Tag: Charlie Jones

CBS Sports picks Minnesota as Big Ten West division champion

At least one writer sees Iowa’s reign atop the Big Ten West as a short-lived one. CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson picked Minnesota.

CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson has a bold prediction for the Big Ten West division in 2022. Patterson sees neither Iowa repeating nor Wisconsin taking the crown, but Minnesota advancing to the Big Ten championship game.

Iowa is in the midst of an ongoing quarterback battle on an offense that finished No. 121 nationally in total offense at 303.7 yards per game last season. With that in mind, not picking Iowa to repeat as Big Ten West champions isn’t necessarily the most shocking thought in the world, but choosing Minnesota instead of Wisconsin definitely qualifies as a surprise.

The Golden Gophers nearly won the division in 2021 despite significant injury issues. It just flew below the radar because many wrote off P.J. Fleck’s team following their loss to Bowling Green. Minnesota’s ability to figure out different ways to win suggests the program does have a strong foundation, and one of the keys to establishing that foundation is back with Kirk Ciarrocca returning as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Ciarrocca was Minnesota’s OC for three seasons, last in 2019 when the Golden Gophers went 11-2, and I think his return sparks a breakthrough Big Ten championship game appearance. – Chip Patterson, CBS Sports.

Minnesota was a strong team last season, finishing with a 9-4 record in a bounce-back season. The return of Ciarrocca appears to be a big one for the Golden Gophers. When Ciarrocca was last coaching the team, quarterback Tanner Morgan experienced his best season. Morgan’s play has dipped after a very strong 2019 season.

The Golden Gophers will have stiff competiton for the crown in the West. Wisconsin is always a tough team, as is reigning champion Iowa. Do not forget about Purdue and Nebraska as well. It will be a dogfight for a spot in the Big Ten championship game.

The Hawkeyes captured the Big Ten West last season with a 7-2 mark in conference play. In Iowa’s 6-0 start to the 2021 season, the Hawkeyes won all three of their games against Big Ten East opponents to start league play 3-0.

That string of victories included the season-opening triumph over then-No. 17 Indiana, 34-6, a 51-14 blowout of Maryland and a 23-20 victory over then-No. 4 Penn State inside Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa stumbled after that, losing its first two contests against Big Ten West opponents in Purdue and Wisconsin. Purdue held the Hawkeyes to just 271 total yards of offense and a lone score in a 24-7 win on Oct. 16, 2021. Iowa starting quarterback Spencer Petras was intercepted four times against the Boilermakers, including three times in the game’s final four minutes.

It was more of the same against Wisconsin. Iowa had just nine first downs and 156 total yards of offense in Madison, Wis. Petras finished that game with only nine completions for 93 passing yards as Wisconsin topped Iowa, 27-7.

Iowa rebounded, though, winning each of its final four regular season games. A banged-up Petras played just three series at Northwestern. Backup quarterback Alex Padilla helped lead the Hawkeyes to a 17-12 win at Northwestern and proceeded to start the next three games for Iowa.

In his first career start, Padilla passed for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns and ran for another in Iowa’s 27-22 win over Minnesota. The Hawkeyes followed that victory with a win over Illinois, 33-23, and closed the season with a 28-21 win at Nebraska after Petras came off the bench to help spearhead the rally.

All of it added up to the Big Ten West division title. Whether or not the Hawkeyes found any remedy to its ailing offense remains to be seen. Envisioning Iowa as a repeat Big Ten West representee in the conference championship game hinges on just how much progress that unit makes.

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Iowa Hawkeyes Snapshot Profile: No. 16 Charlie Jones

Redshirt senior Charlie Jones has been dynamic for Iowa in the return game. Can he add to his receiving portfolio to jumpstart Iowa in 2022?

Redshirt senior wide receiver Charlie Jones enters 2022 as one of the most accomplished players on the team. A first-team All-Big Ten return specialist, Jones is one of the best in the country at returning punts and kicks. He earned the Big Ten’s Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year award.

In his Hawkeye career, the transfer from Buffalo has returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown. The 6-foot, 188 pound return specialist delivered a 54-yard punt return touchdown against Michigan State in 2020 and last year registered a 100-yard kickoff return to the house against Illinois. Every Hawkeye fan knows what Jones brings to the table as a return specialist, but can he take his game as a receiver to another level in 2022?

