Hotly contested battle unfolding at split end
By Rani Simawe
Iowa City, Iowa – One of the biggest questions for the Iowa football team entering the 2016 season is who will replace Tevaun Smith as the starting split end?
His graduation leaves Iowa without one of its most explosive and productive receivers from last season.
The buzz this offseason has centered on sophomore Jerminic Smith (no relation) and redshirt sophomore Jay Scheel as the leading candidates to replace Tevaun Smith. Expectations are high for both of the young receivers as the 2016 season approaches.
Jerminic Smith showed flashes last season, catching six passes for 141 yards, while Scheel has yet to catch a pass in college, but has shined in practice.
“It’s fun because I push Jay and Jay pushes me,” Jerminic Smith said Saturday at Iowa’s annual media day event. “We learn off of each other.”
Take away senior receiver Matt VandeBerg, who caught 65 passes for 703 yards last season, and Iowa is virtually untested at the receiver position.
In addition to losing Tevaun Smith, Iowa will be without receiver Jacob Hillyer, who also used up his eligibility last season.
“We’ve lost two (receivers), so which one of these young guys is going to come on?” Iowa offensive coordinator Greg Davis asked Saturday at media day. “Those are the things that you’re trying to do at camp.
“Jay and Jerminic right now have a battle going on. They both have made plays. We’re only three days in, but they both have made plays in three days.”
Vandeberg has assumed a leadership role as a proven senior. His experience and work ethic have helped Jerminic Smith and Scheel develop.
“He’s a very good leader,” Jerminic Smith of VandeBerg. “He tells us every day we come in to push ourselves.”
Vandeberg likes the potential and work ethic of both young receivers.
Jerminic Smith, who is from Garland, Texas, showed his potential by catching four passes for 118 yards during a 29-20 victory against Illinois last season.
“You guys saw Jerminic that Saturday against Illinois when he went off,” Vandeberg said. “Jay’s been doing a lot of good things as far as spring ball and all that.”
Smith and Scheel have traveled different routes to reach the top of the depth chart.
Smith was one of four true freshmen to play last season, whereas Scheel was redshirted as a true freshman in 2014 and then played briefly in just two games last season.
Smith was also the first true freshman in the Kirk Ferentz era to gain more than 100 yards receiving with his performance against Illinois.
“I’m very encouraged by those two guys,” Davis said.
Scheel has mostly been a curiosity to fans since becoming a Hawkeye. His career got off to a slow start as he was hobbled by knee injuries as a true freshman.
Scheel wasn’t made available to reporters at media day on Saturday. But his climb up the depth chart was among the topics discussed during the annual event.
Scheel started climbing the depth chart this past spring to where he was named a co-starter at split end heading into preseason practice.
“He’s had a really good three days,” Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard said of Scheel, who was a star dual-threat quarterback at Union High School in LaPorte City. “It’s just about stacking the days and seeing what happens.”
Beathard will have plenty of opportunities to advise Jerminic Smith during preseason practice, being that they are roommates. Smith described the arrangement as all business with little time for anything else but football.
“We all come here every day and grind as hard as we can,” Smith said.