Somehow, someway, the Iowa Hawkeyes seem to produce a star in the defensive secondary each year. It is like clockwork. A name known by Hawkeyes fans blossoms into a star within the Big Ten and garners national attention.
This year’s version could be Koen Entringer, who appears ready to be the next star on Phil Parker’s defense, as he has shown some flashes of excellence this season.
Against Indiana, Entringer was a force on Iowa’s fourth-down stops, which shows that he is ready for the moment. When asked about Entringer’s performance this year, defensive coordinator Phil Parker applauded what he has seen.
“Oh, he’s a great kid. He started his high school years as a soccer player and then turned over to more of a football player. He’s really young and experienced.
“I was talking about being a — you know, has he been playing for so many years? It’s new for him. All this stuff is new, and the leadership, I think he’s doing a great job in that. Obviously there’s two good fourth-down stops that he had, but you know, there’s going to be some times even when you talk to him, he’s going to say, Hey, I could have done better. That’s the guys that you want, and I think everybody on our team is like that.
“They don’t worry about the plays they make. They worry about the plays they didn’t make. When you get into that frame of mind of thinking and making sure, hey, I’m humble enough to understand the game of football, it’s very hard to do. It could humble anybody.
“You sit and watch the NFL guys, and they’re giving up 40 points a game. I don’t know what I would do with that. I would probably be taking more blood pressure pills. Obviously I’m starting to run out,” Parker said about Koen Entringer’s play this year.
Koen Entringer, who is a veteran of the Iowa program, is finally getting his shot with consistent reps, and he is making the most of it for a Hawkeyes’ defense that is strong, but looking for star power.
On the season, he has already tallied 26 tackles and two tackles for loss. Those numbers should only continue to increase as Entringer’s confidence grows.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Koen Entringer turning into a star on defense for Iowa football
Reporting by Riley Donald, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
