Hawkeyes start spring minus two defensive starters

IOWA CITY — Iowa will begin spring practice Wednesday without a pair of starters on defense.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz said during a Tuesday news conference that outside linebacker Ben Niemann and cornerback Greg Mabin would miss spring practice with injuries. Also, running back Derrick Mitchell will miss spring with an undisclosed injury. Ferentz announced in January that sophomore center James Daniels and sophomore cornerback Joshua Jackson would miss spring after offseason surgeries.

Niemann, a junior who started all 14 games last season, sat out much of the Rose Bowl after suffering an ankle injury during bowl preparation. Mabin has a shoulder injury.

'It's been a little bit of an unusual off-season,' Ferentz said. 'We've had a little more activity on that front than normal, even a couple cases of mono just to top it off. It's just been one for the books, but we'll work through that. The teams did a good job working through injuries last fall and we'll try to do the same this spring.'

Junior Bo Bower will replace Niemann at outside linebacker. Bower started there as a redshirt freshman in 2014 and replaced Niemann in the Rose Bowl and after he suffered a concussion in the first half at Nebraska last year. Senior Maurice Fleming jumped into Mabin's spot. Mabin, a senior, will be a three-year starter when he returns this fall.

Mitchell saw time as Iowa's third-down back last season. The junior likely would've been No. 3 this spring behind senior LeShun Daniels and junior Akrum Wadley.

'It's pretty much stuff that's lingered,' Ferentz said. 'Most cases you try to hold off on surgery if at all possible. In the three cases I cited (Niemann, Mabin and Mitchell), it was stuff that at some point we decided had to be addressed. The good thing is they'll be back in June full speed, but they're going to miss this period unfortunately.'

Daniels, who played as a true freshman last season, was named starting center in January. In his absence, junior Sean Welsh is listed as the starting center and right guard. Ferentz said he'll probably be the center this spring, with senior Steve Ferentz also getting a look.

Last season, Welsh started all 14 games, including two at right tackle. Ferentz used this question as an opportunity to dish out some high praise for Welsh, who sat out of practice last spring for personal reasons.

'Sean's probably our most versatile lineman,' Ferentz said. 'If you look at grades, he probably graded out as well as anybody last year on the football team, not just the offensive line.

'...He's not 6-6, and 330 pounds or any of that stuff, but he's just a really good football player, really productive on the field. We make a living off players like that, really that type of guy. He's got an unbelievable attitude, but it's a real credit going back to last year, his perseverance and sticking with it and working through some tough situations. Came back and just had an outstanding season. You can really be proud of what he's done.'

Quarterback C.J. Beathard made news in the offseason after he had sports hernia surgery in late January. Beathard, a second-team all-Big Ten quarterback in his first season as starter, had his surgery performed by Dr. William C. Meyers in Philadelphia, Pa., according to his dad, Casey. Meyers is nationally recognized as a pioneer in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of core muscle injuries.

'I wouldn't describe him as 100 percent, but I think he's close to it now,' Ferentz said. 'He should be able to practice full speed out there. We'll be careful about what we do with him because he's still a little bit delicate at this point, but he's doing really well with his rehab. Typically after those guys get the repairs on the sports hernias it's a matter of climbing the ladder.'

Just as it did during the season, this opens the door to more practice repetitions for sophomore quarterback Tyler Wiegers and redshirt freshmen Ryan Boyle (who lost 7 pounds this winter, going from 215 to 208) and Drew Cook. Ferentz did say the experience Wiegers got running the team while Beathard couldn't practice in October gave him a boost.

'To his credit he really benefited from that and made it pay off for him,' Ferentz said. 'He was clearly a better player in December than he was back in August or September. That was a tough circumstance for the team, but good one for him.'

Ferentz was asked which positions need to show some growth this spring. He mentioned wide receiver and tight end. Iowa lost wide receivers Tevaun Smith and Jacob Hillyer and tight end Henry Krieger Coble. Senior Matt VandeBerg and his team-high 65 receptions return, and so does productive tight end George Kittle (six of his 20 catches were TDs). After those two? Sophomore Jerminic Smith is the next leader among returning receivers with six receptions.

'I felt pretty good knowing what Matt VandeBerg is and who he is and how he'll play,' Ferentz said. 'Then after that, I think we have some questions.'

Quick Slants

— Iowa again will hold an open practice at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines. The date is Friday, April 8 with a starting time in the early evening (6 or 6:30 p.m., Ferentz said).

Ferentz said the move to Friday evening was to try to make it more family friendly as far as timing. Also, he said there would be 'a little fan interaction type thing.'

— Cornerback Desmond King again will return punts and kickoffs. He finished second and fourth in the Big Ten in those, respectively, last season.

Ferentz did mention needing help at wide receiver, so how about King on both sides of the ball?

'I haven't thought about that,' Ferentz said. 'We'll have to take that to the drawing board.'

— Ferentz said in January that running back Akrum Wadley needed to maintain his weight at around 190 pounds. Wadley dazzled at times last season, finishing with 496 yards and seven TDs, but an early season fumble cost him opportunities. That cleared up, but the weight issue — Wadley slid into the low 180s — kept him off he field late in the season.

So far, so good this spring.

