Iowa held its spring football-opening press conference Tuesday afternoon, as sure a sign that winter has broken as the groundhog not seeing its shadow. The big news items:
- Linebacker Ben Niemann, running back Derrick Mitchell, and cornerback Greg Mabin will not play this spring due to injury. Those injuries, which Ferentz said are largely lingering from last season, are added to offensive lineman James Daniels and cornerback Joshua Jackson, who were ruled out at the January press conference.
- Note that the list of injuries does not include C.J. Beathard, who had hernia surgery earlier this year.