 Marc MorehouseHi, I'm Marc Morehouse. I've covered sports for more than 15 years, mostly in Eastern Iowa. I've had Hayden Fry [...] |
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Iowa QB John Wienke, the No. 2 so far this spring.
Spent the first 15 minutes at practice today. Lots of recruits around. A big kid with an “O” on his letter jacket. Another kid from Ames. There was one kid with a tie one, I think his last name was Davis. Looked good. I also say recruiting coordinator Eric Johnson walking a kid around the Old Capital with a T-shirt that said “Property of blank–esco football.” I didn’t gawk, but maybe Cresco?
– Cornerback Greg Castillo and offensive lineman Nolan MacMillan didn’t practice.
– Cornerback Willie Lowe and defensive tackle Donovan Johnson were absent.
– First-team O-line was Riley Reiff and Markus Zusevics at tackles, James Ferentz at center and Adam Gettis and Brandon Scherff at guards.
– First-team D-line was walk-on Joe Forgy and Lebron Daniel at ends with Mike Daniels and Thomas Nardo at tackles.
– Linebackers will be spots to watch. Filling them today were James Morris (MLB), Christian Kirksey (WLB — he did switch in and out with Anthony Hitchens) and Tyler Nielsen (OLB, back from broken neck).
– Micah Hyde, who started all 13 games at CB in 2010, played free safety. That might be a set thing. Sophomore B.J. Lowery filled the right corner spot with Collin Sleeper and Jordan Bernstine rotating at strong safety.
“We can put this guy anywhere,” senior corner Shaun Prater said of Hyde. “Micah Hyde and Jordan Bernstine make it look so easy. I’m playing corner, but I see Micah back there backpedaling and breaking on the ball. He makes it look so easy. I see good things coming out of him.”
Here are some sights and sounds from practice:
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Marc what’s your take on Binns not being with the first team? Is Brandon Sherff the leading candidate for left guard?
I’m not sure. Maybe he was rotating. He talked to the media. Maybe that was just a different look? I’m not sure.
I would say Scherff is a candidate for something on the OL. Big kid.
Marc – on Nolan MacMillan, did you say something last week on the podcast indicating he was one of the rhabdo guys? Heard it so fast, wasn’t sure what I heard. If not, what is he out with?
He had rhabdo and also had a shoulder injury. No surgery. Should be fine.
I think a lot of the rhabdo guys, not all, weren’t dressed yesterday.
Wheres Tanner Miller? Surprised he isnt in the mix with Bernstine and Sleeper after being on the two-deeps most of last year. Aslo curious about Binns, is he in the doghouse? Just getting beat in practice?
Miller is rehabbing from shoulder surgery. He was out there yesterday in a shell and helmet. He’s running, but not hitting.
Binns was out there. I’m not sure what that deal was about. Maybe just getting a good look at Forgy. I don’t know.
Marc,
When you said that Hyde at FS was a “set thing” did you mean that it was a personnel set or that Hyde-to-FS seems to be set-in-stone now? Just curious as it reads either way. Little skittish about the latter being the case, if only because that means we have a RS FR or true SOPH (can’t remember which) in Lowery playing the other corner. That’s a lot of inexperience playing a key position, though there is a bit of buzz about him coming in. That said, the idea of a Prater-Hyde-Bernstine-Lowery does make me a bit giddy.
I’m not sure it’s set in stone, but they do appear full steam ahead with the thought. Of course, if another corner fails to emerge, that would change things. I think between Lowery and Castillo someone will take advantage of the opportunity. And who knows. Maybe throw a true frosh in there, too. Or the juco kid Gavin Smith.
This shows just how out of the loop I’ve been on football of late. I’ve never heard of this kid and had to do a little research on him. For what it’s worth after last season I needed a little “break”?!?! Like I actually played, right?!
Anywhoo……Hyde is a play maker and although he is a fine CB, he may, stressing “may” be a future All-Pro Sfty. Furthermore after watching Iowa personnel/position moves and the “early” frosh contributors too closely over the years I get the sense they are in love with Lowery at CB.
Marc may remember I was very high on Hyde coming out of Ohio and I get the same feeling about Lowery. More importantly so were the coaches. Here is a player who was unranked and jumped to a 3 star over nite. Then he comes into a loaded backfield and doesn’t Red Shirt ala Hyde from the year before. Honestly no one in the country evaluates DB talent better than Iowa. You could honestly say that about multiple positions for Iowa and all the defensive positions for sure, but it is doubly true of DB’s!
Think about this, Willie Lowe and Castillo are kids who would start for a lot of teams. In fact they are probably better than say an Atwan Allen or Adam Shada (2 hard working players from our past teams) yet they may always be nickel/dime players, though Castillo has a shot for sure. Point being this Iowa team has a lot of talent to work with and as always it will be mesh, cohesiveness, chemistry and attitude that propels them to 10 plus wins or not.
Chad