Utah State Football: First Look At The Iowa Hawkeyes

The Aggies will have a big road test in 2023 against the defensive-minded Hawkeyes. Here’s a first look at Iowa.

Utah State Football: First Look at the Iowa Hawkeyes

The Aggies will have a big road test in 2023 against the defensive-minded Hawkeyes. Here’s a first look at Iowa.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Can the Aggies survive Iowa?

Utah State Football: First Look At 2023 Non-conference Opponents

Iowa | Idaho State | James Madison | UConn

One of the most beautiful things about college football is that there’s no right way to play the game.

Say what you will about the Iowa Hawkeyes, but the program has built a reputation around creating defensive fistfights, not always pretty to the casual viewer but a process that has helped them string together ten winning seasons in a row. It’s also helped them remain unbeaten against Mountain West opponents since the conference formed in 1999, a streak that the Utah State Aggies will hope to end this fall.

Location: Iowa City, Iowa

Conference: Big Ten

Series History: Iowa leads the all-time series against Utah State, 2-0.

2022 Record: 8-5 (5-4 Big Ten)

Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz (25th year, 186-115 overall). Starting the season with a 7-3 victory over eventual FCS champion South Dakota State and a 10-7 loss to rival Iowa State in a truly memorable El Assico should have told Iowa fans everywhere they were in for a heck of a rollercoaster last year. Following losses to Michigan and Ohio State early in conference play, though, the Hawkeyes kept themselves in play for the Big Ten crown until the bitter end, allowing 13 or fewer points during a four-game winning streak that was abruptly halted by a home loss to Nebraska at season’s end.

Despite concerns about stagnation, Ferentz’s program keeps chugging along, anyway, projected by ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ metric to possess the best defense in the country while the offense… is what it is.

Key Players

Cooper DeJean, CB

DeJean enters 2023 with a reputation as one of the best overall defenders anywhere in college football. He tallied an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 88.5 by making 75 total tackles, breaking up eight passes, and grabbing five interceptions (three of which he returned for touchdowns, by the way), putting him in the conversation to be a first-round selection in next year’s NFL Draft.

Tory Taylor, P

It makes perfect sense to talk punting when thinking about Iowa football, especially since Taylor has a reputation for being one of the best in the business. Taylor had an average of 45.4 yards per punt in 2022, with a net of 41.1 YPP which ranked 15th in FBS, which helped him earn All-American honors from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Phil Steele, and Pro Football Focus. Should the Hawkeyes call on him to flip the field, he can do it.

Cade McNamara, QB

One of two high-profile transfers to arrive in Iowa from Michigan, McNamara will compete for the starting job with a reputation as a solid winner in hand. He made 16 starts for the Wolverines but is best known for leading that team to the College Football Playoff in 2021, a season in which he completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,576 yards (at 7.9 yards per attempt) with 15 touchdowns and a 1.8% interception rate.

Erick All, TE

The other big Michigan transfer? That’s All, folks.

In 2022, the Fairfield, Ohio native only saw time in three games before an injury cut his season short, but he had been a major factor in the team’s CFP run the year before, catching 38 of 48 targets for 437 yards and two touchdowns. Iowa seems like a natural landing spot considering the program has previously developed George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, Sam LaPorta, and others, meaning that the 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end could be a matchup nightmare for numerous opponents.

Mason Richman, OT

The Hawkeyes have had a number of offensive line standouts over the years, but Richman’s steady presence in the last two seasons has kept things from getting worse for the offense. He earned the highest overall PFF grade, 66.4, of any Iowa lineman by allowing three sacks and six quarterback hits. Regardless of who wins the quarterback competition, he’ll be key as the blindside protector.

Overview:

Offense

Few coaches in college football have been as divisive in recent memory as Hawkeyes offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz. It’s not hard to understand why: Though Iowa finished 2022 with a net of +0.21 points per drive, their offense ranked 121st by that metric, right between Western Michigan and Nevada, while they finished 126th in available yards percentage earned per drive.

On paper, though, they’ve made at least one key upgrade by bringing in McNamara, though incumbent QB1 Spencer Petras (55.9% completion rate, 6.1 yards per attempt, five touchdowns, five interceptions) will compete to keep his job. Sophomore running back Kaleb Johnson could also build upon a strong first year (779 rushing yards, 5.16 yards per attempt, six TDs) with Leshon Williams back as a key depth piece.

Better quarterback play should also benefit Iowa’s pass catchers, not just All but fellow tight end Luke Lachey (28 catches, 398 yards, four TDs) and wide receiver Nico Ragaini (34-386-1). Improved offensive line play will help, too: Though the Hawkeyes bring back a trio of starters with Richman, center Logan Jones, and guard Nick DeJong while adding transfers like Rusty Feth (34 starts at Miami of Ohio) and Daijon Parker (Saginaw Valley State), they must improve a 9.6% sack rate which ranked 120th in the country and a 23.3% stuff rate that was 125th if they hope to compete for the Big Ten West title.

Defense

Sure, Iowa’s offense had problems but its defense was downright lethal last year. They led the nation by allowing just 1.10 points per drive and finished third in giving up just 32.3% of available yards per drive, which was the fourth straight season they finished in the top ten by both measures.

In spite of being tasked with replacing a trio of NFL Draft selections across this unit, they could defy regression yet again. Up front, it’ll start with Joe Evans, Noah Shannon, and Deontae Craig, who combined for 27.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks in 2022. Defensive tackle Logan Lee could continue to cause problems, as well, because he had the highest overall PFF grade (74.5) of anyone on the Hawkeyes defensive line last season on the strength of eight TFLs and three sacks.

Linebacker is a bigger question mark with the departure of All-American Jack Campbell. Virginia transfer Nick Jackson, a second-team all-ACC performer last year, and Jay Higgins, who made a pair of starts as a part-timer, should lead the charge in replacing his production.

Meanwhile, the secondary remains in good shape with DeJean locking down one cornerback position and Jermari Harris, who had four interceptions in 2021, covering the other after an injury wiped out his 2022 campaign. Sophomore safety Xavier Nwankpa could be the next big Iowa star after announcing himself with a pick-six in last year’s Music City Bowl, his first career start, but at a minimum he could pair with senior Quinn Schulte (71 tackles, six pass breakups, one interception) to give Iowa a tandem with high upside.

Early Prediction

Utah State might be improved on offense this year, but it probably won’t matter against an Iowa defense likely to put them in a chokehold and then keep them at arm’s length for four quarters.

Iowa 24, Utah State 7

Want to learn more about Iowa football? Be sure to visit our friends over at Hawkeyes Wire.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1377]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]