The Walk Through

IOWA CITY - It's here, the great march toward whatever measure of redemption you require for 2014, a season that could kind of be characterized as a drunk uncle with really horrible breath. You just want to back away and try not to engage. That's 2014 and that ends today.

Illinois State has a truck, but I couldn't double back to get a pic. Scott Dochterman and I do the WMT 600AM Bumper Brigade with Andy Peterson. I was running late and needed to hustle over to the tent and the wonderful smells coming from the Iowa Pork Producers tent.

So, no truck pic. My bad.

On to game stuff:

- Kirk Ferentz opened the week saying Iowa is healthy. We've gone the whole week and I have no reason to doubt him. I've not heard anything on injuries. That's a positive.

- Same for Illinois State, but I'll be honest, I probably wouldn't have heard of those anyway.

- The QBs are out there. True freshman Drew Cook is playing catch with true freshman Ryan Boyle. TEs and WRs out also. Jake Duzey is catching and not wearing a brace. He's not slated to play until the end of September. Remember, he suffered a torn patellar tendon in practice 14 of the 15 spring practices.

- Illinois State offensive line coach Dan Clark is visiting with Iowa assistant/recruiting coordinatro Seth Wallace. This is a reunion of former Iowa grad assistants. Dan Clark is Dallas Clark's brother and is from Livermore, Iowa. I met him a few times here, a nice, centered gent. I'm sure he's a great coach.

- QBs, WRs and RBs are up the tunnel. We're getting there.

- Specialists are out. Let's take a sample of punter and kicker.

Illinois State kicker Sean Slattery has never attempted a field goal. Punter Reece Attard is from Werribee, Australia, and wears No. 66. He's never punted in a game.

Iowa kicker Marshall Koehn from 50 yards out twice just minutes ago, good and good. Punter Dillon Kidd, under pressure obs, is standing on the 50 and dropping the ball inside the 5.

Advantage Iowa.

- Sophomore kicker Mick Ellis could very well end up redshirting this season. Last year as a true frosh, he was given a small chance. It didn't work and now he's the No. 2 behind Koehn. He could easily redshirt and come back with a great shot at the job in 2016. Speaking of backup kicker, freshman Miguel Recinos is still around. He's no. 3.

- More Koehn: Right hash 40 yards into south end zone - good. From 45, good. Same from the left hash.

- Ed Podolak believes CJB is the best QB Iowa has recruited. Says he has the best arm that Iowa has seen. Said Chuck Long might even agree. Big statement. He might be right.

- AD Gary Barta really likes new president Bruce Harreld. Yeah, yeah, water is wet. Air has oxygen in it.

- WR Jay Scheel is out on the field. He came into Kinnick by himself, so I think he stayed in IC and not with the team in CR, meaning he's injured and not in the plans today. But we'll see.

- Duzey isn't in uniform. New TE Jameer Outsey is No. 92.

- Dolph is interviewing Bruce Harreld: Harreld wants to meet with the UI. He said he needs coaching and support. 'Here's my agenda, edit it, adjust it. Can we have a meeting of the minds? I think we can. One of the reasons I was picked was because of my collaborative style.”

Podolak makes great points about college debt and professions that can get kids work. This was one of Iowa radio's best segments. Harreld projected an open mind. That's an excellent starting point.

- Senior FS Jordan Lomax was the lead yeller in the huddle. That isn't a surprise.

- KF on the radio news factlets: We don't need to play well on special teams, we need to play really well. Said WR Riley McCarron has made the most strides, 'maybe two strides.”

And then it was just stuff you've heard.

- Rumor floating that Jay Scheel quit and then changed his mind this morning? I haven't heard that. It's on the Twitter. I haven't heard it. He's been hurt in camp. He was hurt last season with the knee surgery. Sometimes, guys get tired of the pain, but he's out there right now and looks engaged.

- Getting close to lineups.

- No surprises in the back seven on D. Senior Cole Fisher will get his first career start. He has nine career tackles. I'm as interested as you are in seeing how he's going to do. Could be a great story. Or not.

- Backup LBs are Mends, Perry and Bower. Gair and Snyder are No. 2 safeties. Backup D-line was Hesse, Terlouw, Ekakitie and Nelson.

- No surprises in the starting lineup. Everyone they said would start this week is in the pregame.

- Backup OL from TE on in was Outsey, Keegan Render, James Daniels, Eric Simmons (center), Steve Ferentz and Cole Croston.

OK, up the tunnel and 22 minutes to kickoff. Enjoy the game.

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