Wegher watch

IOWA CITY -- No running back Brandon Wegher. No timetable. No resolution.

But there's hope the sophomore running back returns to the Iowa football team, coach Kirk Ferentz said Saturday.

"We're hopeful he chooses to come back to the team at some given point," Ferentz said after Iowa's open scrimmage at Kinnick Stadium. "There's no timeline or anything like that. I think it's just important he gets things settled in his mind and feels good about it.

"Personally, I can't imagine him not coming back, but you just never know, you never know."

Wegher, who rushed for 641 yards and a freshman record eight TDs last fall, left Iowa's camp Saturday night and hasn't returned. He was in Iowa City through most of last week, but might've returned to his hometown Sioux City on Friday.

Reactions on the team are what you'd expect. They want their teammate back; they're preparing to move on without him.

Wide receiver Marvin McNutt said Wegher is a "close friend" of his, but he doesn't know exactly why Wegher left camp. Right now, the official reason is "personal" and "working things out."

"We all wish him the best," McNutt said. "Sometimes, we really don't know what's going on and we really don't. He's just in our prayers right now."

Of course, Iowa's practices have been scorching in the 90-degree heat and 75 percent humidity. The Hawkeyes had two-a-days on Thursday and Friday. They started their second week at the Coralville Marriott on Friday night.

The esprit de corps this builds among team members is irreplaceable. Wegher isn't here for this, and that's OK, said senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who completed his first six passes Saturday and finished 12 of 20 for 115 yards.

"He's a friend of a lot of people on this team, obviously," Stanzi said. "Everyone else who isn't quite as close to him because he's a young guy, respects him. There's no animosity on this team toward anybody."

Still, Iowa opens the 2010 season just three weeks from Saturday. 

"When we line up for practice everyday, he's not out there," Stanzi said. "We can't stop practice and hold a prayer session. We've got to keep moving."

Wegher has a redshirt available after playing as a true freshman last season. Ferentz hopes it doesn't come to that. Ferentz had a face-to-face conversation with Wegher last week. The Hawkeyes have three sophomore running backs with Wegher, Adam Robinson and Jewel Hampton. Wegher didn't indicate the logjam at the position was the reason for his departure.

The reasons are personal. Ferentz didn't articulate on the subject.

"I guess all I can say is we all have periods in our lives where we reflect a little bit and think about things," Ferentz said. "I think that's pretty much where he's at right now, sorting through some things. We're certainly hopeful that he chooses to come back. It's going to be his decision, either way."

Saturday wasn't the day to measure Iowa's running backs. Down Wegher, Robinson and Hampton saw few carries, combining for seven carries. Senior Paki O'Meara carried 14 times for 29 yards and two TDs in goal line situations. True freshman De'Andre Johnson put in a full day's work against Iowa's No. 1 defense, rushing 25 times for 75 yards.

Coming off a torn ACL that cost him '09, Hampton has put in a strong first 11 practices.

"Hungry to go. I think he looks tremendous," Ferentz said. "Jewel looks like a guy who's had a year away. He's going full speed and is very, very impressive."

Kicking didn't blow Ferentz's hair back Saturday. Sophomore Trent Mossbrucker made 8 of 11 attempts with a miss

 from 23 yards. Senior Daniel Murray went 8 of 12 with defensive end Adrian Clayborn blocking one attempt. True freshman walk-on Mike Meyer has entered the competition and made 7 of 11.

"We're capable, but we're not consistent," Ferentz said. "That's where we're at right now." 

Sophomore Greg Castillo stepped in for junior Shaun Prater, who's nursed a leg strain during camp. Castillo picked off sophomore quarterback John Wienke on the second play and returned it 54 yards for a TD.

Senior Josh Koeppel seems to have an edge on sophomore James Ferentz in the competition at center, which, with kicker, remains the lone positional battle remaining. The other two new starters on the O-line -- tackle Markus Zusevics and guard Adam Gettis -- have fought off the competition.

Gettis, a fourth-year junior, earned high praise from Ferentz.

"He'll be one of the smallest guards in the league, I imagine, but I think he'll be one of the better ones, too," Ferentz said.

Ferentz also glowed on what he's seen out of the wide receivers group so far in camp, specifically senior Derrell Johnson-Koulianos.

"Derrell has really done a nice job. When's the last time I said that?" Ferentz joked. "I speak the truth. He's really had a good week, he's working hard and really looks like you'd hope a fifth-year senior would look."

