Fall camp storylines to watch
Will Nico Ragaini continue to be a big story in fall camp?
Tom Kakert • HawkeyeReport
@hawkeyereport
The Iowa football team has opened fall camp as they prepare for the start of the 2019 season.
While the Hawkeyes have plenty to feel good about as they begin working towards the home opener on August 31st when they host Miami, OH, but they also have several interesting storylines that will be playing out the rest of this month.
While our look into the preparations for the upcoming season will be limited, here are a few storylines that we will be keeping an eye on leading up to the kickoff of the season.
RUNNING AND RUSHING
It’s sort of a combo featuring both sides of the ball, but mainly looking at the offensive and defensive line.
On the offensive side, Iowa wants to do a better job of running the football. The number of explosive run plays last year really fell off from the previous season. Some of that is certainly due to the graduation of Akrum Wadley, but part of it is simply not opening holes for the trio of running backs that Iowa featured in 2019.
Iowa averaged just under four yards per carry last year and their number of explosive runs over 20 yards was in the single digits. While that might be good numbers for some schools, it’s not good enough for the Hawkeyes, who live off a balanced attack where many times the running game sets up the play action passing game.
Offensive line coach Tim Polasek threw out some pretty lofty goals when he spoke with the media. He suggested that the goal was to have five explosive run plays of 20 yards or more per game. While that number is probably not realistic, somewhere close to two or three would have a real impact.
Running backs Coach Derrick Foster suggested getting the averaged rush total up to 4.5 yards per carry. Now that is a realistic goal and one that would make a significant difference in what Iowa can do on the ground. Foster said that all of the running backs spent quite a bit of time this winter watching film and learning how to run better in Iowa’s scheme. That should help, but it’s also going to need the offensive line to do a better job of creating gaps to open running lanes this season.
On the other side the rush is the pass rush.
Iowa had what was really almost a historic season when it came to rushing the passer and creating pressure. The Hawkeyes finished the year with 35 sacks, which is an impressive total. That type of pressure led to 20 interceptions, which is also an equally impressive figure for any defense.
The good news is that Iowa’s leading sacker is back. A.J. Epenesa, who is on just about every preseason All American list. He had 10.5 sacks to lead the way, but Iowa is also losing 14.5 sacks due to graduation and Anthony Nelson leaving early for the NFL.
Epenesa’s bookend on the other side of the line, Chauncey Golston, had 3.5 sacks last year and really came on strong in the last third of the season. I would expect a significant jump from him in 2019.
The big question mark is will Cedrick Lattimore and Brady Reiff be able to generate consistent pressure up the middle and will any of the inexperienced reserves be able to give Iowa a sustained pass rush? Amani Jones move to defensive end is intriguing and perhaps Daviyon Nixon comes along quickly at defensive tackle.
WHICH RECEIVERS WILL EMERGE?
We have covered this topic in the past and noted the significance of the losses of T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, and Outback Bowl MVP Nick Easley.
The bottom line is Iowa needs several players to step up at wide receiver and certainly at tight end if the offense is going to be effective. The Hawkeyes have a senior quarterback who can and will deliver the ball to the receivers, but they have to be able to make plays.
Ihmir-Smith Marsette and Brandon Smith are known quantities at this point coming off solid sophomore seasons. They will be asked to do more this year, but their career trajectory suggests that they are ready for the challenge.
Really offensive side of the ball could come down to the development of players like Shaun Beyer and Nate Wieting at tight end and Nico Ragaini and Tyrone Tracy Jr. at wide receiver. There’s also the looming possibility that Iowa could have Oliver Martin available in the passing game this year. Martin transferred from Michigan this summer and is currently waiting on a ruling from the NCAA on his eligibility this season.
It also kind of feels like someone a little bit more unknown could flash this season. Will that be someone like Drew Cook at tight end? Or it could be a player like Max Cooper, who is now healthy and could fight his way into the mix at receiver.
WHAT ABOUT KICKER AND PUNTER?
While it’s not the sexy position battle that attracts attention, Kirk Ferentz will tell you over and over again that special teams wins games.
With a that in mind, who ends up being Iowa’s placekicker and punter will go a long way toward potential deciding the outcome of several games.
