The rankings? No. 14 in the coaches’ poll, No. 18 in the Associated Press poll.

The reaction?

"We’re 3-0, but we really haven’t accomplished a heck of a lot," Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz said today.

"We’ve got a lot of progress yet to make before anybody talks about us being a ranked team."

Arizona State (2-0), Iowa’s opponent at 5:05 p.m. Saturday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City….now there’s a top-20 team.

A legitimate top-20 team.

"I didn’t mean it as a slam when I said Arizona State [No. 16 in both polls] is a legitimate top-20 team," Ferentz said on the Big Ten coaches’ teleconference. "They are, in my mind, and we’re not.

"I think preseason rankings are worthless and early-September rankings are accurate on about 10 or 12 teams."

"He’s doing a lot of great things for us," Ferentz said. "He’s making progress each week."

"That being said, it sure helps having a guy like Robert Gallery. There’s not a finer player in the country—and I say that with all due respect to the other great players. I can’t imagine there’s a better offensive lineman in the country."

However, Ferentz said today that "in that recruitment period we weren’t looking at running backs. We were pretty well stocked. Maybe if I’d known what would have happened to our running backs situation—it’s been a little bumpy back there for us with injuries—maybe that was a mistake."

Hill, a standout at City High in Iowa City and the brother of former Hawkeye player Kahlil Hill, is now a reserve at Arizona State.

"I don’t know what that is all about, whether it’s his idea or not," my source tells me. "No word yet on who will replace him."

At that place, of course, it’s anybody’s guess these days on whether a guy’s new job is his idea or someone else’s.

I’ve also got another scoop. I beat the local paper’s resident cheap-shot specialist on this one, too. But it was easy. Don’t forget, he doesn’t write gossip and goings-on at his own place for fear of being transferred to the farm department or classified ad sales.

This is an internal memo put out by sports editor Randy Brubaker under the subject "Sports Staffing:"

"I’m pleased to announce that Dave Witke will be returning to the newsroom in a part-time, temporary role to work in Sports.

"As most of you know, Dave retired in 2002 after serving the Register well in a number of roles through the years—including managing editor, sports editor and copy editor.

Witke took an early-retirement package from the local paper more than a year ago. He is a very nice man who was screwed over at least a couple of times there—the last when he was run out of the sports editor job by a cold-blooded editor who, thank goodness, is no longer in town.

The person who tipped me off about Witke’s return to the local paper expressed "shock" about it. But I’m not surprised.

Unlike most others who have left the local paper in recent years, Witke is a guy who misses the newsroom. For that reason, I’m happy he’s able to return for a few hours a week so he can help the writing of some people, both young and not-so-young, who obviously need it.

From Ames:

"Quite disappointing Saturday. Our special teams gave up a lot of points….if a team has 12 more first downs and 130 yards more offense, they should certainly be in the game, if not win it.

"One criticism of some of the e-mails you received….how good can Iowa’s defense be if it gave up 400-plus yards to the Clones?"

From Ames:

"I agree with you. Mac (that’s Coach Dan McCarney) has too much invested in this program to have a 2- or 3-win season. At the same time, a .500 record will be a real challenge.

"I really believe the key is to win at Northern Illinois. (I said before the season, the best pre-conference record achievable would be 3-1, and this is still attainable.)"

From Ames:

"Aw, c’mon, you know the Cyclone Marching Band is better than the Hawkeye Marching Band. Nice column, though. Usually a good read."

-- (signed) Alex Larson, Cyclone Marching Band member who blew away the Hawkeye Band on Saturday