Tag: iowa-hawkeyes

Final Preseason Thoughts on Iowa Football 2025

My Iowa Hawkeye Preview was written before fall camp started and as with any preseason preview, it deserves a little update now that fall camp is in the books and the Hawkeyes kick off the season on Saturday.  So here are a few updates, some thoughts, and a look at the season ahead.

The QB position worked out how I saw it coming together, Mark Gronowski is the starter, Hank Brown is the backup and Jeremy Hecklinski is the third stringer.  After watching them at the open practice I’m not surprised.  It wasn’t the most impressive day for Gronowski but you could see the skills he brings to the position.  It’s a huge upgrade at QB, not just the starter, the whole roster at QB.    

At RB, Kamari Moulton and Terrell Washington both missed a chunk of fall camp but they are still listed as the top two RBs on the two-deeps.  That’s who I had and it proved to be true.  One thing to keep in mind is that on the two-deeps Moulton and Washington were listed as co-starters with Jaziun Patterson and Xavier Williams listed as co-backups.  The Hawkeyes have depth at RB and it shows.  I think we will see them use six RBs this year after true freshman Nathan McNeil had a great camp and redshirt freshman Brevin Doll is a talented player too.

At WR, I said Sam Phillips was a wild card and he moved his way all the way to he starting lineup.  Jacob Gill, Seth Anderson, and Phillips were the three listed starters.  Anderson looked great at the open practice and if he can stay healthy, he’s going to have a good year.  Gill is just the reliable target every QB loves.  Phillips is the speed demon this offense needs to give it the big play capability it needs. Last year, almost all the big plays came in the running game from Kaleb Johnson, with Anderson and Phillips, there’s potential for big plays in the passing game.  Kaden Wetjen, Reece Vander Zee, and KJ Parker are listed as the backups so there’s some real depth with Jarriet Buie and Dayton Howard not even on the depth chart. 

The starting offensive line has LG Beau Stephens, C Logan Jones, RG Kade Pieper, and RT Gennings Dunker which we all knew was how it would be for those spots.  LT is listed as Trevor Lauck and Jack Dotzler which means it’s still not decided.  Lauck seems to be trending towards being the starter but I’m sure they will rotate, especially in the first game, to get a better idea. This could be a competition for weeks before they decide on one guy, or they could rotate them all season.  Bryce George is listed as the backup LT but Lauck and Dotzler are both listed as the backups at RT so basically Dunker, Lauck, and Dotzler are the top three tackles.  That doesn’t bode well for Cannon Leonard since he’s not listed on the two-deeps at all.  One other thing to note is true freshman Lucas Allgeyer is listed as the backup RG, that does bode well for his future. 

On the defensive line the one change of note is that Bryce Hawthorne is listed as the starting DT next to Aaron Graves.  Jeremiah Pittman is still working his way back from surgery and while Jonah Pace looked like a potential starter inside, Hawthorne has really impressed the coaches. Also, Brian Allen is recovered from his off season surgeries and is listed as a backup DE while Will Hubert, a walk-on, takes the fourth DT spot.  There will be a heavy rotation in the first game against Albany so we will see plenty of the young guys. 

There were no surprises at the LB spots except that none of the redshirt freshman (Cam Buffington, Preston Ries, Derek Weisskopf) were listed at all. Jayden Montgomery and Landyn Van Kekerix were the only guys listed behind the starters. Jaxon Rexroth is listed as the starting LEO and the backup to Karson Sharar on the weakside. 

In the secondary we got some clarity on some things and a little confusion on others.  Zach Lutmer was listed as the starter at Cash with Koen Entringer set to be the strong safety.  That’s good to know, however, Entringer is listed as the backup at Cash and like a co-starter with Xavier Nwankpa at FS, that’s confusing.  Clearly, Entringer is going to be on the field at all times but it’s going to be interesting to see how Phil Parker uses his safeties this season. 

