Quarterbacks
Starter: Nate Stanley – Jr
As a true sophomore last season Stanley threw for 26 TDs and only 6 INTs, that’s a pretty good first year as a starter. He had two 5 TD games including his masterpiece against Ohio St. That’s the good news. The bad news is he had 10 TDs in two games and only 16 in the other 11. That was the inconsistency of the offense and that is something that must be corrected by offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz and Stanley this year. Iowa’s offense is always built on the strong offensive line and the running game but having Stanley take another step forward in his development will make the offense dangerous. The fact that even in an inconsistent year the one thing he did very consistently was hold on to the ball is really good news. Six INTs is a remarkable stat for a first year starter and not turning the ball over is paramount in the Iowa offense. I expect Stanley to have an even better season as WRs Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith mature into bigger roles and Nick Easley, Noah Fant and TJ Hockenson provide consistent production in the passing game. If he makes enough of a jump he could place himself among the top prospects for the NFL at QB given his size and arm strength.
Backups: Peyton Mansell – RS Fr Spencer Petras – Fr
The QB battle to watch is for the backup spot as Stanley is unquestionably the starter. The Hawkeyes lost both Tyler Wiegers and Ryan Boyle to transfer leaving them with only three scholarship QBs. Mansell is a redshirt freshman and for now his limited practice experience may be giving him an edge for the backup spot going into fall camp. That edge may not last long as Petras was an early enrollee freshman and looked pretty good in spring practice. Petras is more in the mold of Stanley as a big, strong-armed QB while Mansell is slightly smaller and more athletic. This competition is likely to go deep into fall camp as Ferentz doesn’t really have to name a backup until they release the depth chart for the first game of the year and even then, he doesn’t really have to make a choice he could list both players behind Stanley. The new redshirt rules instituted by the NCAA this year also allow a player to play in 4 games in a season and still use a redshirt, that bodes well for Petras as he could get some playing time and not lose a year of eligibility.
The other QB on the roster is walk-on Ryan Schmidt, a big 6’5 junior from Linn-Mar. There isn’t a lot of depth on the roster, if there are injuries things could get dicey.
Running Back
Starter: Toren Young – Soph
At 5’11 221 lbs. Young will be a stark contrast to Akrum Wadley but he’s certainly in the mold of other successful Hawkeye backs like LeShun Daniels, Marcus Coker and dare I say Shonn Greene. Young isn’t fancy and that works just fine in the Iowa offense. Behind a big, powerful offensive line Young’s power will be utilized to its fullest extent. He had a pretty good year last season considering Wadley and James Butler took most of the carries. I really thought when Butler was injured for a bit last season that the coaches missed an opportunity to use Young even more as they mostly relied on Wadley. I like Young’s no-nonsense style and I think he’s going to have a fantastic year.
Backup: Ivory Kelly-Martin – Soph
Young won’t have to carry the load alone. Kelly-Martin proved to be a pretty solid back last season in very limited action. He is a more natural pass catcher than Young, although Young showed some talent in this area during the spring too. Kelly-Martin isn’t the power back Young is but at 5’11 200 lbs. he’s no slouch either, he can hold his own between the tackles. It’s always nice when the Hawkeyes have two backs that are able to play on any down and excel. Kelly-Martin has more homerun ability than Young and hopefully he’ll take advantage of all the opportunities he gets.
Beyond the Two-Deeps: Mekhi Sargent-Soph, Kyshaun Bryan-RS Fr, Henry Geil-Fr, Samson Evans-Fr
The Hawkeyes went through spring practice with only Bryan and Cam Harrell backing up Young and Kelly-Martin and that was after moving Harrell over from defensive back (he has since left the program) Bryan isn’t bad and he brings good size to the position but he hasn’t really stood out so far. To say they needed some help is an understatement. Enter JUCO RB Mekhi Sargent. Sargent was a late add this summer as a transfer from Iowa Western with three years of eligibility remaining. He was very good last season and he adds a different dimension as a 5’8 190 lbs. back who is more in the mold of Akrum Wadley. His year of starting at Iowa Western also gives him some experience that Bryan doesn’t have. If I were to venture a guess I would also say true freshman Henry Geil has a chance to move ahead of Bryan too. He’s already built for Big Ten football at 6’1 215 lbs. and I think his talent will shine through. With the new 4 game redshirt rule I think it’s possible Geil gets used at some point. Samson Evans wasn’t a RB in high school and there’s a chance his move to RB isn’t permanent. He’s a good athlete that could be used at another position if he finds a better fit where he can contribute sooner.
