Tag: 2022 Big Ten Football Season

5 Offensive keys for the Iowa Hawkeyes against South Dakota State

Here’s five keys for the Iowa Hawkeyes on offense to get the season off to a strong start in week one against South Dakota State.

Week One is the perfect time to work out the kinks, earning some needed chemistry and playing time. While No. 2 Ohio State is playing a national contender in No. 5 Notre Dame to kick off their season, Iowa is also facing a national championship contender, albeit a very different one.

The Hawkeyes will host the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Kinnick Stadium to kick off their season. It certainly isn’t the toughest week one slate, they didn’t elect to schedule a top 25 team like No. 12 Oregon or a returning College Football Playoff team in No. 22 Cincinnati, but SDSU is certainly not a pushover. They aimed for a bit more of an ambitious FCS opponent than say Wisconsin taking on Illinois State, a team that didn’t even muster five wins in 2021.

Expectations are high for the Hawkeyes, fresh off of their Big Ten Championship game campaign. The first team left on the outside looking in of the USA TODAY Sports AFCA coaches poll, Iowa certainly has a chip on its shoulder entering the season. After an offseason of incessant talking points, none of that matters anymore. The season is here, time to put up or shut up. Here are five keys for the Iowa offense against South Dakota State.

Pair of Iowa Hawkeyes named CBS Sports preseason All-Americans

Two member of the Iowa defense, linebacker Jack Campbell and cornerback Riley Moss, have been named CBS Sports preseason All-Americans.

Two members of the Iowa Hawkeyes defense find themselves among another list of preseason recognition and accolades. The two defenders are linebacker [autotag]Jack Campbell[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Riley Moss[/autotag] and they have been named preseason first-team All-Americans by CBS Sports.

This is one of the many preseason awards that Moss and Campbell have been tied to up to this point. Each of them are members of the Bednarik Award watch list, which is an award given annually to the best defensive player in the country. Jack Campbell was also selected as the Big Ten preseason Defensive Player of the Year by the media prior to the 2022 college football season.

These two were integral parts of the Hawkeyes’ defense during the 2021 campaign which saw them earn a berth in the Big Ten Championship game. Jack Campbell led the Iowa Hawkeyes’ defense with 143 total tackles. Riley Moss contributed 39 tackles, four interceptions, and two touchdowns.

Moss and Campbell will once again be the heart and soul of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ defense as experienced veterans that can lead on and off the field. Moss has spoken about the unit’s comradery and how it will be beneficial this fall.

“I think we’re another close-knit group, and that happens naturally being in camp and being around each other so much. We have kind of built a culture in that room last year that a lot of these younger guys saw and want to replicate. So that’s kind of our goal and we always played better when we are a close knit group,” Moss said.

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Lukas Van Ness named one of college football’s top 50 breakout players per Athlon Sports

Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness has been a name to watch and that continues as he is named a top 50 breakout player for 2022.

Lukas Van Ness flashed for the Iowa Hawkeyes in limited time during the 2021 college football season and that has been a big reason he has become one of the names to be on the lookout for this fall. The sophomore defensive lineman has great versatility and strength to utilize at all four positions on the defensive front.

Due to his performance last year and the expectations that have risen for the product out of Barrington, Ill., Van Ness finds himself among Athlon Sports’ top 50 college football breakout players for the 2022 season.

Van Ness shined in a backup role as a redshirt freshman for the Hawkeyes last year, recording 33 tackles (8.5 for a loss) and seven sacks over 462 snaps. With another offseason to develop and learn under coordinator Phil Parker, expect Van Ness to emerge as one of the top linemen in the Big Ten. – Lassan, Athlon Sports.

The Hawkeyes have high expectations for the defensive line and believe it could be one of their strengths with a very experienced group of linebackers and defensive backs behind them. Van Ness can be expected to be lining up at any of the four positions as the year progresses and has spoken about what that could entail in 2022.