One of the points for Iowa this past season was getting Jones more involved outside of special teams. He played offense very sparingly in 2020, but showed the same big-play potential this past season that he showed at Buffalo prior to his 2019 transfer.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jones saw 378 snaps at wide receiver and 89 more in the slot in 2021. He averaged a hair over 15 yards a catch and scored three times, all despite only finishing the season with 21 catches. He returned in 2022 for his last year of eligibility and hopefully can create a potent duo with Keagan Johnson that reinvigorates Iowa’s passing attack.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Deerfield, Ill.

Ht: 6-0

Wt: 188

Class in 2022: Redshirt senior

247Sports composite ranking

2017 two star / No. 442 wide receiver / No. 86 player in Illinois

Career Stats

Punt & Kick Returns Table
Punt Ret Kick Ret
Year School Conf Class Pos G Ret Yds Avg TD Ret Yds Avg TD
*2018 Buffalo MAC FR WR 12 0 0 0 15 289 19.3 0
2020 Iowa Big Ten JR WR 7 22 223 10.1 1 0 0 0
*2021 Iowa Big Ten SR WR 14 37 285 7.7 0 25 635 25.4 1
Career Overall 59 508 8.6 1 40 924 23.1 1
Buffalo 0 0 0 15 289 19.3 0
Iowa 59 508 8.6 1 25 635 25.4 1
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 5/10/2022.

Depth Chart Overview

Jones is currently listed as Iowa’s No. 2 wide receiver behind Nico Ragaini opposite of Keagan Johnson. Jones will look to prove himself as one of the Hawkeyes’ dynamic secondary threats to Johnson and Ragaini in the wide receiver corps.

Ideally, that trio injects some life into the Hawkeyes’ offense and help stretch the field to more than short-yardage passes. LaPorta will still be the featured weapon but now aided with more of a threat down the field from Johnson, Ragaini and Jones. Naturally, he will once again field punts and kicks after being named a first-team All-Big Ten return specialist by both the league’s coaches and media last season.

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Best photos of Charlie Jones’ Iowa Hawkeyes career entering 2022

Redshirt senior wide receiver Charlie Jones has dazzled in the receiving and return game. Here’s his best photos with the Hawkeyes.

Since transferring from Buffalo, Charlie Jones has become a fixture among Iowa’s wide receivers. The 6-foot, 188 pound redshirt senior was also named the Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year in 2021.

Jones averaged 7.7 yards on a league-high 37 punt returns and he returned 25 kickoffs for an average of 25.4 yards per return, which ranked second in the Big Ten. He also finished the 2021 season with 21 receptions and three touchdown receptions for 323 receiving yards, which ranked fourth among Hawkeye pass-catchers.

Jones signed with Buffalo as a two-star wide receiver out of Deerfield, Ill. According to 247Sports, he was the nation’s No. 385 wide receiver and the No. 71 player out of Illinois in the 2017 class. During the 2018 season at Buffalo, Jones hauled in 18 grabs for 395 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

In Iowa’s spring depth chart reveal, Jones was one of the Hawkeyes’ No. 2 wide receivers and listed atop both the punt return and kick return duties. The redshirt senior figures to play a pivotal role again in helping Iowa flip the field in 2022. Let’s take a look at his Iowa career thus far through these remarkable photos.

Iowa Hawkeyes Snapshot Profile: No. 6 Keagan Johnson

Keagan Johnson burst onto the scene as a true freshman. What lies ahead for the sophomore in 2022?

The Hawkeyes return one of the most experienced offenses in the Big Ten. In multiple offensive positions, Iowa boasts seasoned seniors who will continue to be reliable pieces for Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz and offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz. That list includes standout tight end Sam LaPorta and slot receiver Nico Ragaini.

Fans sort of already know how most of the returning receivers can play and what value they add to this team, but [autotag]Keagan Johnson[/autotag] is a potential star Hawkeye fans should be excited for in 2022.

In his freshman year at Iowa, Johnson was the team’s leading deep threat, averaging over 19 yards per catch. While he didn’t receive a ton of work in Iowa’s run-heavy system, Johnson made the most of his touches. Johnson excelled the most in the short game where he could use his speed after the catch to make a play happen.