At CB, TJ Hall and Deshaun Lee are the starters, that’s not surprising.  Jaylen Watson is listed as the co-backup at both spots so that tells me he’s the third CB. Shahid Barros and Rashad Godfrey are the other listed backups so the Hawkeyes have some depth.

That is all the notes I have about the two-deeps but just a few thoughts on the season.  I think Iowa’s passing game is going to be much improved.  It’s not just the upgrade at QB and WR.  It’s the installation of the passing scheme that Lester wasn’t really able to implement last year at all.  McNamara was never healthy enough to really get it going and Sullivan wasn’t the passer you need to run it.  Gronowski has the skills to actually run the offense the way Lester wants to run it. 

The biggest obstacle to the Hawkeyes having great season might be the schedule.  There is some good news, the three toughest conference games are Indiana, Penn St. and Oregon and all come to Kinnick.  The bad news is the road schedule has some hazards in it.  First of all, three of Iowa’s biggest rivalry games are on the road; Iowa St, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.  The Hawkeyes have had good luck lately in Ames and Lincoln and Wisconsin doesn’t look all that good but playing all three of those games on the road, sucks.  It’s losing one of those games that could derail a really good year for the Hawkeyes.  Also, Iowa has to travel to the west coast to take on USC.  I’m not sure if USC will be good or not but going west hasn’t been kind to the Hawkeyes.

The Big Ten slate doesn’t have any gimmes because at Rutgers, Minnesota, and Michigan St. won’t be pushovers.  Not sure why Iowa doesn’t get to play Purdue this season, we could really use a Purdue game this year.  This is the reality of the new Big Ten, there are no easy weeks.  I think this team is going to be pretty good and I’m thinking 9-3 or even 10-2 is possible but if the defense faulters like it did last year against Michigan St. and UCLA, 7-5 might be the reality.  I don’t make predictions on final records because I like to be optimistic this time of year.  Iowa could be fighting for a bowl berth the last few weeks of the season or looking for a potential spot in the College Football Playoff, neither one would surprise me all that much.      

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.

The New Era of Hawkeye Basketball

A new coach brings renewed excitement.

Iowa fired head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffrey after 15 years in Iowa City and all I can say is, it was time.  I have been out on Iowa men’s hoops for a few years already and judging by attendance at Carver for the games, many of you are right there with me.  When you can’t get a team that has Luka Garza, Joe Wieskamp, and the Murry twins out of the first round of the NCAA tournament, you’re done.  Iowa was never going to have more talent than that team under Fran and he was unwilling to change his coaching.  It’s entertaining to watch your team go out and score 80-85 points a game, unless your team routinely gives up 90 and gets beat.  Fran made his bed when he refused to even acknowledge the team needed to play defense.  But hey, I’m done talking about Fran, lets get to the fun part.  Who’s next? 

I’m going to list some guys here and give you a little idea of why they may be on the list, why they may get the job, why they may not get the job and what I think.  To be clear, the job is almost certainly Darian DeVries’ if he wants it. The current West Virginia coach has ties to the state, ties to Iowa, and is a really good coach.  Ben McCollum from Drake is almost certainly the back up to DeVries if something goes wrong and I can’t see him turning it down.  I’m good with either of these two simply because they aren’t Fran and I’ve been ready to move on for a while. I’ll list some others I think Iowa should check on but probably won’t.   

It’s his job, he just has to say Yes

Darian DeVries – West Virginia Head Coach

DeVries is from Aplington, IA and is the brother of former Hawkeye football legend Jared DeVries.  While Darian played his college ball at UNI, they are a Hawkeye family and it has been widely reported the Iowa job is his dream job.  He was a long-time assistant to Greg McDermott at Creighton and then had a great six year run at Drake that got him the West Virginia coaching job. 

