Tag: 2022 Iowa Hawkeyes Football

Logan Jones has ‘transferrable’ skills for Iowa Hawkeyes after move from defensive line to center

Thanks to a wealth of talent up front defensively, Iowa pulled the trigger on moving Logan Jones over to the offensive line.

Iowa has a history of success moving players from defense to offense. Look no further than Tyler Linderbaum, last year’s Rimington Trophy winner. Linderbaum arrived in Iowa City as a four-star defensive tackle according to 247Sports. He left as the nation’s best center and a potential first-round NFL draft pick.

That’s the hope again with Iowa’s Logan Jones. The Hawkeye coaching staff announced that Logan Jones is moving over to the offensive line.

“Logan’s had a really good offseason. I think it just helps us first of all have enough depth so we can practice, but also increases the competition,” Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said.

Jones signed with Iowa as a four-star defensive tackle according to 247Sports. Ferentz noted that depth up front defensively was part of the rationale for the move, but he joked that Hawkeye defensive line coach Kelvin Bell is still adjusting to the news.

“It’s a big part of it and same thing going back. I hate to even go back to the last trade because throw a tag on a guy. But Logan was doing perfectly fine at that spot. And KB is, I think he’s finally over it, you know, a couple weeks later here, but he may still be mad at me and that’s okay. It’s about doing what’s best for the team. Part of the reason is that we were afforded that opportunity because we have some guys right now.

“I think we’ve got eight, nine, 10 guys that are kind of in the mix for playing time on the defensive line. We were really young a year ago. Zach’s gone, but most everybody’s back, so I think that gave us a little bit of flexibility. KB would not agree. If he was standing here right now, he would not agree and might hit me, but it was just one of those things. And it could have been worse I could have picked somebody else I guess and then he would really be mad,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz touched on something interesting with the transition, too. Defensive players sometimes pick up offensive blocking skills quicker than offensive players.

“It’s kind of funny. A picture comes in my mind is like when we do our high school camps out there, they have shoulder pads and helmets on, so we do a lot of run blocking and pass blocking. Typically, the offensive guy has to run block the guy across from him. The defensive guys always end up run blocking better than the offensive guys. I can’t explain why, but they come flying out of their stances and just like drill the offensive guy and they run him back usually.

“Really, it’s as simple as you tell a guy, hey, listen, when you’re playing defense, you are a people mover in the run game. If they’re trying to run the ball, you’re trying to be a people mover. You’re trying to engage that offensive guy and knock them back.’ When you’re pass rushing, you’re trying to run through a guy and then getting into his body and go. So you flip it over. In the running game you want to separate on defense and get to the football. That’s what passing is, is separating from the defensive guy, keeping him out. There’s a lot of transferrable skills. It’s just like you’re flipping the switch on what to do. Still gets time to have him leverage and then understanding how to body position. And then you’ve got to learn the offense, too, and that’s another separate degree,” Ferentz said.

Jones is currently listed third on the depth chart at center behind Tyler Elsbury and Matt Fagan, but it’s worth keeping an eye on this spring to see if he catches on quickly on the offensive side of the football and pushes for serious snaps.

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Examining the Iowa Hawkeyes’ offensive line to start the 2022 spring

What does Iowa’s 2022 offensive line look like as spring practices begin?

The Hawkeyes had the best center in the nation in 2021. That fact was illustrated by Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum earning the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded annually to the country’s top center.

Obviously, the loss of Linderbaum is a significant departure. The 6-foot-3, 290 pound center from Solon, Iowa, started all 35 games over the past three seasons for the Hawkeyes. Iowa replaces just three starters overall offensively, but another one of the Hawkeyes’ losses is left guard Kyler Schott.

The 6-foot-2, 294 pound offensive lineman played in 25 games with the Hawkeyes and started 18 overall, including the final 10 games of last season.

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz was asked if it’s a mix of fear and excitement with his offensive line entering the spring given some of the inexperience but knowing that young talent is there.

