The coaching staff that had been unusually stable for Kirk Ferentz’s first 13 seasons has seen some change over in the last three but only one change came this spring. Late in spring recruiting coordinator and long-time assistant coach Eric Johnson left the coaching business and was replaced by Seth Wallace, a young up-and-coming former Graduate Assistant that went on to great success at Valdosta State. While at Valdosta State Wallace served as defensive coordinator for three years including during their 2012 Division II National Championship season. He will help out on the defensive side of the ball as well as serve as the new recruiting coordinator.
The previous staff additions helped usher in a new defensive package last year called the “Raider” package that got extra pass rushers on the field (Reggie Spearman, Quinton Alston and Nate Meier mostly). Now that those guys are going to be counted on to step into regular defensive roles it will be interesting to see what the staff does this year. The Hawkeyes lost the core of last year’s defense with the graduation of three outstanding LB’s Christian Kirksey, James Morris and Anthony Hitchens. The defensive line returns mostly intact and hopefully better for it. The secondary lost long-time starting FS Tanner Miller (most would say that’s not a big loss) and CB BJ Lowery. While losing half of the starting defense would make you think there would be a lot of camp battles on the defensive side the only real competition for a starting job looks to be at CB opposite last year’s breakout defender Desmond King. Maurice Fleming and Sean Draper will duke it out for that spot and truthfully we will likely see a lot of both of them regardless of who wins. Nate Meier might make a run at the DE position but if Mike Hardy can stay healthy his size and experience will keep Meier in his designated pass rusher role.
Defensive Line
DT Carl Davis is the headliner here and if it weren’t for Brandon Scherff it would be Davis getting all the NFL draft love. At 6’5 315 lbs. he is a beast in the middle and possibly a first round NFL draft pick. He isn’t the only talent inside though. Louis Trinca-Pasat is a fantastic partner next to Davis and the depth is incredible at DT. DE Drew Ott is looking to take the next step and be the outside pass rusher the Hawkeyes need. He is already good against the run it is taking the next step of getting to the QB that Ott needs to make. Mike Hardy is tall and strong and has spent too much time injured and he’s looking to make his mark his senior year. He’ll have to hold off Meier but the competition should make him better.
Defensive End
Starters: Drew Ott Junior; Mike Hardy Senior
Ott proved to be a very solid end last year and he plays the run very well. Pass rushing has not been his strong suit so that has to be the focus for him in camp. He should find Saturdays in the fall to be fairly easy considering he’ll spend the rest of his week lining up across from Brandon Scherff. Ott won’t play against a player all season that will match up with the guy he has to practice against every day. If Ott can prove to be a better pass rusher Iowa will not need to go to their Raider package quite so often. Hardy had some health issues in the past but last year he stepped up the last half of the season and played pretty well. He certainly looks the part at 6’5 280 lbs. and it’s his size and experience that gives him a leg up on Nate Meier for the starting job. Hardy doesn’t set the world on fire as a pass rusher but he plays his position well and he knows how to set the edge in run defense. He will be a solid DE and an unheralded player but he’ll make life easier on the new linebackers.
Backups: Nate Meier Junior; Riley McMinn Junior, Melvin Spears Junior
Meier is a hard working player that does a good job as a pass rusher but his undersized frame will keep him from overtaking Hardy because it can be a liability against the run. Meier took a couple of years to find his spot as a DE so he is still growing into the role but he brings much needed speed off the edge. McMinn has largely been in the same boat as Hardy in the fact that every time it looked like he might make a move on the depth chart some sort of injury slowed him down. He brings great length at 6’7 and if he can generate some pressure he will earn some playing time. Spears is another undersized DE and while he’s made the two-deeps a number of times it has never really translated to meaningful playing time. I have a feeling Spears will find himself losing reps to some of the younger talent as the coaches try to get them prepared for playing in the future. Right now Spears looks like the fifth man in a four man rotation.