Why he’s the right guy:

West Virginia hasn’t had the best year but they are a likely NCAA tournament team and he pulled that off with his best player, his son Tucker, missing the season with an injury. Instead, he turned a different transfer player, Javon Small, into an All-Conference player at guard.  Iowa is going to lose guys in the transfer portal and they need a coach who can recruit the portal to replace those losses.  DeVries did it last year at West Virginia and he would likely bring Tucker with him as he should get a medical redshirt season for this year.  One place Fran McCaffrey often had trouble in recruiting was getting elite guards to come to Iowa.  DeVries just proven he can get a guy and make him an All-Conference player in a very good basketball conference.

Why he might not happen:

Iowa has been lagging behind in NIL money for the basketball program.  Beth Goetz has to be able to show DeVries that Iowa donors are going to support the NIL program because he has NIL support at West Virginia and NIL is far more important in college basketball than any other sport, including football.  The biggest thing going for Goetz is that Fran had been losing fan support before NIL even was a thing and she can hopefully sell the fan base and donors on the excitement of a new coach and a new direction.  To me NIL is the only thing standing between Iowa and DeVries, he’s a smart coach who understands how important it is to being successful in college basketball and he may not come to Iowa if they can’t deliver.

The Guy on deck if DeVries doesn’t happen

Ben McCollum – Drake Head Coach

McCollum is also an Iowa native, born in Iowa City and graduated high school in Storm Lake.  He was a ridiculously successful Division II head coach at Northwest Missouri State winning 4 National Championships.  With all his success he was able to wait to take a coaching job he wanted and took the Drake job this last year.  All he did in his first year was go 30-3 and win the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles. 

Why he’s the right guy:

This guy just wins.  Once he got things rolling at Northwest Missouri State, he was a juggernaut.  He knows how to coach a team and win.  He’s young, ambitious, and wants to be great.  He’s from Iowa so this could be a destination job for him and he proved his loyalty staying at his own alma mater for so long even though he had other opportunities to move up.  His energy and enthusiasm would play well with an Iowa fanbase that had grown tired of McCaffrey and he might be the polar opposite of McCaffrey when it comes to his personality.  McCaffrey was always a bit curmudgeonly and could be a bit surly. McCollum is much more engaging and personable. That is going to be a major part of the turnaround at Iowa because the next coach has to win back the fan base. 

Why it might not happen:

The question with McCollum comes from two things, he’s only been a Div. I head coach for a year.  He was really successful this season but a lot of that was due to him bringing in his best players from Northwest Missouri State.  It’s not a reach to think the best players from the best Div. II program could step up into the Missouri Valley Conference, be coached by the same coach, run the same system and be great there.  It’s a different ballgame when you’re talking about stepping into the Big Ten.  Can McCollum get the type of athletes and players to compete at this level?  That’s a big question. 

The other issue might be his style of play.  Drake did the same thing Northwest Missouri State did which was slow the pace, play great defense, and grind out wins.  It’s not the most exciting brand of basketball.  I’m not someone who thinks this will matter as much to the fans, if the team is winning.  If the team struggles at all, McCollum will immediately be compared to Todd Lickliter and no one wants that.  One place this could be a problem is in recruiting the type of basketball players it takes to compete in the Big 10.  I think this is a lesser issue but it’s still something to consider.   

The Guy Iowa should seriously consider but won’t  

Will Wade – McNeese State Head Coach

Why Iowa should give him a look:

I’ll get right to it with Wade, this guy just wins wherever he goes.  He won at Chattanooga, VCU, LSU, and now at McNeese St.  He just really knows how to coach and he can recruit to his style too.  He’s still only 42 and he’s been a successful head coach at various levels of Div. I including in the SEC at LSU.  By the time you read this, he may be the head coach at NC State. 

Why Iowa won’t do it:

First, by the time you read this, he may be the head coach at NC State.  Second, Will Wade got fired at LSU when he got caught up in the recruiting scandal where the FBI had wiretaps of some coaches talking to various go-betweens with recruits about money they were going to be paid.  This was just as NIL was starting to happen but the rules were still against it.  LSU fired him to save face because the NCAA accused him of fraud and bribery.  Three years later what he did would be called negotiating with an agent about an NIL payment.  It’s a bit of a gray area right now but when the House settlement takes effect over this next summer, this will just be called contract negotiations.  The NCAA is such a joke.  Beth, go hire Will Wade!

