IOWA CITY, Iowa — At age 18 on a turf field in Minneapolis, Iowa cornerback Riley Moss became a first-time starter opposite two future NFL receivers in Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman.
Moss gave up some plays that day, but he also intercepted two passes in a win against the rival Gophers. He earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors and started five games that season at cornerback. He blended rough outings with solid performances but often was targeted by quarterbacks because of inexperience and heard countless verbal barbs from opposing receivers.
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“I did my freshman year,” Moss said. “Not really in recent history.”
And why has that changed?
“I feel like I’ve earned some respect,” he said. “Typically, when they do talk some crap, I drown it out and it makes me play a little bit harder and usually good things come from that. So, I usually just let my play do the talking.”
Now a 21-year-old senior, Moss has the type of resume that commands respect. He has eight career interceptions, including three that he returned for touchdowns. In the season opener this year against Indiana, Moss brought back two for scores. One bounced off a receiver, while another came from reading quarterback Michael Penix and pouncing at the perfect time.
Moss has length (6-foot-1), size (194 pounds) and speed (the fastest 110-meter hurdles time recorded by an Iowa high school athlete). He’s physical and instinctive. Yet, he was a two-star recruit who initially was offered a grayshirt by the Hawkeyes and later picked up a scholarship only when one opened up. Then when he arrived on campus, Moss had to compete vigorously against several higher-ranked contenders in his same class, including a four-star and a highly touted three-star, to see the field.
“It was absolutely a chip on my shoulder, partially because I didn’t hear from (Iowa) until very late in my recruiting process,” Moss said. “Me and (Iowa recruiting director) Tyler Barnes still talk about it; it’s still kind of a running joke. It was kind of a chip on my shoulder for them, and it was a chip on my shoulder for people who didn’t think I should be here.”
“We weren’t sure about Riley, but pretty sure now,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “I’m glad we offered him. He’s a great kid besides being a really good football player.”
Moss played multiple sides of the ball at Ankeny (Iowa) Centennial High School, located in Des Moines’ northern suburbs, just 20 miles south of Iowa State University. But he was an Iowa fan from as far back as he can remember. His favorite player was wide receiver Marvin Mcnu*tt, and Moss grew up wearing a No. 7 Hawkeyes jersey. He and his friends often re-enacted perhaps the most famous play of Iowa’s 2009 season when Mcnu*tt hauled in a 7-yard touchdown pass from Ricky Stanzi on the game’s final play at Michigan State.
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“Like right after the game, I remember my buddies would go out there, and we’d act like we’re Marvin Mcnu*tt catching the slant,” Moss said. “When I met him, it was during fall camp, one of the days we had in Kinnick (Stadium). I went up to him and introduced myself, and I was kind of fanboying over him.”
Mcnu*tt relayed their conversation on the Eastern Iowa television show “On Iowa Live,” that he appreciated how Moss battled during the early part of his career and respected how the young cornerback fought back, stood his ground and progressed with nearly every game.
Moss then told Mcnu*tt, now a wide receivers coach at Division III Coe College, that the former Big Ten Receiver of the Year made an impression on his football career.
“I don’t know if he knew when he was in college how big of an impact he had on our generation,” Moss said. “But now that I’m in college, I can see that there’s kids like me out there that are re-enacting what we’re doing. So, it was really cool to kind of show that to him, how big of an impact he had on me. It kind of made me realize how big of an impact I have on little kids.”
By the time his high school career concluded, Moss enjoyed sports the same way he did as a 9-year-old boy pretending to be Mcnu*tt. But to play at Iowa, he needed to prove himself worthy every practice.
In 2018 preseason camp, defensive coordinator Phil Parker initially put Moss at safety, which lasted “probably 10 reps” before the rookie moved to cornerback. Moss quickly made an impression on Parker and he was considered for special teams duty.
“Every practice, I would fly around and I would do everything right that I could,” Moss said. “Even if I physically wasn’t able to do it, I would hustle and do the things that anyone can do. So, I think that’s how I started earning some respect and I saw some playing time my freshman year.”
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With starting cornerbacks Michael Ojemudia (now with the Denver Broncos) and Matt Hankins (Moss’ Iowa counterpart) out with injuries, Moss and fellow true freshman Julius Brents opened at cornerback against the Gophers. Although he said he “was extremely scared,” Moss held his own against Minnesota’s star duo. That wasn’t the case three weeks later when Purdue sliced him apart.
(Michael Hickey / Getty Images)
Moss gave up three passing touchdowns, including long passes of 82 and 41 yards in a 38-36 Purdue upset. Brents, who now plays at Kansas State, also gave up a big passing play and a key pass interference call. It was at that point when Moss’ confidence wavered. Instead of yanking Moss or berating him, Parker chose to treat the situation as a teachable moment. Parker showed Moss clips of NFL corners getting beat and told his protégé how he responded was more important than the previous result.
“I was a young kid, I was 18 years old,” Moss said. “I was five months out of high school going against some pretty impressive dudes. It was very hard for me after that game to kind of deal with it because I’ve never had to deal with that in my life. After that, my teammates really helped me through it.
“Every practice in the back of my mind, I would think about that feeling of Purdue, and I think that’s what made me kind of take some steps forward and get better. I said, ‘This is never going to happen to me again. Ever.’”
An injury kept Moss to one start in 2019, but he registered a pair of interceptions, including one on a final heave by No. 8 Minnesota to preserve a victory. He also picked off a pass against Purdue to spark Iowa to a rally and a win. Last year, Moss brought back an interception 54 yards for a touchdown against Michigan State. He also notched a 57-yard return against the Gophers, the third straight season with a pick against the northern rival.
Opposing quarterbacks continue trying to test Moss, and he keeps making them pay.
“I think that some people might underestimate him just because of what might have happened in the past,” Iowa wide receiver Tyrone Tracy said. “He’s become a great corner for us, and I think it’s only going to go up from here. And then some of his strengths, he’s patient. He’s another patient cornerback that we have, and he’s fast. He’s not slow, so he can keep up with some of the speedy guys and his recovery speed is pretty good.”
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Moss has set a goal to become the first white cornerback to start an NFL game since Jason Sehorn in 2002 with the New York Giants. Moss also has interest in meeting with Sehorn and discussing their experiences.
“I would absolutely be down to talk to him and get in contact,” Moss said.
On one of the nation’s top defenses playing for the No. 5-ranked team, Moss carries himself with a swagger. Opponents may continue to talk, but Moss has no plans to back down, whether or not he says anything on the field.
“Early on my career, I heard a lot of (the smack talk) and I was a scared little kid,” Moss said. “So, I didn’t say anything. But now, I hear a lot and sometimes I’ll just laugh, because most dudes who are talking are delusional. So, I just kind of laugh and smile at them and we force a three-and-out really quick and then we leave the field.
“I think over the years, I’ve seen that I can play with these dudes, and I can do a little bit more than play with these dudes.”
(Top photo: Jeffrey Becker / USA TODAY Sports)
Scott Dochterman is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Iowa Hawkeyes. He previously covered Iowa athletics for the Cedar Rapids Gazette and Land of 10. Scott also worked as an adjunct professor teaching sports journalism at the University of Iowa.
