Iowa Football Notebook: Depth Chart Fluid

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa’s depth chart is so fluid, even coach Kirk Ferentz isn’t positive who’s on it.

Ferentz, in his first in-season press convention on Tuesday, was requested about offensive lineman Gennings Dunker, who wasn’t listed on the two-deep for Saturday’s season opener in opposition to South Dakota State.

“He’s on the depth chart,” Ferentz mentioned.

When he was advised that Dunker wasn’t, Ferentz laughed and mentioned, “Effectively, put him on there.”

There are some locations the place the whole lot is determined.

Ferentz mentioned Spencer Petras can be the beginning quarterback over Alex Padilla after a spring and fall of “open competitors.”

However there are just a few spots the place there isn’t a transparent No. 1 or No. 2.

Take, for instance, kicker, the place Aaron Blom was at No. 1 and Drew Stevens was No. 2.

“I will let you know on Saturday,” Ferentz mentioned. “I do not know proper now.”

Actually, each will play. Who handles kickoffs and who handles discipline objectives, although, is undecided.

“We’ll see the place all of it goes,” Ferentz mentioned. “Proper now there is not any clear plan. We’re ready to see how the week performs out and the way they do.”

Accidents have helped jumble the depth chart from what it regarded like in fall camp.

​​Huge receiver Nico Ragaini isn’t listed after struggling an undisclosed harm throughout camp.

“It is going to be not less than a pair weeks, so he is not on the depth chart, which implies he has no likelihood to play this week,” Ferentz mentioned. “It is unlucky as a result of he is actually working towards properly, he’s a fantastic man, and one other considered one of our veteran gamers, so it will be nice to have him with us.”

Left off the depth chart had been the kick and punt returner spots. There are many candidates at both spot, Ferentz mentioned.

“We have got our group of fellows right here, and it is sort of just like the kicking place, however in all probability Cooper DeJean, actually Arland Bruce, Riley Moss, these prime three guys,” Ferentz mentioned. “(Alec) Wick can be a punt returner, so he is a chance. After which the opposite guys I would in all probability add to the kickoff can be possibly Gavin (Williams) and Leshon (Williams); these guys is likely to be within the combine there, too.”

FACING THE JACKRABBITS: South Dakota State is No. 2 within the STATS FCS preseason ballot so, sure, they’ve the Hawkeyes’ consideration.

Ferentz is aware of all too properly what FCS groups, particularly these from the always-difficult Missouri Valley Soccer Convention, can do. His groups have struggled in shut video games in opposition to Northern Iowa, and the Hawkeyes misplaced 23-21 at residence to North Dakota State in 2016.

Ferentz recalled the 17-16 win over UNI in 2009, when the Hawkeyes needed to block two kicks within the ultimate seconds to safe the victory.

“That is what I am saying — successful is just not simple,” Ferentz mentioned. “That was a miracle that we received in ’09 with an excellent soccer crew. We had a extremely good soccer crew because it proved out.”

The Jackrabbits are coming off a yr by which they performed 25 video games, reaching the FCS championship sport within the abbreviated spring season after which the semifinals within the fall.

“Each week is a problem, and we’re enjoying a crew that is received quite a lot of confirmed success and so they’ve received quite a lot of confirmed gamers coming again, so they have our complete consideration and complete respect,” Ferentz mentioned. “The minute you begin taking a look at it in another way, that is once you get in bother, I feel, in competitors.”

DAVIDKOV OUT FOR SEASON: Ferentz added offensive lineman David Davidkov to the checklist of gamers out for the season with accidents, becoming a member of offensive lineman Justin Britt and Jackson Ritter.