Tag: Alex Padilla

‘We’ve got a healthy situation’: Iowa Hawkeyes’ Kirk Ferentz updates quarterback competition

Iowa Hawkeyes head football coach Kirk Ferentz told Rich Eisen that his team has a “healthy situation” at quarterback heading into 2022.

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz continues to sing a positive tune on his team’s quarterback situation as the Hawkeyes begin fall camp.

Ferentz joined SiriusXM‘s Rich Eisen on The Rich Eisen Show. Eisen asked if the Hawkeyes do indeed have an open quarterback competition as camp begins.

“I think yes and no. I think that probably gets played a little bit more publicly, or, you know, it’s a bigger deal publicly. What I said in Indianapolis a week ago, a week-plus ago was that I feel really fortunate that we’ve had two guys on our team we’ve won games with. Spencer (Petras) got injured last year, had to come out, and Alex Padilla stepped in and did a great job and led us to a couple victories.

“There are teams in the country, teams in our conference that couldn’t say that last year. They lost their guy—and that’s part of football, you know, players get hurt—and they couldn’t overcome that. So, I’m really proud of our team for overcoming that and then obviously Alex did a really good job. I think both Alex Padilla and Spencer Petras are better players than they were a year ago. That’s our expectation for all of our players, especially our good guys. So, I think we’ve got a healthy situation and we’re going to let everybody compete in camp, every position and we’ll see where it all goes,” Ferentz said.

Spencer Petras was listed atop the depth chart to start the spring and in the recent offensive depth chart that was unveiled as the Hawkeyes headed to Big Ten Media Days.

As Ferentz mentioned, Petras battled the injury bug last season. The San Rafael, Calif., native started the first nine games of the 2021 season before an injury meant that Padilla got the starts against Minnesota, Illinois and Nebraska. Ultimately, it should be a positive for Iowa, though. Padilla picked up valuable experience and proved like Ferentz said that he can win the Hawkeyes football games.

Petras finished the 2021 season starting the losses against Michigan in the Big Ten Championship game and the Vrbo Citrus Bowl versus Kentucky. Overall, Petras completed 165-of-288 passes for 1,880 passing yards with 10 passing touchdowns against nine interceptions. His completion percentage of 57.3% is a number that Petras has zeroed in on as one of the primary numbers he’s looking to improve.

Meanwhile, Padilla completed 55-of-112 passes for a 49.1% completion percentage, for 636 passing yards and two passing touchdowns against a pair of interceptions.

The Hawkeyes’ season opener is against South Dakota State on Sept. 3 at 11 a.m. from inside Kinnick Stadium.

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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.”

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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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247Sports plummets Iowa in Big Ten starting quarterback rankings

247Sports has plummeted the Hawkeyes in their recent rankings of Big Ten projected starting quarterbacks prior to the 2022 season.

Tell me if you have heard this song and dance before. There is minimal faith in the Iowa Hawkeyes’ quarterback play as we rapidly approach the 2022 college football season. It seems that tide isn’t going to change any time soon, even as we see some evidence otherwise.

In the most recent rankings from 247Sports regarding projected starting quarterbacks in the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes have come in at No. 11, ahead of just Rutgers, Illinois, and Northwestern. They are trailing Wisconsin and Indiana, two quarterback situations they may be better than due to the inconsistency. The thoughts from 247Sports’ Nick Kosko are below.

Petras might be what he is at this point. He’s in line to start again but really didn’t show much improvement from 2020 to ‘21. Sure, Hawkeyes fans could hope, or pray, that he takes a big jump in his third year as the starter, but the team might have to go back to Alex Padilla, again. Padilla saw some action in 2021, but Petras is the guy, until he isn’t. It looks like Iowa might be held back by the quarterback position again. Yet the Hawkeyes still made a Big Ten championship game in 2021. – Kosko, 247Sports.