The Future: Torey Hendrick Sophomore (maybe); Matt Nelson Freshman; Terrence Harris Freshman; Walk-ons to watch: Sam Brincks Freshman; Jake Hulett RS Freshman
Torey Hendrick is an odd story and you won’t be seeing him play this year anyway. He is a junior college transfer with some academic issues that is going to be here this year but due to some strange NCAA rule he has to redshirt, at least that’s what we all think. Trust me even Kirk Ferentz isn’t completely sure why and he’s been a head football coach for 16 years. He should be a great addition as a pass rusher next season…I hope. Matt Nelson was one of the headliners of this recruiting class but at 6’8 255 lbs. he’s still a bean pole and I’m fairly certain the coaches are going to redshirt him just so he doesn’t get snapped in half. Terrence Harris is an underrated recruit with some really nice pass rushing skills. He played high school football with one of the top rated recruits in the country last year (Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers) and I can’t figure out why he wasn’t a bigger recruit. I’m going to talk more about Harris in my Raider package section below so stay tuned. Normally I don’t talk much about walk-ons unless they have been mentioned by the coaches but I really like Sam Brincks potential just from what I’ve seen of his high school film. He’s still skinny at 6’3 250 lbs. but he could develop quickly and I think the coaches may have found an unpolished gem. Hulett hasn’t really made noise either but I like his size and athleticism. The Hawkeyes haven’t had great luck recruiting DE’s lately but I think these five guys could help turn that around.
Defensive Tackle
Starters: Carl Davis Senior; Louis Trinca-Pasat Senior
Davis and Trinca-Pasat have proven to be quite the combo in the middle of the defensive line. Davis is a massive human being and he’s going to get all the accolades but it really is the two of them complementing each other that makes them so effective. At 290 lbs. Trinca-Pasat is the smaller guy that can penetrate and disrupt the back field with his quickness. Davis just bowls people over or splits the double team and throws the offense off that way. Neither one is a great pass rusher but no one is going to run up the middle against the wall these two make. It’s been a while since Iowa had a DT with the size and ability of Davis and he’s done an excellent job of remaking his body from just a big guy to a strong and powerful player with the size scouts love. He has good technique and while he sometimes plays too tall that’s understandable considering he’s 6’5. The Hawkeyes defensive line strength is definitely up the middle.
Backups: Jaleel Johnson Sophomore; Darian Cooper Junior; Faith Ekakitie Sophomore
The strength up the middle doesn’t end with the starters. Johnson is almost as big as Davis and while he lacks the refinement Davis has gained over the years he’s still a load to move. Darian Cooper is more in the Trinca-Pasat mold in the fact that he is the smaller penetrating tackle. The curious thing is that Johnson is listed as Trinca-Pasat’s backup while Cooper is Davis’. Either way these four can mix and match given the down and distance and they can keep each other fresh which makes for better play all around. Ekakitie is the fifth man and he’s trying to break into the rotation, while he may not get a lot of snaps he is growing into the position and learning and he brings great depth.
The Future: Nathan Bazata RS Freshman; Brant Gressel RS Freshman
These two are the only youngsters on the team that are coming up behind the others and while Bazata made the two-deeps this is a definite position of need in upcoming recruiting classes.
Linebackers
It is absolutely not possible to replace the production and the leadership that the Hawkeyes had with James Morris, Anthony Hitchens and Christian Kirksey. However, I think the Hawkeyes are going to be just fine because they have three pretty good players that have already staked their claims to the three starting spots. Quinton Alston is ready to finally get his chance, Travis Perry has worked his tail off to earn a scholarship and a starting spot and Reggie Spearman has proven that age (he was a 17-year-old freshman last year and just turned 18) means nothing; if you’re ready you’re ready. The depth, like the starters, is talented but inexperienced.