Fullback
Starter: Brady Ross – Jr
Backup: Austin Kelly – Sr
The Hawkeyes are likely to employ their two TE sets more and use a FB less but it is not an unimportant position for the Hawkeyes. Ross and Kelly are similarly built players that will be used to clear a path for Young and Kelly-Martin in short yardage and both can do it well. Ross is a bowling ball and every once in a while, he’ll fake a block, slip past his man and make a catch out of the backfield. Luckily, Iowa fans know how to appreciate a good screen pass to a FB and Ross will make some yardage after the catch by knocking down some defenders. The FB is a dying breed in college football but Iowa still has their mold and they just keep cranking them out. Iowa coaches and fans still appreciate the value of a good FB.
Wide Receiver
Starters: Nick Easley – Sr, Brandon Smith – Soph
WR is a position looking for some consistency this year. Last season Nick Easley proved to be one of Nate Stanley’s favorite targets. Easley isn’t a game breaker but he does get open, he proved to be reliable in being where he needed to be and he knew how to move the chains. He is likely to continue as a security blanket for Stanley and he’s likely to lead the Hawkeyes in catches this season. Brandon Smith was just a true freshman last year and while he didn’t burst onto the scene like fellow freshman Ihmir Smith-Marsette he steadily got more and more playing time as the season went on last year. This spring Smith seemed to take a step in his development and now he looks to become a more prominent piece of the offense as an outside receiving threat. He has the size and speed to be a playmaker for Stanley and will hopefully take some of the pressure off of TE Noah Fant as a big play threat. Smith is my pick for breakout offensive player for the Hawkeyes.
Backups: Ihmir Smith-Marsette – Soph, Kyle Groeneweg – Sr
Smith-Marsette (aka ISM) burst onto the scene last year as a big play WR for the Hawkeyes and while he provided some spark for the offense it was fairly sporadic. He has the ability to take any play the distance whenever he touches the ball but there were too many times last season where he disappeared during long stretches. Some of that was the offense’s inconsistency and some of it was his. If you pay attention to Kirk Ferentz’s comments about ISM needing to put down his cell phone and couple that with the fact that he isn’t listed as a starter it’s fairly clear that the coaching staff wants to see more out of him. It’s not an issue of talent for ISM it’s about focusing on his craft. Now a guy that seems to have put in the work is senior Kyle Groeneweg. He transferred from the University of Sioux Falls and sat out last season. He has worked his way up the depth chart and now he’s a backup. He isn’t going to wow you with his physical size but apparently, he’s one of the fastest guys on the team. If he can consistently get open he could become a big part of the offense as Stanley looks for guys to make plays. He excelled at special teams previously so he should add value there. It would be great to see an Iowa kid (he’s from Inwood, IA) transfer in from a small school and make an impact as a senior.
Beyond the Two-Deeps: Max Cooper-Soph, Dominique Dafney-Jr, Devonte Young-Jr, Henry Marchese-RS Fr, Nico Ragaini-Fr, Calvin Lockett-Fr, Tyrone Tracy Jr.-Fr
Outside of Nick Easley you can’t call anyone playing WR at Iowa “proven”. Smith and Smith-Marsette showed flashes last year but they both still have a lot to prove. Groeneweg has plenty of playing time just at a much lower level. However, compared to the rest of the depth chart those four are seasoned veterans. Who emerges from this group is anyone’s guess. Max Cooper, Devonte Young and Dominique Dafney all played last year but their only contributions were on special teams. No one from this group has a career catch. Cooper was another true freshman that saw the field last season even though he didn’t contribute on offense he might have the inside track on being the fifth WR for now. If Ragaini, Lockett or Tracy can pick up the offense I see no reason why they can’t find some playing time. Tracy looks like the type of playmaker Iowa could really use if they come up with some ways to get the ball in his hands. ISM proved last season that the Hawkeyes aren’t afraid to play a true freshman early if he proves worthy, Tracy could be an electrifying playmaker. This is a make-or-break year for Devonte Young, he is a junior who has yet to make an impact and he’s been passed by true freshmen and transfers that haven’t been on the roster as long as he has. He is the last of the Bobby Kennedy recruited WRs and those guys didn’t have a very good track record at Iowa. Dafney is also a junior but he’s a walk-on who is a contributor on special teams and anything he brings at WR is just icing on the cake. Henry Marchese redshirted last season and he brings good size to the position and could make a move up the depth chart.