While the word from Iowa’s program is that the quarterback situation is more of an open competition, there seems to be an ever-growing belief that it is Petras’ job to have unless proven otherwise more so than it is a truly open competition.

Alex Padilla has the experience in the program and has shown his ability to step in and lead the Hawkeyes to wins should his number be called upon. There is also the young gun, Joey Labas, who has a smaller, but loud, contingent of Hawkeyes fans clamoring for him to get the nod. He has a rocket arm and makes things happen, but when push comes to shove, history has shown us it is less than common for Kirk Ferentz to go with the young guy.

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Opinion: My thoughts on the Iowa Hawkeyes’ quarterback room ranked No. 10 in the Big Ten

The Hawkeyes’ quarterback room has been the biggest question mark. Ranked No. 10 in the Big Ten, up is the only option entering 2022.

It’s been reported by every outlet, discussed by every fan, talked about by anyone who has a clue about Iowa football. The glaring question mark entering 2022 is the quarterback play and if it can take the next step. I think it is time to talk about that. And for the first time on this site, let my opinions come out.

I have yet to put out an opinion piece on here as I am extremely close with some current Hawkeyes on a very personal level. Texting, Facetiming, going to dinner and hanging out with them postgame type of close. Due to that, I stay black and white, give the facts, and talk ball. This is different. It’s time for an open discussion about the Iowa quarterback room.

Recently, 247Sports shared that Athlon Sports’ annual magazine named Iowa the 10th-best quarterback situation in the Big Ten, only ahead of Indiana, Illinois, Northwestern, and Rutgers. In my mind, it’s no question Iowa is in a better spot than those four. No real argument.

Here is 247Sports’ Mariah Guzman’s reaction regarding the Hawkeyes’ ranking:

Spencer Petras will be spending his fifth season with Iowa this fall, his third as a starter. Petras showed flashes of excellence in the first half of the 2021 season, allowing Iowa to start out strong with a six-game win streak. He struggled after the streak, compiling seven interceptions to just one touchdown the rest of the season, and Iowa went 2-4 the rest of the way. The Hawkeyes return multiple starters from the 2021 season, with Keagan Johnson and Nico Ragaini hoping to flourish in a more involved role at wide receiver. If Petras can perform like he did the first six weeks of 2021 compared to the final six weeks, Iowa could stun the Big 10. Petras threw for 1,880 yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions in total, in 2021. – Guzman, 247Sports.

Let’s talk about a certain statement in there. The part that says “Iowa could stun the Big Ten” stands out. This year’s Big Ten West is wide open. Spencer Petras has been working nonstop this offseason, showcasing his arm strength at the Manning Passing Academy. He is all in for the Hawkeyes. I have even previously talked about why 2022 may be the best Petras yet.

I think Spencer Petras not only stuns Hawkeyes fans this fall. He stuns the Big Ten.

I think we see him surpass Wisconsin’s Graham Mertz who is inconsistent. Casey Thompson is stepping into a beyond hostile situation in his first season in Nebraska and any struggles will be magnified. Taulia Tagovailoa has the talent, but his inconsistency has proven to be a crutch.

Spencer Petras doesn’t have to win every game by himself for Iowa. He has a defense that returns some firepower and looks to pick up where they left off in 2021. He won’t need to score 35 points every week. Gavin Williams and Leshon Williams are a downhill duo in the backfield. Sam LaPorta, Keagan Johnson, Nico Ragaini, and Arland Bruce IV give Petras the necessary weapons in the passing game.

All of the noise is against Spencer Petras. The talk is how he has held this team back. Hawkeye fans have questioned him and called for replacements. The cards are stacked against him. And while all of this has gone on, there’s been nothing but hard work, bettering himself, and a consistent effort to do his part for this Hawkeyes team from Petras.

Never wavering against adversity. Not afraid to face the music. Ready to take everything head on and show his leadership. Give me that guy 10 out of 10 times. Spencer Petras takes the next step in 2022 and shows why Iowa is in a much better spot than the No. 10 best quarterback room in Big Ten.

