Tag: Ladell Betts

A look at all of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ assistant coaches’ 2022 base salaries following raises

Iowa’s assistant football coaches saw salary raises across the board. What do their 2022 salaries now look like?

Salary figures obtained by USA TODAY Sports through an open-records request and reported on by The Register’s Chad Leistikow reveal that Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz got his wish.

As Hawk Central’s Kennington Lloyd Smith III touched on, one of Ferentz’s stipulations when he inked his new contract was to increase his assistant coaches’ salary pool to $7 million annually as a group.

Of course, Ferentz signed his new contract that extends him as the Hawkeyes’ head football coach through the 2029 season and that’s precisely what’s happened for his assistants. Collectively, Ferentz’s 10 on-field assistants and his strength coach combine for $6.95 million in annual salary.

Here’s a look at the big raises his assistant coaches saw across the board.

Iowa Hawkeyes Snapshot Profile: No. 4 Leshon Williams

Redshirt sophomore running back Leshon Williams is looking to prove he should be one of the Hawkeyes’ featured runners in 2022.

In many ways, redshirt sophomore running back Leshon Williams’ career is just getting started with the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Chicago, Ill., native enters his third year on campus after a redshirt season in 2020 where he didn’t see any action and a 2021 campaign that saw Williams net just 69 rushing yards.

The 5-foot-10, 205 pound running back out of Richards High School is undoubtedly chomping at the bit for a more leading role. Williams arrived in Iowa City as part of the Hawkeyes’ 2020 signing class. He was rated as a three-star running back by 247Sports, the nation’s No. 56 running back and the No. 11 player from Illinois.

After seeing just 21 carries in 2021, the green light is officially on for Williams. Tyler Goodson, Iowa’s leading rusher from last season, departed to the NFL where he’s signed as an undrafted free agent with the Green Bay Packers. Goodson finished 2021 with 1,151 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 256 carries.

That’s a lot of production for Iowa to replace, but it also means there’s great opportunities for those in the Hawkeyes’ backfield. The next-closest rusher was redshirt sophomore Gavin Williams. Gavin Williams carried 65 times for 305 rushing yards.

Leshon Williams has to feel like 2022 is his first legitimate opportunity to shine for Iowa as a featured runner. Let’s take a look at Williams’ profile in Iowa City thus far and his depth chart outlook for 2022.

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Iowa Hawkeyes Snapshot Profile: No. 25 Gavin Williams

Redshirt sophomore running back Gavin Williams looks to build upon his performance in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl against Kentucky entering 2022.

Tyler Goodson, Iowa’s leading rusher in 2021, is off to the NFL and joining the Green Bay Packers as an unrestricted free agent. That means there’s plenty of room in the Hawkeyes’ backfield for someone or multiple players to replace Goodson’s production.

The Suwanee, Ga., native ended the 2021 season with 1,151 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 256 carries. Goodson topped the century mark on four occasions last season, rushing for 153 yards against Kent State, 141 yards at Northwestern, 132 yards versus Illinois and 156 yards at Nebraska.

When Goodson elected to opt out of the Vrbo Citrus Bowl against Kentucky, it offered an early casting call for the future of Iowa’s backfield. Redshirt sophomore running back Gavin Williams earned his first career start as a result.

In the process, Williams was also the first Iowa running back to make their first start in a bowl game since Jordan Canzeri did so against Oklahoma in the 2011 Insight Bowl. The Dowling Catholic product made a nice case for himself entering 2022 by setting career highs in both rushing yards and carries.

While he was listed atop the depth chart to begin the spring, Williams needs to continue to prove that he can match Goodson’s production and durability after the 2022 season boots off. Here’s a look at Williams’ Hawkeye profile thus far and his depth chart outlook for 2022.

Best photos of Gavin Williams with the Iowa Hawkeyes entering 2022

Running back Gavin Williams figures to be a key contributor offensively for Iowa. Here’s a look at his best photos with the Hawkeyes so far.

Sophomore running back Gavin Williams figures to be a key cog offensively for Iowa. The Hawkeyes need him to step up into a starring role following the departure of last season’s leading rusher Tyler Goodson.

Goodson finished the 2021 season with 1,151 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 256 carries. Now, it’s Williams’ turn to build upon what he delivered in the Hawkeyes’ 20-17 loss against Kentucky in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl.

In his first career start, Williams carried 16 times for 98 yards. The Altoona, Iowa, product became the first Hawkeye to make his first career start in a bowl game since Jordan Canzeri did so against Oklahoma at the 2011 Insight Bowl.

The 6-foot, 211 pound running back finished the 2021 season as Iowa’s second-leading rusher with 305 rushing yards on 65 totes. There’s sure to be plenty of highlights ahead for Williams in 2022, but let’s take a look back at his career thus far through these terrific photos.