Incumbent Jake Christensen’s first pass attempt was intercepted by second-string cornerback Chris Rowell and returned 53 yards for a touchdown, and sophomore Ricky Stanzi split reps with the first team, leaving 15,000 anxious fans wondering who will be under center when the Hawkeyes open the 2008 schedule Aug. 30 against Maine.
“I don’t really think we care too much,” Christensen said after the team wrapped its 15th and final spring practice. “We love our fans, but we’re still working on a lot of stuff right now.”
Christensen, unofficially, completed 10 of 16 passes for 134 yards during the controlled scrimmage. He was sacked five times. He threw high. He threw wide. He threw low. He threw long. His best effort came on his last completion, a perfectly thrown ball to a streaking Trey Stross for a 45-yard touchdown.
Stanzi, a sophomore who played in only two games last season, made good on 8 of 13 attempts for 108 yards Saturday, hitting a diving Stross for a 40-yard score. He hardly looked Big Ten ready, though. He was intercepted on a pass thrown high over the middle — a finger-tip grab by sophomore safety Diauntae Morrow — and seemed to have trouble releasing a tight spiral in the rain.
“It was probably a slice of the spring — some hot and cold, some good and bad,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “But I thought in certain situations, we did things better than we have been.”
Ferentz said the competition at quarterback won’t be decided until August and added redshirt freshman Marvin McNutt, who struggled Saturday aside from a 40-yard completion to Ben Evans, still is in the picture.
“Jake’s the No. 1 guy. He’s the most experienced out of any of them,” said senior receiver Andy Brodell, who had a pair of 25-yard catches in his return from hamstring surgery. “The biggest thing is I think Rick and Marvin both had good springs and both positioned themselves to be able to play in the fall. Last year, I don’t think that was the case. I think Jake was the guy. It’s going to be good, because we’re deeper at that position now.”
Deep, yes, but the quality of that depth remains in question. It is a pool three incoming recruits — John Wienke, James Vandenberg and David Blackwell, who were on the sideline during Saturday’s scrimmage — will improve. It’s unlikely, though, that any of the three will step in and play as a true freshman.
So, it’s Christensen, Stanzi and McNutt. And from the looks of things Saturday, it’ll be Christensen or Stanzi.
“In my mind, there’s no question,” Christensen said. “You can never have doubt in your abilities. In my mind, I’m the guy.”
“That’s all in the hands of the coaches,” Stanzi added. “That’s nothing we need to worry about. We just come in and compete, and we let the coaches decide from there.”
Eric Page can be contacted at (563) 383-2277 or epage@qctimes.com.
