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Hawkeye AV Club: Spring edition
I'm not a great company procedures guy, so I go my own way when it comes to publishing pictures here. Sometimes, being a rebel/idiot takes time.
I think I finally figured it out, so here are some more pictures from Iowa's spring football practice on Wednesday.
I stood behind the Jugs Machine and watched the TEs and WRs catch some bullets. When LB A.J. Edds recovered an onsides kick to seal the deal against Arizona last fall, he said something about spending some time on the Jugs Machine. These guys actually do it and make it look easy. I would've asked for a try, but I would've gotten a call from Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
This is No. 2 TE Brad Herman. As I say in the caption, I believe incoming freshman C.J. Fiedorowicz will shape the TE depth chart when he arrives in August. Also, this group will benefit from coach Eric Johnson, who retakes the TE job after spending two seasons as recruiting coordinator. Iowa uses three TEs, so I expect it to go Reisner, Herman/Fiedorowicz.
If I could pull this off, I would do it every summer. I don't see a job interview or a bank loan in my future, so why not. LB Jeremiha Hunter really pulls it off here.
I think QB Ricky Stanzi uses a Flowbee. I kid, I kid. I wish I could use a Flowbee. I'm pretty close to one-guarding it and moving along with my day.
Here's A.J. Derby. I wrote about him and his spring situation on this post.
Here is DE Adrian Clayborn. I think this D-line has a chance to be the best of the Ferentz era. Right now, that distinction belongs to the 2004 group (Roth, Robinson, Babineaux, Luebke), with the '08 group (King, Kroul, Clayborn, Ballard) in the mix.
Best DE of the Ferentz era? Remember when I wrote this last summer? The Hall of Ferentz thingie? I had it Roth, Kampman and Howard Hodges. Rewrite, please!
I'm still getting used to the camera, a Canon G10. I'm not as good with it as Hlas is. Watch for his photos from The Masters. He'll take you a few places there you won't usually see. Coming next week.
Here's one of the video cranes that surrounds and captures every movement during an Iowa football practice. There are five lifts with four cameras capturing digital video of every Iowa practice. Iowa is a film-free environment.
I think this is all of the stuff I gathered from yesterday.
Here's defensive coordinator Norm Parker. I'd love to play a round of golf with Norm sometime. It'll only be slightly embarrassing when he clips me by eight strokes. (Marc Morehouse)
This is No. 1 tight end Allen Reisner. He's the man this season at the position. I remember when he was signed at Iowa. I talked to him when he ran a relay at the Prairie Relays (a desolate track meet). He was the last recruit of the '07 class. Here he is, a 6-foot-3, 248-pound senior. Time flies. (Marc Morehouse)
Junior TE Brad Herman takes his shot on the Jugs Machine. He's No. 2 heading this spring. I expect incoming freshman C.J. Fiedorowicz to shape the TE depth chart in some way when he arrives next fall. Also, the TEs did this drill under the guidance of coach Eric Johnson, who retakes the TE job this fall after serving two seasons as recruiting coordinator and LB assistant. (Marc Morehouse)
OK, not great focus from my camera, but I wanted to capture LB Jeremiha Hunter's new haircut. He looks a little Shawn Merriman-like. Hopefully, Hunter doesn't have the drop-off that Merriman has had in recent seasons. (Marc Morehouse)
Not a great photo, but here is the latest Ricky Stanzi haircut. Sort of a Brit-pop deal, maybe? Remember, the man has Lady Gaga on his iPod. I think the wrist-band collection has grown a little bit, too. (Marc Morehouse)
Here's freshman QB A.J. Derby. I wrote about him in the post before this one. I'd say he's No. 4, but No. 5 when Wyatt Suess is healthy. That's for this year, by the way. He's a true freshman and I expect him to redshirt. After this year, though, ball is in his court to compete. (Marc Morehouse)
Here is DE Adrian Clayborn running through the stretching drill. It's weird to see him run past running backs (that's Paki O'Meara on his right) and not decapitate them. (Marc Morehouse)
I like this photo. I admit I stink at this, but with Kinnick in the background, this one is pretty cool. Still, our photogs are sooooo talented. (Marc Morehouse)
Here's Clayborn again. I'm pretty close on this one. For point of reference, I'm 6-0. Remember that T-shirt Clayborn's mom wore at the Orange Bowl? I think this 'look' works for the guy. Very distinctive. He had the beard going for more than a year before the O Bowl. He's shave since. (Marc Morehouse)
Here's kind of a goofy photo of one of the cranes that covers Iowa's practice. A video cameraman is perched on top of these. I've seen these at EVERY Iowa practice I've EVER witness. That's a lot of vid (I'm assuming digital), and I believe that shows you the attention to detail it takes to make it on the college football level. (Every school, I'm pretty sure, does this.) (Marc Morehouse)
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