Take Brit Miller’s mannerisms and put them in a defensive lineman wearing black and gold, and you’ve got Mitch King. The senior defensive tackle has a lighthearted personality off the field and is one of Iowa’s best players on it, leading the Hawkeyes in tackles for loss (9) and sacks (3) through eight games. King spoke with the Daily Illini about how playing against Illinois has changed throughout his career in Iowa City.

Daily Illini: The Big Ten has definitely changed over the last few years, and you’ve been at Iowa five years now, so I’m sure you’ve noticed a difference in how the Illinois-Iowa matchup has changed.

Mitch King: I’m looking forward to it. I like Illinois. I think with Ron Zook in they’re a totally revamped team, and they’re excited. You can tell just by looking at them and just how they come out onto the field now. They’re excited to play the game. They’ve got some young players, well, not so young anymore. My first couple of years, it was like one of those teams that you – well, I shouldn’t say it. It just didn’t seem like they were as excited as they are now.

DI: Obviously, last year’s game was a dogfight, 10-6 final, and this year’s game promises to be no different.

MK: With us, we’re coming out of the same kind of slump. We’re going to go after them, give them a great game. It’s always a great game with them, even three or four years ago, it’s a good game with them, ever since I’ve been playing, anyway. Last year was one of the best games I’ve ever played, in Kinnick (Stadium) against the Illini.

DI: Now you’re returning to Champaign, and obviously the attitude there has changed from the last few years as far as the fan base and the stadium is concerned. What kind of atmosphere are you expecting at Memorial Stadium this year?

MK: I’m expecting a big crowd, especially after a Rose Bowl season for Illinois, I’m expecting the fans to come out. I love the fans. I think they make the stadium, they make the environment. Coming off the year they had last year, I’m expecting their fans to be awesome this year. I’m excited to play, even though it’s their fans. I just get excited hearing the screams and them getting pumped up. It’s going to be exciting.

DI: As a defensive lineman, does it get frustrating when, instead of a pro-style offense, you face a spread, and you get a speed option or an off-tackle run, and the action’s constantly going away from you?

MK: Sure, because we don’t make any plays. I think against Illinois last year, I don’t even know if I had a tackle, but we won the game. I’m not worried about making tackles; if we win the game, so be it. That said, I like making plays, so, yeah it gets frustrating. Practice during the week is definitely a little different.