Iowa football's Cade McNamara talks ahead of season-opener vs. Illinois State

you to be able to get out there and for your first game since since early last year yeah I'm excited I mean it's been a long time you know I've been you know really anticipating and you know really ever since surgery I've been working for you know this week and just put my body and my mind and everything in the best position to help out the team how going to be like not having C on Sidelines I mean you know anything regarding coach fence I mean you know for the rest of this year and especially for this week you know this team loves coach fence and you know we're going to rally for him and um I mean as far as any other questions go I'm not going to comment on I know you know I appreciate the question I'm not going to comment on any uh you know NCA review or anything but you know we this team really loves coach parents and we're going to Rally behind it what be like playing for Coach Wallace on S um know coach Wallace is an awesome dude and I think you know everyone is you know everyone's just focusing doing the best we can to prepare for this week and you know everyone you know loves sports coach Wallace as well can you describe just from the start of fall Camp to now just what that kind of process was like for the team no no for you personally just kind of getting back into the swing of things yeah absolutely I mean it's been you know um you know recovering from an injury and being back on the field for the first time you know you know I think really over the course of Camp you know it's had its ups and downs but you know I think you know I'm just really excited for all the work that we've all put in as a group for it to finally come to fruition and you know hopefully have some success this weekend can you describe your connection with Kamari yeah Kamari is an awesome dude he's a really energetic guy he's one of the I would say he's definitely one of the favorites on the team and um you know me and the rest of the guys we just can't wait to see what he does this year I think that surpris a lot of people to see him as a number one running back what does he shown this fall that made him the number one uh spot for this the season opener well I mean I think Kamar you know what he's done he's just done a great job of being consistent you know but I think you know overall the running back room in general I mean you know there's going to be lot of dudes playing there's going to be a lot of you know there's a lot of talent in that room and you know I think you know with the way our o line has been playing um you know we're just excited to see what they can do what's the comfortability level right now with the offense both individually and then collectively collectively I mean it's you know everything is a work in process you know as a unit you know we're excited you know to finally face you know a defense you know other than our own so um yeah we're just excited how special be swarming out for the first time since you're inur um it's going to be very special you know for everyone um the Swarm means something for every guy but it it's important to every single guy and for me you know I still remember my first swarm and you know for me to be able to experience that again in a full kinck Stadium you know not just me but the entire team's going to be very excited for that are there any nerves or mental hurdles of playing on an injured leg on a real field in a real game that you think you might have to get over or have you gotten over that I mean I've gotten over I mean my leg's not injured you know I mean I've been there's no injury there's nothing my this is the best my body has felt and um I'm fully confident in that and I think the only thing just like any quarterback every single offseason the only thing we haven't done is gotten hit so you know I'm excited to finally like play some real football instead of just you know standing back there but you know there's there's no you know lagging or anything kind of injuries for me going on right now I'm in the best shape I've been okay you talk you talked about the relationship that you have with with Coach Lester I mean how has he kind of instill continue to instill confidence you as you kind of get back in the swing of things and you know lead this new offense yeah I think you know overall um you know now that you know it's a new opponent I think you know the conversations that coach ler has with you know me and the rest of the offense is just you know we're just doing everything we can to you know cuz you know Illinois site's going to be running some different stuff than you know what we're used to so you know we're just doing everything we can to make sure that you know we're seeing the pictures and he's just installing that confidence in with me with reps and you know with kind of everyone is seeing different pictures and you know doing everything we can so that we're most prepared for Saturday K there's been a lot of positive talk about kateen ween uh throughout Camp seem he's really impressed a lot of coaches you it looks like he's going to get to start now to come Thursday what have you seeing from him that really sticks out to you um you know OU is just you know he's an older dude but I think you know he's really found himself like that wide receiver this year and I think you know um I think his biggest asset is his speed you know so I think you know I'm really excited to see what he can do you know on the field and at the wide receiver position Kirk Kirk that