Tight End
Starters: Noah Fant – Jr, TJ Hockenson – Soph
Fant is no longer a secret weapon as he has been named to multiple pre-season All-American teams. His 11 TDs last season caught everyone’s attention and he’s going to get every defensive coordinator’s attention all season long. When Stanley needs a play, he looks to Fant and he usually makes the play. Fant is big, strong and fast and he’s a top NFL prospect, enjoy him this season because he’ll be playing on Sundays in 2019. The good news is Fant isn’t Iowa’s only playmaking TE. TJ Hockenson had a pretty good year last year and could really break out this season with teams focusing on stopping Fant. He is probably still physically maturing into the position but he looks ready to round out his game and really complement Fant and give Stanley a deadly two TE set. Truth be told, Hockenson is a pretty good TE prospect himself and if he wasn’t so overshadowed by Fant more people might notice, his turn will come he may just have to wait another year. In the meantime, he can be the silent assassin.
Backup: Shaun Beyer – Soph, Nate Wieting – Jr
Only the Iowa Hawkeyes can list two FBs and four TEs in their two deeps and get away with it (yes, they list 12 starting spots instead of 11). Beyer didn’t play much last year as a redshirt freshman but he’s starting to look the part. He started his Hawkeye career at WR even though everyone knew he would grow into a TE. He’s taking a little bit longer than Hockenson to grow into the TE position but it looks like it’s going to pay off. Wieting has been a walk-on getting playing time for the past couple of years. He’s not flashy and he isn’t lighting up the stat sheet but he’s steady and reliable and he does his job. That’s pretty much the definition of the perfect backup TE. With a number of scholarships opening up late in the summer I would guess Wieting would be at the top of the list of walk-on to earn one.
Beyond the Two-Deeps: Drew Cook-Jr, Nate Vejvoda-Jr, Tommy Kujawa-RS Fr, Bryce Schulte-RS Fr, Ben Subbert-Fr
The top four guys are going to dominate the playing time which is good because the depth beyond the top four is suspect. Drew Cook moved to TE last year from QB and so far, he hasn’t distinguished himself. It’s still early in his TE development but he’s going into his junior year so he doesn’t have a lot of time. Vejvoda has been a TE his entire career and hasn’t moved up the depth chart at all so that doesn’t bode well for his future playing time. The Hawkeyes had Jacob Coons as a freshman last year but he gave up football in the spring. Kujawa, Schulte and Subbert are all walk-ons. Subbert is a true freshman that definitely has some potential down the line.
Offensive Line
Tackle
Starters: LT- Alaric Jackson – Soph, RT-Tristan Wirfs – Soph
Last year the Hawkeyes were supposed to have two senior starting OTs in Boone Myers and Ike Boettger but injuries left them with two freshmen starters, one redshirt (Jackson) and one true (Wirfs). Those two more than held their own and it could pay huge dividends this season. Jackson started all year except for the bowl game (disciple issue) at LT while Wirfs took over RT about half way through the year and then played LT in the bowl game. There has been some question which one would start where this season but Jackson’s more comfortable on the left side so the coaches seem likely to stick with him there and Wirfs on the right side. Wirfs might be the better athlete and could certainly handle LT but Jackson was no slouch there last year. These two offer a very talented set of bookend OTs for the offense and should only get better with experience.
Backups: Mark Kallenberger – RS Fr, Dalton Ferguson – Sr
The Hawkeyes are not exactly stacked at OT after Jackson and Wirfs. Mark Kallenberger looks like the 3rd OT but he’s still a bit light as he only weighs in at about 285 lbs. He has the athleticism to play OT and he’s a talented guy he just needs to grow a little more. Ferguson is listed as the other backup at the position coming out of spring ball but he’s battled injuries the last few seasons and it’s tough to count on him being healthy. Levi Paulsen is likely the next man in if there is an injury, he started at RT in the Pinstripe Bowl last year when Jackson was suspended and Wirfs moved over to LT. Paulsen is fighting for a starting job at RG this season but he can hold his own at RT if need be.