Guys I could get behind if they get the job for some reason

Niko Medved – Colorado State Head Coach

Why Iowa will look at him:

Medved is the third guy on this list to coach at Drake.  He was only there one season before he left for Colorado State and DeVries took over the Bulldogs. He did well enough that season to get the promotion to Colorado State and he’s been pretty solid there.  He’s mostly coached in the Midwest and he’s originally from Minneapolis.

Why it won’t be him:

He went to college at the University of Minnesota and was an assistant there for a short time and Minnesota just fired their head coach Ben Johnson.  Unless Iowa seriously outbids the Gophers for Medved because they strike out on other candidates, he’s going to be Minnesota’s head coach next year. 

Chris Collins – Northwestern Head Coach

Why him?

Collins has been at Northwestern for a decade and he may have maxed out what that program could be.  He took them to an NCAA tournament, something they had never done.  He’s a Chicago guy after growing up there when his dad Doug Collins was coaching the Bulls.  He’s well respected in the Chicago area and it would be awesome if Iowa could get some Chicagoland recruits to consider the Hawkeyes from time to time.  He is only 50 years old so if he wants to make a change, now would be the time. 

Why if won’t be him:

Rarely do coaches move from one conference team to another, although that may change as conferences keep growing and excluding coaches from your own conference might really limit your choices.  He is probably higher on Beth Goetz’s list than I have him but I’m not sure she gets this far down the list. 

Ryan Odom – VCU Head Coach

Why him?

He’s a little outside the box since he’s more of an east coast guy but he can coach some ball.  VCU just won the Atlantic 10 title in his second year.  He has the pedigree, his father was a long-time college coach Dave Odom who had a lot of success at Wake Forest.  Ryan was also the head coach at UMBC when they were a 16 seed in the NCAA tournament a few years ago and beat #1 seed Virginia.  The irony now is that he is the leading candidate to take over Virginia this off season after Tony Bennett, the National Championship winning former coach, left before the season because he was over coaching college basketball. 

Why it won’t be him:

He’s almost certainly going to just take the Virginia job, he knows the area really well.  Geographic knowledge helps when it comes to recruiting and Odom is well known and respected in the area.  If Beth has time, he’s worth a call.

The Dark Horse Candidate

Alan Huss – High Point Head Coach

Why him?

He’s a rising name in college basketball at a school no one knows.  He has a very tangential connection to Iowa but more so he’s connected to the Midwest area.  He’s originally from Kansas and played basketball at Creighton under Dana Altman.  He also later retuned to Creighton and was an assistant under Greg McDermott.  Before that is where his very loose Iowa connection comes in.  He was an assistant coach at New Mexico under Craig Neal who was an assistant at Iowa and New Mexico under Steve Alford.  How’s that for six degrees of separation. 

Why if won’t be him:

He’s been a head coach for two years at High Point.  This would take a serious leap of faith on the part of Beth Goetz and she would be putting her job on the line with this hire. 

This would be Iowa really settling for a guy just because he’s not Fran

Chris Jans – Mississippi St. Head Coach

Why him?

Mostly because he’s a Loras College graduate and an Iowa native.  He’s been pretty successful at Miss St. and that makes him a guy with success at the highest level of college coaching in the SEC.  If Iowa gets this far down the list, he’s not the worst choice.

Why it won’t be him:

In 2015 he was fired as head coach at Bowling Green after an incident in a bar where he was seen making “lewd and inappropriate behavior” towards some women at a campus bar.  It’s been ten years and he’s had two head coaching jobs without incident since then so maybe it shouldn’t be disqualifying, but for Iowa, it probably is.

Steve Forbes – Wake Forest Head Coach

Why him?

He’s a native of Lone Tree, IA and has had some success as a college head coach at places like East Tennessee State and a little at Wake Forest.  Mostly he’s been a high-level assistant under some good head coaches like Bruce Pearl and Gregg Marshall. 