Let’s start at placekicker and that’s probably the most important. Miguel Recinos was fantastic the last couple of years for the Hawkeyes, including a game winner last year against Nebraska. The battle right now is between a pair of juniors, Caleb Shudak and Keith Duncan. Shudak has the lead at the start of fall camp, but it’s close. Duncan knows what it’s like to be in the lead in camp and lose the job. Now he has a chance to win it in his junior year.
At punter, it’s really a three man race and those tend to be difficult to sort out during the course of fall camp. The fall camp depth chart lists Colten Rastetter, who handled the duties last season, as the co-starter with Ryan Gersonde. Rastetter started off last year pretty well, but then he faded late in the year. We really haven’t seen a whole lot from Gersonde, but he did look improved in the spring.
Which brings us to the wild card entry in the race, graduate transfer Michael Sleep-Dalton, who averaged 43 years per punt last year at Arizona State. He decided to come to Iowa City for his senior year and generally when a graduate transfer comes in, that means they are going to be given every opportunity to win the job.
WILL ANY OF THE TRUE FRESHMEN POP IN FALL CAMP?
I saved this one for last because it’s always the most common question I get this time of year.
Folks to who come to this site are generally invested in recruiting, so they have been tracking these prospects for a long time and now they are waiting to see them on the field in an Iowa uniform.
Honestly, with the new NCAA rules that began last year allowing true freshmen to play in up to four games and still redshirt, the which true freshmen are playing question is a little less intriguing. In the past when the rule was if you play, the redshirt is burned, it was a big decision to burn that year.
With the new rules, it’s really not all that interesting until we get up to the four game limit. The intrigue starts when coaches have to decide to play someone in their fifth game.
With the tight end position being thin, we will see freshman Josiah Miamen or Sam LaPorta on the field?
The running back position is pretty deep, but could Shadrick Byrd, who joined the team in the spring, make a case for playing time? Is Tyler Goodson simply too good to keep off the field?
Will one of the linebackers like Jestin Jacobs or Jack Campbell find a role as a core special teams player this year?
We all know Phil Parker is going to play one or two of his freshmen defensive backs because he does that every year. Who will it be this year? Daraun McKinney was solid this spring after entering Iowa early. Parker reportedly really likes that he’s seen from Dane Belton, so he will be a name to watch in fall camp.
Will Nico Ragaini continue to be a big story in fall camp?
Tom Kakert • HawkeyeReport
@hawkeyereport
The Iowa football team has opened fall camp as they prepare for the start of the 2019 season.
While the Hawkeyes have plenty to feel good about as they begin working towards the home opener on August 31st when they host Miami, OH, but they also have several interesting storylines that will be playing out the rest of this month.
While our look into the preparations for the upcoming season will be limited, here are a few storylines that we will be keeping an eye on leading up to the kickoff of the season.
RUNNING AND RUSHING
It’s sort of a combo featuring both sides of the ball, but mainly looking at the offensive and defensive line.
On the offensive side, Iowa wants to do a better job of running the football. The number of explosive run plays last year really fell off from the previous season. Some of that is certainly due to the graduation of Akrum Wadley, but part of it is simply not opening holes for the trio of running backs that Iowa featured in 2019.
Iowa averaged just under four yards per carry last year and their number of explosive runs over 20 yards was in the single digits. While that might be good numbers for some schools, it’s not good enough for the Hawkeyes, who live off a balanced attack where many times the running game sets up the play action passing game.
Offensive line coach Tim Polasek threw out some pretty lofty goals when he spoke with the media. He suggested that the goal was to have five explosive run plays of 20 yards or more per game. While that number is probably not realistic, somewhere close to two or three would have a real impact.
Running backs Coach Derrick Foster suggested getting the averaged rush total up to 4.5 yards per carry. Now that is a realistic goal and one that would make a significant difference in what Iowa can do on the ground. Foster said that all of the running backs spent quite a bit of time this winter watching film and learning how to run better in Iowa’s scheme. That should help, but it’s also going to need the offensive line to do a better job of creating gaps to open running lanes this season.
On the other side the rush is the pass rush.
Iowa had what was really almost a historic season when it came to rushing the passer and creating pressure. The Hawkeyes finished the year with 35 sacks, which is an impressive total. That type of pressure led to 20 interceptions, which is also an equally impressive figure for any defense.
