Tag: John Waggoner

Best photos of Noah Shannon’s Iowa Hawkeyes career entering 2022

After his best season with Iowa, Hawkeyes defensive lineman Noah Shannon is looking to improve upon his 47 tackles in 2021.

After a career year with the Iowa Hawkeyes, defensive lineman Noah Shannon is looking to build upon that success. The 6-foot, 289 pound defensive tackle registered 47 tackles, two tackles for loss and a pair of sacks in 2021 for Iowa.

It was easily his best season with the Hawkeyes. Shannon eclipsed his previous best single-season tackles total from the 2020 season by 36. Now, Iowa is counting on even more production from the fifth-year senior.

Listed atop the depth chart to begin the spring season as the Hawkeyes’ starting left defensive tackle, Shannon will have the opportunity to enjoy his finest season in the black and gold.

The Oswego High School product out of Montgomery, Ill., arrived in Iowa City as a three-star signee in the 2018 class. According to 247Sports, Shannon was the No. 68 defensive tackle and the No. 25 player out of Illinois.

He chose the Hawkeyes over offers from schools such as Arkansas, Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia and Washington State.

Here’s a look back at his career with the Hawkeyes thus far through these great photos.

Iowa Hawkeyes Snapshot Profile: No. 85 Logan Lee

After a breakout season in 2021, defensive tackle Logan Lee will be counted on to take another step forward in 2022.

The interior defensive line is one of the areas of strength on the Iowa defense. The interior features multiple starting-caliber returning players, including redshirt junior Logan Lee. Finally healthy, Lee emerged as a leader on the line in 2021, racking up 48 total tackles with five for a loss. He earned a team hustle award on defense. Going into his redshirt junior season, Lee will be seen as a leader and expected to take his game up another notch.

In high school, Lee was a two-sport star. A tight end and defensive end at Orion High School, Lee was also a two-time state wrestling champion in the state of Illinois. Wrestling is a sport that correlates greatly with football. The legendary John Madden once expressed that he would have all of his linemen wrestle if he could. Wrestling helps linemen with their hips, hands, balance, and overall attitude. Lee is just the latest in a long list of wrestlers turned very good football players.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Orion, Ill.

Ht: 6-5

Wt: 277

Class in 2022: Redshirt junior

247Sports composite ranking

2019 three-star / No. 21 Tight End / No. 7 Player in Illinois

Career Stats

Defense & Fumbles Table
Tackles Def Int Fumbles
Year School Conf Class Pos G Solo Ast Tot Loss Sk Int Yds Avg TD PD FR Yds TD FF
2020 Iowa Big Ten FR DL 1 1 0 1 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*2021 Iowa Big Ten SO DL 14 17 31 48 5.0 3.0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Career Iowa 18 31 49 5.0 3.0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 5/25/2022.

Depth Chart Overview

Lee will once again start at defensive tackle for the Hawkeyes, appearing to continue his partnership with redshirt senior Noah Shannon, though don’t be surprised if Lukas Van Ness gets some time next to him. Next to some serious returning talent, including senior leader at defensive end John Waggoner, Lee will be expected to become a true star for a very strong Iowa defense.

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Iowa Hawkeyes Snapshot Profile: No. 92 John Waggoner

After starting all 14 games last season, John Waggoner is expected to be a difference-maker up front for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

It is rare to see a senior as a potential breakout star, but there is a ton of buzz around defensive end John Waggoner heading into the 2022 season. Waggoner started last year opposite Zach VanValkenburg and was overall inconsistent.

He had some impact that didn’t always show up on the stat sheet, like his edge setting which was extremely vital to the Hawkeyes’ defense. Waggoner just didn’t get to the quarterback as much as fans would have hoped. He finished the 2021 season with 25 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. Waggoner had seven quarterback hurries as well.

His running mate VanValkenburg is now gone. With VanValkenburg’s departure, his team-leading 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks need replacing. While many speculate that sophomore Lukas Van Ness will be the one to replicate that production, do not count out returning starter Waggoner. He stood out in spring practices and can be a veteran leader for what should be a very strong Iowa defense.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa

Ht: 6-5

Wt: 266

Class in 2022: Redshirt senior

247Sports composite ranking

2018 three star / No. 21 weak side defensive end / No. 1 Player in Iowa

Career Stats

Defense & Fumbles Table
Tackles Def Int Fumbles
Year School Conf Class Pos G Solo Ast Tot Loss Sk Int Yds Avg TD PD FR Yds TD FF
*2019 Iowa Big Ten FR DL 3 1 2 3 1.5 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020 Iowa Big Ten SO DL 3 0 3 3 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*2021 Iowa Big Ten JR DL 12 14 11 25 3.5 2.0 0 0 0 3 0 0
Career Iowa 15 16 31 5.0 3.0 0 0 0 3 0 0
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 5/22/2022.

