Iowa Hawkeye Football Releases Two-Deeps For NIU; Jake Rudock Named Starting Quarterback

SURPRISE! SURPRISE! Iowa officially released the two-deeps for the first game next Saturday with Northern Illinois and Jake Rudock will be Iowa's starting quarterback. Kirk Ferentz had said prior to fall camp that Rudock, C.J. Beathard and Cody Sokol would get an equal shot to earn the starting quarterback spot. Halfway through camp rumors began to emerge that Rudock was getting a majority of the reps with Beathard and Sokol splitting reps with the second team. This is Rudock's team, for the first week anyway.

Jake Rudock named Iowa QB.. Ferentz: "All 3 returning QBs have competed well and improved in each phase of our preseason camp." #Hawkeyes

— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) August 23, 2013

Ferentz: "We plan to start Jake in our season opener, and we are all confident he will do a quality job." #Hawkeyes

— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) August 23, 2013

HERE IS YOUR TWO-DEEP FOR NIU.

QB: Jake Rudock (SO), C.J. Beathard (RS FR)/Cody Sokol (JR)

FB: Adam Cox (SO) , Macon Plewa (SO)

RB: Mark Weisman (JR) / Damon Bullock (JR) , Jordan Canzeri (SO)

WR: Kevonte Martin-Manley (JR) , Jordan Cotton (SR) / Jacob Hillyer (SO)

WR: Don Shumpert (SR), Tevaun Smith (SO)

TE: C.J. Fiedorowicz (SR), Ray Hamilton (JR)/Jake Duzey (SO)

LT: Brandon Scherff (JR), Nolan MacMillan (SR)

LG: Conor Boffeli (SR), Eric Simmons (SO)

C: Austin Blythe (SO), Tommy Gaul (JR)

RG: Jordan Walsh (SO), Andrew Donnal (JR)

RT: Brett Van Sloten (SR), Ryan Ward (RS FR)

DEFENSE:

DE: Drew Ott (SO) / Mike Hardy (JR)

DT: Carl Davis (JR), Darian Cooper (SO)

DT: Louis Trinca-Pasat (JR), Jaleel Johnson (RS FR)

DE: Dominic Alvis (SR), Riley McMinn (SO)/ Nate Meier (SO)

OLB: Christian Kirksey (SR), Travis Perry (SO)

MLB: James Morris (SR), Quinton Alston (JR)

WLB: Anthony Hitchens (SR), Marcus Collins (JR) / Cole Fisher (SO)

CB: B.J. Lowery (SR), Maurice Fleming (RS FR)

CB: Jordan Lomax (SO), Gavin Smith (SR)

FS: Tanner Miller (SR), Anthony Gair (RS FR)

SS: Johnny Lowdermilk (JR),  Nico Law (JR)

PT: Connor Kornbrath (SO)

PK: Mike Meyer (SR), Marshal Koehn (SO)

Kevonte listed as the PR, Cotton & Canzeri on KR (just as I suspected might be the case). #Hawkeyes

— Brendan Stiles (@thebstiles) August 23, 2013

LET'S TRY SOMETHING NEW HERE. Below is a Twitter gadget to a Twitter list I created of Hawkeye media members. You may have seen this embedded in your other favorite blogs elsewhere. The idea is to get real-time Twitter reaction from Hawkeye media members. If you like it, let us know. Same if not.

Tweets from @PlannedSickDays/hawkmedia

WHAT ELSE IS INTERESTING? Here's the pre-camp two-deeps released in July. Don Shumpert has beaten out sophomore Tevaun Smith for the starting nod at wide receiver. No doubt they'll both see plenty of snaps versus Northern Illinois as will Damond Powell who's not listed.

Jordan Walsh appears to be holding off Andrew Donnal for now but Ferentz said there could be a rotation at guard. Nolan MacMillan is listed at left tackle but could also work into that guard rotation.

Nate Meier makes the depth chart sharing defensive end duties with Riley McMinn. Gone is Daumantas Venckus-Cucchiara and Faith Ekakitie from the defensive end positions.

John Lowdermilk is the starter at strong safety. Gavin Smith gets listed ahead of probably nickle back Sean Draper and newcomer Desmond King. Let's hope that's a tip of the hat for a solid fall effort from Mr. Smith.