Month: July 2025

2025 Iowa Hawkeye Defense Preview

Iowa’s defense will be undergoing a pretty significant overhaul with DE Deontae Craig, DT Yahya Black, LB Jay Higgins, LB Nick Jackson, LB Kyler Fisher, FS Quinn Schulte, CB Jermari Harris, and DB Sebastian Castro all gone from last year’s lineup.  DE Ethan Hurkett, DT Aaron Graves, S Xavier Nwankpa, and CBs TJ Hall and Deshaun Lee are the only guys returning with starting experience and Hall and Lee were only part-time starters.  While there will be major turnover to deal with, especially at LB, Phil Parker has proven time and time again he can put together an excellent defense.  While they will be counting on some young guys and guys without a lot of experience, they do have talent and Parker will have them playing well. 

The defense probably won’t be a top 10 nationally ranked defense but if the offense is better in the passing game, the defense will have a little more breathing room.  DE Max Llewellyn was a part-time player last season who becomes a full-time starter and should be ready to breakout.  LBs Karsan Sharar and Jaden Harrell have been waiting patiently for their shot and now all they have to do is hold off the younger guys from taking those jobs.  Koen Entringer and Zach Lutmer are stepping in for Sebastian Castro and Quinn Schulte at Cash and safety and they are talented guys.  Lots of new guys, in Phil we trust.

Let’s take a look at the defense a little closer. 

Defensive Line
Starters: DE Ethan Hurkett (Sr), DE Max Llewellyn (Sr), DT Aaron Graves (Sr), DT Jeremiah Pittman (Sr)
Backups: DE Brian Allen (Jr), DE Kenneth Merriweather (So), DT Bryce Hawthorne (So), DT Jonah Pace (Sr)
Depth: DE Joseph Anderson (RS Fr), DT Luke Gaffney (Jr), DT Will Hubert (Jr), Maddux Borcherding-Johnson (So), DT Devan Kennedy (RS Fr), DE Chima Chineke (RS Fr), DE Drew Campbell (RS Fr), DE Iose Epenesa (Fr)

The Hawkeyes return two starters on the defensive line with DE Ethan Hurkett and DT Aaron Graves. While Hurkett isn’t the most dynamic pass rusher at DE he is as steady as they come in both the run game and the pass game. DE Max Llewellyn was kind of the designated pass rusher last season and he is the more dynamic player in that aspect. The question will be can he step in and be a full-time starter and will that hurt him when it comes to his pass rushing? He should be fine but it would really help this defense if Llewellyn can actually ratchet up his pass rush even more as an every down player.

Graves has been playing since his true freshman season and brings a lot of experience in the middle. He’s an excellent DT that I would expect to become an even more dynamic player his senior season. He has all the tools to be dominant as long as he doesn’t have to cover for the other spot. Yahya Black is off to the Steelers and he was the unsung hero for this defensive line for a few years. Jeremiah Pittman will get the first shot at replacing Black but he’s only ever been a part-time player and the Hawkeyes recruited two DTs in the transfer portal for a reason.

The two backup DTs for now are the two transfers. Jonah Pace was the more recognized DT transfer coming in from Central Michigan. He’s a senior and seems like a guy who has the size and experience to compete, he’ll be in the DT rotation for sure. The guy who stood out in the spring is Bryce Hawthorne, the transfer from South Dakota St. Coming from the FCS level and only being a sophomore made him more of a wildcard and most thought he might take a year or two to adjust to the higher level. He was impressive in the spring and coaches seem to be talking him up. Don’t be surprised if Hawthorne ends up getting more playing time at DT than everyone not named Aaron Graves.

The DE spot is almost wholly counting on the return to health for Brian Allen, who had surgery in the spring, to be the third guy in the rotation. Allen is a dynamic player when he’s on the field and he’s the only backup with any playing time. Kenneth Merriweather is the other backup and he looked good in the spring and hopefully grows to be a solid fourth DE as he grows into a bigger role.

It’s a hodge-podge of youth for depth. Joseph Anderson, Chima Chineke, and Drew Campbell are three redshirt freshmen the team is hoping develop quickly if they need a backup DE. The wildcard here is true freshman Iose Epenesa, he’s the younger brother of AJ and at 6’3 260 lbs., he already looks like a college football lineman. AJ made an impression as a freshman many years ago and it’s quite possible Iose does the same this year. That would be helpful. DTs Luke Gaffney and Will Hubert are walk-ons who have earned their place on the team and can give the Hawkeyes some snaps at DT if needed but both are still a little undersized. DT Maddux Borcherding-Johnson and DT Devan Kennedy are still trying to fill out their frames. Kennedy certainly has the bloodlines to be a Big Ten DT; his father was an excellent one at Penn St.

