COMMUNITY JOURNALISM: Coe spring football update

By Chad Cooper, community contributor

CEDAR RAPIDS - It may be spring but football is in the air.

Iowa and Iowa State recently held their final scrimmages of the spring and UNI's finished drills last night.

The Division III college also are wrapping things up.

Coe finished its spring practice schedule Tuesday at Clark Field. The NCAA began allowing teams at the Division III level to have non-contact spring practice sessions in 2005.

Coe began utilizing spring practices four years ago and Coach Steve Staker has seen the benefits.

“It allows the players to go beyond the strength and conditioning program and to actually get out on the field,” he said. “We as coaches can also get an idea of what we have.”

The Kohawks return six of nine players who earned All-Iowa Conference honors last year, including All-American defensive lineman Frank Weymiller and first team all-region selection Demetreus Johnson, a defensive back.

Coe finished in second place in the Iowa Conference last year at 6-2, 6-4 overall. It marked the third straight year Coe has finished second in the league.

The Kohawks were anchored by a strong defense and explosive offense that averaged more 35 points per game.

One of the key areas of interest for the Kohawks this spring was the quarterback position with Brad Boyle graduating next month. Jared McNutt, Tyler Sylvester and Dustin Elsbury all are in the mix.

“We look at who is going to fill the gaps at certain positions for us and it allows us to get an idea of what we have coming in,” Staker said.

Coe opens the 2012 season Sept. 1 at home against Monmouth.