The Hawkeye football team met with assembled media on Wednesday to discuss the team’s spring practice.
There won’t be an Iowa football game until Sept. 3, but the team will host an open practice on April 8, and the team’s spring game will be played on April 23.

Here’s what the Iowa players had to say:

C.J. Beathard, quarterback
On this part of the season: “It’s spring ball, it’s all about seeing who’s going to step up. It’s trying to get better as a team, trying to get better individually.”

Beathard doesn’t have Austin Blythe as center anymore: “It’s a lot different. We have Sean Welsh in there right now as a center, and it’s his first time in that position since high school.”

Josey Jewell, linebacker

Now a permanent captain, Jewell has a new set of responsibilities; “We have some underclassmen that need to be shown the way, by numerous guys on the team, so I think the upperclassmen have to show some leadership.”

It’s a young linebacker group: “We don’t have a lot of experience out there right now with Aaron [Mends], and he needs to be helped a long a little bit, but he knows his place and what he needs to do.”

George Kittle, tight end

On his role: “I’m responsible for my group now. You have to keep the backyard clean … It’s different, I’ve looked up to Hank [Henry Krygier Coble] and Jake [Duzey] for the past couple years and now it’s on me. It’s a good feeling.”

On fellow tight end Jameer Outsey: “He’s just a player. He loves football, and it comes to him naturally. It’s exciting to see someone like that, because he plays balls-to-the-walls. He looks like he’s been doing it his whole life.”

He’s added some weight, too: “I added 10 pounds … It makes blocking a little easier, and I feel a little heavier. It feels good.”