Linebackers
Starters: WLB Karson Sharar (Sr), MLB Jaden Harrell (Sr), LEO Jaxon Rexroth (Sr)
Backups: Landyn Van Kekerix (Jr), Jayden Montgomery (Jr), Derek Weisskopf (RS Fr)
Depth: Zach Twedt (Sr), Kelby Telander (Sr), Preston Ries (RS Fr), Cam Buffington (RS Fr), Nolan Delong (So), Burke Gautcher (Fr), Carson Cooney (Fr)

Iowa is replacing two of the most productive LBs in college football history with Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson moving on and Kyler Fisher was a pretty good starter too. All three of the expected replacements are fifth-year seniors who have waited their turn and should be ready for their moment. Karson Sharar has been talked about for years as a guy ready to step in but then he tends to get injured. It’s time for him to stay healthy and prove he can live up to the hype. I expect him to be excellent. Jaden Harrell is slated to step into Jay Higgins incredibly large shoes at MLB. He stepped in for Higgins during the UCLA game last year and he struggled but now as the full-time starter he should be ready to go. Rexroth is a former walk-on who started out as a safety and grew into a LB. He brings great athleticism.

Landyn Van Kekerix and Jayden Montgomery are two juniors who have been biding their time playing special teams and waiting for an opportunity too. Montgomery might get his chance at MLB if Harrell struggles and Van Kekerix might get a chance if Sharar can’t stay healthy. Derek Weisskopf is the other listed backup but that might be a function of which position he’s most comfortable with. I’m not sure he’s actually better than his two classmates Ries and Buffington.

The three redshirt freshmen LBs are all incredibly talented guys and the two true freshmen are pretty good too. Preston Ries is setting records in the weight room at LB and looks like he could be an incredible player. If Harrell struggles at MLB, I’m not sure it’s a given Montgomery gets the spot, Ries might take it away. The farther into the season we get and the more experience Ries gets, that becomes more likely. Buffington is also going to push for playing time and all three of these guys should help on special teams.

Special teams are where seniors Zach Twedt and Kelby Telander will make their marks. Nolan Delong came in as a walk-on and he’s fighting for relevance as the younger guys are just so good. Burke Gautcher and Carson Cooney are two true freshmen who enrolled early and they are very talented too. It’s a little crazy to think about how much young LB talent they have and the team so often uses the Cash position so they only play two LBs most of the time.

Defensive Backs
Starters: CB Deshaun Lee (Jr), CB TJ Hall (Sr), SS Koen Entringer (Jr), FS Xavier Nwankpa (Sr), CASH Zach Lutmer (So)
Backups: CB Shahid Barros (Sr), Jaylen Watson (So), S Kael Kolarik (Jr)
Depth: CB Alex Mota (So), CB Rashad Godrey Jr. (RS Fr), S Ty Hudkins (So), CB CJ Bell (Fr), S O’Lontae Dean (Fr)

The secondary lost some very good, very experienced players and it’s going to be hard to replace Sebastian Castro, Quinn Schulte, and Jermari Harris but there is talent here. Deshaun Lee and TJ Hall are two guys who both have starting experience at CB but neither one has proven to be a CB1. Hall has the size and athleticism to really breakout this season and be the top guy. Lee has struggled at times but has also had plenty of good moments. There is very little experience behind them at CB so they will be heavily counted on.

Xavier Nwankpa is heading into his senior season and is moving to free safety where I think he will be more comfortable and could have the big year we have all been waiting for. He’s been a good player but he was a much hyped 5-star recruit when he came to Iowa so big things are expected of him. The strong safety position and the Cash position will be interesting this year because I’m not sure the coaches know exactly who’s playing which one. Koen Entringer and Zach Lutmer are the two guys for the positions but which one plays which is not completely clear. I could make the case either way and their skill sets would be great at either position. I listed Entringer as the SS because I think when the team goes to three LBs it will be Entringer at safety and Lutmer will come off the field. The team has three starting safeties which is why I didn’t list a second safety with the backups. Entringer, Lutmer, and Nwankpa can be interchangeable pieces so they will rotate as needed to fill the safety spots.