“Yeah, I’d say more fair a year ago. Again, we felt really good about the guy in the middle. Tyler (Linderbaum), one of the best guys we’ve had. And felt pretty good about Cody and, you know, well, Cody and Shooter. Thought we had three solid guys there. So we knew we had some work to do at the tackle spot, but that kind of blew up with Shooter and Cody. So that was a tough, challenging year and really impressed with the way George (Barnett) handled things. He didn’t go crazy or anything. He just kept coaching. And again, I think I’m excited about the growth that we saw, especially the last two months, November, December.

“So to me, I’m encouraged. I think the potential is there. Potential is potential. It really doesn’t help you, but I think the guys have worked hard. They’ve got the right attitude and I’m really anxious to see everybody this spring. It’s fun to watch guys and see how they practice, how they improve and compete. And it will be different on Saturday. We put pads on. We’ll be playing real football instead of just shells out there. But at least, you know, I think we’ve got, counting on everybody using the experience they’ve got and then improvement, and that’s where everybody on the team is really, that’s their job, including us coaches,” Ferentz said.

With that said, here’s how Iowa’s starting offensive line looks according to the first depth chart to the start the spring.

‘I think everybody’s competing right now’: Kirk Ferentz weighs in on Iowa quarterback situation

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz shared thoughts on his quarterbacks as the Hawkeyes begin their spring practices.

Iowa started multiple quarterbacks last season. Of course, senior quarterback Spencer Petras had started 17 games in a row dating back to the start of the 2020 season before an injury sidelined him ahead of the week 10 game versus Minnesota.

That’s when junior quarterback Alex Padilla stepped in and started three games in succession before Petras started the final two versus Michigan in the Big Ten Championship game and against Kentucky in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Joe Labas was also listed on the Hawkeyes’ initial spring depth chart.

Now, as Iowa begins spring practices, Petras is listed atop the depth chart with Padilla as his backup. Redshirt freshman quarterback Joe Labas was also listed on the Hawkeyes’ initial spring depth chart. Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz evaluated where his group stands entering the spring.

“Obviously, two guys have a real distinct advantage knowing what to do. So just getting up to the line and getting the ball snapped and having us in the right place. That’s a heck of a start. And it sounds pretty routine and easy. But for Joe, right now, there’s a process to that. Usually if a guy redshirts, that’s part of the thing right now, is him processing and reading things and all the ABC stuff. So he’s in a little different category as far as the learning process. It will be really quick or interesting for us to watch how much he can pick up and how fast in 15 days; whereas, both Alex and Spencer have a little bit, obviously an edge there. They’ve played. They’ve been out there when games end.

“I think the good news is that we feel they’re both capable of playing really good football for us. And our goal is to try to get them to play a little bit better and everybody around them helping a little bit more. I think really that’s the story of our offense right now,” Ferentz said.

Asked if it was accurate to say that it’s Petras’ job to lose, Ferentz didn’t commit to that idea.

“I think everybody’s competing right now. And on one hand, he’s got an edge or things he does better than Alex, but I can flip that around saying there’s some things Alex does a little bit better, too. We’re just going to ride it out and see where it all goes, but we’ll get it figured out certainly and the good news is I think both guys are totally capable,” Ferentz said.

The hope is that either Petras or Padilla will see a big enough leap in their play throughout the spring to make it a clear decision for the Hawkeye coaching staff.

“I know it wasn’t Spencer’s second year. I mean, this is his third year coming up, but it wasn’t his best year and I think he’s got room and I think he feels that. I think there’s some things we probably can do from our standpoint, the coaches, to give him a little bit, set him up for more success if you will. Play to his strengths when he’s in there and Alex whatever his strengths may be. If they differ, you know, lean left or right depending on who’s in there, but I think both guys have an opportunity to be better players this year,” Ferentz said.

He pointed out that one of the positives for Iowa’s quarterbacks is that his team has had success with both quarterbacks. Still, Ferentz is hoping the offensive line, skill players and the coaching staff can help make life easier for either Petras or Padilla.

