—Photo courtesy Brian Ray Southeast Valley graduate Kyler Fisher participates during spring practice in Iowa City. Fisher, who is listed as the back up at weakside linebacker for the Hawkeyes, talked with The Messenger earlier this summer about his time at the University of Iowa.

IOWA CITY — It was a surreal moment for Kyler Fisher when he stepped on campus in Iowa City the first time.

Now, three years into his career at the University of Iowa, Fisher continues to climb the ladder.

The Southeast Valley graduate who rewrote the school’s record books at running back is listed as the 18th-ranked Hawkeyes’ second-string weakside linebacker in their season opener.

Fisher will play behind junior Seth Benson as Iowa hosts the Hoosiers on Saturday.

Southeast Valley’s all-time rushing leader (3,237), and touchdown king (41) stepped on campus in 2019 as a preferred walk-on and redshirted his first season. He saw action on special teams last year, recording two solo tackles.

“It has been a surreal experience being at Iowa,” Fisher said. “Stepping on the field at Kinnick stadium and playing for coach (Kirk) Ferentz is unbelievable.”

In his first two seasons in Iowa City, Fisher was slated as a defensive back, but the coaching staff saw Fisher’s potential and moved him to linebacker before the season, giving him time in spring ball to readjust and learn the position.

The switch was a familiar spot for Fisher, who was a district defensive MVP as a senior and Southeast Valley’s all-time career tackler.

“I switched to linebacker and spring ball was my time to learn,” said Fisher, who is majoring in entrepreneur leadership. “I didn’t know a lot of the stuff at the time, but I learned the spot and asked a lot of questions. We had spring ball and fall camps and I was able to get that coaching.

“So this spring I learned a lot in terms of plays and what to do. It has been a great transition and coach (Seth) Wallace (linebacker coach) has been great. I was at linebacker before my senior year and switched to safety and I was a good size for a D-I safety. It was really nice to get one-on-one coaching and compete at Iowa.

“I’m still on defense and I still get to hit people.”

Earlier this summer I had a chance to talk to Fisher in an exclusive interview with The Messenger about his life in Iowa City and becoming a Hawkeye football player.

CJ: What was it like stepping

on campus for the first

time in Iowa City?

KF: “Honestly, it was really cool coming into Iowa. I always wanted to play Division I football and to get the opportunity to play and compete at Iowa is the best there is. Coach (Kirk) Ferentz and his legendary staff have been a great help to me.”

CJ: How has your time been

in Iowa City and how do

you feel you have changed

and developed?

KF: “I’ve changed a lot in terms of playing style. For me (in high school) it was really easy just talking about running plays. On defense we didn’t have reads. We had simple cover one and cover two and three coverages and that’s what we did in 2A. I’ve been able to develop more in the football IQ sense. I have gotten better at reading offenses and seeing little things with my vision to determine where I need to be and that is the main thing about football.”

CJ: In your redshirt season,

was that about conditioning

and how have you improved

in that area?

KF: “I hit the weight room a lot. The coaching staff does a great job getting us game ready and warmed up for every practice. In high school I was pretty strong, doing lifts with my bench and my vert. My speed has gotten so much better with my squat.

“I had terrible strength and conditioning and they have really gotten me a lot stronger. Coach Ray (Braithwaite) does a great job with the conditioning aspect of it. There is a lot more conditioning and I try to win every rep.”

CJ: What were some of the

adjustments that you had to

make at the college level and

areas that you still need

to improve on?

KF: “There were a lot of things I had to do differently. In high school I just showed up and did what I had to do. Now it’s a process and there are steps I have to go through and check off. I have studied a lot of film. It is so serious and as a player you have to prepare to go against certain people.”

CJ: How hard of an adjustment

was it to go through the

entire COVID process?

KF: “During COVID and that time off when we didn’t think we were going to play, we had to cancel our workouts and spring ball and a lot of classes. We hadn’t had spring ball and that’s where everyone learns the most during spring ball .

“It was really tough. We were all so eager to get out there and be able to play and it really sucked. The fact that we got our season was nice, because obviously some other sports didn’t and it was just tough all around. We were grateful that we had a season.”

CJ: Last season you won

Iowa’s Next Man in Award.

How special was that,

knowing that they had faith in you and saw your potential?

KF: “That was pretty neat. I showed up prepared to be better than I was the day before. I tried to stay ready and coach (LeVar) Woods (special teams coach) has been amazing at hyping me up. He saw something in me and when he called upon me, I just went in and tried to do my best and it turned out my best was going in there and getting in on some plays and I secured a role.”

CJ: What was it like stepping

on the field for a game

inside Kinnick Stadium?

KF: “Just stepping into the stadium and being on the sidelines, hearing the Iowa chants at the beginning of the game, I was so nervous. I knew this was it.

“The first time on the field was nice. I think the second game was away and there weren’t a whole lot of fans because of COVID, but it was still nerve racking. This is D-I football and there are ballers on the field. I just lined up and when we were about to kickoff all of my nerves went away. I was just hungry.”

CJ: With Iowa City being

so close to home, having

your family being able to

travel to games, has to be

pretty special for

Gameday. How much does

the support from family

motivate and inspire you?

KF: “It’s really cool. They have helped me get this far and being able to have them (parents) come to games and be with me as well as the rest of my family, is great. My grandparents and my friends have been able to travel as well.

“It’s about a three hour drive and it’s really great to be able to share that with them.”