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WELCOME TO OUR HUMBLE ABODE
The Big Ten Network watched Iowa practice today, and they were impressed!
So, uh, Desmond King is pretty good pic.twitter.com/bQHptgkRaz
— Dave Revsine (@BTNDaveRevsine) August 17, 2016
So far, this @HawkeyeFootball practice has been among the most physical I have seen on the tour. pic.twitter.com/ug8kOL9p4q
— Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) August 17, 2016
Great to see C.J. Beathard slinging it around for @hawkeyefootball #KickoffOnBTN pic.twitter.com/RE4fP68HYQ
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) August 17, 2016
This Iowa team looks alarmingly similar to last year's Iowa team. That's a good thing.
— Dave Revsine (@BTNDaveRevsine) August 17, 2016
We even learned a few things, too!
Brian Ferentz told me he really likes James Daniels, who he says will play center for @HawkeyeFootball. This line will be outstanding.
— Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) August 17, 2016
Always interesting to see where the head coach spends the most time. With Kirk Ferentz at Iowa, it's line play pic.twitter.com/Y68c3xyg9e
— Dave Revsine (@BTNDaveRevsine) August 17, 2016
HIT THE LINKS
Iowa’s kicking and punting duties are up in the air, writes Marc Morehouse.
Another great Where are They Now from Mitch Smith. This one’s on Ettore Ewen, who wrestling fans may will recognize as “Big E.”
Some fancy sportswriters in Texas are calling Iowa commit Chevin Calloway the best defensive back in the state.
Sean Welsh looking like Marshall Yanda? That’s ... that’s a good thing.
ESPN ranks Iowa’s linebacking corps among the best in the B1G.
YEAH WE KNOW HE’S GOOD
Iowa CB Desmond King has missed only 5 of 138 tackle attempts last 2 years.
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) August 16, 2016
Finished 2nd in tackling efficiency in 2015, 13th in 2014
Medal Watch
Former Iowa trackster Troy Doris missed the cut to earn a medal in the triple jump. Competing for his parents’ home country Guyana, Doris placed seventh in the eight-man competition and was apparently hampered by a few false jumps.
And They Look Bad While Doing It
Jim Weber, the founder of Lost Letterman (whatever happened to that?) and jersey connoisseur ranked Iowa State as having some of the ugliest uniforms in college football. Wuddya know, their threads also match their playing style.
There Be Speculation
Iowa and its players have appeared on numerous preseason watch lists and even made it to No. 15 in the coaches preseason poll the other week. And as we approach the season, Hawkeye football still sits on the tongue of national media.
ESPN’s Todd McShay ranked his top QB prospects for 2017 ($), and what do you know, C.J. Beathard made the list at No. 4. This is the same Todd McShay who said that Minnesota’s Mitch Leidner could be a sleeper first-round pick, so take all this with a grain of bath salts.
Stewart Mandel, who earned the title of Most Hated Sportswriter after calling Kirk Ferentz one of the worst coaches in the country a few years ago, picked the Hawks to win the B1G West this season. YOUR APOLOGIES WON’T DO YOU ANY GOOD, STEW. WE HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN.
ESPN put Iowa at #4 in its preseason B1G power rankings.