The Hawkeyes needed some experience at CB and they found it late in the transfer portal with the addition of Shahid Barros from South Dakota. He’s a senior with the type of physical size to hold up as Iowa’s third CB and give them some solid snaps. If Hall or Lee faulter, he could be starter if needed. Jaylen Watson is a young guy the coaches like and for now he has the fourth CB spot but there are no guarantees he holds on to it, there are talented youngsters behind him. Kael Kolarik is the fourth safety because Iowa is a little thin at the position. If they need a fourth safety, he’s the only guy who knows the defense at all.

Alex Mota was a WR when he came to Iowa because he wanted to be one but eventually the coaches moved him to CB and now, he needs to see if he can really compete there. Rashad Godfrey Jr. is a good young CB and he’ll give Watson some competition. True freshman CJ Bell is a talented player who could also make a run at some playing time, Phil Parker has never shied away from playing a freshman if he thinks he’s good enough. Ty Hudkins was a late transfer addition at safety from Purdue and adds some much-needed depth. O’Lontae Dean is a true freshman that could also make a move at safety if Parker thinks he’s ready.

Special Teams
K: Drew Stevens (Sr) – He’s awesome, and hopefully he’ll be kicking more extra points than field goals this season. I also hope he wins the Groza Award, Iowa has gotten screwed a few times when their kicker deserved the award.
P: Rys Dakin (So) – He wasn’t as good as Tory Taylor the year before but he’s an excellent punter and he’s still very young, he’s only going to get better.
LS: Bryant Worrell (Sr) – How many teams in the country would prioritize getting a transfer long snapper? Just one, Iowa. They didn’t want to trust a redshirt freshman with the job so they got a transfer from Boston College. Lavar Woods likes being the special teams coach at Iowa for a reason, they value special teams.

 

2025 Iowa Hawkeye Offense Preview

The college football landscape has undergone massive changes of the past several years and while Kirk Ferentz had to be dragged into the new millennium on the offensive side of the ball, he seems to be embracing the changes otherwise. Revenue sharing, NIL, and the transfer portal have upended the sport but Ferentz seems to be rolling with it at this point.  Iowa desperately needed to fix the QB position if they are ever going to be good again and the entire position has been reset in the last year.  Not a single QB has been on the roster for more than the last year and every one of the new guys is Tim Lester approved.  It was a microcosm of what was wrong with the offense overall.  Poor recruiting evaluations led to a lack of talent.  Poor coaching of the position led to no development of any talent that was available.  And a bad offensive system highlighted every weakness. 

Tim Lester and his new Shanahan-style offense, plus his ability to find and recruit new talent has turned over the whole roster at QB and remade the offense.  This is year two and now he has the talent to make the passing offense a complement to the running game instead of an anchor.  Throughout the spring the reports were that the offense was playing far better than the defense and that was with the backup QB running the show.  It wasn’t just the QB position that was the problem, the WR group has been an issue for just as long as the QB group.  That position has seen turnover too and looks quite a bit different now.  That’s a very good thing.   

The RB position is stacked even after the loss of one of the most impressive RBs Iowa has ever had, Kaleb Johnson, to the NFL.  The production will more than likely be by the group as a whole as opposed to one guy running wild but the run game will be fine.  That’s because the offensive line returns some serious talent and the new Shanahan offense is built on running the ball.  The line is missing a few key players from last season but they should be able to replace them.  The fullback position has largely been phased out and the TE position took a step back last season but guys like Addison Ostrenga, Zach Ortwerth, and Hayden Large will still be used on offense.  This is the best Iowa’s offense has looked in quite some time and the expectations reflect that.  Let’s take a look at Iowa’s offense. 

Quarterback
Starter: Mark Gronowski (Sr)
Backup: Hank Brown (Soph)
Depth: Jeremy Hecklinski (RS Fr), Jackson Stratton (Jr), Jimmy Sullivan (Fr)

