5 things to watch during the spring thing (with roster for spring scrimmage)

IOWA CITY -- Kirk Ferentz said it earlier this week. Spring football is kind of a peaceful deal. No game preparation. No late-week TV production meeting with the guy who questioned your game management the previous week. No hours of video prep and what not.

The Iowa coaching staff does little to no installation during spring practice, which wraps up with an open scrimmage noon Saturday at Kinnick Stadium. It's drills, teaching and learning. That's probably at the crux of why the Hawkeyes don't play a traditional "game" to close out spring.

The Iowa staff, at its heart, loves teaching the game of football. You hear TV analyst after TV analyst say that week after week. The philosophy starts with Ferentz and works its way down.

"It was great to get back on the field with the players," Ferentz said. "It's always an enjoyable time of year from that standpoint. It's pure football and teaching as opposed to game preparations. That part has been enjoyable."

Still, it's not spring break. Coaches need to see an arrow going up, especially with the 2011 Hawkeyes, who'll be young and unproven in several different areas next fall.

"We have a relatively young football team right now, so we have an awful lot of work to do," Ferentz said. "We graduated a lot of good players in the last few years and face a lot of challenges, but we're excited about that. We have some interesting young players coming up and it promises to be interesting and hopefully exciting."

Aside from the fact that Cole Heissel is No. 64 and now a second-team defensive tackle, here are five things worth your attention on the Hawkeyes' final public appearance before August:

1. Micah Hyde is a free safety. Renting or buying has yet to be determined.

It's really the move of the spring. Hyde, a returning starter at cornerback, was moved to free safety at the beginning of spring. We still don't know if it's a move that will stick.

Iowa lost safeties Brett Greenwood and Tyler Sash from last season. Sophomore Tanner Miller, who was the No. 2 free safety as a true freshman last season, is out this spring after shoulder surgery.

Defensive coordinator Norm Parker indicated that Miller could move into the free safety spot when healthy and Hyde would then switch back to corner.

"Whether he [Hyde] ends up back there or he goes back to corner, I think he'll better understand his position at corner by playing free safety," Parker said. "I think it's been a good experience for him. Even if he was like the second free safety. If something happened to Miller, you always knew that I had Hyde. He's at least been there and knows what he's doing a little bit, but he's done real well."

Hyde talked about the switch and how defensive backs coach Phil Parker actually phoned his mom to introduce the idea. That seems to say that it's more on the permanent side, but it's April.

2. Looks like a duo of sophomores Christian Kirksey and Anthony Hitchens at weakside linebacker.

The two have been rotating in for most of spring practice. Norm Parker likes the speed and aggression the two have shown.

"Hitchens and Kirksey, I mean, they are . . . they are good hitters," Parker said. "They can run and they will hit you and there's promise there. Now, they're going to make young mistakes, but they're going to be good players."

Kirksey and Hitchens are different body types. Kirksey is a lean 6-foot-2, 215 pounds. Hitchens, a former high school running back, is listed at 6-1, 215, but he's stockier and much more solidly built.

Linebacker platoons are uncommon, but this could also hinge on the development on the D-line.

3. Neither kicker nor punter are totally set.

Sophomore Mike Meyer hit 14 of 17 field goals as a true freshman walk-on last season. This spring, he's a sophomore with a scholarship, but he also still has competition nipping on his kicking foot. Junior Trent Mossbrucker held the job at the beginning of 2010, but was sent to the bench after a blocked PAT at Arizona.

Meyer's 14 of 17 shows promise, but Mossbrucker also is on scholarship. He won't be here until August, but Solon's Marshall Koehn will walk on his fall. That's three kickers, two on scholarship. Shows the importance Ferentz puts on the position.

Senior punter Eric Guthrie is a career walk-on who's sat on the bench for four years watching the glorious career of Ryan Donahue. Guthrie, a giant 6-6, 245, has the inside track for one season to show the world what he can do. He'll be pushed by redshirt freshman Jonny Mullings, an Australian whose YouTube feats need to translate to the field.

4. Running back No. 2 . . . Is he on campus?

Sophomore Marcus Coker is No. 1 and then some at running back for the Hawkeyes. You won't see much, if any, of him today. Ferentz and all of Iowa fandom know acutely how valuable of a commodity running backs are in Iowa City. The kid is going into a tomb of bubblewrap and Nerf after today.

Today will be all about junior Jason White, a 5-10, 205-pound walk-on from Davenport, and redshirt freshman De'Andre Johnson, a stocky 5-8, 200-pounder.

This is their best chance to spot weld their place in the running back line. Next fall, they'll be joined by incoming freshman Damon Bullock, Jordan Canzeri (who's up to 182 pounds while maintaining a 4.33-second 40-yard dash), Rodney Coe (255 pounds) and Mika'il McCall (Shonn Greene starter kit).

Johnson might miss out on this chance. Offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe said Wednesday that Johnson missed a week of practice with a sore hamstring. He was back this week, however.

5. What up at strong safety?

This is a free-for-all. Junior walk-on Collin Sleeper, a walk-on from Solon, goes in as the No. 1 today, with senior walk-on Tom Donatell behind him. Senior Jordan Bernstine and senior walk-on Nick Nielsen also have seen time rotating with the No. 1 defense this spring.

This is a wide-open position that has attracted a ton of bodies, which will include incoming freshman Nico Law next fall.

"The kid by the name of Collin Sleeper has been the strong safety who has got a lot of ability," Parker said. "He can run like a deer and he'll hit you."

Sounds like a strong safety.

Spartan Collin Sleeper falls to the Bulldogs' Jordan Hutcheson during the first round playoffs for class 2A on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 in Solon. Solon defeated Mediapolis 41-0. (Gazette file)

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Need or want a roster for the spring scrimmage? Print out the one below. It's what Iowa will pass out Saturday.

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