A closer look at special teams

Sixth in an eight-part series looking at the Iowa football team before the final spring practice Saturday.

Tomorrow: Offensive line.

FOURTH DOWN

Concerns: Punter is the easiest, most logical place to start. Ryan Donahue is among the greatest punters ever. Now it's Eric Guthrie's job to lose, maybe. He's punted once going into his senior year, a 32-yarder against Iowa State last season. He's a giant at 6-6, 245. This is his one chance.

Alongside Guthrie is red-shirt freshman Jonny Mullings, the punter from Down Under.

That's where punter is.

THIRD DOWN

Additions/subtractions: Of course, Iowa is going to miss the kick return skills of Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, who led the Big Ten last season with 29.3 yards on 17 returns including an 88-yard TD at Minnesota.

Freshmen Torrey Campbell, Jordan Lomax and Jordan Canzeri could potentially help. As for other additions, expect these units to employ at least a handful of freshmen, maybe more than six.

There are 55 spots on special teams squads and Iowa will have to replace about half, including punter, punt returner, kick returner and signal caller on punt team.

Replace about half the squads. That's a considerable pool of players.

SECOND DOWN

Battles brewing: Punter certainly has a battle. At kicker, seemingly as always, there is a battle.

Sophomore Mike Meyer will carry the mantle into spring 2011. He is the sitting starter, hitting 14 of 17 attempts as a freshman walk-on last fall (he's on scholarship now).

After a solid freshman year that essentially ended when Daniel Murray was picked for the game-winner against Penn State in '08, Trent Mossbrucker red-shirted and returned last season with designs on the job. He was next kicker in until he had a PAT blocked at Arizona. Mossbrucker didn't kick again in 2010 and finished with no field goal attempts and 13 of 14 PATs. His last field goal attempt was Nov. 1, 2008, against Illinois.

Sophomore Casey Kreiter is the only long snapper on Iowa's spring roster. As for the return spots, as of now senior wide receiver Marvin McNutt is listed as the No. 1 punt returner. Could happen, but is what he can possibly bring in punt returns worth the risk of injury? Wide receiver Keenan Davis most likely will be one kick returner.

FIRST DOWN

Prediction for 2011: This probably isn't much of a prediction, but Meyer should hang on to the placekicking and kickoff duties. Meyer has the stronger leg and has a year of experience. He'll have competition, but he's set up for a long reign as Iowa's kicker. Guthrie will get first crack at punter.