A new marriage or an old moped, 2015 Hawkeyes could be one of these

CHICAGO - Austin Blythe got married this summer. You ask him about it, and the senior center breaks into a genuine grin, not one of those forced deals that football players do when the cameras are on, but a smile that says he's excited about life and the future and the possibilities.

'I don't know . . . it's a different feeling,” Blythe said earlier this summer. 'It's been fun so far.”

Nothing much has changed.

'I always had to get permission to go out with the guys,” he said with a laugh.

That's something new and hopeful that you can kind of see with this year's version of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Yes, Iowa finished 7-6 last season and lost its last three games, including tough losses to rivals Wisconsin and Nebraska and a bowl blowout to Tennessee. But Iowa's schedule is the same-ish and Iowa was 5-1 before the 2-5 slide and did only lose the Big Ten West Division by basically five points in those Wisconsin and Nebraska defeats.

That's one way to look at the Hawkeyes as Big Ten media days push the 2015 off the shore during the next couple of days in Chicago.

Another look is through the eyes of Drew Ott's moped. No, his moped doesn't have eyes. It might not even have a headlight anymore.

Remember, we last saw the senior defensive end's moped last September, when Ott was struck by a car while riding his it to class. He didn't suffer severe injuries, though he did initially believe his shins were shattered, and still lined up to play that weekend against Iowa State.

RIP, moped. And yes, it was the same moped that Ott drove from Iowa City to his family farm in Trumbull, Neb., a 400-mile and nearly 12-hour odyssey. Last fall's crash totaled it, but the moped still sits in a shop back home, Ott said.

Ott answered questions this summer about actual football stuff, too. His profile has bloomed and he's considered one of the top-tier Big Tenn defensive ends not named Joey Bosa or Shilique Calhoun headed into the season.

'That's been a nice little change that this season has brought, that's nice, I guess,” Ott said of football vs. moped questions. 'I'm not just known as the moped man.”

Ott and Blythe will conduct interviews Thursday in Chicago, along with senior free safety Jordan Lomax. Of course, head coach Kirk Ferentz will endure the media day crush, with the only payoff - for him, anyway - being that it means August camp is days away. Ferentz has said it's his favorite time of the year, when it's just a team and teaching and coaching.

Nothing will happen this week that will leave a mark on anyone's season. Ohio State isn't bringing its three star QBs nor is it bringing running back Ezekiel Elliott, who keyed the Buckeyes' national title run last season.

No, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh isn't bringing former Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock (wouldn't that have been cool?), who likely would've been an Iowa spokesman had he stayed. But you know that story. Junior C.J. Beathard was installed as starter in January. Ferentz and Iowa didn't want ambiguity at QB for another season. (Beathard would've been fun for Big Ten media days, but no.)

You'll forget 90 percent of what's said this week by next week, but we're close to what matters with camps all over the B1G opening the first week of August.

Iowa's path will chart from either a new and wonderful and beautiful marriage or a busted out, forgotten moped sitting in a shop on a Nebraska farm with what the Hawkeyes do in August.

Five factors on that will steer this union/moped:

Beathard

- Let's put him in the marriage category, but let's also be cautious. Yes, Beathard has QB things (mainly a strong arm and quick release) that have always made him intriguing. Still, Rudock started 12 games last season and Beathard never scored a knockout, at least in Ferentz's eyes. Also, Beathard will need help (solid pass protection and a running game that isn't constipated).

Perimeter defense

- For now, it's a moped. Lots of the bodies who didn't defend the perimeter well at times last season (Minnesota and Tennessee quickly come to mind) will be asked to do it again this year. Expect improvement from linebackers Josey Jewell and Bo Bower. Can outside linebacker Ben Niemann and whoever wins the strong safety spot bring something here?

Wide receiver

- Senior Tevaun Smith is good and has a chance to be great. He's said repeatedly this spring and offseason that he wants to be great. He's considerable, but can anyone come along for a ride. Junior Matt VandeBerg is a highly likable player who'll need to put up numbers. For now, let's say this is getting married on a moped.

Special teams

- Kicker Marshall Koehn became a consistent and formidable factor in field goals and kickoffs last season. Punter Dillon Kidd needs to raise his game. Core special teams need improvement. This is driving a moped away from the church after your wedding. Koehn lifts it, but Iowa's special teams are in 'show me” mode.

Schedule

- This is a rocky marriage, where you ride the moped of life.

Yes, it's not as sweet of a deal as last season. Iowa does go on the road against Big Ten West Division rivals Wisconsin and Nebraska and archrival Iowa State. Illinois State is technically an FCS school, but realistically it's a top-tier Mid-American Conference opponent. But Iowa's schedule is full of sweet Easter eggs (those hidden goodies in DVDs) like these: Before Minnesota travels to Iowa City for a night game, the Gophers play host to Michigan and travel to Ohio State in the two preceding weeks. Iowa and Wisconsin meet in the Big Ten opener for both schools on Oct. 3. The Badgers face Alabama in the opener. That'll leave a mark. The week before it faces Iowa, Northwestern will be at Michigan. Maryland faces its self-imposed rival Penn State before traveling to Iowa City.

Countering these, the Hawkeyes travel to Nebraska and Indiana the week after those schools have byes.

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