The QB position has been a massive disappointment since Nate Stanley graduated and while the Hawkeyes have tried multiple players, including transfers, to fix the position, it hasn’t gone well. The lack of a legitimate QB coach and the poor evaluations in recruiting were the main issues but the poor offensive system made it all worse. Tim Lester came in last year and tried to fix it but just didn’t have the talent available and implementing his passing offense takes time.
This year, the Hawkeyes overhauled the entire position and that starts with former South Dakota St. superstar Mark Gronowski. Gronowski has over 10,000 passing yards in his college career and was once the National Player of the Year in the FCS. Gronowski is 6’3 230 lbs., he’s a great athlete who can make plays with his legs as well as his arm and he’s the best QB Iowa has seen in quite some time. If the combination of Tim Lester as OC and QB coach and Mark Gronowski at QB doesn’t fix Iowa’s QB problem, all hope may be lost. Gronowski missed spring practice after having shoulder surgery but he’s stepped up over the summer and has taken a real leadership role as the Hawkeyes head to camp.
The Hawkeyes didn’t stop with just a new starter at QB, they overhaul continues down the roster. Hank Brown transferred in from Auburn after starting a few games last year as a redshirt freshman for the Tigers. He was the guy running the offense during spring practice as Gronowski was rehabbing his shoulder and Brown distinguished himself as the backup QB. It would be helpful if he can establish himself as the clear heir apparent so Iowa doesn’t have to go chasing another transfer QB next off season. It looks like the Hawkeyes got a good one and Lester seems to have confidence in Brown.
Jackson Stratton is the longest tenured QB on the roster, he joined the Hawkeyes last summer as a walk-on. Things got pretty rough last year at QB and Stratton actually started a few games at the end of the season. He wasn’t terrible and it’s nice to know the Hawkeyes have some depth but Stratton isn’t guaranteed to be the third QB. I would actually venture to say he loses that spot to Jeremy Hecklinski, the late arriving transfer from Wake Forest. Hecklinski transferred at the end of the spring semester but he started games as a true freshman at Wake Forest and while he’s pretty undersized, he’s a talented QB. True freshman Jimmy Sullivan arrived in December and seems like a solid young prospect but given the way the transfer portal goes, I’m not counting on anything from a freshman QB that likely won’t see the field for a few years at Iowa. If Sullivan is still around in 2027, then we can talk about him.

Running Back
Starters: Kamari Moulton (Soph), Terrell Washington (So)
Backups: Jaziun Patterson (Jr)
Depth: Xavier William (RS Fr), Brevin Doll (RS Fr), Nathan McNeil (Fr)

Kamari Moulton started the first game last season when Kaleb Johnson was serving a suspension for the first half of that game. Johnson took over in the second half and never looked back. That doesn’t mean Moulton isn’t a good RB, he’s actually an excellent talent. He’s most likely the starter to begin the season and he’s going to be productive. The Iowa offense isn’t going to have Kaleb Johnson to lean on and it would be foolish to expect anyone to have the type of year like Johnson had last year. That doesn’t mean the running game is going to suffer. The offensive line should be good and there is a stable of running backs to count on. No one guy will replace Johnson but the group can be great. Moulton also started the bowl game and was quite good. He’s a very good RB who’s going to have to hold off some very talented players behind him.

I listed Terrell Washington as the co-starter with Moulton because I expect big things from him this year. Washington has moved back to RB after spending time last year learning the slot receiver position. Now he brings his skill set back to the RB position and after watching him in the spring and hearing the coaches talk about him, I expect he’ll be a big part of the offense. He’s filled out physically and looks decisive as a runner. He and Moulton should make a good one-two punch.

They won’t be the only guys to get carries but they should get the bulk of them. Jaziun Patterson is the battering ram. He runs hard, he runs low to the ground, and he tries to run through anyone in front of him. He can break a run when he picks the right hole but he doesn’t always have the patience to wait for a hole to open. He takes the handoff and he’s full steam ahead. Patterson isn’t the biggest back but he has solid size.

The true big back would be Xavier Williams if the Hawkeyes decide to unleash him. Williams is 5’10 225 lbs. and has the power that could be really useful if he shows the type of patience we haven’t really seen from Patterson. His running style could be helpful in this offense. Brevin Doll is the other redshirt freshman RB with Williams and he’s the taller, longer, more explosive athlete who will give the Hawkeyes that speed element you want. I’m not convinced we will see Doll a ton this season with so many guys ahead of him but he’s also the type of talent that might force his way on to the field. True freshman Nathan McNeil was an early enrollee who was here for spring practice. He looks like a talented back but he’s going to have to wait his turn.

