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O-Line

Cliffking

Rookie
Dec 1, 2001
56
103
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I know a lot, maybe even most people will say that the biggest question mark for next year is QB, but I really think it is 100% offensive line. It could be the difference between a surprisingly good season and a surprisingly bad season. Will they be improved from a year ago? I think there are reasons for both optimism and pessimism here. Here's a list of the positions that feel most likely to be steady in descending order:

1. Mason Richman -- Really pretty solid at RT last year by the end of the year. He took some lumps, but started as a RS Freshman. I think he takes a big jump in size this year and I think his experience will lead to a big leap this year. He also seems like a pretty natural leader, based on videos and interviews.

2. Conor Colby -- Similar to Richman, he played pretty well by year end and has a mean streak that shows on tape. Also like Richman, I think we'll see a physical and mental leap forward from year 1 to year 2 with him. I think the leap from guys playing at 295 to 310ish will actually make a big difference. We were so young last year. Physical gains in strength and mass will be really helpful.

3. Jack Plumb -- He really struggled a lot last year, as evidenced by Hutchinson's highlight reel, but did show improvement. He's also put on a fair amount of weight in the off season. That tall frame looked pretty lean still last year. I'm really hopeful that we can get two years out of him (covid year) because if he can play at 325 and maintain his ability to move, he could be a solid contributor. Barnett has said "don't bet against Jack Plumb." I really hope he's right. Has put in the work and having 1 solid senior in the starting lineup would be very helpful.

4. Justin Britt -- Here's where things get less clear. If Britt plays this year, I think there's a lot more reason to feel optimistic. But I don't put a high percentage on that likelihood based on his past injuries. Would be a great story if he can stay healthy and he seems to have all the tools.

5. Tyler Elsbury -- Seemed like the starter by the end of spring ball. I think he was kind of the forgotten man with some of the shinier younger recruits, but it seems like he's starting to make a push. He could also end up being the starter at center. That said, we still haven't really seen him play so it's hard to put a ton of stock into how he will be at this point.

6. Logan Jones -- Can he be the starter this year? Extremely physically gifted. Weight room hero. Great attitude. That said, when Linderbaum switched from D-Line, there was an immediate buzz of "we are not going to have to worry about center. Not so this time, which is not at all surprising... no one would put that kind of expectation on anyone. That said, can he play well enough to ensure that there won't be a catastrophic drop off a this position. Going from the best we've ever had to someone who is just learning the position. I'll be cheering loudly for him.

7. Nick DeJong -- Started or played in almost every game last year, but struggled mightily. Former walk-on with a big frame and lots of experience. I think it's really possible he finds his groove at guard. I wouldn't underestimate the walk-on mentality here.

Michael Myslinski -- If he's recovered from his injury, word was he was looking pretty good last year as a backup center. His father is a strength and conditioning coach (for the Jaguars I believe?) and so physically he's had a lot of resources at his disposal. Will be an important one to watch in the fall.

8. Beau Stevens -- got perhaps less press than his classmate Davidkov, but has stayed healthier and has gotten pretty good buzz. Can he make a dent at one of the guard spots?

9. David Davidkov -- injuries have been an issue, but seems like he has tons of potential. Will be exciting to see him after a year in the strength and conditioning program.

10. Gennings Dunker -- kind of a weight room legend after the Petras story about protein shakes. Big strong guy who seems very hungry. Would love to see him make a push at guard.

11. Josh Volk -- Fairly highly rated kid who's made some appearances on the 2 deeps.

12. Matt Fagan -- Walk on who was in contention for some time at center. I don't know much about him, but he's good enough to have at least been in the mix.

SOME OBSERVATIONS

A lot of depth, and a fair amount of experience, except for a the center position.

a VERY young group with a ton of potential.

Going to be really interesting to see how much these guys have matured physically since last year. That's true for the 4 star young guys, but also true for the developmental guys who've been in the program a long time. Competition is going to be fierce.

Our D-Line is SO strong this year, that this group will get PUSHED. That is great, and will help them develop, but it will also require them to really have a lot of resilience because I'd be surprised if practices don't favor the defense (even the second unit) just as they did in the spring game.