Why it won’t be him:

If he was from some small town in any of the 49 other states, he wouldn’t be mentioned for the job.  I’m sure Iowa would be a dream job for him, I can’t imagine he’s high on Beth Goetz list and if Iowa hires Steve Forbes, people may rethink the firing Fran McCaffrey.   

The NBA guys that aren’t real candidates:

Nick Nurse, Nate Bjorkgren, and Ryan Bowen

All three of three of these guys are Iowa natives so I am required by law to include them. And I’ve literally received texts or messages asking about each of them from different people. 

-Nick Nurse hasn’t coached in college since the mid-90s except for the four days he was a Greg McDermott assistant at Iowa St. before McDermott left for Creighton, didn’t take Nurse with him and the new Iowa State coach then didn’t retain him.  He’s coached in Europe, the NBA G-League and been an assistant and now a two-time head coach in the NBA. He won an NBA title as coach of the Raptors and is currently the coach of the 76ers.  He’s likely going to get fired after this season as Philadelphia has been awful this year and someone has to take the blame.  He’s 57 years old and something tells me he’s not taking the Iowa job. 

-Nate Bjorkgren has been a long-time assistant coach in the NBA and he’s from Storm Lake, IA.  Weird that two coaches on this list have ties to Storm Lake.  He was Nurse’s assistant in Toronto when they won the NBA title together. He has never coached in college so this would be a strange move.  He had a one-year stint as an NBA head coach with the Indiana Pacers and it did not end well so he’s the longest of longshots. 

-Ryan Bowen would be the most likely of these three as he is not only an Iowa native but was also a really good player for the Hawkeyes before his nine year NBA career.  His coaching experience is mostly as an assistant with Mike Malone in both Sacramento and Denver.  He was an assistant with the Nuggets when they won the NBA title a couple of years ago. He did spend one year as the video coordinator for Fran McCaffrey at Iowa between stints as an assistant in the NBA. He’s worth a call for Beth Goetz if for some reason DeVries, McCollum, and a couple of others turn down the job. 

Should I throw in the obligatory BJ Armstrong mention?  One of the most famous and recognizable Hawkeyes of the past 40 years and he played with Michael Jordan in the NBA.  Sorry, people but BJ is 57 years old and has never coached.  He’s not starting now, let it go.    

2025 Hawkeye Worries

I’m officially worried about the Iowa Hawkeye football program. I feel like I’ve seen this before.  I came to Iowa as a freshman in the fall of 1997 with an Iowa football team that had some exciting players on it and ended that season a disappointing 7-5.  This year’s version of the Hawkeyes feels a bit similar with the way things are going.  Kaleb Johnson was the offense and he was excellent.  While a lot of people compared him to Shonn Greene, there are more similarities to 1997’s Tavian Banks.  Banks was a superstar that season, he was big play waiting to happen and he carried Iowa’s offense.  The Hawkeyes also had one of the most electrifying returners in college football, Tim Dwight.  Punt to him at your own risk.  Dwight was supposed to be a big part of the offense but was largely a decoy and wasn’t nearly as important to the offense as Banks.  Kaden Wetjen isn’t Tim Dwight on offense, but he is a scary returner if you’re the opposing team. Wetjen isn’t anything more than a gadget player on offense, Dwight was more than that for sure but the Iowa passing game wasn’t exactly exciting.  The ’97 Hawkeyes also had WR Damon Gibson, a good player.  The ’24 Hawkeyes have Jacob Gill, a good player.  There were some young, talented WRs in ’97, Kevin Kasper and Tony Collins.  In 2024 we have Jarriett Buie, Reese Vander Zee, and Dayton Howard.  Any of those guys could become Kevin Kasper and have a great Hawkeye career, or they could become Collins, a guy who looked great early and just never put it all together.  The offensive line had some good upperclassmen in Mike Goff and Jeremy McKinney and guys like Derek Rose and Chad Deal were solid.  The 2024 line has been pretty good and has some upperclassmen playing good football, Mason Richman, Connor Colby, and Logan Jones. 

