Look at position groups and replacements for 2018

[cidsports]

QB - Nate Stanley

• 13 starts under his belt, he looked poised against ISU, PSU and OSU, 26 TDs, 6 interceptions
• Do we see him use his feet better in 2018, extending plays and drives?
• Tyler Wiegers and Ryan Boyle's departures open us to freshmen Peyton Mansell and Spencer Petras, which appear a push at this moment?

RB- tandem of sophomores Toren Young and Ivory Kelly-Martin

• Combined for only 377 yards, with Kelly-Martin with only 20 carries for a 9.2 average
• Iowa averaged only 4.4 yards per carry last year, which was lowered by negative plays at QB and a less effective ground attack
• Who steps up at #3 running back?
• Is this the sign that Iowa is at least a year away from competing with Wisconsin or can Iowa pull off a 2015 type season?
• How will full-time position coach help develop this unit, after drop off in production last season?

WR- Brandon Smith, Nick Easley and Ihmir Smith-Marsette, as one senior and two sophomores step up into the leading roles ....

• Matt VandeBerg has departed and I was a huge fan watching him and CJ Beathard work the passing game at Iowa; however,
• Nick Easley was clearly Nate Stanley's go to wideout, with 51 catches in his first season
• Does senior transfer Kyle Groeneweg have it to make a splash for a P5 school in 2018?
• What do the two sophomores above do in 2018?
• Do we see a true freshman step up?
• Does junior Devonte Young have the P5 skills or is he simply a special teams role
• Sophomore Max Cooper?
• Junior walk on Dominique Daffney has had some highlights on special teams
• The 2000 and 2001 games showing Hill, Kasper, C.J Jones, and even Mo Brown in 2002 .... wow, Iowa needs this position group to step up!

TE - Noah Fant, T.J. Hockensen and Nate Wieting

• Do we now have the #1 unit in the conference or will the Badgers new threesome emerge in 2018, as senior Zander Neuville, junior Kyle Penniston and freshman Jake Ferguson step into the spotlight?
• Where is Wisconsin right now at TE?
• What Fant and Hockensen did vs. Ohio State, but a tale of caution is what Iowa's offense didn't do against Wisconsin?
• Next 3 at TE: Shaun Beyer, Drew Cook and TE to be named later?
• In 2013, Iowa used a 3 TE attack at Ohio State .... could we see more again?

OC - Brian Ferentz enters Year 2, which like 2000, may be a critical season in making a critical step forward ....

• QB coach Ken O'Keefe gets props for his work with Nate Stanley last year, and hopefully there will be a boost in 2018 in his ability to handle pressure and protect the football ....
• Year 2 of Brian Ferentz should be very interesting, as he works now with TEs and FBs, rather than RBs!
• How will ground game emerge in his sophomore season, as OC?
• Do we see RBs, TEs and WRs all step up in air attack?
• As a Hawkeye fan, I want to see a 1999 to 2002 type surge in success for the program .... yes, a poor man's Tom Osborne, who clearly stepped it up in the twilight of his career leading the Huskers!

OL - Alaric Jackson, Cole Banwart/Ross Reynolds, Keegan Render, Tristan Wirfs

• Tackle play is always critical, but the heart of an offensive line begins in the interior
• Iowa is playing their best LT at RT can we all agree to suggest, which suggests where is Jackson's ceiling, as a lineman?
• When does freshman Mark Kellenberger become a starter in Iowa OL and at what position?
• The leadership of the 2015 team was outstanding, lead by Austin Blythe, so do our two seniors bring similar attributes for another special season?
• Depth is a concern, but it is always the case with programs, like the Hawkeyes!
• This clearly is a sum of the parts unit and Render is the leader at this point, hopefully, he will be very capable of taking that role
• Iowa is in Year 2 with Tim Polasek as a new offensive line coach, and it is literal, since the former NDST OC had never coached there .... what do we see in 2018?

Iowa's offense is the key to the 2018 season, especially over a 12 game schedule, which will be challenging week in and week out.