This was the end of the first week of camp. Iowa will have another scrimmage next weekend. This one will be closed to the public. It will also be the one where the Hawkeyes will look much closer to the team that will show up on Sept. 4 against Eastern Illinois.

The Iowa staff's first serious personnel discussions are tonight, after the coaches have had a chance to digest Saturday's video.

Key Ferentz quotes from Saturday:

On RB Brandon Wegher

I think right he just needs some time to sort some things out. That happens in life to all of us. He probably needs a little time away right now. Hopefully, he'll choose to return to the team. We'd love to have him back certainly. I just hope that's the path it takes. -- open ended -- I respect his feelings right now. I think he's just trying to sort somethings out and decide what he wants to do. We're hopeful and cautiously optimistic he'll want to be back. I can't imagine him not wanting to come back. That's entirely in his court right now. -- Deadline -- Not at all. It's whatever he needs. -- Talked to him -- Talked to him several days ago. Had a good conversation. -- I guess all I can say is we all have periods in our lives where we reflect a little bit and think about things. I think that's pretty much where he's at right now, sorting through some things. We're certainly hopeful that he chooses to come back. It's going to be his decision, either way.

On what he's told the team -- We haven't talked in great detail, but I can tell you this, Brandon is very popular with all the guys on the team. I think we all feel the same way. We want him back on the football team. We're a better football team with him, but more importantly, hopefully, he comes to the conclusion that he really enjoys this. The guy competes his tail off. He's awfully good. But there are are lot of things going on with all of us. He's got to come to his own conclusion and we're just hopeful he rejoins us.

On possibility of redshirt -- We'll cross that bridge if we get to it. But right now, we'll just take it day by day and see what happens. -- here or there -- Little of each -- I think his intentions are to stay in school and that's what I would encourage him to do, certainly. There's no need to rush right now. The most important thing is how he's feeling about things. Whatever he chooses, we're going to support him.

On RB depth -- First two guys and then we've got Paki. After that, it's wide open. -- Coker shoulder injury, he might've had an opportunity. -- Jewel and Adam are practicing really well. -- Jewel looks like a guy who's had a year away. He's going full speed and is very, very impressive.

More on Wegher -- We're hopeful he chooses to come back to the team at some given point. There's no timeline or anything like that. I think it's just important he gets things settled in his mind and feels good about it. Personally, I can't imagine him not coming back, but you just never know, you never know. I think his intentions are right now to stay in school and just get comfortable with things. That's about where it's at right now. -- Redshirt -- Anything's possible, but I hope it doesn't get that far. If he chooses not to play this year, he's got one available. That's the good news. -- We forget this sometimes. These guys are college students. They have a lot going through their minds. I'll hold myself there, too. They can say the same things about us. We've all had days where you say, what the heck, one of those deals. That's one of those things. It's important for him to get comfortable. -- No Wegher -- Things happen and we all have to move on. -- Logjam -- If so, he didn't indicate that. I just don't think so. I have a one-year window working with him now. He's just a tremendously competitive, not only gifted but tremendously competitive, tough-minded guy. I don't think that's the issue, but I don't want to speak for him. I don't think so, though. -- Blindside you? -- Yes and no, you never expect that, but I developed a motto soon into my short tenure at the University of Maine. I told her that if I come home and say I'm surprised about anything, just hit me with a, just hit me. You just never know. -- We all go through times where we wonder if we're doing the right thing. -- Talked this week. We sat down. -- Face to face.

On Jewel -- Hungry to go. I think he looks tremendous. --

On Adam Gettis -- If I picked the one player this last 11 days, it's Adam Gettis. He's really looked very, very good. He's really concentrating and has been very consistent. He's flashed at times, but now he looks like a guy who's ready to jump in there and play at a very high level. Those are the stories we need right now. -- 230, 225 -- He'll be one of the smallest guards in the league, I imagine, but I think he'll be one of the better ones, too.

On kicker -- We're capable, but we're not consistent. That's where we're at right now.

On center -- About even. We really haven't had any indepth personnel conversations as a staff. We're going to do that tomorrow after we look at this tape. Just for the pure reason, I always like to resist temptation, especially for the first-year guys, let's not make a judgment after one day, which is what everybody is dying to do.

On WR -- I should hold my breathe, but our receivers have looked pretty good in camp. I don't think I've said that in 11 years. As a group, right now, that might be the most positive thing I've seen. Let's see what they do this week. Derrell has really done a nice job. When's the last time I said that? I speak the truth. He's really had a good week, he's working hard and really looks like you'd hope a fifth-year senior would look.