of the quarterback. I mean, I think Cousins is excellent. Stanzi is good. The kid from Wisconsin, Northwestern, Ohio State, the Michigan guy is like a jack rabbit. Every team had a quarterback that was capable of beating you. You don't get that every year.
Q. You're going up against another outstanding quarterback. What stands out about him?
COACH PARKER: Gabbert is big. He can throw. He can really throw. I think his speed is deceptive. He's a good athlete. He's a real good athlete. So he can scramble around and beat you.
It's another quality quarterback. Just a quality guy.
Q. Missouri, without the running backs and receivers, do they probably give you more weapons to prepare for than any team you've seen this season?
COACH PARKER: Well, yeah, and they're different. They're different. They're probably like Northwestern at its most extreme bizarre things. They might line up their tackles and quarterbacks here, put five guys over here, nobody here. They might line up four guys here, core of their offense, and nobody over here. I mean, it's stuff that you draw up in the sand at the beach.
But they know what they're doing with it. There's a method to their madness. I think figuring out the method to the madness is the trick. You try to match up guys on guys. They might line up the tight end here, the running back lines up over there, that's not where they're supposed to line up, they're supposed to line up at other places.
Q. Do you have the raw material linebackers left? You've had so many injuries. Probably don't recognize the depth chart any more. Do you have enough left to go against this effective spread offense?
COACH PARKER: We're going to find out. We're going to find out. Every day a star is born. Today it may be you. Got to look at it that way.
Q. How much of an impact did the injuries at linebacker have at what you guys could do defensively?
COACH PARKER: You know, more than abilitywise, it was all of a sudden this guy is playing a new position, so there wasn't as memory bank as you had. Everything was new to a guy. Then James Morris ends up being the starting linebacker. What, nine months ago he's riding in a yellow school bus, now he's trying to defend Terrelle Pryor in front of 72,000 people on national TV. It's a little bit different now. It's forced learning. If he makes a mistake, he makes a mistake. It's because he's never seen that stuff before.
Q. You've taken players from Missouri's backyard. Can you tell us how much impact Clayborn has had on the defense, the process of getting him out of Missouri?
COACH PARKER: Well, he came. He visited Iowa. He liked Iowa. I've never really asked him how he feels about playing this game because we've been going through final exams, so we haven't seen the players a whole bunch to prepare for Missouri.
Today is sort of the first day of getting back, Let's worry a little bit about what Missouri is doing. We've been against each other. But it's been Iowa playing Iowa during these first couple practices.
But I'm sure he's excited about it, you know. Should be. I hope he is.
Q. You said this is where you really want to be. Can you elaborate on what you missed so much about it and why you want to keep doing this?
COACH PARKER: Before when I was coaching, it was all about the wins, that kind of stuff. Now it's about being around the guys. In other words, I like to be around the young guys. I like being around the coaches. I like being out of the house. Don't say that too loud (smiling).
I guess it amounts to I really realized what I am and who I am and this is what I like. I mean, this is really what I like doing.
Q. How long do you want to keep doing this for?
COACH PARKER: A long time. You know, I mean, like I told somebody the other day, I've seen these pictures of guys on artificial legs snow skiing. If they can do that, why can't I coach? There are actually days when I have to look down to figure out when I have this prosthetic on which one is the real leg and which one is the artificial leg. It's starting to where it helps you, where it helps having something there. You get out of bed, you don't have the artificial leg on, it's a long fall to the ground. You start to get out of bed, you say, Oh, ****, I only got one leg on, I better get the other leg on.
You don't have to be in University Hospital or Mercy Hospital to find out there's a lot of guys got it worse than you got it. So quit aching and complaining about it and get moving.
Q. Everybody talks about how coaching is a tough lifestyle in that it's a lot of sitting and watching, hard to find the time to exercise. Do you have an attack plan for keeping yourself healthy, getting back to where you want to be healthwise?
COACH PARKER: Well, I go to physical therapy over there five times a week. They do different exercises, that kind of stuff. But, yeah, there's no question you got to make some time for yourself to stay healthy. That's where I think Kirk does such a great job. Kirk runs. He's in fantastic physical condition because he's smart enough to take some time out of his day where he runs and he exercises. I mean, I think that's why he can do everything he can do because he's in such great physical health. He really is. It's amazing. Our guys go jogging with him. It's like a fivemile sprint. They say, I don't want to run with Kirk today because he takes off and runs, so...