The Bellevue, Neb., native’s pair of fourth-quarter catch and runs against Penn State and Minnesota this past season are just a glimpse at the talent Johnson possesses.

The 6-foot-1, 197 pound wide receiver will have the opportunity this year to prove that he can keep rounding out his game to more than just occasional flashes. Iowa has to make it an objective to involve him in the offense a lot more as Johnson could be the star the Hawkeye wide receiver room has sorely missed since the departure of Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Bellevue, Neb.

Ht: 6-1

Wt: 197

Class in 2022: Sophomore

247Sports composite ranking

2021 four-star / No. 23 athlete / No. 3 player in Nebraska

Career Stats

Receiving & Rushing Table
Receiving Rushing Scrimmage
Year School Conf Class Pos G Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Plays Yds Avg TD
*2021 Iowa Big Ten FR WR 9 18 352 19.6 2 3 8 2.7 0 21 360 17.1 2
Career Iowa 18 352 19.6 2 3 8 2.7 0 21 360 17.1 2
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 5/9/2022.

Depth Chart Overview

Keagan Johnson is currently slotted to be the Hawkeyes’ top receiver, at least it appears that way on the depth chart. Listed as one of Iowa’s starting wide receivers in the spring’s initial depth chart reveal, look for Iowa to try and possibly get creative with Johnson. With his natural athleticism, he can be used in an abundance of ways, not just in the traditional X-receiver role.

Iowa has not really featured a receiver since Smith-Marsette, but Johnson could certainly change that. LaPorta garnered a majority of the receiving work in 2021, while the rest was pretty equally divided among the wideouts. Hopefully, Johnson can gain that true No. 1 status with a strong sophomore season.

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Best photos of Keagan Johnson’s freshman season with the Iowa Hawkeyes

Wide receiver Keagan Johnson showcased early his ability as a playmaker. Here’s Johnson’s best freshman season photos with the Hawkeyes.

Sophomore wide receiver Keagan Johnson illustrated during his true freshman campaign that he’s going to be a playmaker for Iowa. The 6-foot-1, 197 pound wide receiver appeared in 13 games during the 2021 season and made nine starts.

In Iowa’s 24-14 week four win over Colorado State, Johnson became the first true freshman wide receiver to start for the Hawkeyes since Ihmir Smith-Marsette did so in 2017. Johnson made sure to reward the coaches for that decision. The Bellevue, Neb., native opened the scoring against the Rams with a 43-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Spencer Petras. He also reeled in a 49-yard reception versus Colorado State.

Johnson and Arland Bruce IV made history against Illinois in week 11. Both started against the Illini, marking the first time in Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz’s tenure that a pair of true freshmen wide receivers started the same game.

Along the way, Johnson had other moments of brilliance. In the Hawkeyes’ 27-22 November win over Minnesota, Johnson appeared to be stopped for a loss by Gopher defenders Thomas Rush and Coney Durr after a reception from quarterback Alex Padilla. Instead, Johnson stayed upright, bouncing off the pair of would-be Minnesota tacklers and raced 27 yards into the end zone for a pivotal fourth-quarter score.

Johnson finished the 2021 season with 18 receptions for 352 receiving yards and a pair of touchdown grabs. Here’s a look at Johnson’s best photos with the Hawkeyes thus far.

Changes to Notre Dame TV booth seem likely

Who is your dream candidate to replace Mike Tirico?

Love him or hate him, Notre Dame football fans had one of the biggest names in sports broadcasting in recent years as [autotag]Mike Tirico[/autotag] has been calling games on NBC since 2016.  Might that be soon changing, however?

As expected, Tirico was officially named to replace Al Michaels on Sunday Night Football starting this fall.  Tirico will team up with Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark on the Sunday night call.  Stark has been at NFL Network since 2011 and was a sideline reporter for Monday Night Football from 2000-2002.

Its not crazy to think Tirico could still do the six or seven home games that NBC carries during the year and be on a plane to an NFL destination the next night.  He and [autotag]Drew Brees[/autotag] currently do Notre Dame on Saturday and the studio show for Sunday Night Football so it’s seemingly possible.

However, is it likely?

Like him or not, Tirico brought a bigness to Notre Dame television broadcasts that hasn’t been the regular for quite some time. God bless Tom Hammond, but he wasn’t that guy during his roughly 20 years on the call.