Outside Linebacker (LEO)
Starter: Travis Perry Junior
Football teams use different terms for their linebackers and Iowa refers to this position as the LEO. It’s the strongside linebacker meaning he lines up over the TE most of the time and is the coverage guy, more simply put Perry is replacing Christian Kirksey. This is the more unsung position because it usually has less tackles but in Hawkeyeland this position is extremely important. Perry just earned a scholarship this year as a fourth-year junior and while he won’t get the fanfare of the other guys he’s a huge contributor and he’ll be very good here. He backed up Kirksey last year, played a lot of special teams and saw some action on defense so he’s ready and able to step in.
Backup: Josey Jewell RS Freshman
Perry was sick during spring practice and Jewell stepped into his spot and held his own very well for an undersized freshman. He has great athleticism which is a must at a position where you are asked to cover TEs, RBs and the occasional WR. Kirksey was an amazing athlete and hopefully Jewell was paying attention last year and this year he can learn from the smart play of Perry.
Middle Linebacker (MIKE)
Starter: Quinton Alston Senior
I do not want to diminish the career of James Morris and I appreciate what he did at Iowa more than most probably realize but I say with a lot of confidence that Iowa’s play at MLB won’t drop off at all and there is a real chance it is actually better this year. Alston has been biding his time and he’s ready to shine. He will be a beast against the run and the coaches may use him even more as a blitzer than they did Morris because Alston has a natural knack for it. Any opponent that underestimates what Alston brings to the field is going to find out quickly that he’s been primed for this day for the past couple of years. He could be Iowa defensive breakout star.
Backup: Chad Gilson Senior
Gilson is a great story and a crappy one all at the same time. He gave up his full-ride scholarship at UNI and transferred as a walk-on to Iowa because he just wanted to be a Hawkeye that bad and take his shot at big time football. Unfortunately he ends up as a senior behind a senior because he isn’t beating out Alston. Gilson showed in spring practice that he can play with the big boys and I have a feeling that coaches will find a way to get him on the field from time to time.
Outside Linebacker (WILL)
Starter: Reggie Spearman Sophomore
I’m still amazed that a kid that was a 17-year-old freshman last year came in and found playing time even if it was in a specific package. Now the experience he gained from that and his talent have earned him a starting spot as the weakside linebacker. Spearman showed great athleticism last year and his reward is having to replace Anthony Hitchens and his hundred-tackles-a-year production. No pressure kid. He’s a special talent that has obviously taken to the coaching of Levar Woods and Jim Reid and he is mature beyond his years.
Backup: Cole Fisher Junior
Fisher is holding down the backup spot for now but he will have some younger guys nipping at his heels all season long and like many positions the coaches try to get the best players on the field even if it means switching them around. I would say that puts Fisher as the 6th best linebacker at best and he may be moving down the list as we speak. He contributes on special teams and knows his role so he isn’t a bad guy to have around.
The Future: John Kenny RS Freshman; Bo Bower RS Freshman; Jameer Outsey Freshman; Aaron Mends Freshman; Parker Hesse Freshman; Ben Niemann Freshman
When you add in Josey Jewell whom I already wrote about above there are seven linebackers in the last two recruiting classes and while Bo Bower is a walk-on for now he is listed as a back-up in the two-deeps so he’s obviously made an impression. This position is young and talented. Jewell and Bower both back up Perry at LEO while John Kenny is listed as a backup at both MIKE and WILL and he looked good in the middle during spring practice. With both Alston and Gilson as seniors Kenny looks like the future in the middle of the Hawkeye defense. The true freshmen haven’t had a chance to make their marks yet and while I expect Mends, Hesse and Niemann to all redshirt any one of them could end up contributing on special teams. I leave Outsey out because I think he may contribute in the Raider package and I’m about to get to all of that.