“We’ve won with both of them, so that’s kind of exciting. But I also know this, we’ve got to help them more. You know, like I said, I’d like to gain an edge up front, not just try to break even, but gain an edge. Obviously, we’ll be more veteran at receiver than we were last year,” Ferentz said.

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5 takeaways from Iowa’s spring depth chart reveal

Iowa gave us our first glimpse of the depth chart. What are the takeaways from the Hawkeyes’ spring starting point?

Football is back! At least a taste of it is anyways. Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz met with reporters and shared his excitement to get the spring slate underway.

“Certainly good to be back and it’s good for us as coaches to be able to focus on the 2022 team now, so it’s good to be back in the office and into it. As I said last time, you know, any time we get together, get started in January, it’s a new team, certainly a new season and a new opportunity on top of that, so it’s always good. As you approach spring football, there’s always promise and hope with the new season, a lot of excitement about that. I think that’s something that players and coaches both share. So it’s one of the great things about spring ball I think,” Ferentz said.

With the Hawkeyes underway with their spring practices, Iowa released its spring depth chart.

There’s certainly plenty to dissect from our first glimpse at a working two-deep for the Hawkeyes, so let’s take a peek at several quick takeaways.

‘First-class all the way around’: Kirk Ferentz excited to welcome Abdul Hodge back to program as tight ends coach

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz is excited to welcome back Abdul Hodge to the program as the Hawkeyes’ tight ends coach.

Former Hawkeye linebacker Abdul Hodge is returning to the program as Iowa’s tight ends coach. Hodge has spent the past three years as outside linebackers coach and NFL liaison at the University of South Dakota.

During his player career with the Hawkeyes, Hodge was a star. The former team captain was a three-time All-Big Ten linebacker with Iowa and he finished his career with 453 tackles. In 2005, Hodge racked up 13.2 tackles per game and 158 on the season, which ranks second best for the Hawkeyes in a single season.

Hodge sold Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz on switching over to coaching the offensive side of the ball as he returns to Iowa City.

“Obviously great to get Abdul back in the program. I think most of you know, or the guys who have been around here know that just a tremendous player, tremendous person, first-class all the way from start to finish. And has done a great job in his adult life. It’s scary how many years have passed by a little bit, but he is a young adult now. Has done a great job in his personal life and professional life. And really waited until his daughter went off to college, she was a softball player, wanted to get her established in a college situation before he ventured into college coaching. Has been up at South Dakota now for several years and has done a great job up there. Outstanding to get him back.

“He knows the program obviously and I think nobody knows better than Abdul or appreciates the role a coach has in terms of developing a real meaningful relationship with the players. He had that with the coaches here. And conversely I know he’ll have that with the players that he coaches as well as other players in the program, too, so really great to have him back,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz related the hiring of Hodge to the hiring of running backs coach Ladell Betts. Ferentz said it was the pair’s approach as players that gave him confidence each would make good assistant coaches.

“Look at Abdul, his career was prolific as a player in terms of production, but the guys that I consider to be really great players, they do more than make plays, they do more than tackle guys or make yards. They just make your team better. And Abdul was always just such a strong, dominant—in a very quiet way—but a very strong, dominant personality, if that makes sense. It’s a contradiction in terms, but there was never any doubt about what he was thinking about out there on the field, his intensity, his focus, his concentration. He just had that when he walked in here. We didn’t give it to him.

“And I’ve kind of witnessed that over the years talking to him. And, to me, the ultimate, when he moved his wife—talk about being a recruiter and a salesman, he got his wife to move from Fort Lauderdale to move to South Dakota—with all due respect—or Iowa. He got them and his son A.J. to go up there. It’s a pretty good sale. She’s part of the community. She’s teaching at the college up there. And they jumped in and were part of the community, not just there for a transactional stay. So everything about him just speaks, he’s a solid, standup productive guy. He’s got a great personality,” Ferentz said.