Wide Receivers
Starters: Seth Anderson (Sr), Jacob Gill (Sr), Reece Vander Zee (So)
Backups: Kaden Wetjen (Sr), Dayton Howard (So), KJ Parker (RS Fr)
Depth: Jarriett Buie (So), Sam Phillips (Sr)

The upgrade at the QB position is clearly the most important upgrade the Hawkeyes have needed to pull off over the last half decade for sure, WR was a close second. Having an offensive scheme that can help WRs get open is really nice but if the guys can’t play, it doesn’t matter. These guys look like they can play. Seth Anderson transferred to Iowa a couple of years ago but has yet to be healthy for any real stretch of time. He finally had a healthy spring practice this year and looked very good. Anderson has solid size at 6’0 187 lbs. and he has excellent speed. If he can add the downfield passing element to the offense, he opens up a lot of possibilities for Iowa. It’s the thing he was brought in to do, now he has to stay healthy and do it.

Jacob Gill was the most consistent WR the Hawkeyes had last year through all of the changes at QB and the shuffling of receivers due to injury. He brings a steadiness and an understanding of the passing game because he probably got the most reps last year during actual games. That consistency will keep him on the field. He may not be a gamebreaker but he’s a guy the QBs can rely on to be where he’s supposed to be.

Reece Vander Zee got off to a hot start in the first few games last season while starting as a true freshman. A true freshman starting at WR isn’t a common occurrence at Iowa so Vander Zee clearly has the talent. He got injured and never got back to full strength so we never really got to see him after those first few games. He steps back in as a starter and he’s filled out his frame so hopefully he can hold up to the rigors of Big Ten football a little better. He gives the Hawkeyes offense a different skill set as he’s the traditional X position receiver who’s 6’4 215 lbs. and he plays to his size. Iowa hasn’t had a guy like that since Brandon Smith graduated.

I can’t remember the last time Iowa had depth at WR, if there has ever been a time Iowa had depth at WR. Kaden Wetjen is the All-American returner who’s hoping to become more of a WR and this one didn’t transfer to Purdue to do it. Tim Lester seems to have a plan to use Wetjen’s game breaking speed and find ways to get him involved in the offense. Dayton Howard was a guy who stood out a bit in spring practice too and he gives the Hawkeyes size like Vander Zee does. He’s 6’5 215 lbs. and started to get some playing time late last season. Lester pointed out that he’s coming around mentally with his game. With his physical gifts, that could make him scary. KJ Parker was the star of bowl prep to end last season and kept it up during spring practice. He’s not overwhelming physically at 5’10 184 lbs. and he’s not just outrunning everyone, he’s got actual WR skills and that’s going to get him on the field.

Jarriett Buie was getting playing time at the end of last year including having a solid showing in the bowl game. At this point it’s not as if he’s not progressing but if seems like other guys are progressing more than he is and standing out. Buie should play this year but his time might be limited if Vander Zee and Howard are filling the big WR role. Sam Phillips is the wild card. He just transferred to Iowa and while he was around for spring practice, he’s still finding his way. He’s undersized but he’s got elite speed and has a lot of reps at WR so his experience should help him. If Phillips adds some more big plays to the offense, things get very interesting. I don’t remember a time when Iowa had eight WRs they could actually play and it wouldn’t be a total disaster. The depth they have is quite nice.

Tight End
Starter: Addison Ostrenga (Sr)
Backup: Zach Ortwerth (Jr)
Depth: Hayden Large (Sr), Michael Burt (RS Fr), DJ Vonnahme (RS Fr)

The TE position has taken a little bit of a backseat to the WR group given the new offensive scheme, it seems to favor three WRs over Iowa’s two TE sets, and even more so, replacing the fullback. That doesn’t mean Iowa doesn’t still have talent at TE. Addison Ostrenga probably isn’t Sam LaPorta or TJ Hockenson but he’s a very good TE. He’ll be a part of the offense he just won’t be featured in it as long as Iowa has some WRs step up.

Zach Ortwerth stepped in last year when Iowa needed some depth at TE and showed he has some skills when it comes to catching the ball down field. He’s next in line after Ostrenga and if teams don’t pay attention to him, he’s going to burn them. Hayden Large will be the third TE and if the team needs a guy to line up at fullback, Large will do that too.

Michael Burt and DJ Vonnahme are two redshirt freshmen who add depth but will hopefully not be needed in any meaningful way this season. Iowa also has three true freshmen TEs; Mason Woods, Thomas Meyer, and Eli Johnson, I wouldn’t expect any of them to play this season.