Q. Are you in that group?
COACH PARKER: No, I'm not in that group. There's a lot of places I might die. One of them may not be on a cinder track. I might die on Myrtle Beach, but I'm not dying on a cinder track.
Q. The fans organized the 'Norm, Norm, Norm' chant. What did you think about that when you heard about it?
COACH PARKER: I thought they were crazy. But it was nice. You're very appreciative. You're very appreciative of that kind of stuff happening. I was very appreciative when Sash intercepted it and he ran it for a touchdown. That was nice.
It was nice. The people have been very nice. The people have been very nice. But it's time to get back and earn my keep a little bit.
Q. Have you and Kirk talked about at all where you want to be and need to be healthwise to attack next year?
COACH PARKER: Kirk has just said, you know, Do what you want to do, do what you're comfortable doing. Don't think about quitting or something like that. Don't make any stupid, rash decision.
I'm coming back. I mean, if I don't, I'll be really disappointed.
Good seeing you guys again. I even like seeing you guys (smiling). Just a case of who wants to hold the urinal. Take care, guys.
Q. Norm, where are the cups so you can demonstrate how you're going to play defense?
COACH PARKER: We don't have enough cups and that table is not that wide (laughter).
You know, like Georgia Tech, they're different than us what they do offensively, but they're different in a different way than Georgia Tech's different. They're as different from us as Georgia Tech, but they're different in a different way, if that makes any sense.
Q. Tell us about your thoughts, how you're feeling.
COACH PARKER: Obviously, I took a little setback there. I'm walking more now in the walker. I walked 150 yards which I thought was pretty good for taking off. I've climbed 14 stairs, which can get me in an airplane, I hope.
It's getting better. It's just taking a while. Takes a while to get it done.
I can say this. The people at University Hospital and the people at Mercy in Cedar Rapids, they were fantastic. You couldn't ask for a better experience. There's things you'd rather do. But they were great. They were great.
Q. Feel good otherwise?
COACH PARKER: Yeah, yeah. You know, I come in the office and I stay in the office longer, do that kind of stuff. I'm more involved than I was before, so... But we're trying. When I was gone, I thought the other guys did a great job.
Q. How much did you miss football when you were gone, the coaching and the kids?
COACH PARKER: I really missed it. The first game I got to come to was the Michigan State game. I was sitting at that game up in the press box and thinking to yourself, This is really where I want to be. This is who I am, what I live for. So there's no questions of my intentions that next year is to be back, to be back stronger and healthier than ever.
Q. Do you hear from a lot of people, strangers, people relating to your situation?
COACH PARKER: Yeah, you know, I've been in football for a while. Between the players, excoaching friends, that kind of stuff, there were a lot of cards, get well. You really don't get a chance like you'd like to answer every phone call or answer every card, respond to every card, that kind of stuff. But that's what keeps you going a lot.
Yeah, there's been a lot of that. A lot of that.
Q. Was it frustrating to watch the team playing in the fourth quarter with the defense needing a stop to win it, watching them struggle?
COACH PARKER: You know, that's football. I mean, sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. Really, if you asked me to explain this year, the Big Ten, I'd say it was the year of the quarterback. I mean, I think we got beat and we had trouble controlling some really, really good quarterbacks.
I mean, if you take this league, I mean, you could argue about who's the best. Is it Pryor? Is it Persa? Is it Stanzi? Is it the kid from Indiana? I mean, you go on and on and on with the quality quarterbacks that were in the league, and they were all good enough to beat you. They were all good enough to beat you, you know. These guys are taking the ball and running all over with it.
If I had to explain this year's Big Ten season, it was the years of the quarterback. I mean, I think Cousins is excellent. Stanzi is good. The kid from Wisconsin, Northwestern, Ohio State, the Michigan guy is like a jack rabbit. Every team had a quarterback that was capable of beating you. You don't get that every year.
Q. You're going up against another outstanding quarterback. What stands out about him?
COACH PARKER: Gabbert is big. He can throw. He can really throw. I think his speed is deceptive. He's a good athlete. He's a real good athlete. So he can scramble around and beat you.
It's another quality quarterback. Just a quality guy.
Q. Missouri, without the running backs and receivers, do they probably give you more weapons to prepare for than any team you've seen this season?
COACH PARKER: Well, yeah, and they're different. They're different. They're probably like Northwestern at its most extreme bizarre things. They might line up their tackles and quarterbacks here, put five guys over here, nobody here. They might line up four guys here, core of their offense, and nobody over here. I mean, it's stuff that you draw up in the sand at the beach.