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‘It just made perfect sense’: Kirk Ferentz weighs in on Brian Ferentz taking over quarterback coaching duties

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz discussed Brian Ferentz taking over the quarterback coaching duties in his spring availability.

After completing his second stint as the Iowa quarterbacks coach, Ken O’Keefe stepped down at the end of last season. Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said in his opening spring media availability that offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz was the natural fit to take over those quarterback coaching duties.

Brian Ferentz has served as the Hawkeyes’ offensive coordinator since the 2017 season and also coached running backs in the 2017 season before coaching tight ends the past four seasons. Now, he will directly oversee a position group that fans are pining to see growth from.

“To me, it just made perfect sense. I thought he was in the best position to handle that role at this point. And I think the bigger hope is that he’ll help us add to our efficiency and proficiency offensively. And that’s the thinking behind that, but he’s embraced that and done a good job as well. Feel really good about where our staff is at now and eager to get started here in the football aspect,” Kirk Ferentz said.

It seems like shifting Brian Ferentz over into the quarterback coaching role was the initial plan, too.

“When Ken made that decision, then my thoughts were to shift Brian over. I think it makes sense. And really all that, outside of 1999 and then the last couple years, that’s been the way we’ve been operated. The guy calling the plays is coaching the quarterback directly. I just think that personally is if he can get that situation, it’s better. And Brian is more than capable of doing that job. And he knows our offense better than anybody, quite frankly. I think it’s going to be a good, positive move for us,” Kirk Ferentz said.

There’s continuity with the transition in this sense. Brian Ferentz has benefitted from working with and learning from O’Keefe the past five seasons.

“Immensely. That was a big part of—after the ’16 season I was hoping when Greg (Davis) talked about getting out and then retiring, I was hoping Ken would be interested. A, available, and then B, interested, because he’s got so much history with the program. And certainly knows our program and certainly has expertise in that area.

“So for a brand new coordinator to have a guy who not only is a coordinator by trade but also a guy who coordinated in this system, I thought that was a real plus, certainly. And I never put numbers on things or targets. But I guess in my mind, I felt like if we could get three good years out of Ken, we’d be doing really well and that would get us up and running. And fortunately we got more than three,” Kirk Ferentz said.

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Iowa announces Cody Ince, Elijah Yelverton have elected to leave the program

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz announced offensive lineman Cody Ince and tight end Elijah Yelverton have left the program.

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz met with the media as the Hawkeyes begin their spring slate of practices. Ferentz announced a pair of players have elected to leave the program, offensive lineman Cody Ince and tight end Elijah Yelverton.

“A couple of roster updates. We had two players decide that they’re not going to finish their careers. Most recently Elijah Yelverton came in before spring break and just said that he’s going to put football on the shelf, finish out this semester and go back home, finish up his degree down in Texas. And then Cody Ince has been through a lot of things medically as has Eli. He’s decided he’s not going to take his next year this year. And so he’ll graduate here in May. I think he’s got about eight, nine hours to go, so he’ll get his degree and move on from there. Whether it’s these two guys or anybody that leaves our program, we certainly wish them the best moving forward. And they’re taking advantage of a new start as well, so wish them the best,” Ferentz said.

Ince started the first four games of last season for Iowa at left guard before Kyler Schott took over for the remaining 10 games. Over the course of his Hawkeyes career, Ince started a total of 10 games. The 6-foot-4, 282 pound offensive lineman dealt with injuries last year and also the death his grandfather.

Yelverton arrived in Iowa City as a three-star prospect according to 247Sports. The Dallas, Texas, native was ranked as the nation’s No. 28 tight end in the 2020 class according to the recruiting service, but he ends his Hawkeyes career without having caught a pass.

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Iowa earns crystal ball prediction for 5-star OL Kadyn Proctor

Iowa earned a big crystal ball prediction from 247Sports reporter Sean Bock on five-star offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor.