In defense of Hammond, the pipes of Charlie Jones or Dick Enberg are tough to compare any broadcaster to.

I thought last year during the Navy game that Tirico sounded like he would rather be literally anywhere else on Earth than Notre Dame Stadium that afternoon.  Al Michaels didn’t double-dip and I’d be surprised if Tirico did so, either.  For whatever its worth, there is no mention of Notre Dame football in Tirico’s biography that NBC sent out as part of their press release Tuesday.

It’s nothing official but it would certainly seem there will be a new television voice for Notre Dame football this fall.

Who exactly that is remains the question.

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Iowa Hawkeyes tied for the most returning starters among Big Ten programs entering the 2022 season

Athlon Sports took a look at returning starters among Big Ten programs. Iowa has the most returning starters, which sets up well for 2022.

Among Big Ten teams, Iowa has the most returning starters. Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan took a look at returning starters on Big Ten teams and Iowa is tied for the most returning starters.

According to Lassan, Iowa has 17 returning starters. That number for the Hawkeyes is actually 15 returning starters. Iowa is replacing three starters offensively: running back [autotag]Tyler Goodson[/autotag], All-American center [autotag]Tyler Linderbaum[/autotag] and left guard [autotag]Kyler Schott[/autotag].

Goodson rushed for 1,151 yards on 256 carries with six rushing touchdowns. He also caught 31 passes for 247 yards and a score. Linderbaum started each of the team’s 35 games over the past three seasons and Schott started the final 10 games of last season and 18 over his Hawkeye career.

Defensively, Iowa will replace defensive end [autotag]Zach VanValkenburg[/autotag] who started all 14 games and 35 in his career. VanValkenburg had 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last season. The Hawkeyes are also replacing linebacker [autotag]Dane Belton[/autotag], cornerback [autotag]Matt Hankins[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Jack Koerner[/autotag].

Koerner finished third on the team with 88 tackles in 2021. Meanwhile, Belton had 46 tackles, seven pass breakups and five interceptions. Hankins added 44 tackles, five pass breakups and three interceptions. That trio combined to start 95 games over the course of their Iowa careers.

Although the Hawkeyes are in good shape, the losses – center Tyler Linderbaum, running back Tyler Goodson, defensive end Zach VanValkenburg, safety Jack Koerner, defensive back Dane Belton and cornerback Matt Hankins – are significant. – Lassan, Athlon Sports.

The production that Iowa is replacing offensively and defensively is certainly notable. Goodson was Iowa’s leading rusher and Koerner and VanValkenburg were the Hawkeyes’ third and fourth-leading tacklers. Still, there should be optimism that Iowa returns its top two tacklers in linebackers Jack Campbell and Seth Benson who racked up 143 and 105 tackles last year, respectively.

Offensively, Iowa has both quarterbacks [autotag]Spencer Petras[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex Padilla[/autotag] returning. While fans have good reason to want to see more production from both, returning experience at the quarterback position can never be overstated. The Hawkeyes also return five of their top six receiving yardage leaders in tight end [autotag]Sam LaPorta[/autotag] and then wide receivers [autotag]Keagan Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Nico Ragaini[/autotag], [autotag]Charlie Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Arland Bruce IV[/autotag].

Iowa’s 15 returning starters matches Maryland and Purdue. Michigan State returns the next-most starters with 14.

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Athlon Sports’ 5 spring storylines to watch for the Iowa Hawkeyes

Athlon Sports’ J.P. Scott broke down five spring storylines to watch for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Iowa enters the 2022 spring after a 10-4 campaign that was highlighted by a 6-0 start and four wins to close the regular season that meant the Hawkeyes captured the Big Ten West championship.

Now, the focus is on figuring out how to replace three offensive starters and four defensive starters and how to close the gap between themselves and Big Ten champion Michigan. The Wolverines sent the Hawkeyes into bowl season with a 42-3 drubbing.

There’s plenty of reason for excitement in Iowa City with what Iowa returns, but, as typifies a spring, there’s plenty of questions for the Hawks as well. Athlon Sports’ J.P. Scott took a look at the five biggest spring storylines for Iowa in his spring preview of the Hawkeyes.

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.