If this group struggles, so will Petras. If this group develops consistency, I think they'll make Petras (or whoever is under center) look pretty decent.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS

1. This group didn't look ready in the spring. That's ok, but it might take a good part of the season for them to find their chemistry. Barnett's biggest preaching point is the importance of not rushing the O-line development...that you can't microwave good O-line play. It will be really interesting to see how that approach plays out for the offense the next couple of years. I love his approach and frankly I believe in it, but there will be a lot of rumblings if it takes this group a long time to come together.

2. Health: It's a young group. Yes there's depth, but not a lot of experience. If they can stay healthy, I think a big step can be taken forward. If there are a lot of injuries, I think we're a year away from really being a good O-line.
 
Biggest jumps in improvement or playing tme = Tyler Ellsbury (playing time). All around solid who can play G or OT.

Biggest "surprise" = Beau Stephens. I could see him possibly startiing by the end of the year. Its a Budweiser armchair prediction but mean streak road grader SOBs seem to rise to the top quicker.
 
Very nice write up...enjoyed it. I don't think Plumb is much over 300lbs though if at all...and I'm hopeful Barnett is right about him. Honestly...I think Iowa plays around with weights or doesn't keep them updated. I think Dejung's best shot is also at guard, but there is some serious competition. Britt has to show he as improved his pass blocking...there is some bad tape out there on those early season games.

The best thing...competition at every position. Every position. The second which the OP mentions...is that they have to go up against our DL. The DL is growing up...and these are now some big dudes that know what it takes. That bodes well for improved OL play because honestly...they won't see a group much better than what we are throwing out there aside from a few schools...even fewer as hard nosed as Shannon, Lee, Black, and Van Ness. Throw in Craig and Hurkett...well...you better put your big boy pants on.
 
I know a lot, maybe even most people will say that the biggest question mark for next year is QB, but I really think it is 100% offensive line. It could be the difference between a surprisingly good season and a surprisingly bad season. Will they be improved from a year ago? I think there are reasons for both optimism and pessimism here. Here's a list of the positions that feel most likely to be steady in descending order:

1. Mason Richman -- Really pretty solid at RT last year by the end of the year. He took some lumps, but started as a RS Freshman. I think he takes a big jump in size this year and I think his experience will lead to a big leap this year. He also seems like a pretty natural leader, based on videos and interviews.

2. Conor Colby -- Similar to Richman, he played pretty well by year end and has a mean streak that shows on tape. Also like Richman, I think we'll see a physical and mental leap forward from year 1 to year 2 with him. I think the leap from guys playing at 295 to 310ish will actually make a big difference. We were so young last year. Physical gains in strength and mass will be really helpful.

3. Jack Plumb -- He really struggled a lot last year, as evidenced by Hutchinson's highlight reel, but did show improvement. He's also put on a fair amount of weight in the off season. That tall frame looked pretty lean still last year. I'm really hopeful that we can get two years out of him (covid year) because if he can play at 325 and maintain his ability to move, he could be a solid contributor. Barnett has said "don't bet against Jack Plumb." I really hope he's right. Has put in the work and having 1 solid senior in the starting lineup would be very helpful.

4. Justin Britt -- Here's where things get less clear. If Britt plays this year, I think there's a lot more reason to feel optimistic. But I don't put a high percentage on that likelihood based on his past injuries. Would be a great story if he can stay healthy and he seems to have all the tools.

5. Tyler Elsbury -- Seemed like the starter by the end of spring ball. I think he was kind of the forgotten man with some of the shinier younger recruits, but it seems like he's starting to make a push. He could also end up being the starter at center. That said, we still haven't really seen him play so it's hard to put a ton of stock into how he will be at this point.

6. Logan Jones -- Can he be the starter this year? Extremely physically gifted. Weight room hero. Great attitude. That said, when Linderbaum switched from D-Line, there was an immediate buzz of "we are not going to have to worry about center. Not so this time, which is not at all surprising... no one would put that kind of expectation on anyone. That said, can he play well enough to ensure that there won't be a catastrophic drop off a this position. Going from the best we've ever had to someone who is just learning the position. I'll be cheering loudly for him.