No pun intended, but Iowa could be adding a big commitment at some point soon. Sean Bock of HawkeyeInsider submitted a 247Sports crystal ball prediction for five-star class of 2023 offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor to Iowa.

The 6-foot-7, 330 pound offensive tackle is out of Southeast Polk High School in Des Moines, Iowa. According to the 247Sports composite rankings, Proctor is the nation’s No. 5 player overall in the 2023 class, the top offensive tackle and the No. 1 player from the state of Iowa.

Rivals rates Proctor as the country’s No. 12 overall player in the 2023 class, the No. 1 offensive tackle and the top player from the state of Iowa. HawkeyeReport publisher Tom Kakert also predicted Proctor would land with Iowa on Dec. 24, 2021.

According to On3, Proctor is the nation’s No. 31 overall player in the 2023 class, the No. 3 offensive tackle and the best player from the state of Iowa. In the On3 consensus rankings, Proctor checks in as the country’s No. 4 2023 prospect, the No. 1 offensive tackle and the No. 1 player from the state of Iowa. ESPN rates Proctor as the No. 6 overall player in the 2023 class, the No. 1 offensive tackle and the top player from the state of Iowa.

247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu evaluated Proctor on Aug 4, 2021, and wrote this about the elite recruit.

Prototypical height, length and size. Lines up at left tackle and currently projects as a future college blind side protector. Good natural athlete. Shows explosiveness off the ball, twitch and quickness for a big man. Gets out of his stance quickly in pass protection. Has strength and a powerful punch. Can run and get out in front of plays to make blocks in space. Shows few glaring weaknesses, but can still tweak technique and steaily improve on testing numbers. Is a high-end prospect who can play for any school in the country and has the upside and work ethic to play beyond that. – Allen Trieu, 247Sports.

According to 247Sports, Proctor currently has 36 offers. In addition to Iowa, that list includes fellow Big Ten foes Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State. He has offers from all over, though.

Out of the SEC, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas A&M have all offered. Big 12 schools Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and West Virginia have also extended offers.

Proctor’s Pac-12 offers list includes Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon and USC. From the ACC, Florida State, Georgia Tech and North Carolina have offered Proctor. Lastly, Proctor also holds offers from Arkansas State, Charlotte, Notre Dame and Tulane.

When Proctor released his top-seven schools on Feb. 9, Iowa made the cut.

Kadyn Proctor’s Recruiting Profile

Rating

Stars Overall State Position
247 4 7 1 1
Rivals 5 12 1 1
ESPN 5 6 1 1
On3 Recruiting 4 31 1 3
247 Composite 5 5 1 1

Vitals

Hometown Des Moines, Iowa
Projected Position OT
Height 6-7
Weight 330
Class 2023

Recruitment

  • Offered on Sept. 9, 2020

Crystal Ball

Film

Here’s a look at Proctor’s sophomore season Hudl film.

Twitter

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ESPN selects Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Jack Campbell to have biggest defensive presence in 2022

ESPN writer Tom VanHaaren chose Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell as his defensive player to have the biggest presence in 2022.

Iowa enters the spring slate off a 10-4 season that included a Big Ten West division championship. Hawkeyes defensive coordinator Phil Parker and assistant defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Seth Wallace have reason to be excited about what Iowa returns defensively.

One of the biggest reasons for excitement is senior linebacker Jack Campbell. The 6-foot-5, 243 pound linebacker enjoyed a monster 2021 season. The Cedar Falls, Iowa, native racked up 143 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, six quarterback hurries, six passes defensed, a pair of fumble recoveries, two interceptions and one sack.

It’s no surprise then that Campbell is receiving national attention. In ESPN’s college football roundtable, a panelists of writers were asked to pick which defensive player not named Will Anderson Jr. would have the biggest presence in 2022. ESPN’s Tom VanHaaren chose Campbell.

Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell played in only five games of the 2020 season, but he had 29 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and one interception in those games. He was healthy in 2021, and all he did was lead all FBS defenders with 143 tackles. He also had two interceptions and three tackles for loss last season.

