The open practice is now just a couple hours away. I'm taking my kid (he's 2) and wife (older than 2). It'll be my kid's first trip to Kinnick, so I'm excited about that. He is well aware of Hawkeye Football, so I think he'll be excited too. So, I'll probably be a little more in father mode today rather than blogger mode, but I should still have some pictures and updates later tonight or tomorrow.

The lowdown

What: Kids at Kinnick
When: Today, gates open at 11:00, practice starts at 12:00
Where: Kinnick Stadium
Price: It's FREE!

What I'm watching

Offensive Line - I'll be specifically looking at the center position. A couple pictures on hawkeyesports.com have shown James Ferentz as the first-teamer, but other more recent photos show Josh Koeppel. With just 3 weeks until the opening kickoff, whoever is the starter today is a likely bet to start against Eastern Illinois.

The right side of the line may also have potential for some changes. I think Adam Gettis and Markus Zusevics have a pretty good hold on the spots, but I'll be watching the second stringers to see if anyone really impresses and may be pushing for a starting spot.

Running Backs - This is not a huge concern, but with Jewel Hampton's 1-week suspension and Brandon's Wegher leave, week one may not have a lot of depth. So it'll be interesting to see how the guys further down the depth chart perform.

A quick note on Wegher: Kirk Ferentz was one the Scott Van Pelt show yesterday for a whole 3 minutes or so, but did address Wegher's leave. He said that Wegher is away from the team for personal reason and will hopefully be returning to the team soon. That should put this issue to rest.

Kickers - I had a thought the other day that Iowa could legitimately use 4 kickers in a game. Johnny Mullings for kickoffs, Daniel Murray for longer field goals, Trent Mossbrucker for shorter field goals, and Ryan Donahue for punts. It would be more ideal if one of the placekickers just wins the good outright.