Offensive Line
Starters: LT Jack Dotzler (Jr), LG Beau Stephens (Sr), C Logan Jones (Sr), RG Kade Pieper (So), RT Gennings Dunker (Sr).
Backups: T Trevor Lauck (So), T Bryce George (Sr), G/C Michael Myslinski (Sr), G Leighton Jones (So), G Kale Krogh (Jr), T Cannon Leonard (So)
Depth: G Cael Winter (So), G Josh Janowski (RS Fr), T Will Nolan (RS Fr), T Bodey McCaslin (RS Fr), T Lucas Allgeyer (Fr)

The offensive line was excellent last year and they return essentially three starters and they should feel pretty good about a fourth. The fifth spot is a question and they may need most of, if not all, training camp to figure out the LT position. The three starters are two guys who are rock solid and one guy they need to stay healthy. C Logan Jones is one of the best centers in the country and he should be a fairly high NFL draft pick. It’s been a journey over his multiple years as a starter; it wasn’t always pretty. However, he’s become a rock and he’s powerful and athletic and works very well in the offensive scheme.

RT Gennings Dunker is the other sure thing on the line. He’s a beast on the right side and he was a big reason Kaleb Johnson had a great year running the ball last season. Dunker missed spring practice after having surgery but he did it then so he would be ready for the season. He’s going to be a guard in the NFL but he’s one of the better RTs in college football. LG Beau Stephens is the other returning starter but he’s a guy who needs to stay healthy. He’s essentially been a starter for two years but he can’t make it through a season fully healthy. The Hawkeyes should have some solid interior backups but the hope is that Stephens can stay on the field because he’s a monster on the interior. They also need him to stay healthy to stabilize the left side of the line as they figure out LT.

The fourth starter the team should feel good about is new RG Kade Pieper. He’s stepping in to the spot vacated by Connor Colby and those are big shoes to fill. Pieper has gotten playing time since he was a true freshman and if you can get playing time at Iowa as a true freshman on the offensive line, you’re good. He’s a great athlete with some serious power to his game; he should be fine.

The LT spot is the big question. Jack Dotzler has been listed as the backup at LT for years but he was never the top backup tackle to come into the game. Nick DeJong is finally out of eligibility so the Hawkeyes will have to count of someone else. Dotzler and Trevor Lauck were fighting it out during spring practice and while Dotzler seems to be listed as the starter for now, that fight isn’t over. Lauck and Dotzler give the Hawkeyes options but clearly the coaches weren’t convinced either is the answer at this point. Enter Bryce George.

George is a transfer from Div. II Ferris State. He was highly successful there as they won multiple National Championships while he was starting on the offensive line. George played RT at Ferris St. but Iowa isn’t looking for a RT, they need a LT and it looks like he’ll get a shot to take that job. He has the size and athleticism to hold his own, it’s the step up in competition that’s going to be hard to deal with. Trevor Lauck is still a young guy the coaches are hoping develops at the position but he may not be ready just yet. Hopefully the coaches can settle on a starter during camp and let the five guys come together as a unit.

The backups at all the positions on the line are inexperienced so hopefully the starters can stay healthy. Michael Myslinski is the only senior among the backups but he doesn’t really have more experience than the younger guys because he’s mostly been injured throughout his career. Kale Krogh is a junior who’s never played in four years. Leighton Jones is a guy the coaches like and he has some versatility as he could play guard or center, so can Mylinski. If Lauck or George don’t win the LT spot they could be viable guard backups as well as RT backups. Cannon Leonard is listed as the backup at RT but it feels like he’s on the Dotzler trajectory of being listed as the backup but not actually getting in to play. He’s going to have to hold off some young OTs as there is some young talent at OT coming up behind him.

Will Nolan, Bodey McCaslin, and Lucas Allgeyer are all young OTs with promise who just need time to develop physically and they can be the future of the offensive line. The Hawkeyes have lost some young offensive linemen before they ever really got going over the past year or two and that’s why they have five verbal commitments in the 2026 recruiting class. They may have to find a few more one-year stopgap starters in 2026 while they wait for the young guys to be ready to contribute.

This offense has everything it needs to finally be a good offense. They don’t have to be a great offense but being above average would be nice. With Mark Gronowski at QB and Tim Lester’s offense I do think the ceiling is higher than just above average. The running game is going to be effective and the passing game is going to be much improved. If they get healthy seasons from the WR group (I’m looking at you Seth Anderson and Reece Vander Zee), and they find a LT (come on Lauck or George), the sky is the limit, relatively speaking. Iowa isn’t going to be Oregon or Ohio St. on offense, but they can be good.