The Walk Through -- Weisman workload examined

Good morning.

Western Michigan's truck is a rental, a Ryder to be exact. That's kind of a bummer, but remember Northern Illinois' truck? Yes, NIU had one and it had just been to the Orange Bowl. So, it had an infusion of $$ and maybe splurged on a truck.

No Orange Bowl for Western, so now truck.

WMU does have a new coach. P.J. Fleck is 32. He's the youngest coach in the country. During last week's WMU-Northwestern telecast, the announcers talked about a phone convo between Fleck and NW coach Pat Fitzgerald, who himself was the youngest coach in the country at 32 when he took over the Cats.

-- The QBs are on the field.

It's a crisp morning here in Iowa City, but the QBs are in short sleeves. There is a slight wind out of the north.

-- Injury report: I think everyone is fine. CB Jordan Lomax (hamstring) probably sits this week. The sophomore is the No. 1 at right corner. Desmond King will make his third start. He's a true freshman. There's been a slight dropoff, but mostly King has been OK. Iowa's secondary has, however, been a weak spot, allowing 10 passes of 20-plus yards already this season.

Guard Conor Boffeli was in and out of the ISU game with what looked to be a knee injury. He might be worth watching today.

Other than that, good to go.

-- Bowl rep in the press box is from the Little Caeser's Bowl. That's in Detroit. On December 26.

Don't worry, I don't think that bowl is happening. This will be the last year a 6-6 team in the Big Ten (Iowa) will be able to leap a 7-5 or 8-4 team (Illinois or Indiana, just spitballing here). This is the last season fan following will affect bowl placement. In 2014, there will be a tier situation. The bowls will pick and the Big Ten will OK it. The idea of the Big Ten placing a 6-6 above a 7-5 or 8-4 is not likely to happen in 2014 and beyond.

-- Tight ends are on the field. If you think Jake Duzey disappeared in favor of George Kittle last week, you would be correct.

I don't have an exact snap count, but Kittle started and played a lot more than Duzey.

-- Let's talk RB Mark Weisman workload:

Weisman averages 28.33 carries a game. That's 340 over 12 games, which would shatter Sedrick Shaw's 316 record set in '95. Where would that rank nationally? Le'Veon Bell led the nation in attempts last year with 382 (!!!!). He's injured (foot) in his first season with the Steelers.

340 carries would've finished fourth behind Nevada's Stefphon Johnson (375) and Wisconsin's Montee Ball (356).

Shonn Greene carried 307 times in 2008. I think he's the only back to go over 300 in the KF era. Albert had 244 in '05.

What did Iowa have in '08 that its trying to find now? Jewel Hampton. We're all finding out that, hey, he was a pretty good running back, basically making the final cut of the Super Bowl runner-up.

IMO, what Weisman is doing is doable. Is it in the best interest of the team? Yes, if he's healthy and they win this way. But yes, this is a search for a Jewel Hampton and I'm as interested as you are to see if there is one.

-- Mike Meyer kicking into the wind from 43 yards. Easily long enough. From 51 in the middle of the field, long enough. A little low, but good. Drilled it from 45. Trying it from a little longer into the wind this week.

Meyer went as far as 47 with the wind to his back. Lively leg. Marshall Koehn just rocked the left upright from 43. Trying from 48 now . . . Meyer good. Koehn went wide right. Alden Haffar made it easily, too. 43 left hash, good for Meyer, good for Keohn and Haffar's would've been good from 60.

-- I need to eat more salads.

-- Returners are out. This includes freshman CB Maurice Fleming and junior WR Damond Powell. You know who they'll be -- PR KMM and KR Jordan Cotton -- but it's interesting to see who's in the chute.

-- Receivers and backs are on the field. 52 minutes until kick.

-- On pregame radio, Ed Podolak just said he believes 30 carries a game is within Weisman's spectrum. I think he's right.

-- Boffeli is on the field. He looks like a go.

-- KF said YAC was one of the better things they saw vs. ISU. They had been struggling in that area. Mentions Hillyer and KMM.

-- Dolph asks KF to grade the D so far: Praises seniors. Still have some areas of improvement.

-- Dolph asks about special teams surprises: KF said Kornbrath had his best week last week. Kickoff team is his No. 1 thing. Not getting it done. Have to shore that up. Onside kick was in, some ways, a highlight. ISU ran a twist on their coverage. The highlight was players did a better job adjusting the second time. Adjusted to it on the fly, without coaches in the ear. KF said that's what you want.

-- BTW, the No. 2 guards are Andrew Donnal and Tommy Gaul. No. 2 center is Eric Simmons.

-- Starting lineups are the same as last week on both sides of the ball.

-- No. 2 OL was from right to left: Ryan Ward, Donnal, Simmons, Gaul and Nolan MacMillan.

-- Iowa radio just said Lomax could play today if needed. My guess is he's ready, but they will sit him if they can get away with it. Fleming is probable today.

-- OK, 13 minutes to kickoff. One last blast of photos and enjoy the game. It's on BTN, wherever that is on whatever TV delivery system you have.

Enjoy! (Staium is slow filling up today, BTW.)

Here's some pregame photos from Gazette photographer Liz Martin: