Iowa's Backup Linebackers Receiving Extended Spring Look

Injuries to Starters Freeing up Reps for Reserves

Seth Wallace’s big hitters aren’t seeing any pitches this spring.

Wallace, Iowa’s linebackers coach, was using a lot of baseball references on Wednesday to describe the workload of his position group during spring workouts.

The three starters on Wallace’s depth chart — Jack Campbell, Seth Benson and Jestin Jacobs — are working through various medical issues this spring. Nothing significant, Wallace said, but their rest is a good thing.

“Where you are seated, where fans are seated right now, I think they’re probably looking at this as, ‘Wow, you’ve got Benson, you’ve got Campbell, you’ve got Jacobs, you’ve got experience, you’ve got maybe a little depth behind them,’” Wallace said. “The way I’m looking at it, the three men, the ones I mentioned, are on limited roles right now, for obvious reasons. When you take so much batting practice during the season, your body is going to take a lot of wear and tear.”

It’s OK, though, Wallace said, he knows plenty about those three.

Campbell led the Hawkeyes with 143 tackles last season. Benson was second with 105. Jacobs was fifth with 53.

That’s a lot of pounding to take, so there’s no need to take swings in the spring.

“It’s just in their benefit to rest and get healthy, get their bodies where they need to be as we make the push into the summer,” Wallace said.

But it’s a chance for Wallace to get his younger linebackers plenty of work.

Jay Higgins is behind Campbell at middle linebacker. Kyler Fisher is behind Benson at weakside linebacker. Logan Klemp is a backup behind Jacobs at the Cash/LEO spot. All three were mentioned by Wallace, along with Jaden Harrell and Karson Scharer, as players who have taken the biggest steps during the first seven practices in the spring.

“You try to get the other ones in there, because they need to see the fastball, the curveball, the changeup,” Wallace said. “It’s the kind of variables that your young guys, your backups, need to see. If they see it in the spring, it isn’t new, they aren’t playing catch-up in the fall. That midsection of the depth chart, you’re trying to move them from middle reliever into a starting spot.”

The Hawkeyes have depth, Wallace said, it’s just about getting those players in certain situations.

“We’re looking at the future, what depth we have behind the guys who have done this work,” Wallace said. “From a coaching standpoint, this is a welcome opportunity for what may exist behind that front door.”

Wallace is making sure his starters, though, stay engaged, and he’s pleased with what they have done.

“These guys don’t just come out to practice,” Wallace said. “It’s not like they’re collecting dust, not like they’re standing around. There’s a full-fledged plan for these guys for about 80 percent of the practice.”

Wallace said the leadership of the players is evident in position group meetings.

“They’re in there, they’re meeting with the younger guys, they’re coaching them up,” he said. “They’ve done extremely well.”

Wallace said Campbell has used the time to break down his game more.

“It’s not the physical, it’s not the one-on-one stuff,” he said. “It’s more on the mental side, just how fast can he speed the game up.

“As I stand up in the room, and cover what’s on the board behind me, you look down at him and there’s three paragraphs of notes and he’s on to the next page. I think a lot of that is the self-discipline and drive that the young man has. As long as he keeps that up, then I think he’ll improve. The game will slow down as he speeds up.”