Rough quotes and notes from Kirk Ferentz's weekly press conference in Iowa City.
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Opening Statement
Welcome to everybody. All getting adjusted to a new schedule. Hopefully will work out well.
Entire staff pleased with last few weeks. New facility has been a great help. Team has made a lot of progress. Remained fairly healthy. Back into school last week, so good to get adjusted to new schedule.
Like every team, eager to get out there and play a game right now. Veteran players have done a good job leading and lot of newcomers like every year and they're practicing well. Now it's time to see what they do on the game field.
Captains, leadership group select those - Ott, Lomax, Beathard, and Blythe.
Injury wise, we've been fairly healthy. Nobody in two deep expected to miss any time.
Illinois State had a great season last year obviously. Brock Spack has done a tremendous job of building that program. Certainly will have a challenge on Saturday.
Q: Outside of Tevaun Smith question marks at receiver.
KF: Group has really improved. Four players we have confidence in. VandeBerg done a nice job, Hillyer underrated, and McCarron has taken a big step. Those four give us a good group to build around. Then beyond that, we'll play Jerminic Smith as a freshman. Smith and James Daniels will be the two true freshmen we'll play.
Q: Jerminic?
KF: Handled transition well. Seems to compete well. Excited about his potential.
Q: Is Scheel healthy?
KF: He was dinged a week ago, but back practicing now.
Q: More true freshmen?
KF: Only two we have made a decision on (Smith and Daniels) but still looking at it.
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Opening Statement
Welcome to everybody. All getting adjusted to a new schedule. Hopefully will work out well.
Entire staff pleased with last few weeks. New facility has been a great help. Team has made a lot of progress. Remained fairly healthy. Back into school last week, so good to get adjusted to new schedule.
Like every team, eager to get out there and play a game right now. Veteran players have done a good job leading and lot of newcomers like every year and they're practicing well. Now it's time to see what they do on the game field.
Captains, leadership group select those - Ott, Lomax, Beathard, and Blythe.
Injury wise, we've been fairly healthy. Nobody in two deep expected to miss any time.
Illinois State had a great season last year obviously. Brock Spack has done a tremendous job of building that program. Certainly will have a challenge on Saturday.
Q: Outside of Tevaun Smith question marks at receiver.
KF: Group has really improved. Four players we have confidence in. VandeBerg done a nice job, Hillyer underrated, and McCarron has taken a big step. Those four give us a good group to build around. Then beyond that, we'll play Jerminic Smith as a freshman. Smith and James Daniels will be the two true freshmen we'll play.
Q: Jerminic?
KF: Handled transition well. Seems to compete well. Excited about his potential.
Q: Is Scheel healthy?
KF: He was dinged a week ago, but back practicing now.
Q: More true freshmen?
KF: Only two we have made a decision on (Smith and Daniels) but still looking at it.
