IOWA TO HOLD OPEN PRACTICE IN DES MOINES AGAIN

In what's becoming an annual tradition, Iowa is holding an open practice in central Iowa during their regular spring practice session.

Central and western Iowa fans, this one happens just for you! http://t.co/UCSYeDm9Mu pic.twitter.com/c3h1JIKtYQ

— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) March 24, 2015

The practice will be held at West Des Moines Valley's Valley Stadium on Saturday, April 11, beginning at 12:30 PM.  There are no tickets and admission is free. Iowa begins spring practice tomorrow, March 25, and will wrap up the spring practice session with an open practice at Kinnick Stadium at 1 PM on Saturday, April 25.

This is the third straight year that Iowa has held an open practice in Des Moines, part of an increased outreach campaign by Iowa to bring the program closer to fans in central and western Iowa.  Measuring the impact or effectiveness of those efforts is difficult, but it seems like a good idea, particularly given both the prevalence of Iowa and Nebraska fans in those portions of the state, as well as improved visibility for the football recruits who play for CIML schools.  (Anecdotally, Iowa has certainly seemed to have better luck landing CIML kids in the last few classes.)

And, as luck would have it, Iowa's open practice in Des Moines also coincides with end of Iowa State's spring practice session -- and an open practice of their own in Ames.  If memory serves, this is the second year in a row that Iowa's open practice in Des Moines has been the same day as Iowa State's open practice in Ames.  Care to comment on that, Gary Barta?

I thought so.

More information about Iowa's open practice in Des Moines is available here.