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‘This is where I wanted to be’: Iowa Hawkeyes TE Sam LaPorta made ‘easy’ decision to return

Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta made the “easy” decision to return to Iowa City. The Hawkeyes’ offense is set to reap the rewards of that move.

One of the best tight ends in all of college football is back for the Hawkeyes entering 2022. Senior Sam LaPorta was Iowa’s leader in receiving yardarge and receptions in 2021 with 670 yards and 53 grabs.

After a 2021 campaign where he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from Phil Steele, the 6-foot-4, 249 pound tight end is earning all sorts of preseason recognition heading into this season. Phil Steele and Athlon Sports both listed LaPorta as the Big Ten’s preseason first-team tight end, while On3 ranked him as the No. 8 tight end on its Impact 300.

As the Power Five leader in returning receiving yardage among tight ends, naturally, LaPorta is garnering plenty of 2023 NFL draft buzz, too. ESPN’s Mel Kiper listed LaPorta No. 2 on his most recent big board and he was also included on Pro Football Focus’ draft watch list for tight ends.

LaPorta will be one of the most important offensive playmakers for the Hawkeyes next season. Last week, he met with Hawk Central and rest of the Iowa media members in attendance to discuss the start of Iowa’s summer program and how he feels about his game and the tight ends group heading into the 2022 college football season.

‘I’ve got to make the play every single time’: Hawkeyes WR Nico Ragaini dialing in ahead of 2022

Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Nico Ragaini was honest about his 2021 self assessment. He’s ready to completely dial in for the 2022 season.

It’s a big year for Iowa Hawkeyes redshirt senior wide receiver Nico Ragaini. He understands that this is his final chance to impress prospective NFL draft scouts and leave his mark on Iowa City. How much Ragaini improves could be a direct indicator of how much the Iowa offense improves as a whole.

Ragaini ended the 2021 season as Iowa’s third-leading receiver behind tight end Sam LaPorta’s 670 receiving yards and wide receiver Keagan Johnson’s 352. The 6-foot, 191 pound wide receiver out of Notre Dame High School in East Haven, Conn., finished last season with 26 grabs for 331 receiving yards and he had one touchdown reception.

His 26 receptions actually ranked first among Iowa wide receivers, but he’s looking for much more in 2022. Ragaini met with Hawk Central and the rest of the Iowa media to discuss a range of topics as the Hawkeyes begin their summer work in earnest.

Athlon Sports ranks Iowa Hawkeyes No. 32 nationally entering 2022

What all did Athlon Sports have to say about the Iowa Hawkeyes that resulted in Iowa outside the top 25 at No. 32 nationally?

Several weeks ago, Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan released his top 25 rankings for 2022 and the Iowa Hawkeyes weren’t among that list. Instead, five other Big Ten teams were among Lassan’s top 25 rankings for 2022 heading into the summer.

That group included No. 2 Ohio State, No. 6 Michigan, No. 14 Michigan State, No. 19 Wisconsin and No. 25 Penn State. When Lassan’s top 25 was released, he had Iowa in his “next tier” of teams that also included Air Force, Appalachian State, Auburn, Boise State, BYU, Coastal Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Fresno State, Kansas State, LSU, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Purdue, South Carolina, Texas, UAB, UCLA and UTSA.

Now, after Athlon Sports’ release of its 2022 Iowa football preview, there’s a precise number to attach from the outlet to the Hawkeyes. Athlon Sports ranks Iowa No. 32 nationally heading into the 2022 season.

Here’s a breakdown on everything Athlon Sports had to say about Iowa.

22 Iowa Hawkeyes football stats to know entering the 2022 season

Kickoff of the 2022 season is nearing closer every day. Here’s 22 Iowa Hawkeyes stats to know from last season as we inch toward 2022.