The good news is that Iowa’s leading sacker is back. A.J. Epenesa, who is on just about every preseason All American list. He had 10.5 sacks to lead the way, but Iowa is also losing 14.5 sacks due to graduation and Anthony Nelson leaving early for the NFL.
Epenesa’s bookend on the other side of the line, Chauncey Golston, had 3.5 sacks last year and really came on strong in the last third of the season. I would expect a significant jump from him in 2019.
The big question mark is will Cedrick Lattimore and Brady Reiff be able to generate consistent pressure up the middle and will any of the inexperienced reserves be able to give Iowa a sustained pass rush? Amani Jones move to defensive end is intriguing and perhaps Daviyon Nixon comes along quickly at defensive tackle.
WHICH RECEIVERS WILL EMERGE?
We have covered this topic in the past and noted the significance of the losses of T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, and Outback Bowl MVP Nick Easley.
The bottom line is Iowa needs several players to step up at wide receiver and certainly at tight end if the offense is going to be effective. The Hawkeyes have a senior quarterback who can and will deliver the ball to the receivers, but they have to be able to make plays.
Ihmir-Smith Marsette and Brandon Smith are known quantities at this point coming off solid sophomore seasons. They will be asked to do more this year, but their career trajectory suggests that they are ready for the challenge.
Really offensive side of the ball could come down to the development of players like Shaun Beyer and Nate Wieting at tight end and Nico Ragaini and Tyrone Tracy Jr. at wide receiver. There’s also the looming possibility that Iowa could have Oliver Martin available in the passing game this year. Martin transferred from Michigan this summer and is currently waiting on a ruling from the NCAA on his eligibility this season.
It also kind of feels like someone a little bit more unknown could flash this season. Will that be someone like Drew Cook at tight end? Or it could be a player like Max Cooper, who is now healthy and could fight his way into the mix at receiver.
WHAT ABOUT KICKER AND PUNTER?
While it’s not the sexy position battle that attracts attention, Kirk Ferentz will tell you over and over again that special teams wins games.
With a that in mind, who ends up being Iowa’s placekicker and punter will go a long way toward potential deciding the outcome of several games.
Let’s start at placekicker and that’s probably the most important. Miguel Recinos was fantastic the last couple of years for the Hawkeyes, including a game winner last year against Nebraska. The battle right now is between a pair of juniors, Caleb Shudak and Keith Duncan. Shudak has the lead at the start of fall camp, but it’s close. Duncan knows what it’s like to be in the lead in camp and lose the job. Now he has a chance to win it in his junior year.
At punter, it’s really a three man race and those tend to be difficult to sort out during the course of fall camp. The fall camp depth chart lists Colten Rastetter, who handled the duties last season, as the co-starter with Ryan Gersonde. Rastetter started off last year pretty well, but then he faded late in the year. We really haven’t seen a whole lot from Gersonde, but he did look improved in the spring.
Which brings us to the wild card entry in the race, graduate transfer Michael Sleep-Dalton, who averaged 43 years per punt last year at Arizona State. He decided to come to Iowa City for his senior year and generally when a graduate transfer comes in, that means they are going to be given every opportunity to win the job.
WILL ANY OF THE TRUE FRESHMEN POP IN FALL CAMP?
I saved this one for last because it’s always the most common question I get this time of year.
Folks to who come to this site are generally invested in recruiting, so they have been tracking these prospects for a long time and now they are waiting to see them on the field in an Iowa uniform.
Honestly, with the new NCAA rules that began last year allowing true freshmen to play in up to four games and still redshirt, the which true freshmen are playing question is a little less intriguing. In the past when the rule was if you play, the redshirt is burned, it was a big decision to burn that year.
With the new rules, it’s really not all that interesting until we get up to the four game limit. The intrigue starts when coaches have to decide to play someone in their fifth game.
With the tight end position being thin, we will see freshman Josiah Miamen or Sam LaPorta on the field?
The running back position is pretty deep, but could Shadrick Byrd, who joined the team in the spring, make a case for playing time? Is Tyler Goodson simply too good to keep off the field?
Will one of the linebackers like Jestin Jacobs or Jack Campbell find a role as a core special teams player this year?
We all know Phil Parker is going to play one or two of his freshmen defensive backs because he does that every year. Who will it be this year? Daraun McKinney was solid this spring after entering Iowa early. Parker reportedly really likes that he’s seen from Dane Belton, so he will be a name to watch in fall camp.