7. Nick DeJong -- Started or played in almost every game last year, but struggled mightily. Former walk-on with a big frame and lots of experience. I think it's really possible he finds his groove at guard. I wouldn't underestimate the walk-on mentality here.

Michael Myslinski -- If he's recovered from his injury, word was he was looking pretty good last year as a backup center. His father is a strength and conditioning coach (for the Jaguars I believe?) and so physically he's had a lot of resources at his disposal. Will be an important one to watch in the fall.

8. Beau Stevens -- got perhaps less press than his classmate Davidkov, but has stayed healthier and has gotten pretty good buzz. Can he make a dent at one of the guard spots?

9. David Davidkov -- injuries have been an issue, but seems like he has tons of potential. Will be exciting to see him after a year in the strength and conditioning program.

10. Gennings Dunker -- kind of a weight room legend after the Petras story about protein shakes. Big strong guy who seems very hungry. Would love to see him make a push at guard.

11. Josh Volk -- Fairly highly rated kid who's made some appearances on the 2 deeps.

12. Matt Fagan -- Walk on who was in contention for some time at center. I don't know much about him, but he's good enough to have at least been in the mix.

SOME OBSERVATIONS

A lot of depth, and a fair amount of experience, except for a the center position.

a VERY young group with a ton of potential.

Going to be really interesting to see how much these guys have matured physically since last year. That's true for the 4 star young guys, but also true for the developmental guys who've been in the program a long time. Competition is going to be fierce.

Our D-Line is SO strong this year, that this group will get PUSHED. That is great, and will help them develop, but it will also require them to really have a lot of resilience because I'd be surprised if practices don't favor the defense (even the second unit) just as they did in the spring game.

If this group struggles, so will Petras. If this group develops consistency, I think they'll make Petras (or whoever is under center) look pretty decent.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS

1. This group didn't look ready in the spring. That's ok, but it might take a good part of the season for them to find their chemistry. Barnett's biggest preaching point is the importance of not rushing the O-line development...that you can't microwave good O-line play. It will be really interesting to see how that approach plays out for the offense the next couple of years. I love his approach and frankly I believe in it, but there will be a lot of rumblings if it takes this group a long time to come together.

2. Health: It's a young group. Yes there's depth, but not a lot of experience. If they can stay healthy, I think a big step can be taken forward. If there are a lot of injuries, I think we're a year away from really being a good O-line.
Plumb put very little weight on.
 
Richman is LT, not RT. He and Colby should be solid this year. Beyond that, we have to rely on hope vs what we have seen. The interior will probably be a bigger question than tackle this year.
 
If (big IF) Britt can stay healthy, he can be solid to even good. Elsbury is very promising. I have very high hopes for Davidkov, to the point I think he's starting RT by B1G play. There has been a lot of early positive buzz for Jones at C. DeJong needs to stay far away from T, but I think he could be a solid rotational guy at guard. Stephens has a lot of optimism surrounding him, Volk and Myslinski have upside, Plumb has experience, and Dunker is built like a brick shithouse.

The pieces are there to put together a very good offensive line, and Barnett is getting some pretty rave reviews from people in the know.
 
Linderbaum’s greatness wasn’t enough to overcome possibly the worst combo of starting OT’s in college football. Couple that with facing some of the best pass rushers in college football(Krakaftis, Ojabo and Hutchinson) and pretty amazing we had the year we did. Hopefully that experience plus another year of working out and that weakness becomes a strength for our team.
 
Also, the Hawks played some pretty good defenses last year. Wisky, Minny, Mich and PSU gave up an average of less than 17.4 pts/game. Illinois, PU and Nebby were around 22. Iowa State at 20.6 (Compared to Iowa at 19.2). Only Indiana and NW were crappy (33 & 29)

Total yards by Iowa opponents follows the same trend. I know ISU and Minny has a bunch of super-seniors. I'm sure other teams did too.

Maybe the defenses won't be quite as good this year? 🙏
 
I definitely am on record as stating the Oline was a year away….August 21 pre-season. How they won 10 games is still mystifying to me.

Stellar defense in all areas, stellar place kicker, stellar kick and punt teams. Positive turnover numbers. And the offense would sometimes do just enough with the short fields and an occasional long drive to ring up some points.