By now, you know the drill. The 2021 Iowa Hawkeyes had one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, but the offense left so much to be desired. As a result, a perfect 6-0 start lost its luster with a pair of midseason losses to Purdue and at Wisconsin.

After four straight wins to close the regular season locked down the Big Ten West crown, the Hawkeyes were exposed in the Big Ten championship game by the Michigan Wolverines, 42-3. Iowa followed that championship game loss up with a field goal defeat in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl against Kentucky. Enter the spring and summer of offensive discontent.

A step forward in the Hawkeyes’ quarterback play and Iowa’s offense in general would go a mile in 2022. If Iowa can find that recipe, then fans can start realistically thinking about a return trip to the Big Ten championship game.

With an ongoing quarterback competition still being waged in Iowa City, what’s to come next is really anybody’s guess. There’s optimism that Spencer Petras can elevate his game to the next level. The 6-foot-5, 233 pound signal-caller from San Rafael, Calif., has been working out with quarterbacks coach and trainer Tony Racioppi this offseason to refine his body and his game.

Still, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said to end the spring that he and the rest of his offensive staff are planning a long, hard look heading into the fall at each of their three options under center.

Where does that leave us entering the 2022 college football season? Here’s a look back at all of Iowa’s key offensive and defensive numbers from last season to get fans prepped for what may lie ahead in 2022.

Pair of Iowa Hawkeyes’ 2022 opponents tabbed as Big Ten offenses destined for improvement

Saturday Tradition broke down five Big Ten offenses destined for improvement in 2022. Who should Iowa fans be worried about in 2022?

The Big Ten is not always known for its offensive prowess. Besides the always potent Buckeyes offense—Ohio State plays by their own rules—the Big Ten is known more for dominant, gritty, defensive football.

Only five teams in the conference ranked in the top 60 in the nation for scoring average. This is great news for an Iowa squad that boasts one of the top defenses in the country (just ignore that they are amongst the fledgling offenses).

The good folks at Saturday Tradition recently took a look five Big Ten offenses that are sure locks to improve in 2022, two of which the Hawkeyes play this year.

For Wisconsin, a change in coaches projects a boost to the Badgers’ offense.

The Badgers won’t just have a fresh face calling plays. They’ll have a fresh face with an NFL pedigree.

After wearing the hats of head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach last season, Paul Chryst recognized there is a much better way of doing things. Enter Bobby Engram.

Engram was John Harbaugh’s tight ends coach for the Baltimore Ravens before jumping at the chance to call plays at the college level. It’s very similar to the move Michigan made last season in hiring Ravens assistant Mike Macdonald as defensive coordinator, and there’s no arguing with those results. It worked out so well that Baltimore went and hired Macdonald back as DC this year. – Saturday Tradition.

Wisconsin just has to figure out how to score more touchdowns than last year. They could move the ball solidly, but couldn’t find the end zone enough for their standards. The passing game was pretty awful a lot of the time as well, with Graham Mertz not really taking the step forward fans hoped he would in his second year.

Saturday Tradition’s hope is that with Engram calling the plays, coach Paul Cryst can help out quarterback Mertz more, which is the key to unlocking the Badgers’ offense.

Also featured on the list is Purdue. The projection is a pretty easy one to make. The Purdue offense really figured things out over the last six games, averaging over 37 points per game during that span.

Given the way the Boilermakers closed the season, it’s wild to think they were barely in the top half of the country in scoring. But that’s because the flip switched midway through the season when Aidan O’Connell finally took ownership of the quarterback job.

Following its 30-13 loss to Wisconsin, Purdue averaged 37.1 points per game over its final 6 games. Even without wideout David Bell in the mix, that’s the form Jeff Brohm’s offense will carry into 2022.

And the Boilers already were in position to be a far more potent offense in 2021. Purdue was 24th in overall red zone attempts, but just 122nd in red zone touchdown percentage. Being dead last nationally in yards per carry will do that to you in the red zone. – Saturday Tradition.

