Exclusive Interview: 4-Star 2022 Washington OL/DL Dave Iuli has Official Visits Set
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
The state of Washington always produces some straight up dudes on the gridiron and Class of 2022 offensive/defensive lineman Dave Iuli is upholding the tradition in a fantastic way. The four-star Puyallup High School standout is that attitude setter in the offensive trenches that others, including running backs and quarterbacks, can rally behind. At 6-5, 315-pound, Iuli takes great pleasure in putting defenders on their can. When asked to come in for big plays on defense, that “seek and destroy” mentality travels with him putting the fear of God in opposing offenses.
What Iuli can bring to the next level has not been lost on college scouts. So far 15 offers have been extended with the Pac-12 and SEC keying in on the prized recruit. To talk about his skills in the trenches and heating up recruiting process, Iuli stopped by the RNG Lab.
Interview
Dave, if it is on offense or defense, it is a lot of fun watching you get after opposing Washington squads. The joy football brings you comes through on your game film. What is it about football that motivates you to play at such a high level?
Honestly, I love to play football. I just play. I am built for it. When I get on the field, I get a different personality; I become an animal. On the field, I think of destruction with my technique. My motivation is my family, my brothers, and that million-dollar contract.
Everyone else may want to talk to you about playing left tackle first, but I want to touch on your work on the defensive trenches first. When were the Vikings rotating you in on that side of the ball?
When they rotate me in, they want me to cause destruction. I am a go-getter. When I play defense, I don’t get tired, I am just chasing the ball. This year, I am training with defense. I will do more of that this year. I will come back a better player.
How has taking on offensive linemen helped your personal play on offense?
Playing defensive line helps me so much because I am seeing everything from a defensive perspective. It has me thinking about what will I try next if my move does not work. On offense, I am not just thinking about what I am doing but also about what the defensive lineman is doing and what he will do next. That all is locked in my head. You have to think about all the possibilities.
At left tackle, you have down blocking to a science destroying tackles and linebackers. What are some of the other strengths to your skillset in the run game?
My trash talking. That is another skillset. I get into a defender’s head. I am in their face saying “thank you” after a pancake. My physicality is another strength. Getting down to the linebacker and my pursuit angles are a strength. When I study a player, I study their speed and their angles, their strengths and weaknesses. The reason I destroy defenders is because I find their weaknesses.
The Vikings ended about as close as one can get to being 50-50 pass and run. With those opportunities to work on your pass-pro, where did you see the biggest changes?
My biggest changes were with my pass sets. I was in the habit of getting the feel of being in the pads again. This spring I am doing 5v5. My punch, that has gotten 10 times stronger. It is lethal, they don’t want to get close to it. My feet have gotten faster. My legs, my arms, covering hips, pursing angles, all that improved. Locking a player in your hands so he can’t do another move was another area that improved. My forearm punch as well. I wanted to improve on all of those things.
Did you count your pancakes and/or knockdowns this season?
I didn’t track it. Our coach said it was too much to track, but that is a good question.
Me asking you to guess, about how many per game were you averaging?
I feel like every game I had at least 15 pancakes. We got six games, so maybe 80 total.
The season wrapped at the end of March, what have you been doing in the weight room since then to come back in 2021 even stronger?
Oh man, I have been doing a lot. Pumping out the chest and my legs too. I have been doing a lot of squats, deadlifts, cleans, and bench; all the things you can think of. Resistance bands, which helps with my mobility and a lot of stretching. Stretching is a big thing for me to be more athletic. I have a little garage with weights that I hit at home too. I put in the work.
What are your most recent maxes?
My squat is back around 405, that’s where I ended off as a freshman. My bench is 390, deadlift is 505, and my hand clean is 265 or somewhere around there. On pull-ups, I got nine. Using dumbbells, I am using 100 pounds.
All fantastic numbers.
Thank you.
As that four-star offensive lineman, what are you working on with your technique this spring?
The same things, but with more improvement. Talking to my trainer, they said I am looking good but I need to be better for college. I am focused on my footwork and my punching. Coming up I am attending a lot of camps to get experience from that which will help me improve even more.
Which camps are you going to this spring or summer?
There is one coming up, a Rivals one; that is cool. My trainer plans it for us; I am not sure. After May I will start going to a bunch of camps.
Do you know which college camps you may attend?
UDUB (Washington) is one. I am trying to go to all of them. If I go, I will be king of the offensive linemen. I want to go out there as much as I can. Coach Bill (Bedenbaugh) from Oklahoma wants me to go to one of their camps. There are a lot of camps I plan on attending.
Sticking with colleges, which ones are showing interest but have not offered yet?
All that have shown interest have offered. Bama, they have texted me. They said they will stay in touch.
How many offers are you holding?
I have 15 offers.
Which program was the last to offer?
BYU just offered.
Iuli’s Offer Sheet: Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, California, Colorado, LSU, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, Washington, and Washington State
Last question for you. Are there any visits you may take or would like to take this summer?
In June I am taking an unofficial to Oregon State, Cal the second week of June for an official, and then Oklahoma for an official. The fourth week of June I have an official to USC. Then I have a visit to Wazzu the first week of July, that is 50-50, the second week one to Oregon, and then a UDUB visit.
Dave, thanks for covering all of this ground with me today. I truly enjoyed learning more about you and your skills on the field.
Thank you, sir.
Photo credit: Iuli family; Dave Iuli