Plus Kirk does instill and demand the players just keep playing hard. It would have been real easy for the team to sulk or quit after the early 2nd half drive against Nebby that ended with a weird Goodson fumble after running into Tyler L. But no the defense knows no quit, the special teams came up big, as did the offense.
 
If (big IF) Britt can stay healthy, he can be solid to even good. Elsbury is very promising. I have very high hopes for Davidkov, to the point I think he's starting RT by B1G play. There has been a lot of early positive buzz for Jones at C. DeJong needs to stay far away from T, but I think he could be a solid rotational guy at guard. Stephens has a lot of optimism surrounding him, Volk and Myslinski have upside, Plumb has experience, and Dunker is built like a brick shithouse.

The pieces are there to put together a very good offensive line, and Barnett is getting some pretty rave reviews from people in the know.

Bingo!! I agree DD will be the starter at RT at some point this year unless it's at RG and Colby moves to RT.

Elsbury was one of the best ol prospects in the midwest his senior year. I say he wins the LG spot.

Richman will play in the nfl.

I can't see Jones losing the center position.

If relatively healthy then no excuses for this group.
 
All that experience those guys got last year is going to pay dividends this year…..

especially with another year in the S&C program ……. I look for line play to be much better

Qb play I’m not as confident in but I’m going to root like hell for whoever is under center and hope they play well
 
Stellar defense in all areas, stellar place kicker, stellar kick and punt teams. Positive turnover numbers. And the offense would sometimes do just enough with the short fields and an occasional long drive to ring up some points.

Plus Kirk does instill and demand the players just keep playing hard. It would have been real easy for the team to sulk or quit after the early 2nd half drive against Nebby that ended with a weird Goodson fumble after running into Tyler L. But no the defense knows no quit, the special teams came up big, as did the offense.
Uuuummmm……

it was kind of a rhetorical statement. I understand how it happened, but thanks!
 
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If (big IF) Britt can stay healthy, he can be solid to even good. Elsbury is very promising. I have very high hopes for Davidkov, to the point I think he's starting RT by B1G play. There has been a lot of early positive buzz for Jones at C. DeJong needs to stay far away from T, but I think he could be a solid rotational guy at guard. Stephens has a lot of optimism surrounding him, Volk and Myslinski have upside, Plumb has experience, and Dunker is built like a brick shithouse.

The pieces are there to put together a very good offensive line, and Barnett is getting some pretty rave reviews from people in the know.
I wouldn't write off DeJong at RT ... however, his athleticism might be better used at OG anyhow. Folks quickly forget how he surged ahead of every scholarship O-linemen from that recruiting class.

I do recall that 2 years back ... pretty rave reviews were coming out about BOTH Richman and Elsbury. So there has been buzz about Elsbury for a little while now. He was a top backup for the OL last season ... I expect for him to be a contributor in the coming season.

I figure that someone will emerge out of Mylinski or Jones at C. Mylinski has the pedigree ... however, Jones has the strength and toughness that might make him tough to displace. Some of Iowa's most impressive center play has come from aggressive, tough guys (guys like Bruggeman and Linderbaum ... to name but two).

With Davidkov making some noise at OT ... he'll be in the picture at RT. Our '22 class guys are both "long," developmental guys who project pretty nicely at OT. They won't be in the picture this year ... but the role they play might be enough to help keep DeJong at OG.

As I've mentioned in a different thread ... I could see part of the motive for Plumb remaining at RT not just being because he has experience and has legitimately earned the spot but also because it will lead there to be a legitimate "transition" at the position heading into '23. I could therefore see Davidkov and Proctor rotating at RT that season.
 
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I just hope we do not lose very many to transfer, because, let's be honest, there are only five positions available at any one given time and it sounds like we have a TON of talent on the offensive line.

don't mean to sound negative, because I am just as ecstatic as anyone else, but just saying that somebody has to be the odd men out and may look elsewhere. but it is so nice to have so much depth.
 
A number of posters seem pretty high on Tyler Elsbury. Did he get any PT last year? Has anyone seen him in action to actually analyze his play? What few snippets I saw from the Spring scrimmage didn't show much of anything. Here's hoping he is the answer to one of the O Line's question marks.
 