“I mean, last year I played as a defensive tackle and I recorded seven sacks. For this fall, they’re planning on moving me to defensive end, so they’re bumping me back outside. I lost a little weight. I was playing around 280, 285 last year, and I’m right around 275. Moved outside, so obviously I’m going to set my goals high.

“I hope to have at least a 14-sack season, which is very tough to do. That’s at least a sack a game if we continue to go far past the bowl game. It’s hard to do, but I think that if you want to be successful in this game, you’ve got to put pressure on the QB and good defensive end play is key to winning games, so I would say 14 sacks for me is my goal,” Van Ness said.

Lukas Van Ness has added strength and power during the offseason in the Iowa Hawkeyes’ strength and conditioning program. His speed and agility are evident from last season as he has the ability to turn the corner on offensive lineman or simply bull rush them as evidenced in the clip above.

With high expectations for the defensive line and experience across the board returning, Van Ness will have his chance to be one of the anchors not alone along the defensive front but the entire Hawkeyes defense.

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Will the Iowa Hawkeyes toss more than 15 passing touchdowns in 2022?

Surely, Iowa will eclipse the 15 passing touchdowns mark in 2022, right? The Cover 3 Podcast crew was asked that and discussed it recently.

After discussing whether or not fans should expect Iowa to eclipse its 7.5 wins total in 2022, the Cover 3 Podcast crew broke down a viewer-submitted question.

Will the Iowa Hawkeyes have more than 15 passing touchdowns during the entirety of the 2022 season?

On the surface, it sounds like a ridiculous question, right? Then, the unfortunate reality settles in that Iowa only had 12 passing touchdowns in all of 2021, including just three in the season’s final eight games.

With all of that in mind, what did hosts Chip Patterson, Bud Elliott and Tom Fornelli have to say on that subject? Here was their discussion from the latest episode of the Cover 3 Podcast.

Bud Elliott: “An excellent stat from David Eickholt. From October 2 through the bowl game, Iowa only threw two passing touchdowns.

Chip Patterson: “What?!”

Elliott: “Yeah, I listened to the summer school episode we did last night. I’m pretty sure that’s what he said. It was like October 2 up until the bowl game, they only threw two passing touchdowns.”

Tom Fornelli: “Yeah, they don’t…I get the sense that they don’t trust Spencer Petras’ arm in those tight windows very much.”

Patterson: “And they won 10 games last year.”

Fornelli: “Once they get inside the 10, which they usually are because there aren’t a ton of explosive plays that they score from outside the 20, they’re usually handing that thing off and trying to pound it.”

Patterson: “So, under is the answer to 15 passing touchdowns.”

Elliott: “I do think they should throw a little bit more, though. Like, I know that sounds crazy, because I don’t really believe in Spencer Petras. However, teams knew when Tyler Goodson was going to run. They really did. Like, if you look at his early-down success rate, it was horrendous. Teams were basically like daring them to throw the ball. He actually—I think it was on first and 10 inside the red zone—had a success rate under 30 percent. So, Iowa was essentially giving away first down when it got into the red zone by just trying to slam the ball with Goodson. And that’s not saying…I think Goodson is a good back. I think Iowa will have a good offensive line, but, if everybody knows what’s coming, it is a little bit easier to stop, so play-action perhaps?”

Fornelli: “I think Goodson—staying on that subject—I think he’s somebody who once he gets to the NFL is going to actually be a pretty good player and surprise a lot of people based on the numbers he put up in college just because he’s facing eight, nine-man boxes on damn near every snap. There’s nowhere for him to go.”

Reaction

First off, to be completely accurate, Iowa had just two passing touchdowns—both from Alex Padilla in the Minnesota game—beginning with the Oct. 16 contest versus Purdue through the Big Ten Championship game against Michigan. Then, Spencer Petras added one final touchdown pass in the 20-17 Vrbo Citrus Bowl loss versus Kentucky.

For the sake of optimism and the belief that it’s just flat-out unlikely that Iowa has another nine-game stretch next season where the Hawkeyes only combine for three passing touchdowns, let’s bank on that over 15 passing touchdowns in 2022.

