By Tyler Devine

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Should football not work out for Riley Moss at the University of Iowa, he at least has a good backup plan.

Moss, a native of Ankeny, recently jumped to fourth in the national rankings in the 110-meter high hurdles for Ankeny Centennial after breaking the record at the Drake Relays last week with a time of 13.85 seconds.

For Moss, breaking records and shooting up the national rankings was never really in the plan.

“It’s exciting,” said Moss, who will be a gray shirt at Iowa next year. “Knowing that you’re fourth in the nation is really cool. I never thought I would be running this well.

“I’m just doing everything my coaches have been telling me in practice. Specifically with conditioning and correct technique and form when going over the hurdles.”

Luckily for Iowa fans, the plan was and still is for Moss to use his speed and athleticism on the football field.

Moss said his recent success on the track has not has not garnered him any recruiting attention, which is okay with him.

“I have not spoken (to the Iowa coaches) about doing both in college,” Moss said. “I like track a lot but I feel like it would get very busy and hard to manage.”

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Moss feels that his training in the hurdles will translate well at Iowa where he is projected to play defensive back.

“I would say the flexibility I gain from track and hurdling helps a lot in football, especially at defensive back,” Moss said. “Also the explosiveness from track translates to the football field as well.”

Moss has not thrown out the idea of running track in college if football doesn’t work out.

But for now, his heart remains on the gridiron and not the oval.

“My true love is football in the end,” Moss said. “It’s just nice to know that there’s a backup plan with track if football doesn’t work out somehow.

“I like hitting people. You can’t do that in track. I mean, you could, but that would be bad.”