But they know what they're doing with it. There's a method to their madness. I think figuring out the method to the madness is the trick. You try to match up guys on guys. They might line up the tight end here, the running back lines up over there, that's not where they're supposed to line up, they're supposed to line up at other places.
Q. Do you have the raw material linebackers left? You've had so many injuries. Probably don't recognize the depth chart any more. Do you have enough left to go against this effective spread offense?
COACH PARKER: We're going to find out. We're going to find out. Every day a star is born. Today it may be you. Got to look at it that way.
Q. How much of an impact did the injuries at linebacker have at what you guys could do defensively?
COACH PARKER: You know, more than abilitywise, it was all of a sudden this guy is playing a new position, so there wasn't as memory bank as you had. Everything was new to a guy. Then James Morris ends up being the starting linebacker. What, nine months ago he's riding in a yellow school bus, now he's trying to defend Terrelle Pryor in front of 72,000 people on national TV. It's a little bit different now. It's forced learning. If he makes a mistake, he makes a mistake. It's because he's never seen that stuff before.
Q. You've taken players from Missouri's backyard. Can you tell us how much impact Clayborn has had on the defense, the process of getting him out of Missouri?
COACH PARKER: Well, he came. He visited Iowa. He liked Iowa. I've never really asked him how he feels about playing this game because we've been going through final exams, so we haven't seen the players a whole bunch to prepare for Missouri.
Today is sort of the first day of getting back, Let's worry a little bit about what Missouri is doing. We've been against each other. But it's been Iowa playing Iowa during these first couple practices.
But I'm sure he's excited about it, you know. Should be. I hope he is.
Q. You said this is where you really want to be. Can you elaborate on what you missed so much about it and why you want to keep doing this?
COACH PARKER: Before when I was coaching, it was all about the wins, that kind of stuff. Now it's about being around the guys. In other words, I like to be around the young guys. I like being around the coaches. I like being out of the house. Don't say that too loud (smiling).
I guess it amounts to I really realized what I am and who I am and this is what I like. I mean, this is really what I like doing.
Q. How long do you want to keep doing this for?
COACH PARKER: A long time. You know, I mean, like I told somebody the other day, I've seen these pictures of guys on artificial legs snow skiing. If they can do that, why can't I coach? There are actually days when I have to look down to figure out when I have this prosthetic on which one is the real leg and which one is the artificial leg. It's starting to where it helps you, where it helps having something there. You get out of bed, you don't have the artificial leg on, it's a long fall to the ground. You start to get out of bed, you say, Oh, ****, I only got one leg on, I better get the other leg on.
You don't have to be in University Hospital or Mercy Hospital to find out there's a lot of guys got it worse than you got it. So quit aching and complaining about it and get moving.
Q. Everybody talks about how coaching is a tough lifestyle in that it's a lot of sitting and watching, hard to find the time to exercise. Do you have an attack plan for keeping yourself healthy, getting back to where you want to be healthwise?
COACH PARKER: Well, I go to physical therapy over there five times a week. They do different exercises, that kind of stuff. But, yeah, there's no question you got to make some time for yourself to stay healthy. That's where I think Kirk does such a great job. Kirk runs. He's in fantastic physical condition because he's smart enough to take some time out of his day where he runs and he exercises. I mean, I think that's why he can do everything he can do because he's in such great physical health. He really is. It's amazing. Our guys go jogging with him. It's like a fivemile sprint. They say, I don't want to run with Kirk today because he takes off and runs, so...
Q. Are you in that group?
COACH PARKER: No, I'm not in that group. There's a lot of places I might die. One of them may not be on a cinder track. I might die on Myrtle Beach, but I'm not dying on a cinder track.
Q. The fans organized the 'Norm, Norm, Norm' chant. What did you think about that when you heard about it?
COACH PARKER: I thought they were crazy. But it was nice. You're very appreciative. You're very appreciative of that kind of stuff happening. I was very appreciative when Sash intercepted it and he ran it for a touchdown. That was nice.
It was nice. The people have been very nice. The people have been very nice. But it's time to get back and earn my keep a little bit.
Q. Have you and Kirk talked about at all where you want to be and need to be healthwise to attack next year?
COACH PARKER: Kirk has just said, you know, Do what you want to do, do what you're comfortable doing. Don't think about quitting or something like that. Don't make any stupid, rash decision.
I'm coming back. I mean, if I don't, I'll be really disappointed.
Good seeing you guys again. I even like seeing you guys (smiling). Just a case of who wants to hold the urinal. Take care, guys.
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