Depth Chart Overview

John Waggoner will once again start for Iowa at defensive end and will be looked at as a senior leader. With the departure of VanValkenburg, there will be a lot of eyes on Waggoner to see if he can take another step in his game.

Iowa has a reputation for producing top level defensive ends in recent years. Anthony Nelson, Chauncey Golston, and VanValkenburg have all made it to the NFL in recent years. The Hawkeyes need a leader on the line, and the stage is set for Waggoner to potentially fill that role.

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Best photos of John Waggoner’s Iowa Hawkeyes career entering 2022

Defensive end John Waggoner will be an impact performer for Iowa in 2022. Here’s a look back at his best photos with the Hawkeyes thus far.

When John Waggoner made the decision to come to Iowa and be a Hawkeye, it meant that the defensive end was staying home. The 6-foot-5, 266 pound product of Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines, Iowa, chose the Hawkeyes over a number of other Power Five offers.

That list of potential suitors included Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa State, LSU, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State and UCLA. According to 247Sports, Waggoner was a three-star signee, the nation’s No. 25 weak side defensive end and the No. 4 player from Iowa in the 2018 class.

Waggoner started each of the team’s 14 games last season and registered 25 total tackles, seven quarterback hurries, 3.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and a pair of sacks. Over the course of his Hawkeye career, Waggoner has 31 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks.

With Iowa’s leading tackles for loss artist moving onto the NFL in Zach VanValkenburg, Waggoner will be expected to help fill that void in production. In his first season starting, Waggoner delivered his fair share of highlights. Here’s a look back at Waggoner’s Hawkeye career thus far through these fantastic photos.

Iowa Hawkeyes ranked No. 7 in ESPN’s future defensive power rankings

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg ranked the Iowa Hawkeyes No. 7 in his future defensive power rankings.

Iowa doesn’t appear to be giving up its tradition of strong defensive football any time soon.

Recently, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg whipped out his crystal ball to rank the top 25 defenses in college football over the next three years. The Hawkeyes cracked the top 10, finishing 7th in the rankings. Rittenberg was especially impressed with Iowa’s ever-replenishing supply of defensive backs, as well as the immediate impact of the linebackers currently on the roster.

Can we start calling Iowa low-key DBU? Coordinator Phil Parker and his group aren’t the type to ask for labels, but they’ve produced the Big Ten’s Defensive Back of the Year five times in the 12-year history of the award, including four times since 2015. – Rittenberg, ESPN.

The next in line for “low-key DBU” is cornerback Riley Moss, last year’s Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year. That’s awarded to the best defensive back in the Big Ten.

The senior had four picks last year in his first-team All-Big Ten campaign. The third-team All-American will be returning for his fifth season and is flanked by returning starting safety Kaevon Merriweather and corner Jermari Harris.

While they did lose star safety and newly drafted New York Giant Dane Belton, keep an eye on incoming five-star freshman Xavier Nwankpa. While his playing status is uncertain for this year, it would not be blasphemous to picture Nwankpa as Iowa’s next Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year winner as well.

Rittenberg also had positive things to say about the Hawkeyes’ defensive line entering 2022.

Iowa’s front four also projects well with veterans such as Logan Lee, Noah Shannon, Joe Evans and John Waggoner all back. Lee is the only non-senior, though, and Iowa will look for sophomore tackles Lukas Van Ness and Yahya Black, sophomore end Deontae Craig and others to keep taking on bigger roles. – Rittenberg, ESPN.

The other position highlighted was the Hawkeyes’ linebacker group. Seen as the backbone of the defense, Iowa is returning a trio of starters. Led by rising draft prospect Jack Campbell, the 6-foot-5, 243 pound linebacker led the nation with 143 tackles. Senior linebacker Seth Benson added 105 tackles in his own right.

Campbell and Seth Benson are joined by junior Jestin Jacobs and will spell trouble for any Big Ten opponent looking to establish the run. The development of the next generation of Hawkeye linebackers in 2021 three-stars Karson Sharar and Jaden Harrell will also be key for maintaining a stranglehold on the position.

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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.

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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