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Iowa Hawkeyes cornerback Riley Moss named to 2022 Jim Thorpe Award watch list

Iowa cornerback Riley Moss was named to the preseason Jim Thorpe Award watch list, showcasing he’s among the nation’s top defensive backs.

Iowa cornerback Riley Moss recently was named on the preseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award.

The Jim Thorpe award is one of the most prestigious in all of college football, awarded to the best defensive back in the nation since 1986. It is voted on by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. It is of course named after the great Jim Thorpe.

A little history lesson here for those who don’t know. Jim Thorpe is one of the biggest reasons why football is as popular as it is today. Back in his day, there was not an athlete more famous than Thorpe, certainly not one as great.

Jim Thorpe won the gold medal in pentathlon and decathlon in the 1912 Olympics and was one of the best to ever step foot on the gridiron. He was a two-time NCAA All-American, was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s inaugural class. He also served as the first president for what would become the NFL. There are few names that hold more weight in football than Jim Thorpe.

There are only a select few awards in college football more prestigious than the Jim Thorpe Award and, for a defensive back, perhaps none that are grander. Some past recipients include Deion Sanders, Charles Woodson, Patrick Peterson, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Former Hawkeye Desmond King won the award back in 2015 and is still the only Iowa player to do so.

Last year, Riley Moss proved he was the best defensive back in the Big Ten, earning the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year. This year, his goal is to bring home the Thorpe as the best defensive back in the nation. He came close last year, finishing as a semifinalist, but now he has one last chance to earn it in his senior year.

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Iowa’s Jack Campbell, Riley Moss named to the 2022 Nagurski Trophy watch list

Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell and cornerback Riley Moss each find themselves on the preseason 2022 Nagurski Trophy watch list.

Surprise, surprise. Iowa seniors Jack Campbell and Riley Moss appear on yet another award watchlist. This time the two defenders have been named to the Nagurski watchlist.

Few awards carry the amount of prestige for defensive players like the Nagurski Trophy. Awarded annually since 1993 by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), the award recognizes the best defensive player in the nation.

The winners list reads off like a Hall of Fame ballot, featuring Warren Sapp, Charles Woodson, Ndamukong Suh, Luke Kuechly, and Aaron Donald. Some winners in recent years include Josh Allen, Chase Young, and last year’s winner, Will Anderson.

Campbell and Moss are each looking to be the first Hawkeyes ever to take home the award, while Moss specifically is looking to become the first defensive back to capture the Nagurski since Oklahoma‘s Derrick Strait in 2003. While no Hawkeye has won the Nagurski, linebackers Josey Jewell and Pat Angerer were both finalists.

Campbell and Moss both were featured by FWAA in their watch list reveal.

From the FWAA’s 2021 Second-Team All-America crew are Iowa teammates Jack Campbell and Riley Moss. Campbell is a senior linebacker who led the nation in tackles with 143 in 14 games and Moss tied for 14th nationally with four interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. The Hawkeyes are one of four Big Ten schools and one of 20 overall that had at least a pair of players on the list. – FWAA.

It is just the most recent feather in the cap for both players. Each are again pegged to be amongst the nation’s elite at their respective positions. Campbell and Moss both appear on Athlon Sports and Sporting News’ preseason first-team All-American lists, as well as on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list. Moss himself was named a Walter Camp preseason All-American, while Campbell appears on the Butkus Award watch list.

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2022 Big Ten Media Day: Iowa Hawkeyes’ Kirk Ferentz previews the college football season

At Big Ten Media Days, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz had plenty to say in previewing the 2022 season.

One of the hallmark signs that the college football season is just around the corner got underway on Tuesday. On the first day of the 2022 Big Ten Media Days, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz was flanked by linebacker Jack Campbell, defensive back Kaevon Merriweather and tight end Sam LaPorta to preview the Hawkeyes’ upcoming season.

After being introduced by Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren, Ferentz opened up with the following statement before taking several questions from the media. Here’s everything Ferentz had to say on Tuesday.