The Raider Package
Anyone that has been a fan of the Hawkeyes during Kirk Ferentz’s tenure and especially during the Norm Parker years knows that for a long time Iowa was a very vanilla bend-but-don’t-break defense and it worked very well under Parker’s guidance most of the time. A few years ago the Hawkeyes failed in the “don’t-break” part of that and the defense struggled. Phil Parker’s first year replacing Norm wasn’t a rousing success but there was a transition going on and Jim Reid came aboard and whether it was just changing with the times or out of necessity to get some pass rushing pressure Iowa started using a blitz package they call the Raider package. There is a misconception that the Raider package is just simply getting edge rushing blitzers on the field in passing down situations and letting them rush the QB but its more complex than that. It’s not a coincidence that the three main players that contributed in this sub package last year were two LBs by trade (Alston and Spearman) and a guy transitioning from LB to DE (Meier). The Raider package is about getting guys on the field that can fill certain roles so that just about anyone can be a blitzer. Last year when Alston or Spearman came in it wasn’t always them rushing the passer it could be Hitchens, Morris or Kirksey too. Alston and Spearman and to a lesser extent Meier were able to cover the LB duties allowing one of the others to blitz. This causes confusion and makes the defense much harder to read for the opposing QB.
This year with Alston and Spearman taking over regular LB spots they will already be on the field meaning new subs will be needed. Chad Gilson could sub in and play the MLB spot allowing Alston to blitz or Josey Jewell could come on freeing Perry or Spearman. Gilson and Jewell look like the most logical candidates at linebacker to get some playing time and John Kenny has some position versatility that may allow him a chance to play also. However, last year at this time if you had known about the Raider package and had to pick someone to be used Reggie Spearman’s name probably wouldn’t have been on your list. There are two incoming freshmen that may bring some skills that could be useful in this package, Terrence Harris and Jameer Outsey. Harris is a different kind of rusher than Iowa currently has on their defense because he has a slight build and uses his speed off the edge. Harris is not physically ready to be an every down player in the Big Ten but his speed would give Iowa another dimension. Outsey is almost the forgotten man but he is a linebacker in the same mold as Spearman was in the fact that he can rush the passer and play the OLB position. I’m taking a shot in the dark and going strictly off what I have seen from their high school film but I won’t be surprised if one or both of these guys step up into a role in the Raider.
Defensive Backs
King took over the starting CB spot opposite senior BJ Lowery after Jordan Lomax was hurt in the first game last year and never gave it back. By the end of the season it was pretty clear that King was the best CB on the field and I don’t see him slowing down now. Maurice Fleming and Sean Draper are going to have a fight to the death for the other spot. The backup spots on the two-deep are written in pencil because you don’t go out and recruit four possible CBs if you feel really great about your depth. Look out for the true freshmen, again.
Cornerbacks
Starters: Desmond King Sophomore; Maurice Fleming Sophomore or Sean Draper Junior
King didn’t get a lot of notice coming out of high school in Michigan despite the fact that he was the all-time leader in interceptions in Michigan high school history. Iowa found a gem and luckily for the Hawkeyes he’s not draft eligible for two more years. Fleming and Draper are staging what looks to be the only true starting position battle of camp and with the multiple WR offenses the Hawkeyes will face throughout the year both guys will play plenty. Draper has more experience but it might actually be what is hurting him in the competition right now because he was less than impressive in limited time last year. Fleming is a superior athlete with great fluidity that should make him a natural at CB.
Backups: Greg Mabin Sophomore; Malik Rucker RS Freshman
Mabin is a great athlete with size and speed but he just converted to the defensive backfield from WR last year and even then it wasn’t always clear if he fit at CB or safety. He seems to have settled in at CB for now but he’s not a natural at it so he will have to fight off some true freshmen in camp and given the lack of depth at safety his position may not be settled anyway. Rucker is a redshirt freshman that is facing the same competition from a good group of incoming freshmen and while Rucker came to Iowa as a defensive back he may quickly find himself looking up at some talented guys after camp.
The Future: Omar Truitt Freshman; Joshua Jackson Freshman; Marcel Joly Freshman; Jalen Embry Freshman
Iowa took some very talented athletes that project to defensive back and for now I’m listing all four of these guys as CBs but at least two of them have potential at safety too. Omar Truitt and Marcel Joly are the two that seem more natural at CB than at safety. Either one could make a Desmond King like move this year although it would probably take more than one injury to open up some playing time. Mabin and Rucker are beatable for the fourth CB spot and I like Truitt’s film a lot. Joly is a fantastic athlete but Truitt has more natural cover instincts which is the thing that separated King from the pack last year. Jackson and Embry are both great athletes (Jackson was a high jump champion in Texas) and both of them may play corner or they may find a faster way onto the field at safety.
