Some quickie Hawkeye notes from ‘photo shoot’

IOWA CITY - Reporters had a chance to shoot photo and video of the first 15 minutes of practice Wednesday. A few veteran players sat out, including senior safety Jordan Lomax.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz wasn't available to reporters. He speaks next on Saturday following Iowa's open practice at Kinnick Stadium.

Lomax attended practice, but didn't dress in pads and didn't participate. He's slated to start at free safety, where junior Anthony Gair or redshirt freshman Brandon Snyder will back him up. Guard Jordan Walsh, a two-year starter at right guard, also sat out of practice with an injury. Sophomore Sean Welsh took his place.

True freshman defensive lineman Michael Slater also didn't practice, same with freshman offensive lineman Levi Paulsen, who suffered a left elbow injury in Shrine Bowl practice in late July and wore a brace on that Wednesday. Also, freshman defensive end Brady Reiff wasn't in gear.

Some other factlets:

- Desmond King, Matt VandeBerg, Emmanuel Ogwo and Jerminic Smith worked on kick and punt returns.

- Second team OL went like this: center Steve Ferentz, Dalton Ferguson at RT, James Daniels, Keegan Render and Cole Croston at LT.

- You've gleaned from the Big Ten Network's visit with Iowa on Tuesday that strong safety Miles Taylor put a hit on RB LeShun Daniels that knocked him for a loop. This sounded like something out of 'Pacific Rim,” a really loud movie with giant robots fighting giant lizards from the deep. Seriously. Taylor has the thump.

The good news is Daniels was back in a black jersey and full-go today.

- Ferentz told BTN's Tom Dienhart on Tuesday that he believes Adrian Falconer has progressed the most among the freshmen wideouts, which include Smith and Ogwo. I think all three will play.

On the videos: There are a couple from walk throughs with the first-team offense. The ones I think you'll enjoy are special teams gunner drills run by assistant coach Seth Wallace. How he catches every little detail while the players go full speed trying to get to a blocking dummy is pretty cool. You'll also hear Ferentz giving input on this drill. It's good stuff. You might have to turn up the sound a little bit.

Also, click the gallery above from Gazette photographer Adam Wesley. Lots of shots of true freshmen, which everyone always loves.

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