Kirk Ferentz and members of the Iowa football team met the media Tuesday.
By Danny Payne
[email protected]
During his press conference Tuesday, football head coach Kirk Ferentz brought up a point many Iowa fans might not think of — quarterback C.J. Beathard will make his first start in Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.
Because Beathard has been the No. 1 quarterback in Iowa City since early January and played the majority of the snaps in Iowa’s TaxSlayer Bowl loss to Tennessee, it could be easy to overlook that he has only started one game in his career.
“I feel like it’s my team,” Beathard said. “It is a little different, I guess. This whole off-season, we’ve been working — I’ve known I was the guy, and I’ve just continued to improve and get better.
Of course, that comfort factor will be key not just in Iowa’s opener against Illinois State on Saturday but all season with Beathard under center. The junior said he’ll be ready for the Redbirds in Kinnick, and his teammates think so, too.
Beathard was named a captain — the only non-senior of the quartet — by his teammates for the team’s first game. That leadership will be key for the Hawkeyes, who are looking to get rid of a bad taste in their mouths after a mediocre 7-6 campaign a year ago.
“Realizing it’s actually [three] days away is exciting,” Beathard said. “You get excited, butterflies, and anxious for this game.”
Switching practice
Following Iowa’s last two games in 2014, Ferentz and his staff implemented changes.
Some players switched positions, as did coaches. The Hawkeyes moved into a sparkling new football building, among other things. Another departure from years past was Iowa moving its daily practices from afternoon to morning.
Ferentz and the players said it’s so far, so good.
“We’re only a week-and-a-half into it. Our players seem to love it,” Ferentz said. “… They seem to be enjoying it so far. And I think we’ve had quality practices, so that’s part of it.”
Along with Beathard, center Austin Blythe is a large supporter of the change, but he did admit it’s been an adjustment. Players said they like getting practice out of the way before classes begin and not to have to wait around until mid-afternoon to hit the field.
“This week it’s kind of more streamlined, we know what we need to do,” Blythe said. “Guys have routines down and I think it’s going to be a huge advantage for us.”
Iowa-Illinois State connections
Iowa’s Beathard won’t be the only Beathard with a direct influence on Saturday. C.J.’s uncle, Kurt Beathard, is the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Illinois State.
However, don’t assume one Beathard has an advantage over the other because of secrets being shared at family events.
“[Iowa’s defensive coaches] have asked me about some stuff, but I honestly don’t know,” C.J. Beathard said. “I and my uncle don’t talk about that stuff; I remember last season I would ask about how they played and if they won or whatever.”
Outside of the Beathards, former Iowa linebacker Reggie Spearman is listed as the backup at strong side linebacker for Illinois State.
Spearman, a junior from Chicago, transferred after a sophomore season in which he struggled on the field, particularly in pass coverage. Spearman also served a two-game suspension stemming from an OWI charge.
“We were good buddies here and stuff. I’m excited to see how he does on the field,” running back LeShun Daniels Jr. said. “We’ve [hit] in practice before, and honestly, I’m going to expect it on Saturday.”
Follow @dannyapayne on Twitter for news, updates, and analysis about the Iowa football team.