Safety
Easily the thinnest position going into fall camp John Lowdermilk is the only sure thing. Jordan Lomax is converting from CB to free safety and he should be fine there but with the loss of Nico Law (booted from the team for hitting a teammate) there is no experienced depth to speak of. If a freshman is going to get significant playing time this year this is the position where it’s most likely to happen.
Strong Safety
Starter: John Lowdermilk Senior
Lowdermilk beat out Nico Law last year for this job and while he isn’t an all-world talent he does the job pretty well. He knows where to be and relies on his knowledge more than his athletic ability and Iowa has had many safeties like that in the past. Lowdermilk is a hitter and is more comfortable coming up in run support than dropping back in coverage and it should help him that his new backfield mate is a converted corner.
Backup: Kevin Ward RS Freshman
If you just asked yourself “Who?” then you are right there with everyone else. Ward is a redshirt freshman walk-on and I would say his hold on this position is tenuous at best. I’m not trying to pick on a kid I’ve never seen play but I’ve seen the incoming freshmen film and he isn’t going to last long.
Free Safety
Starter: Jordan Lomax Junior
Lomax was the starting CB last year in the first game then he got hurt and got “Wally Pipped” by Desmond King (if you don’t know what that means Google it). Lomax’s skillset should fit nicely here and the Hawkeyes need him here more than they do at CB. Lomax’s coverage ability will be a great complement to Lowdermilk’s heavy hitting at strong safety. A good back end safety is hard to find some times, just ask any Hawkeye fan from the last couple of years.
Backups: Anthony Gair Sophomore; Solomon Warfield RS Freshman
Gair was the backup last year to Tanner Miller and it doesn’t evoke confidence when the coaches convert a CB to the spot and he immediately takes over the position without much of a fight. Warfield hasn’t had a chance to compete since he redshirted last season so he could knock Gair out of the spot but he shouldn’t feel too comfortable with all these freshmen defensive backs around.
The one to watch out for: Miles Taylor Freshman
I already mentioned that Joshua Jackson or Jalen Embry might make a move for playing time at safety but there is one incoming player that is a natural safety and I wouldn’t bet against him being in the two-deeps come August 30th. Taylor should have been a higher ranked recruit because he is damn good and he’s a natural. He could back up Lowdermilk this season at strong safety or knock Gair and Warfield off the depth chart at free safety. In the past Iowa has sometimes had a free and strong safety that were interchangeable and while Lowdermilk and Lomax aren’t like that Taylor could be the third safety this year and sub in for either one of them. Jackson and Embry might be the future at safety for Iowa, Taylor absolutely is.
Two walk-ons to mention: Brandon Snyder and Jake Gervase
Iowa has a history under Ferentz of uncovering really good high school athletes, getting them to walk-on and then they become really good safeties for the Hawks. Brandon Snyder and Jake Gervase fit this mold and they could really blossom now that they can concentrate on one sport and one position. I wouldn’t look for it to be this year as they both should probably redshirt for their own good but considering the depth at safety on this team nothing would surprise me.
Punter
You know I hate talking about kickers and I hate talking about Punters even more but it’s worth mentioning. Connor Kornbrath is the incumbent punter but his first two years have been less than stellar. I’m not a punting expert but even I can see the inconsistency in his punting, oh and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out when the coaches give a scholarship to a junior college punter they aren’t brimming with confidence in their guy. Dillon Kidd was here for spring practice and neither he nor Kornbrath staked their claim to the job as they were both equally inconsistent. I would hope that one of them figures it out but if I’m going to hope for something regarding the Hawkeyes punters I’m just going to hope they never actually need one.
The Hott Read 