Guard
Starters: Ross Reynolds – Sr, Cole Banwart – Soph
Reynolds is a senior who has just kept plugging away and looks to finally be stepping into a starting role. He’s not flashy but he’s tough and steady and should hold down the LG spot just fine. Cole Banwart starts fall camp ahead of Levi Paulsen but that battle may not be over. Paulsen started at RT last year in the bowl game but he’s probably better suited on the inside. Banwart has impressed the coaches since bowl prep last season and while he’ll still have to fight for this starting position he’s also probably the main backup at center even though he’s not listed there. It is possible Reynolds and/or Banwart get beat out but for now they are the starting guards.
Backups: Coy Kirkpatrick – RS Fr, Levi Paulsen – Jr
While Reynolds and Banwart are the favorites to be the starters for now they are only penciled in, that is equally true for the backups. It probably bodes well for Kirkpatrick that he’s listed as a backup at OG and he’s only a redshirt freshman, it probably isn’t saying much for the other guys. Levi Paulsen may not be a starter right now but I would guess he plays at some point this season. Both he and his brother have fought injury issues at times and sometimes that has let other move ahead of them.
Center
Starter: Keegan Render – Sr
The loss of James Daniels early to the NFL draft created a pretty significant hole in the middle of the offensive line. Keegan Render played the position for the first game last season while Daniels sat out so at least he has that going for him. Render has plenty of experience at guard and he’s played both right and left during his career so he should have a solid understanding of playing center in the Iowa offense and making the line calls. He isn’t going to be Daniels in the pivot but he’ll hold his own just fine.
Backup: Levi Duwa – RS Fr
Duwa came to Iowa as a defensive lineman but during last season he moved over and starting working at center. Unfortunately, he dealt with an injury at the end of the season that may have set his development back a bit. The coaches see something in him that made them move him from defense to offense so that’s a good sign. The reality is that if something happens to Keegan Render it is more likely Cole Banwart slides over from his potential starting OG position to take over and one of the Paulsen’s steps in at OG.
Beyond the Two-Deeps: Jake Newborg-Jr, Landan Paulsen – Jr, Cody Ince-Fr, Jeff Jenkins-Fr, Jack Plumb-Fr
Newborg just moved back to the offensive line after starting his career there and then moving to the defensive line for a while. Between his position shifting and some injuries he’s never really gotten on track. Landan Paulsen has been thwarted by a number of injuries too and hasn’t had much of a chance to prove himself. This could be a make-or-break year for him. Spencer Williams was a late summer departure from the roster due to concussions (he is ending his football career) so that hurts the interior competition a little bit. Ince, Jenkins and Plumb are all true freshmen that should redshirt in order to mature physically and they should all contribute in the future. The inside of the line is unsettled and its possible backup OT Mark Kallenberger gets a shot at OG if he proves too good to leave on the sidelines.
Overall Analysis
In Kirk Ferentz’s 20 years as Iowa head coach you can pretty much count on him basing the offense around a tough offensive line and the running game (okay, there was that one year where all the RBs got hurt and Drew Tate was the offense but that was the exception). Even with an impressive returning starting QB and a new RB Ferentz isn’t likely to change his philosophy. That said, having Nate Stanley under center and Brian Ferentz calling the plays perhaps the Hawkeyes are a little more creative in the passing attack. Two TE sets are going to be quite common and while most people won’t find that all that exciting, when your two TEs are Noah Fant and TJ Hockenson there could be some fireworks. Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith should take a step forward in their progress and that will help considerably. I think Brandon Smith is the breakout player of the offense this season but I also think Toren Young will open some eyes at RB. I like Ivory Kelly-Martin just fine but I think Iowa’s offense is better with the bigger power back hammering away at defenses early and pulling up the safeties to allow the receivers to get behind them. Iowa is never going to be the Air Raid offense as long as a Ferentz is calling the shots but they did use some gadget plays last year with ISM and here’s hoping they find a way to get Tyrone Tracy, Jr. involved in the offense. The interior of the offensive line is a work in progress but with Jackson and Wirfs manning the edges I think the line will be just fine. Brian Ferentz’s first year as offensive coordinator had its ups and downs but I think there is reason for optimism. Oh and if Brandon Smith is the breakout player of the offense it will only be because Stanley has an excellent season, something else I expect to happen.
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