He could have made the jump to the NFL, but decided to return for his senior season and is one of the unquestioned leaders on the Hawkeye defense. If we’re talking about presence, Campbell’s return to Iowa was a huge deal, and he has a chance to improve on an excellent season in 2022. – ESPN, VanHaaren.

Campbell’s return provides Iowa with defensive star power. Campbell is joined by another talented starting linebacker’s return. Senior Seth Benson is back as well after registering 105 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries, three passes defensed, two sacks and one interception.

Defensively, Iowa was one of the nation’s best a season ago. The Hawkeyes finished ranked No. 13 in scoring defense, surrendering just 19.2 points per game. That was thanks to a total defense that ranked No. 17 nationally and allowed just 328.8 yards per game.

Campbell and Benson helped anchor the country’s No. 13 rushing defense in 2021 as the Hawkeyes allowed just 3.15 yards per carry and 114.4 rushing yards per game. Iowa also led the nation with 25 interceptions and finished tied-third nationally with 30 total takeaways.

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Iowa earns No. 6 seed in ESPN’s fictional 64-team college football bracket

ESPN’s Chris Low took a crack at what a 64-team college football bracket might look like for the 2022 season. How far would the Hawkeyes go?

Recent reports indicate that the College Football Playoff won’t be expanding any time soon. In fact, according to CBS Sports reporter Barrett Sallee’s report from last month, the CFP will remain at four teams for the duration of the current contract through the 2025 college football season.

Still, that can rain on our parade as we enjoy the festivities of March Madness and wonder what if college football had a 64-team bracket like college basketball. ESPN’s Chris Low took a stab at what that might look like for the upcoming 2022 college football season.

With help from ESPN’s 2022 SP+ projections, Low put together a 64-team team tournament field for college football. Iowa ranked No. 26 in ESPN’s 2022 SP+ projections. That projection for the Hawkeyes checked in as just the seventh-highest ranking among Big Ten teams.

Ohio State was ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s 2022 SP+ projections, Michigan No. 4, Wisconsin No. 10, Penn State No. 16, Michigan State, No. 17 and Minnesota No. 19.

Using the SP+ projections as a tool to help create the 64-team bracket, Iowa ended up as the No. 6 seed in the South region playing No. 11 seed North Carolina. Low predicted the Hawkeyes would win their first-round matchup against the Tar Heels, 27-20, and wrote this about the matchup.

Between them, Kirk Ferentz and Mack Brown have 58 years of head coaching experience in college football. The Hawkeyes’ experience, though, is the difference in this one, as their defensive line takes control of the game in the second half. – Low, ESPN.

North Carolina State earned the No. 3 seed in the South region. The Wolfpack got a test from 14th-seeded Oregon State, but North Carolina State scored three unanswered touchdowns to top the Beavers, 28-14. That set up Iowa’s second-round matchup against N.C. State. Low predicted that Iowa would bow out of the tournament in a close, 20-17, loss to the Wolfpack.

Played in rainy, sloppy conditions, this slugfest goes down to the final minutes when N.C. State star linebacker Drake Thomas, one of several talented Wolfpack linebackers, makes a diving tackle inside the 5-yard line on fourth down. – Low, ESPN.

The No. 1 seeds in Low’s 64-team college football bracket included Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia. Low predicted that Alabama would top North Carolina State in the South region final, 41-21. The Midwest region champion was Ohio State after a 34-17 win over Cincinnati, the East region champion was Texas A&M after a 24-23 win over Georgia and the West region champion was Oklahoma beating USC, 35-28.

Low had Alabama beating Oklahoma 41-21 and Ohio State topping Texas A&M 38-24 to set up the national championship game between the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes.

In Low’s fictional national championship game, Ohio State captured the crown in a classic, beating Alabama, 34-30.

Obviously, there’s nothing to this outside of a fun exercise in imaginary December and January Madness. Still, it’s nice to see that Iowa was safely inside the tournament field and expected to win a game.

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