Iowa CB Greg Mabin has 'all the confidence in the world'

IOWA CITY — Iowa cornerback Greg Mabin used his brain more than his brawn this off-season, and was doubly successful in the process.

Mabin, a senior, earned dean's list honors, something Coach Kirk Ferentz quickly mentioned to reporters on Wednesday. But after shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in January, Mabin's arm sat in a sling for six weeks.

So Mabin focused on the mental side of his game. He scouted his previous performances. He honed in on tendencies of upcoming opponents. That mental work was concurrent with his shoulder rehabilitation.

'I've tried to learn everybody's position on the defense,' Mabin said. 'I feel a lot more confident from a mental aspect and a lot more confident from a physical aspect because now I don't have to worry about my shoulder doing a certain move and worrying about whether it's going to hold up or not.'

Mabin's shoulder damage was cumulative, he said, because of a dislocation his junior year of high school in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Often the pain nagged and other times it was excruciating. After the Rose Bowl, Mabin opted for surgery.

Initially he kept in shape by biking because of the sling. Then when his shoulder stabilized, he shifted to running. Now he's been able to lift weights for the last month with complete range of motion.

'It's going to be 100 percent,' Mabin said. 'I'm way ahead of schedule from what they expected previously. Like I've been telling everyone, this is the best it's felt since high school. I'm excited about that.'

'He's eager to get out there,' Ferentz said. 'It stinks being on the sidelines and watching your teammates. I think he's anxious to get started. He's got all the tools, he's got a good attitude. It's just a matter of keep improving.'

Entering his third year as a starter, Mabin has solidified as a defensive playmaker. He has 25 career starts, including all 14 last year. He recorded 54 tackles, two interceptions and broke up eight passes. As a sophomore — in which he transitioned from wide receiver — he posted similar statistics with 53 tackles and an interception.

At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds with long arms and speed to match, Mabin fits the cornerback prototype. His extra video work this spring has helped him develop. He knows opponents will target him because consensus All-American Desmond King mans the other corner slot. But Mabin remains confident in his abilities, more so than at any other time in his career.

'If I were other teams, I would throw it my way, too,' Mabin said. 'I wouldn't want to throw it against the Jim Thorpe Award winner. Going into the season, I'm already going to be expecting that. I'm going to be watching a lot more film of when it gets closer to that time. Until then, it's a challenge that I've got to step up to.

'This is going to my third year starting. It's do-or-die time now. I know the whole defense. I know what I can do. I know what my teammates can do. I have all the confidence in the world.'

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