I've heard the OL coach talk about Plumb. While his play did improve over last season, I do not think he will fend off Davidkov by the end of this season. Think the same is true of Britt and Stephens & Elsbury. Britt has been a serviceable to good player. As with Plumb, I think there is superior but inexperienced talent behind Britt.

DeJong needs to gain about 60 pounds if he plays inside. DeJong and Plumb at right tackle was a huge liability last year.

Aside from Lindy Iowa went into last season with a lot of question about four of the linemen. We opened a very big question at center but we have fewer questions overall.​
 
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I've heard the OL coach talk about Plumb. While his play did improve over last season, I do not think he will fend off Davidkov by the end of this season. Think the same is true of Britt and Stephens & Elsbury. Britt has been a serviceable to good player. As with Plumb, I think there is superior but inexperienced talent behind Britt.

DeJong needs to gain about 60 pounds if he plays inside. DeJong and Plumb at right tackle was a huge liability last year.

Aside from Lindy Iowa went into last season with a lot of question about four of the linemen. We opened a very big question at center but we have fewer questions overall.​
DeJong is already 300 lbs.

There's no chance he can carry 360 lbs and still move in a zone scheme.
 
I still worry about the OL as a whole. I think Colby and RIchman will be pretty good but Plumb and DeJong still don't seem to be great options at RT. If Britt is healthy, I think that will help ease in some of the young guys at guard.
 
It is and was the OL. Everyone projected it as great just because we had an all world center, but it wasn’t great and leaked like a sieve at times.
Not only were they not great, the first half of the year they were just plain bad. But they did improve in the last half of the year and did look good against Kentucky.

I liked Goodson but I do think the Williams' running style fits the the OL better than Goodson. More downhill, one cut. Goodson seemed to be looking for the home run a lot.

The Offense will benefit more by pounding out 3-4 yards on 1st and 2nd downs and allowing more flexibility in play calling on 3rd down.
 
Owenhawk, have to agree. The post captures the sort of negative synergy that emerged from a mentally shaky QB, a running back that looked a lot like he was playing to avoid injury and the offensive line that neither opened good running holes nor created and held much of a pocket. Of course, that line problem aggravated both the QB's and RB's respective weaknesses.

Unfortunately, by the time the line really showed signs of improvement Spencer had lost his mind and Tyler G's mind was on the NFL.
 
I know a lot, maybe even most people will say that the biggest question mark for next year is QB, but I really think it is 100% offensive line. It could be the difference between a surprisingly good season and a surprisingly bad season. Will they be improved from a year ago? I think there are reasons for both optimism and pessimism here. Here's a list of the positions that feel most likely to be steady in descending order:

1. Mason Richman -- Really pretty solid at RT last year by the end of the year. He took some lumps, but started as a RS Freshman. I think he takes a big jump in size this year and I think his experience will lead to a big leap this year. He also seems like a pretty natural leader, based on videos and interviews.

2. Conor Colby -- Similar to Richman, he played pretty well by year end and has a mean streak that shows on tape. Also like Richman, I think we'll see a physical and mental leap forward from year 1 to year 2 with him. I think the leap from guys playing at 295 to 310ish will actually make a big difference. We were so young last year. Physical gains in strength and mass will be really helpful.

3. Jack Plumb -- He really struggled a lot last year, as evidenced by Hutchinson's highlight reel, but did show improvement. He's also put on a fair amount of weight in the off season. That tall frame looked pretty lean still last year. I'm really hopeful that we can get two years out of him (covid year) because if he can play at 325 and maintain his ability to move, he could be a solid contributor. Barnett has said "don't bet against Jack Plumb." I really hope he's right. Has put in the work and having 1 solid senior in the starting lineup would be very helpful.

4. Justin Britt -- Here's where things get less clear. If Britt plays this year, I think there's a lot more reason to feel optimistic. But I don't put a high percentage on that likelihood based on his past injuries. Would be a great story if he can stay healthy and he seems to have all the tools.

