The Walk Through

Welcome to the 2014 football season.

- Quick weather update: It's 69 degrees in IC with a 50 percent chance of rain. It's 93 percent humidity with 14 mph winds (doesn't feel like it) out of the south.

At noon, it looks like 84 and rainy.

- One injury update: Not sure what the injury is, I think hand, but freshman linebacker Josey Jewell will be out this week. Might be a two-week deal and might be back for Iowa State.

That puts the onus on sophomore linebacker Reggie Spearman to come through. Forget his camp Instagram that read like a retirement speech. He's here, he's engaged, let's see what he can do as a weakside linebacker.

- The Hawkeyes are wearing a sticker on the backs of their helmets that simply reads 'Norm.” That's Iowa's former defensive coordinator Norm Parker, who passed away in January. He was still around the program and spent quite a bit of time in the Iowa football office. He was an excellent man and this is a nice honor.

- This is my first Iowa game in at least 10-plus seasons without The Hawke Eye's Susan Denk in the press box. Susan, who covered Iowa football for the Burlington paper for many years, passed away earlier this summer after suffering a heart attack.

That paragraph is something I thought I'd never write in a million years. Susan brought the light of life to what can be a humbling, manic and sometimes dehumanization job.

I will miss here. Please, keep her in your thoughts.

- Iowa QBs are warming up on the field. Everyone looks fit and healthy.

I don't see a series for C.J. Beathard, but that's my hunch based on the way Kirk Ferentz handled the question this week. In the spring, he was open and talked as though he were trying to sell maybe himself on the idea. This week, it was 'we'll see” and next question.

So, we'll see, but don't hold your breathe.

- Iowa specialists are out. This is Dillon Kidd's first game as the Hawkeyes punter. Also dressed, true freshmen kickers Mick Ellis and Miguel Recinos. They were junior Marshall Koehn's primary competition. Koehn was named starter this week.

- Koehn is clearly the kicker. He took all of the pregame reps with the No. 1 specialty unit of long snapper Tyler Kluver and holder Connor Kornbrath.

There is a slight wind into the south end zone, but Koehn boomed 48 yarders high and to the back of the net. The one thing that former Iowa kicker Mike Meyer told me before he graduated last year was Koehn has a very strong leg. The issue has been low trajectory. That seems to have cleared up.

- Iowa radio confirms Jewell has a broken hand and will be out a few weeks. He was a player definitely on the rise through camp. Sounds like he's targeting Iowa State.

- Team drill coming soon.

- Bo Bower is the starter at OLB. He started camp as a walk-on and is now a scholarshipped starter.

- KF on Norm: Not only did we lose a great coach, but a great friend and a great person.

- True freshman Ben Niemann is the No. 2 OLB.

- DE Nate Meier is the starter opposite Drew Ott, who is wearing a big brace on his left arm. Meier, 6-2, 244, went into camp behind senior Mike Hardy. KF said he had a great camp.

- Second OL (right to left): Boone Myers, Mitch Keppy, Tommy Gaul, Eric Simmons and Ike Boettger. 2nd DL: Meier, Faith Ekakitie, Jaleel Johnson, Bud Spears.

- I'll keep this open for another 15 or so minutes, in case I hear anything new.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@sourcemedia.net