The QB situation is more like 1996 when Matt Sherman was starting but everyone wanted to see Ryan Driscoll and what he could do.  The backup QB being the fan favorite is a tale as old as football.  Cade McNamara wishes he was Matt Sherman, and unfortunately, I don’t think Brendan Sullivan is Driscoll or Sherman.  Once again, an Iowa season is undone by a lack of talent at QB.  McNamara was never the guy he once was at Michigan, you can blame the injuries, you can blame the supporting cast, or you can blame the offensive scheme, but McNamara just wasn’t the same player.  Sullivan is what he is, he’s nice change-of-pace QB who should be used in certain packages, he’s not the full-time starter.   

In 1998 Matt Sherman had graduated and the Hawkeyes had a three-way competition at QB between Kyle McCann, a freshman, and the two returning guys from the depth chart, Randy Reiners and Scott Mullen.  They would eventually all play at some point over the next couple of seasons but they just weren’t good enough.  Brendan Sullivan’s play in the Music City Bowl showed his limitations.   Iowa needs a better passing QB next season because it’s going to be tougher when Kaleb Johnson is in the NFL.  No disrespect to Jaziun Patterson, Kamari Moulton, and the other young backs at Iowa, I really like the talent, but expecting any of them to be Johnson next year is insane.  The passing game has to be better and the Music City Bowl confirmed that it won’t be if Sullivan is running the offense. 

The good news in 2024 is the Hawkeyes have something the 1998 Hawkeyes didn’t have, the transfer portal.  You can hate the portal but if used correctly it can change your entire outlook for next season.  There are three things that can hurt Iowa when looking for a QB in the portal.  The first one is, QBs are expensive and while Iowa’s collective has money, they aren’t ever going to compete at the top of the market.  The second issue is the reputation of Iowa’s offense, it’s bad and while I think Tim Lester has done a good job changing the scheme, you have to show players it works before they will believe you.  That’s hard to do with the QB’s Iowa has had lately.  The third thing that could be a problem is Kirk Ferentz’s loyalty to the guys already on his team.  Iowa didn’t get a lot of looks last season from QBs in the portal because Ferentz’s insistence that McNamara was the starting QB regardless of the fact, he had only played four games the previous season and wasn’t all that great in those games.  If QBs thought they would have a chance to compete for the starting job, perhaps Iowa gets a QB transfer at semester instead of having to wait for Sullivan.  He didn’t transfer until the summer after not winning the QB job at Northwestern.  Ferentz needs to stay out of the way this time, let Tim Lester find a QB he likes and get a guy at semester who can beat out the competition for the starting job.  If Sullivan doesn’t like that, he can move on and Iowa can move on with a new transfer QB and Hank Brown, the developmental guy they already got to replace Marco Lainez.  If they don’t get another transfer QB, then every Iowa fan better hope Hank Brown can beat out Brendan Sullivan to be the starter because the Music City Bowl was not a good look for Sullivan. He simply isn’t the passer you need to run an offense effectively.  His reads are too slow, he’s not decisive in his throws, and he lacks the quick trigger it takes to run Tim Lester’s offense.    

Now, let’s look at why I’m even more worried we are looking at a Hayden Fry 1998-like drop off for the Iowa program.  This roster has enjoyed some stability because of the extra Covid year granted to so many players.  That is about to run out for almost everyone and it’s going to hit Iowa hard, especially the defense. The defense was the reason Iowa lost two of its games this season, Michigan St. and UCLA.  They also struggled against Missouri in the bowl game.  The defense got destroyed against MSU and UCLA and that’s not a good sign.  The bigger issue is losing so much talent and experience from this team.  DE Deontae Craig, DT Yahya Black, LB Nick Jackson, LB Jay Higgins, LB Kyler Fisher, FS Quinn Schulte, CB Jermari Harris, and CASH Sebastian Castro, will all be gone next season.  That’s a major mountain to climb.  The top DE, the top DT, all three starting LBs, the top CB, and your best and most versatile defender, Castro.  I usually give Phil Parker the benefit of the doubt, but that’s a whole lot of production to replace with guys who haven’t played much at all.  If the defense falls off to a level closer to the Michigan St/UCLA game defense, Iowa is in trouble, and offense would have to be astronomically better to make up the difference. 

