From Greene ... to green

Every position has a meeting room in the Iowa football complex. The defensive line, linebackers, quarterbacks and so on.

At this point, the Hawkeyes' running backs could hold their daily meetings at a Subway booth.

“It's me, Brandon, um ...” junior running back Paki O'Meara said. “The freshmen leave early for scout team. Me, Brandon and Wade and Brett. There aren't a lot of guys in there. It was full at the beginning of the year, but now it's pretty empty.”

Brandon is freshman Brandon Wegher.

In his first start last week, the 5-foot-11, 206-pounder ran 25 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns, all career highs. After suffering a bruised hand and bruised ribs in consecutive weeks, Wegher saved his best for last, rushing for 73 yards in the fourth quarter, including a 27-yard TD run that closed out Indiana.

Before Indiana, Ferentz was asked if Wegher was a 20- or 25-carry back. He said he'd find out.

“He's in a lot of sticky situations when he's been in there, but it didn't mean he's not a good back, and this guy's got a hardness to him,” Ferentz said. “I think he rises to the competition. I think he embraced the challenge this week.

“So it was really good to see him do what he did, but I'm not shocked. It was great to see him get that last touchdown. It'll be a good confidence booster for him.”

Brad Rogers and Josh Brown are the freshmen who leave the meeting early for scout team. Asked if Rogers - the more likely of the two to play, if it comes to that - was open to dropping a red-shirt so late in the season, Ferentz said without a doubt.

“We're trying to get Rogers warmed up a little bit. At this point, you hate to use him to patch up the situation,” Ferentz said. “If we have to, we have to. All of us are on board trying to win everything we can. I'm hopeful we don't get to that point.”

It's just a flicker of a memory now, but there was about a month last season when Shonn Greene was going to run the ball for the 2009 Hawkeyes. Or at least maybe hoped he would.

That wish faded more and more with every 100-yard rushing performance. About 20 seconds after Iowa's Outback Bowl victory, Greene announced he was going pro. He was drafted in the third round by the New York Jets.

“I was hoping he would be here, but I realized as he had continued success, I knew he had a decision to make,” Ferentz said. “I'm all for whatever decisions the players make, as long as they have good information. It has worked well for him, but it would be nice to have him.”

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Sophomore Jewel Hampton had just bounced off a terrific freshman season, rushing for 463 yards and a freshman record seven touchdowns.

In late June, Hampton made a cut in a non-contact drill and injured the ACL in his right knee. He tried to avoid surgery, but didn't make it through the first week of fall camp. He was declared out for the season and has since had surgery. Ferentz reported that he's progressing through rehab and will be ready next fall.

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Red-shirt freshman Adam Robinson was doing just fine as the semi-featured back. While splitting time with Wegher, Robinson racked up 629 yards and five TDs. He suffered a high-ankle sprain at Michigan State and sat out last week. There's hope he'll return for Ohio State next week, but that remains to be seen.

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It's Wegher. O'Meara spelled him for a few carries last week, but it's Wegher, who at this time last year was helping Sioux City Heelan to a Class 3A title.

Credit Iowa running backs coach Lester Erb, who moved into the position two years ago when Carl Jackson retired. Yes there is talent here, but Iowa's young backs have been prepared.

Erb has gone from Greene to green.

Ferentz has known Erb since 1997, when the two were with the Baltimore Ravens. Ferentz was the O-line coach and Erb worked with him as a quality control coach. Ferentz brought him to Iowa 10 years ago, so there's obviously a high degree of respect. But this might be a good season to ask for a raise.

“I think he's been great with those guys in all areas,” Ferentz said. “Not just teaching them what to do, but working with them as young guys and anticipating the challenges that they're going to face.”