Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz speaks with the media each Tuesday during the football season. Every week, The Daily Iowan‘s Pregame Staff will post highlights and interesting quotes and lines from Ferentz’s press conference.

By Danny Payne
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Let’s get down to business. As of Monday night — 8,700 tickets remaining for Maryland, and roughly 800 singles for the Minnesota night game, according to Iowa sports info.

• First word: Thanks
• Ferentz says he thinks his team had a productive bye week. Thinks players got time to take care of things socially and academically.
• 42 percent of the season, and 63 percent of the Big Ten season remaining, according to Ferentz.
• Captains — Lomax, Ott, Beathard, Blythe
• Ott’s surgery was successful, and he’s moving towards beginning the rehabilitation process.
• Jordan Canzeri and Ike Boettger will miss this week due to injuries. Expect Tevaun Smith, Boone Myers, and LeShun Daniels Jr. to be in this week against Maryland, assuming there are no setbacks this week.
• Ferentz calls Maryland quarterback Perry Hills “dangerous.”
• Ferentz says he plans to play Boone Myers at left tackle, Cole Croston at right, and rotate at guard.
• Canzeri is a week-to-week ankle injury. “It was a lot better two days after than maybe we anticipated … when he is able to play, I’m not sure yet.”
• Ferentz praised his tight ends play this season, and is looking forward to getting Jake Duzey back in the mix as soon as possible.
• Ferentz said Maryland “definitely isn’t bashful defensively.” Says Derrick Mitchell Jr. and Wadley are progressing picking up blitzes.
• “We’ve got 62.5 percent of our Big Ten scheduled left, to be exact.” To worry about the national attention “would be silly.” “I’d say that talk is premature.”
• Ferentz says he used a “what do you call those, a calculator. I have a phone, too” to find that 62.5 number. Says he did not do long division to see that percentage, and apologizes to his high-school math teacher for using a calculator.
• Ferentz still thinks Iowa could beat anyone on its schedule, but also thinks his team could lose to anyone on its schedule.
• Ferentz is unwavering on his team staying focused on every week’s game and not looking ahead to College Football Playoff polls, other attention, etc.
• “We gave them 72 hours [off]. I’m not a tyrant.”
• Ferentz said he was “the most surprised person in Illinois” after Iowa’s win over Northwestern.
• There’s that “waiting for the other shoe to drop” comment on Iowa’s practice schedule. So far, so good. He’s hoping he doesn’t see any negatives.
• Ferentz says Beathard and Josey Jewell are “playing older than their experience would dictate.”