On offense, they will have a stable of RBs to work with (Patterson and Moulton, plus Terrell Washington Jr, Xavier Williams, and Brevin Doll).  Jacob Gill can be a solid WR (the terrible drop against Missouri not withstanding).  Reece Vander Zee has loads of potential and Jarriett Buie and Dayton Howard still have promise.  We can hope Seth Anderson gets healthy but that feels like the hope you get when you buy a lottery ticket, deep down you know it’s not going your way.  Iowa is always good at TE and they still will be with Addison Ostrenga, Zach Ortwerth, and some freshmen coming up.  The offensive line got a boost with C Logan Jones returning for another year.  Jones and RT Gennings Dunker are a good place to start and if LG Beau Stephens can stay healthy, that’s three returning starters.  Kade Pieper should step into Connor Colby’s RG spot and he’s played snaps since he was a true freshman two years ago.  When the coaches use a true freshman on the offensive line, it means they see some real talent.  The team struck out on the LT from Rice the were hoping to get in the portal but Trevor Lauck should be ready to step in after he ascended to be the backup LT this season.  He’s a young guy and doesn’t have playing experience at LT but he was a highly rated recruit coming out of high school and the coaches need to hit on someone at LT or this team will suffer.          

Hayden Fry was in his 19th season at Iowa in 1997 and it was clear the end was near.  Kirk Ferentz is in year 26 and it’s not so clear when the end is coming but it should be sooner than you think if things go the way they could.  In 1998 the bottom dropped out for Hayden and Hawkeyes won 3 games. Fry walked away and Iowa hired Ferentz after they botched the Bob Stoops thing.  In 2025, if the Hawkeyes don’t find a QB they can count on, they could be facing a similar fate.  Are we in for a slow steady decline to the end of the Ferentz era or is next season the cliff? Next year’s schedule has Oregon and Penn St., two of the better teams in the conference. The four rivalry games; Iowa St., Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska, three of those on the road, and none of those are ever easy.  Indiana might not be as good as they were this year but they won’t be a cupcake.  The Hawkeyes get Michigan St. at Kinnick but they beat the Hawks last season in Jonathan Smith’s first year, something tells me they might be better in his second year.  That leaves road game at USC and at Rutgers, not exactly guaranteed wins.  It’s a good thing Iowa plays Albany and UMass.

The good news is there are still some good QBs in the portal like South Dakota St.’s Mark Gronowski.  The bad news is Iowa isn’t the only team looking for a starting QB and other schools have more to sell a QB on.  There will be more in the portal but are they upgrades over Sullivan or Hank Brown?  That’s hard to say.  Iowa Hawkeye football may be at a crossroads and I’m not sure it’s clear on the direction it’s heading.  Kirk Ferentz isn’t getting fired this off season, his contract is simply too prohibitive for that to happen.  (Thanks again for that Gary Barta.)  An 8-4 season and another trip to the Music City Bowl feels way too optimistic for the 2025 Iowa Hawkeyes, even 7-5 feels pretty tough at the moment.  If the bottom falls out on a 70 year old Kirk Ferentz, does Beth Goetz have the ability to push Kirk into retirement for the overall health of the program?  Would a 3-9 regular season be enough to raise the money to buyout his contract?  Can Kirk Ferentz and Tim Lester work magic in the portal late in process and pull a rabbit out of the hat to save the QB position and the 2025 season?  Can Phil Parker work a miracle to replace about 8 starters on his defense and revamp the unit that let the team down multiple times this season?  There are a lot of questions to be answered in 2025 for Iowa Hawkeyes.  Happy New Year…we hope.