By Adam Hensley and Courtney Baumann | [email protected] | [email protected]

Iowa football head coach Kirk Ferentz noted that Jake Gervase’s name is in the conversation about Brandon Snyder’s replacement.

The Davenport native made a case for himself April 21 with 3 interceptions as the Hawkeye defense won the Spring Game, 63-47.

“It looked like he had the script,” Ferentz said. “He really looked like he had good jumps on those balls, read them well, and made some good plays, certainly.”

Gervase’s first pick came when he jumped a route and snagged a pass from Tyler Wiegers, taking it inside the 20-yard line and setting up the offense for the only offensive touchdown of the first half.

His second interception of the half came on another pass from Wiegers. The overthrown ball found its way right into Gervase’s hands in stride, and the junior cut across the field en route to a Pick-6.

That score was the game’s second touchdown.

The free safety hauled in his third interception of the game on a Nathan Stanley pass. Gervase took advantage of an underthrown ball – the receiver failed to turn around in time for the throw.

Gervase almost recorded interception No. 4 after tying up a receiver and getting his hands on a ball thrown by Ryan Boyle.

With the indefinite absence of Snyder, Gervase knows the need for someone to step up in the secondary.

“I’m just trying to take advantage of every opportunity,” he said. “Next-man-in mentality, nothing’s guaranteed. Given the opportunity, I just tried to make the most of it.”

Quarterback battle

April 21 was a pretty unspectacular showing for Iowa’s quarterback squad. Junior Tyler Wiegers and sophomore Nathan Stanley switched every drive, but both lacked any notable action.

So, the question of who will start that first game in September will remain.

If Ferentz had to choose right now, he said, he would have to flip a coin. Thankfully for the head coach, he doesn’t have to, because if he did, he “would be in trouble.”

“Luckily, we’re going to have at least 15 to 18 practices before we have to make the decision,” Ferentz said. “We’ll have to make it somewhere in camp; that’s stating the obvious, but one of two things is going to happen. One guy is going to pull away pretty quickly when we get going back in August, or it’s going to be back and forth, and we’ll just have to figure something out from there.”

Although the quarterbacks threw 3 interceptions during the game — all of which landed in the hands of Gervase — Ferentz said he isn’t too worried just yet.

Regardless, both Ferentz and Stanley acknowledged that there is work to do at the quarterback position.

“I think we’ve just got a long ways to go. We’re still working on some teamwork, some chemistry, still getting everything in the playbook,” Stanley said after the scrimmage. “Coming out, playing live, I think we did all right. We’ve still got a long ways to go, though.”

No Wadley, no problem

With senior running back Akrum Wadley only participating in non-contact drills, Iowa worked with two main running backs tonight: Toks Akinribade and Toren Young.

Both backs possess different running styles. Akinribade – a 6-foot, 208-pound sophomore – relies on speed more than sheer force, while Young (5-11, 220 pounds) thrives on a lower pad level, bouncing off defenders.

Young looked as though he would begin the season as the No. 2 back behind Wadley after his performance tonight.

“Toren gets better every day,” Wadley said. “He’s hungry.”

He scored a 14-yard touchdown in the first half and broke off numerous 10-plus yard gains in the second.

“I liked the energy he ran with and the toughness he ran with,” Ferentz said. “He’s pretty much been doing that all spring. We don’t do a lot of live work, but when we do, he’s looked pretty good out there.”