DL - Anthony Nelson, Sam Brincks, Cedrick Lattimore, Matt Nelson, Brady Reiff, Garrett Jensen, Parker Hesse, A.J. Espenesa and Chauncey Golston

• Everyone of these players had a moment or two in the PSU or OSU games last year
• Iowa needs a strong defensive line to compete at the highest levels in the Big Ten
• The run defense wasn't outstanding last year, and don't focus on the schedule; it was simply not at a division contender level
• The key to 2018 is simple; prevent explosive plays in Phil Parker's game plan
• Look what 2-3 explosive plays did to Iowa vs. Purdue
• Who replaces Nathan Bazata, who lead the run defense in 2017 for the most part?
• Iowa was undersized in the run game at times, after the loss of Jaleel Johnson heading into last season, so can Iowa step it up?
• Forced fumbles are always a valuable statistic, Anthony Nelson and Espenesa are sparks ....
• Health of seniors Parker Hesse and Matt Nelson for 2018?

LB - Three starters from 2017 have all departed ...

• What happened in 2014, the last time this happened .... Iowa went from 8-5 to 7-6 as a program!
• Too many explosive plays, when you look at the losses in 2014.
• Sophomore Nick Nielman at OLB/LEO, with sophomore Barrington Wade backing him up?
• MLB will have Amani Jones, Kristian Welch and Jack Hockaday in the mix
• We lost WLB Aaron Mends for the season .... I may be wrong, but I don't see a 6th season.
• Who will man that position?
• For some reason I see Jones at WLB in 2018, which I know many will disagree coming out of the Spring?
• Is freshman Nate Wieland a special teams performer?
• What role will freshman Dillon Doyle in the 2010 role James Morris fell into as a true?
• What about GA freshman Jayden McDonald
• Depth at LB is a concern heading into 2018

CB - Matt Hankins, Michael Oljemudia and Manny Rugamba are returning lettermen, with starting experience

• Iowa started two freshmen in 2002, with a senior sharing time, so Phil Parker's track record with corners hopefully aids
• Explosive plays are killers to the development of champion football
• Do we see more rotation from side to side or does one player lock down as the LC, then RC roles
• Matt Hankins appears to be #1
• What will the nickel and dime be in 2018?
• Could we see even 7 defensive backs emerge?
• Edge is always important run support
• Freshmen Trey Creamer, Josh Turner, Julius Brents and D.J. Johnson are all names to see what roles they take on in 2018!

S - Amani Hooker, Brandon Snyder and Jake Gervase have all started ....

• The strength of many defenses begins in the middle, at DT, MLB and the play of the safeties
• Does Hooker become an elite safety for Iowa, after an impressive moment in the OSU game?
• Seniors Snyder and Gervase need to bring leadership level up, with loss of three LBs
• What do we see from Dallas Craddieth in 2018?
• Kevin Merriweather received "top sleeper" props from Lindy's for his physicality and work ethic, as the former basketball recruit hits the B1Gs for the gridiron!

So, what type of year can we expect in 2018?

I go back to 2000 and the Big Ten champs. It was a young Purdue team.

Can the Big Ten beat up on one another to give Iowa an opportunity to step up and compete?

Of course, division play changes everything, compared to 2000.

Purdue won the Big Ten going 6-2 and finished 8-4 overall.

Wisconsin is the clear #1 in the B1G West. Iowa needs to finish at least 2-1 in the divisional cross over games and must beat Wisconsin most likely, if they want any chance to compete for the division.

Wisconsin last B1G title was 2012. Could this be the breakout season for the Badgers?

Iowa may benefit more from it being Michigan in the East, since the Wolverines host the Badgers again.

• OSU, 2017
• PSU, 2016
• MSU, 2015
• UW, 2012
• Michigan and Iowa, 2004
• Illinois, 2001
• Maryland, 2001 ACC
• Purdue and Northwestern, 2000
• Nebraska, 1999 Big 12
• Indiana and Minnesota, 1967
• Rutgers, never, but they did host Princeton in first college game