Baylor’s Apu Ika: ‘Communication Breeds Confidence’
If you ask Abu Ika a blunt question, expect a direct answer.
That’s exactly what the media got when they spoke with Baylor’s 6-4, 358-pound defensive lineman earlier this week leading up to Saturday’s homecoming showdown between the Bears and Kansas Jayhawks at McLane Stadium.
Dillon Doyle was one of the first names mentioned by reporters when asking Ika about his defensive teammates in the backfield.
“I feel like he brings a confidence,” Ika said. “We like to view him as like the quarterback of our defense. He’s the mic linebacker, he’s the one who’s calling out everything up front, he’s the one who gives us our plays. When we’re out there, he’s communicating, and you know it brings confidence. Communication breeds confidence, and that’s what he’s out there to do.”
So how about Christian Morgan’s presence on Baylor’s defense?
“He kind of reminds me of, he’s another old head,” Ika said. “Especially in the back end, we don’t have a lot of dudes with old heads in the back end, so I feel like he kind of reminds me of the Energizer Bunny. When things are going one way and things seem like they are out of nowhere, there’s just something out of the ordinary and just banging and bringing energy.
“Something that sticks out like a sore thumb. That's him. That’s him and our defense, and he’s been putting together some good days at practice and putting together some good film on tape. I’m excited to see what’s in store for him throughout the rest of the season.”
Ika also discussed working on issues such as tackling at practices.
“Just putting ourselves in more stressful situations,” Ika said. “We’ve kind of started with just changing the practice schedule in general. As the season’s been going on, people have just been going through the motions, so when we’re putting it into those stressful situations in the games and we don’t know how to handle it, it’s obviously something we need to address in practice.
"Put ourselves in those positions that we’re going to be in on Saturday. Not something that we’re just running through to get the period over with.”
If anyone knows about maturity both on and off the field of play, it’s Ika.
“I’m a little older now so I look at the game a little bit differently,” Ika said. “It’s kind of starting to get to the point in my career where the number of guaranteed snaps is coming down, so I’ve just been really trying to emphasize taking in everything.
"The wins and the losses, the good practices and the bad practices. It’s just all part of it. I’m just glad to be here.”
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Denton Ramsey has been a journalist for over 20 years with a decade of experience as a sports writer and editor for a plethora of newspapers throughout Texas and Alabama. Growing up in Houston and attending Baylor University, Ramsey is a die-hard sports fan with a true passion for writing. He may be reached via email at denton.itb@gmail.com