'He's made progress,' Ferentz said. 'Wadley is 189, 190 somewhere in that ballpark, and it's been consistent, so that's a positive.'

— Defensive tackle Kyle Terlouw, who was listed No. 2 on the depth chart in January, decided not to return for this fifth year.

— Since the semester started, Iowa has added candidates at kicker and punter, two completely open positions for 2016 with departing seniors Marhsall Koehn and Dillon Kidd.

Solon redshirt freshman Josh Proehl is listed as a kicker. Mount Pleasant's Ben Canby has been added to the roster as a punter.

With committed walk-ons expected to be added to the roster next fall, Iowa currently has nine potential candidates at kicker and punter (five kickers, four punters).

Sophomore Miguel Recinos is listed as No. 1 kicker and No. 2 punter behind redshirt freshman Colten Rastetter. Other kickers include Mick Ellis (the only one of the nine on scholarship), Proehl, Keith Duncan and Caleb Shudak. Punters include Rastetter, Canby, Ron Coluzzi (transferring in from Central Michigan) and Jackson Terry.

Weight Changes

(courtesy of HawkeyeReport's Blair Sanderson)

Anthony Nelson - from 220 to 250 (+30)

Brady Reiff - from 225 to 250 (+25)

Daniel Gaffey - from 260 to 285 (+25)

Jackson Subbert - from 205 to 230 (+25)

Michael Slater - from 265 to 285 (+20)

Jake Hulett - from 265 to 285 (+20)

Angelo Garbutt - from 210 to 230 (+20)

Nate Vejvoda - from 215 to 235 (+20)

Brady Ross - from 220 to 240 (+20)

Jacob Sobotka - from 215 to 235 (+20)

Nate Wieting - from 225 to 245 (+20)

Brett Waechter - from 275 to 290 (+15)

Garret Jansen - from 255 to 270 (+15)

Justin Jinning - from 210 to 225 (+15)

Lane Akre - from 220 to 235 (+15)

Landan Paulsen - from 290 to 305 (+15)

Levi Paulsen - from 290 to 305 (+15)

Cole Croston - from 295 to 307 (+12)

Jack Hockaday - from 215 to 227 (+12)

Nick Wilson - from 206 to 217 (+11)

George Kittle - from 235 to 246 (+11)

Parker Hesse - from 240 to 250 (+10)

Sam Brincks - from 260 to 270 (+10)

Miles Taylor - from 195 to 205 (+10)

Jake Gervase - from 200 to 210 (+10)

Jameer Outsey - from 235 to 245 (+10)

Adrian Falconer - from 180 to 190 (+10)

Miguel Recinos - from 180 to 190 (+10)

Mick Ellis - from 180 to 190 (+10)

Ryan Schmidt - from 220 to 230 (+10)

Marcel Joly - from 185 to 195 (+10)

Jacob Giese - from 270 to 280 (+10)

Brandon Bishop - from 170 to 180 (+10)

Drew Cook - from 220 to 230 (+10)

James Daniels - from 285 to 295 (+10)

Lucas LeGrand - from 280 to 290 (+10)

John Milani - from 185 to 195 (+10)

Jake Newborg - from 280 to 290 (+10)

Aaron Mends - from 212 to 220 (+8)

Drake Kulick - from 228 to 236 (+8)

Derrick Mitchell - from 212 to 220 (+8)

Ike Boettger - from 300 to 307 (+7)

Bo Bower - from 228 to 235 (+7)

C.J. Beathard - from 209 to 215 (+6)

Jerminic Smith - from 180 to 185 (+5)

Matt Nelson - from 270 to 275 (+5)

Josey Jewell - from 230 to 235 (+5)

Boone Myers - from 300 to 305 (+5)

Matt VandeBerg - from 185 to 190 (+5)

Drake Dunker - from 225 to 230 (+5)

Ben Niemann - from 225 to 230 (+5)

Ryan Ward - from 290 to 295 (+5)

Akrum Wadley - from 185 to 190 (+5)

Peter Pekar - from 245 to 250 (+5)

Eric Grimm - from 200 to 205 (+5)

Andre Harris - from 185 to 190 (+5)

Steve Ferentz - from 278 to 282 (+4)

Keegan Render - from 305 to 308 (+3)

Jonathan Parker - from 185 to 188 (+3)

Desmond King - from 200 to 203 (+3)

Dalton Ferguson - from 307 to 310 (+3)

Tyler Wiegers - from 222 to 225 (+3)

Jon Wisnieski - from 247 to 250 (+3)

Emmanuel Ogwo - from 170 to 172 (+2)

Nathan Bazata - from 284 to 285 (+1)

Isaiah Kramme - from 205 to 200 (-5)

Ryan Boyle - from 215 to 208 (-7)

Number Changes/Position Changes

Brady Ross is now wearing #36 since he has moved to fullback

Additions

#6 Josh Proehl - 5-foot-9, 180-pound redshirt freshman kicker from Solon, IA

#9 Jonathan Lubanza - 6-foot-1, 180-pound redshirt freshman defensive back from Naperville, IL

#20 Ben Canby - 6-1, 210-pound redshirt freshman punter from Mount Pleasant, IA

No longer on the roster

#5 Omar Truitt - 5-foot-11, 185-pound sophomore defensive back from Fort Washington, MD

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com