Iowa Football Players Notebook: Riley Moss on Matt Hankins' Plan

Gavin Williams More Comfortable in Zone Blocking Scheme

Iowa cornerback Riley Moss asks for crowd noise during a game against Penn State on Oct. 9, 2021 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Riley Moss considers the question - Is he at peace with his decision to bypass his NFL shot for another season at Iowa? 

He looks behind him in the Hawkeyes' indoor practice facility. Former teammates are working out for their shot at the pros. 

"Yeah, I am," Moss says of his choice. "There's still stuff like waking up at 5:45 (a.m. for practice) when I could be out here training at 11."

Despite lamenting early rising for Iowa practice while others his age sleep in before workouts, Moss is happy. 

"It's rewarding," he said earlier this week of another spring practice session. "I'm not complaining one bit because I'm excited for this season, this team and the opportunity to play for coach (Kirk) Ferentz." 

Moss (6-1, 194) returns after being named Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in 2021. The cornerback intercepted four passes in 11 games. He missed three contests with a knee injury. 

Entering his fifth season with 1,726 snaps under his belt, the Ankeny (IA) Centennial High product is one of three Hawkeyes in history with three Pick-6s. His 239 interception return yards rank second at Iowa. 

Moss wrestled with his decision during the offseason. In the end, he looked to fellow Hawkeye cornerback and friend, Matt Hankins, who held off on the NFL in '21 for a fifth season of college. 

"I'm on the Matt Hankins' plan. That's my plan. His true senior year he played well but he wasn't at the level that he wanted to be at. He came back and handled things like a pro. He prepared like a pro. He went through his week like a pro. 

"It helps that I graduated last year like he did before his fifth year. He could really focus on football. That's kind of my goal. I want to do things like Matt Hankins did because he prepared very well." 

Getting up with the roosters is a small price to pay for being more prepared for the pros. 

"I've kind of gotten into a routine," Moss said. "I'll wake up, grab a coffee and I'll be good. It's all mental." 

GETTING MORE COMFORTABLE

Gavin Williams performed well in receiving his first extended playing time as an Iowa running back last season. The 6-foot, 211-pounder led the team in rushing in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Capitol One Bowl. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry on 65 attempts for the year. 

Atop the depth chart this spring with the departure of starter Tyler Goodson to the NFL Draft, Williams is fine-tuning his game. That includes proficiency in the zone blocking scheme. It takes patience, which isn't always natural for a player at the position. 

"Once you get the ball, it's kind of hard to slow down because you're like, OK, I gotta go, I gotta go, I gotta go," he said. "Detailing that and making sure we're flowing into our inside zones or whatever we're doing, I feel like it's been a challenge, but not in a bad way. 

"I feel like that will help us as running backs be more decisive and make the cuts we're supposed to make." 

There's chemistry and continuity that comes with Iowa's scheme. Williams sees that coming together this spring. 

"One hundred percent. I feel like just getting more reps and getting used to running with the O-Line you're running with, the quarterback, just getting the feeling down of your tracks and everything," he said. 

"It's a great experience and feeling of blending with your team and figuring out, OK, this is how our O-Line blocks. Just getting that feeling of what you feel like the O-Line is going to do, it will help you as a player anticipate what you're supposed to do." 

READY FOR ROUND 2

Arland Bruce IV flashed potential last season during his opportunities as a true freshman. The second-year receiver learned a lot from the experience. 

The Kansas City native feels better prepared for Year 2. 

"You could say it's easier having a year under your belt, just feeling confident that you know what you're doing and what the defense is doing," he said. 

Bruce IV (5-10, 193) saw action in all 14 games during '21. He caught 25 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown. He rushed 10 times for 65 yards and three scores. 

The Hawkeyes are working this spring on improving a passing offense that ranked 109th out of 130 FBS programs last fall. The 11.36 yards per completion rated 96th. 

Iowa returns quarterbacks Spencer Petras and Alex Padilla, who took all of the team's meaningful reps last year. Bruce says that's helping this spring. 

"I think that's huge. The pass game is really about timing. Timing is everything, getting to the top of routes, having the quarterbacks get their drop steps," he said.