Video Sessions -- Inside drills

There is some fun stuff here. You can see who can move, set, punch, all that good lineman stuff.

I really liked the drills with the LBs involved. I thought most everyone stood up well. There are a couple de-cleats.

Critical question No. 2

-- How big of a deal was it that OT Brandon Scherff decided to stay for his senior year?

I try to stay away from 'no duh” statements, but there that is. Without Scherff, Iowa would have two new starters and two backups with little or no playing time at offensive tackle.

Senior Andrew Donnal is set to start at right tackle. Everyone around the program believes that's a job he'll seize. Sophomores Ryan Ward and Cole Croston (a walk-on) are behind Donnal. They saw some mop-up time last season. Walk-on redshirt freshman Boone Myers is listed as the No. 2 left tackle behind Scherff, but he also lined up at left guard during yesterday's practice.

The fact they're trying Myers a few places says they like him. Croston is still in the body-build mode, but he's the 6-5, long-armed prototype Kirk Ferentz has had around the tackle depth chart forever.

This year is the gap year. You've heard Ferentz talk before about using OL scholarships in the speed positions (wide receiver in ‘13, corner last recruiting class). Iowa has potential tackles Landen and Levi Paulsen committed for 2015. Iowa didn't find any OT recruiting matches for ‘14, so walk-ons are an important chunk of the depth chart.

There's a risk here, but Scherff really, really softened the bet.

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