With quarterback Aidan O’Connell returning, it is easy to see the Boilermakers continuing their good run of form into 2022.

Also appearing on the list are Indiana, Illinois, and Penn State. Despite having a similar room for improvement as Indiana and Illinois, Iowa was unfortunately left off the list. The Hawkeyes were 99th in the nation with 23.4 points per game scored last season and will be counting on an improved Spencer Petras, or either Alex Padilla or Joe Labas to take over and lift the offense to another level in 2022.

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Spencer Petras’ quarterback trainer sees improvement from Iowa Hawkeyes’ signal-caller

Spencer Petras’ quarterback trainer, Tony Racioppi, sounded off on some of the improvements Iowa’s signal-caller has made with 247Sports.

The biggest “X-Factor” for the Iowa Hawkeyes every year is the quarterback.

While the faces and names may change year after year, most of how Iowa is built stays constant. Consistently, Iowa touts strong offensive and defensive lines to pair with a potent rushing attack and grind-it-out mentality. Kirk Ferentz’s teams typically have a high floor as a result, but the ceiling really depends on how far the man with the ball in his hands takes them.

It is no different for Iowa this year. Last year the defense was as stout as can be, but an offense that averaged only 23.4 points per game is only going to take you so far. Quarterback play limited the Hawkeyes’ offense, and if they want to make it back to the Big Ten championship game, Petras needs to take another step forward.

Luckily for Iowa fans, Petras appears to be making some improvements over the summer if a recent interview 247Sports’ HawkeyesInsider did with his quarterback trainer Tony Racioppi is to be believed.

“He’s the best he’s looked. He’s worked hard on his body, worked hard on his body fat, and he’s moving as quickly as he’s ever moved. Again, not that he’s ever going to be a dual-threat quarterback, but he’s going to have to get away from trouble, move quickly, get his feet set, and make a throw. He’s worked on that. I think he’s lost a good seven or eight pounds,” Racioppi told 247Sports.

“Mechanically, he’s worked on all of the stuff we did last year. He’s made some strides. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how much we talk about this stuff, he has to play better on Saturdays. He knows that. At the end of the day, he’s going to be judged on how many games they won, his completion percentage, and his touchdown passes. That is the reality of playing quarterback.”

Most Hawkeye fans will recognize the New Jersey trainer for work he’s done with former Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley, as well as Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett.

Racioppi recognized some of the flaws Petras made last year, and spoke on how he can help maximize the senior’s game in 2022.

“Fundamentally, he missed some throws last year that he shouldn’t have missed,” Racioppi told 247Sports on Monday of Petras. “Sometimes that was a mechanical thing. He needed to be more athletic. He’s not a bad athlete. He was just heavy. The way college football is played nowadays, if one and two are covered, you’re going to have to buy some time and find three or four, or if things break down, get out of there and extend plays. He’s never going to a ball 70-yards to the house, but if he can extend plays and pop somebody open down the field, they’re going to be that much more dynamic on offense.”

Much of his work over the summer has been tinkering with the little things. There can be flashes of potential in Petras’ game, but some minor problems snowball into major ones. Racioppi sees progress and potential in Petras after a strong spring.

“I think he had a great spring,” Racioppi said. “I think people look into the last scrimmage they had, but outside of that, he had a fantastic spring, and it’s closed practices. He was elite in spring, so I think those guys saw strides and saw him take the bull by the horns. Go win the job and go improve on what they did last year.”

As Racioppi noted, all of this with Petras hinges on him winning the job over Alex Padilla and Joe Labas first. If that winds up being the case and Petras has indeed refined his game and made significant improvements, then Iowa should be right back in the thick of the Big Ten West race. Perhaps the Hawkeyes could even close ground on the two perceived heavyweights in the conference, Ohio State and Michigan.

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