Iowa football all-time roster: Coaches, kickers and specialists

See which coaching and special teams legends made the cut in our all-time Iowa Hawkeyes football roster.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a rich history with some of the game’s titans suiting up in the black and gold. Hawkeyes Wire is taking a look back at Iowa’s finest offensive playmakers, defensive standouts, specialists and coaches from its entire history.

After taking a look at the Hawkeyes’ all-time offensive and defensive teams, it’s now time to turn our attention the all-time specialists and coaches in Iowa history.

Specialists can change a game in an instant with a game-breaking return or a punt that pins an opponent deep or flips field position. Of course, the best assistant coaches help programs innovate offensively and defensively and keep the talent pipelines rolling.

The importance of a head coach can’t be overstated. The lifeblood and foundation of a program is set by the head coach. Iowa has had plenty of great options in terms of specialists, assistant coaches and head coaches.

Let’s take a look at the Hawkeyes’ all-time specialists and coaches.

See Iowa’s all-time offense and all-time defense

Check out our other College Wire all-time lineups: AlabamaArkansasAuburnClemsonColoradoFloridaGeorgiaLSUMichiganNebraskaNorth CarolinaOhio StateOklahomaOregonPenn StateRutgersTennesseeTexasTexas A&MUSCWisconsin

ESPN ranks Iowa Hawkeyes as No. 3 nationally in ‘Kicker U’ rankings

ESPN has ranked the Iowa Hawkeyes as the No. 3 “Kicker U” in the country in their rankings of best talent production by position.

As my colleague Jacob Keppen discussed, the Iowa Hawkeyes came in at No. 2 in “Tight End U” rankings per ESPN, albeit that ranking could be argued at the very least. That ranking is a bit questionable as we have seen no other school in the country deliver a pipeline of talent like the Hawkeyes.

The Iowa Hawkeyes also find themselves among a list of best schools producing talent at the kicker position. The Hawkeyes come in at the No. 3 school in the country in ESPN’s “Kicker U” rankings.

In recent years, the Hawkeyes have had one of the steadiest kicking games in the country that has come off the feet of a few standouts. Most recently, there is Caleb Shudak and Keith Duncan who each gave Iowa a sense of security when the kicking unit came onto the field.

In Keith’s final year he went 26-of-27 on extra points paired with 14-of-18 on field goals. Shudak’s final season at Iowa saw him go a perfect 36-of-36 on extra points paired with 24-of-28 on field goals.

Just before those two, the Hawkeyes had Miguel Recinos splitting the uprights to the tune of 47/47 on extra points and 17/22 on field goals during the 2018 campaign.

Ahead of Iowa is Florida State at No. 1 and UCLA at No. 2. Utah followed the Hawkeyes at No. 4 and the sole other Big Ten member in these rankings is the Ohio State Buckeyes coming in at No. 5.

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Twitter reacts: UGA’s Rodrigo Blankenship wins Lou Groza Award

Georgia Bulldog kicker Rodrigo Blankenship won the Lou Groza Award over Iowa’s Keith Duncan and Washington State’s Blake Mazza.

Georgia Bulldog kicker Rodrigo Blankenship won the Lou Groza Award over Iowa’s Keith Duncan and Washington State’s Blake Mazza. Rodrigo Blankenship won the Lou Groza fan vote thanks to Bulldog fans.

Blankenship made all 44 of his extra points on the season. He went 25-31 on field goals with a long of fifty yards. Bulldog fans will miss him, but he likely has a career at the next level in the NFL. He will leave Athens as the Georgia’s all-time leading scorer.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Rodrigo winning the award:

Not everybody was happy with Rodrigo winning the Award:

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Georgia football’s Rodrigo Blankenship named Lou Groza Award finalist

Georgia Bulldog all-time leading scorer Rodrigo Blankenship has been named a Lou Groza finalist along with Blake Mazza and Keith Duncan.

Georgia Bulldog all-time leading scorer Rodrigo Blankenship has been named a Lou Groza Award finalist. The Lou Groza Award is give annually to the nation’s top kicker.

Blankenship had a special senior day against Texas A&M, where Brian Herrien gave him the honors of running through the “G”. Blankenship went 4-4 on the day in wet, rainy conditions including a 49 yard long. The Bulldogs may not have won 19-13 without him.

The other finalist for the Lou Groza Award are: Iowa’s Keith Duncan and Washington State’s Blake Mazza. Who’s going to win the award?

UGA’s Rodrigo Blankenship is 23 out of 26 on the season and has made all 36 of his extra points. Blankenship sports a long of 50 yards, but is 3-4 on tries fifty yards and longer. Blankenship owned up to his painful miss against South Carolina. Each of his misses are forty yards or longer. Only ten of Blankenship’s field goals have been returned this season.

Iowa’s Keith Duncan is 27 out of 32 on the season. Duncan leads the nation in field goals and is perfect on his 22 point after tries. Duncan has a long of 49 yards on the season.

Washington State’s Blake Mazza has made 18 of his 19 field goals on the season. Mazza has a long of 51 yards and his 94.7% accuracy rate is the NCAA’s best for any kicker with multiple field goals from over 50 yards. Mazza has attempted just four field goals beyond forty yards.

Georgia fans will think Blankenship should win the Lou Groza Award, but there’s still a couple of weeks left for Georgia (but not for the Iowa Hawkeyes or Washington State Cougars). Blankenship has some big-kicks ahead of him. Bulldog fans will be able to vote for Blankenship to win the award very soon.

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