April 24, 2013
Spring Practice No. 13 Photo Gallery
- Portions of the G. Davis News Conference
- 2013 NFL Draft Central
- 2013 Spring Camp Central
- Read the April issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
- 2013 Signing Day Central
- Hawkeyes in the NFL
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone/iPad app!
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- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Greg Davis is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the University of Iowa football team. Davis wore his quarterbacks coach hat for the majority of a news conference Wednesday in the Hayden Fry Football Complex.
Although Davis eventually gave answers to inquiries about Hawkeye tight ends, running the football, and freshmen wide receivers, the bulk of his day was spent discussing the three-horse race between signal-callers C.J. Bethard, Jake Rudock, and Cody Sokol.
“We have no idea right now who the quarterback will be,” Davis said. “They have all done some good things, but they have not separated themselves yet. I see encouraging things from all three of them. That part makes you happy, but I wish one of them would go out and separate.”
Davis is in his second season at the UI. Last season senior quarterback James
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“Some things you can’t evaluate in practice because they are not going to get hit. Some of those things you can’t decide until you’re playing live football. Hopefully by the mid-part of camp in August we’ll be able to make a decision. If not, we’ll see where it goes.”
Greg Davis
UI offensive coordinator |
Vandenberg took every offensive snap, completing 57.3-percent of his passes for an average of 187.4 yards per game. The Hawkeyes averaged 286.8 yards of offense per game.
Iowa hopes to boost its offensive numbers with more big plays in 2013. Being another year into the Davis system and familiarity with the terminology should help, too.
“We’re much further along at this point,” Davis said. “They have a better grasp of some of the conceptual things, so they are getting to it quicker and playing faster. We’re much closer to being on the same page snap after snap than we were last year.”
Davis said that most coaches prefer a “this is the guy” approach to the quarterback position, but right now for the Hawkeyes, it is “these are the guys.” To come out on top of the depth chart, Davis is looking for the starter to be able to extend plays, make plays off-schedule, take care of the football, and make big plays.
During the spring, all three quarterbacks rotated every two snaps in practice. That plan was modified to letting each quarterback finish his own drive, which will probably be the case Saturday during the annual spring scrimmage inside Kinnick Stadium. Davis does not envision the competition being settled in spring, or even by the time Iowa opens the season Aug. 31 against Northern Illinois.
“Some things you can’t evaluate in practice because they are not going to get hit,” Davis said. “Some of those things you can’t decide until you’re playing live football. Hopefully by the mid-part of camp in August we’ll be able to make a decision. If not, we’ll see where it goes.”
Iowa will hold its annual open spring practice Saturday, present by Coke Zero. Gates to Kinnick Stadium open at 1 p.m. (CT), with drills and scrimmage beginning at 2. There is no admission charge, but fans are invited to contribute non-perishable food items. The first 5,000 fans who make a donation will receive a souvenir ANF “Farm Strong” poster featuring Casey Wiegmann.