Tag: 2023 Iowa Hawkeyes Season

Xavier Nwankpa looking to become a leader in 2023

Though he may only be a sophomore, Xavier Nwankpa looks ready to lead a new generation of Iowa Hawkeyes football.

At this time last year, Iowa safety Xavier Nwankpa was the new wide-eyed baby face on the team.

One of Iowa’s highest-ranked recruits in recent years, Nwankpa entered Iowa City with a star-like aura around his name. This was the future of the Hawkeyes’ secondary. This was the man to lead the new guard of Iowa’s defense.

While he didn’t play a ton as a freshman, Nwankpa was impressive when given his chance. During his lone start in the Music City Bowl, Nwankpa recorded eight tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown. It was a star-making performance and just a taste of what fans could get from Xavier in 2023.

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Iowa’s defense was one of the best in the nation in 2022, lead by various experienced stars. Now, those stars are heading to the NFL. In the secondary specifically, the Hawkeyes lose two leaders in Riley Moss and Kaevon Merriweather.

Nwankpa detailed recently that his goal for this year is to transition from a baby-faced youngster to a true leader.

“Really trying to lead, help all the young guys. Get to the level that we need to be at as a defense just to keep what we’ve been doing,” Nwankpa said.

Of course, Nwankpa is doing his part this offseason to improve his overall game. The Pleasant Hill, Iowa, native is busting his backside to become the player he knows he can be.

True to the Iowa mentality, though, it is not just about one player. Everyone holds not only themselves, but their teammates around them to a high standard. It’s a true team effort, a brotherhood of Black and Gold lifting each other up.

While Nwankpa is only entering his sophomore season, it’s clear that he just gets it. He’s played with players like Moss and Merriweather who know what it takes to win in the Big Ten. He’s learned from a defensive coordinator in Phil Parker who knows the results that a true 11-man defense yields.

Nwankpa may not have played a ton his freshman year, but early in the offseason, that year in Iowa City has done wonders. He may be young, but Xavier Nwankpa is ready to lead a new generation of Iowa football.

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5 Iowa Hawkeyes poised for a breakout in 2023 college football season

A look at five Iowa Hawkeyes who can become the next stars of the Iowa football program during the 2023 college football season.

A new spring season of Hawkeyes football is upon us, folks! If you know anything about Iowa ball, they have an established pipeline to the NFL. You’ll rarely find a draft without Hawkeye representation and this year is no different.

Iowa has five candidates for the upcoming 2023 NFL draft in defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness, linebacker Jack Campbell, tight end Sam LaPorta, cornerback Riley Moss, and safety Kaevon Merriweather. Van Ness, Campbell, and LaPorta have been the talk of the NFL Draft community after their stellar NFL Combine performances.

Van Ness in particular featured highly in recent mock drafts. Moss and Merriweather also have a number of fans in the football world as well.

Despite being known as a program greater than the sum of its parts, every year Iowa football manages to produce stars who go on to the NFL. That team-first mentality really aids in preparing players for the next level. Five key stars are moving on, but who will be the next breakout stars in Iowa City?

With the depth charts released for the spring season, we now have a better idea of how these players are viewed by the coaching staff. With that in mind and combined with what we already saw last year, here are five breakout candidates to keep an eye on throughout spring ball.

5 burning offensive questions for the Iowa Hawkeyes heading into spring football

It’s almost time for spring football in Iowa City. What are five burning questions about the Hawkeyes’ offense heading into spring football?

Slowly but surely we are escaping the pit that is the college football offseason. Full of transfers and coaching changes, the offseason can feel like a real slog to get through. This isn’t aided by the weather being bad either, just heightening our offseasonal depression.

It’s been a turbulent one for the Iowa Hawkeyes to say the least. Iowa brought in two big transfers from Michigan, but also saw multiple talented players depart as well. It is going to hurt to see Jestin Jacobs in an Oregon uniform next year, and I’m fully prepared for Keagan Johnson to be a star in the Big 12.

While Iowa managed to put together a good recruiting class, it all felt overshadowed by the guy they weren’t able to bring in. While many will try to criticize Proctor’s decision calling it short sighted, mind you Alabama also routinely sends linemen to the NFL, it’s really hard for me to envision anything but success for the young man. I truly do wish him the best, unless it’s in a national championship against Iowa to which I hope he gives up four sacks.

What else was there? Oh yeah, there was the entire “will they fire him” situation with offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz. If it were up to most of the fanbase, the coach’s son would’ve been out the door a long time ago. Even before Iowa’s offense put up horrendous numbers this past season. Iowa did issue him an “ultimatum” though: bring the offense to passable levels and you sir get a raise and a pat on the back.

It still does feel like a bad dream.

It’s felt like all offseason the fanbase has received just kick in the pants after kick in the pants. I’m not sure if the same feeling of optimism is there that I noticed last year. So, how do you fix that? Well, it’s easy folks.

Win.

Winning is the remedy to literally any problem in sports. All of the down moments of the offseason will seem like little blips on the radar if Iowa football gets back to doing what they do in winning.

Of course, the biggest factor in that is the offense. Anyone who is familiar with last year’s team can tell you just how bad it is, and looking back on some of the box scores it truly is the stuff of nightmares. It cannot go on that way. No more wasting Phil Parker’s fantastic defensive efforts and no more wasting the fans’ time!

With the offense in mind, here are five questions about Brian Ferentz’s unit that should be on the minds of every single Iowa football fan.