Good-Timey Radio Hour

It starts earlier this year, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

What a relief.

OK, OK, I joke. There is info to be had. Probably not much. Probably not hugely valuable. But info nonetheless, so I'll walk the wall (Game of Thrones reference) for you.

- Gary Dolphin's 19th season as Iowa's play-by-play voice. (Wow. I remember when he was hired. He was a total upset.)

- Wait, Iowa football practices in the morning, but Kirk Ferentz doesn't make it to the radio show until 7? Hmmm. I know it's not that easy.

- Dolph says TE Jake Duzey is out running around. End of September for him, he said. I believe that's been the plan all along.

- WR Riley McCarron earned a schollie about midway through camp. Was it last year he had mono, completely wiping out the second half of his season. I'll look it up.

Yes, McCarron missed the first three games of 2014 with a shoulder injury suffered in camp and then he missed the last three with mono. That's a lot of missed games. He must've shown something this camp. We've heard his name a bunch of times.

- Dolph said Cole Fisher is pushing the three starters at LB. Cole Fisher is a starter at LB, at least listed on the depth chart. Maybe Dolph saw something in practice.

- Lost connect for a second. Dolph said special teams have been an emphasis in camp, and we know that. He also said some surprises on Saturday or you'll like what you see?

- One segment into 2015, Dolph dropped a 'man-child” in reference to trosh OL James Daniels. Dolph said Jerminic Smith's first name correctly. It is Jerman-eek.

- Dolph interpreted Ferentz's comments on punt return and kick return into Desmond King AND McCarron being back for both. That doesn't sound right, but I don't know. Maybe?

- Jerry from Waukee is speaking into the mystery device. Asks about punters.

Dolph just said Chris White was moved from RB/special teams to special teams only. That also doesn't sound right, unless there's been a change.

- Dolph is talking coverage units: Aaron Mends, the fullbacks, Tyler Kluver (long snapper), Miles Taylor, Travis Perry. Dolph said Travis Perry is huge this year, in that his role is pretty much special teams captain (I agree, he could be a force). Anthony Gair and Brandon Snyder also mentioned.

- Jim from CF. He likes to party.

Gotta put lesser opponents away. Predicts 6-6. He'd like 'moxie and swagger.” I'm totally getting that tattooed on my biceps, BTW. Think I'm going to have to name the left one moxie.

KF called last season disappointing. Didn't acknowledge 'moxie and swagger.”

Close games were a thing last year. I know I've written it and I'm not looking it up. Spontaneous!!

- Dolph wants to talk QB CJB.

Good fall camp, Dolph said. KF said this has been about CJB's evolution and development (not getting those tatted on my ‘ceps).

KF references stuff we don't get to see, which, apparently, is everything CJB has done to win the job.

Wiegers has made meaningful progress, KF said. That's a good thing. KF did sound happy to talk about TW. Also a good thing.

- Some Illinois State stuff. ISU coach Brock Spack was an LB at Purdue. During Spack's run as DC at Purdue, KF wished him out of the Big Ten. Remember all those run blitzes? Purdue always seemed to have something for Iowa.

- KF on the new OTs: No one is replacing anyone, play your best football. Talked with Ike Boettger about when they moved Robert Gallery. Starting players don't fall out of trees. They work hard and earn it. Believes they'll play good football.

- WR core update from KF: It's the top three with Riley McCarron emerging from spring to now. Great August, worked hard. Played faster and more confident. Jay Scheel doing some good things. He was hurt for 10 to 14 days and KF says 'He'll be back.” Scheel, Stone, Harris, Falconer fighting for No. 6 behind Tevaun, Hillyer, MVB, McCarron and Jerminic.

- KF praises TE George Kittle. 'Has taken two steps since spring.”

- Anthony from Des Moines. He's a very cheerful young person.

What are the expectations for Iowa football this year? How many RBs this year?

Daniels and Canzeri. And then Derrick Mitchell. KF said he has shown inclination for the position. Akrum Wadley is the fourth back.

Someone asked about expectations yesterday. Probably went 'Coach, can you talk about expectations?”

- Trucker Jim from Tennessee. Definitely a south Iowa accent. You know there is one. Listen to it!

He's good friends with Desmond King. Desmond said good things about Iowa. Asked about OL Steve Ferentz, yes, Kirk's son.

Body is catching up for Steve. He might be another Tommy Gaul. Making good progress.

KF talks Miles Taylor. Great teammate, aggressive, hard-nosed player.

- Bettendorf Dave, comment and two questions. (Dave sounds like a great dude.)

Thanks KF for his 17 years of service. KF says, 'Let's not get ahead of ourselves, it's not been 17 yet.”

More stuff on OTs and question on backup DEs. Asked about contain (good question).

KF calls it football 101, whether it's the DE or another position. (DEs have to contain QBs and keep them from making broken plays. LBs and safeties have the perimeter contain.)

Parker Hesse and Matt Nelson have had their developments accelerated with two senior starters at DE this year.

KF said administration is working hard to fix Kinnick experience, but also acknowledges that it's up to the team to bring some juice to the stadium, with how they play and not with extension cords.

- I'm starting to fade. Another 25 minutes.

- FryFest talk. I think Scott Dochterman, Mike Hlas and I will be there Friday morning around 11 a.m. and stay until 1. And then I'm meeting my friend Hank at Backpocket. It's an annual thing. You guys would love Hank. We met in grad school here. He's a Hawkeye nut.

- I forget who's on the phone. I'm going to call him Pedro from San Pedro.

Jokes with KF about finally getting an office window after 25 years.

Uni question!!!!!!

Pedro from San Pedro asks about Pro Ninja uniforms about a sneak peek. The plan is to keep it under wraps until game day. (I've said that from the beginning.)

- Sarah is on the phone. She just called herself 'Sunshine Sarah.” She sounds exactly like one of my aunts, but my aunt is a huge Badgers fan.

Good question about atmosphere. KF acknowledges team does get energy from Kinnick, but it also wanes and the assignment is fighting through that and get fans back in the game.

Iowa is 10-11 in Kinnick since 2012, BTW.

Sarah sounded like a really nice lady.

- Dolph is talking punt return. Corrects the King and McCarron being out there at the same time. King will be the No. 1 and McCarron is No. 2. On KR, it's McCarron and King, with Canzeri and Jonathan Parker and another guy I can't keep up, people.

- Curtis from Lester calls. 'Lester.”

See Brandon Snyder getting on the field?

KF: Hope so. Had an injury in July and fought through it. Done a nice job, worked at FS more than strong. He's being groomed to take over for Jordan Lomax. Will be on a bunch of special teams.

- David from George. This is getting weird, dudes.

If game is in hand, gonna look at second stringers?

KF said if they could, they would. He doesn't expect that to happen Saturday. Called Tre Roberson: 'He's not a good player, he's a tremendous player.”

'I don't know how many better QBs we're going to see all season long.”

On RB Marshaun Coprich: Great runner, great instincts. Makes most of ugly runs. He and Roberson could play anywhere, KF said.

- Final break!!!

- JJ . . . Overall special teams, how are they looking?

LOGO ON THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD

Dolph blew right through that. Hmm. Maybe?

KF did say they have invested a lot of time in special teams.

- Matt in Wellman. Wants to know about DT Kyle Terlouw.

He's a walk-on from Iowa Central (I think). Great attitude and tough. KF said he thinks he'll play significant minutes this year.

Stuff on the linebackers.

'Anxious to get the team on the field and get going.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com