5. Tyler Elsbury -- Seemed like the starter by the end of spring ball. I think he was kind of the forgotten man with some of the shinier younger recruits, but it seems like he's starting to make a push. He could also end up being the starter at center. That said, we still haven't really seen him play so it's hard to put a ton of stock into how he will be at this point.

6. Logan Jones -- Can he be the starter this year? Extremely physically gifted. Weight room hero. Great attitude. That said, when Linderbaum switched from D-Line, there was an immediate buzz of "we are not going to have to worry about center. Not so this time, which is not at all surprising... no one would put that kind of expectation on anyone. That said, can he play well enough to ensure that there won't be a catastrophic drop off a this position. Going from the best we've ever had to someone who is just learning the position. I'll be cheering loudly for him.

7. Nick DeJong -- Started or played in almost every game last year, but struggled mightily. Former walk-on with a big frame and lots of experience. I think it's really possible he finds his groove at guard. I wouldn't underestimate the walk-on mentality here.

Michael Myslinski -- If he's recovered from his injury, word was he was looking pretty good last year as a backup center. His father is a strength and conditioning coach (for the Jaguars I believe?) and so physically he's had a lot of resources at his disposal. Will be an important one to watch in the fall.

8. Beau Stevens -- got perhaps less press than his classmate Davidkov, but has stayed healthier and has gotten pretty good buzz. Can he make a dent at one of the guard spots?

9. David Davidkov -- injuries have been an issue, but seems like he has tons of potential. Will be exciting to see him after a year in the strength and conditioning program.

10. Gennings Dunker -- kind of a weight room legend after the Petras story about protein shakes. Big strong guy who seems very hungry. Would love to see him make a push at guard.

11. Josh Volk -- Fairly highly rated kid who's made some appearances on the 2 deeps.

12. Matt Fagan -- Walk on who was in contention for some time at center. I don't know much about him, but he's good enough to have at least been in the mix.

SOME OBSERVATIONS

A lot of depth, and a fair amount of experience, except for a the center position.

a VERY young group with a ton of potential.

Going to be really interesting to see how much these guys have matured physically since last year. That's true for the 4 star young guys, but also true for the developmental guys who've been in the program a long time. Competition is going to be fierce.

Our D-Line is SO strong this year, that this group will get PUSHED. That is great, and will help them develop, but it will also require them to really have a lot of resilience because I'd be surprised if practices don't favor the defense (even the second unit) just as they did in the spring game.

If this group struggles, so will Petras. If this group develops consistency, I think they'll make Petras (or whoever is under center) look pretty decent.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS

1. This group didn't look ready in the spring. That's ok, but it might take a good part of the season for them to find their chemistry. Barnett's biggest preaching point is the importance of not rushing the O-line development...that you can't microwave good O-line play. It will be really interesting to see how that approach plays out for the offense the next couple of years. I love his approach and frankly I believe in it, but there will be a lot of rumblings if it takes this group a long time to come together.

2. Health: It's a young group. Yes there's depth, but not a lot of experience. If they can stay healthy, I think a big step can be taken forward. If there are a lot of injuries, I think we're a year away from really being a good O-line.
Thank YOU for the beautiful post my Hawkeye brethren! Very well said!
 
A number of posters seem pretty high on Tyler Elsbury. Did he get any PT last year? Has anyone seen him in action to actually analyze his play? What few snippets I saw from the Spring scrimmage didn't show much of anything. Here's hoping he is the answer to one of the O Line's question marks.
No he didn't. There are a few guys (Ellsbury, Britt, Davidkov, Stephens) who we just haven't seen enough of at all to make any determination as to how good they are. Britt has been injured his entire Iowa career. A few folks here are in love with Ellsbury based on HS tape. That's fine, but when it comes to OL I don't pay attention to anything other than what we see in open practices or games. Have to actually get on the field and do it.

I'm not as optimistic on the OL as some others this year. Yes, should be improvement from Plumb, Richman and Colby as they have played meaningful snaps. But still 2-3 guys will have to play who haven't played a lot in games yet. It will take time for them. And they have a QB behind them who is not adept, at all, in covering up mistakes by the OL. On the optimistic side, I liked what I saw in the bowl game. Very few negative plays, generally time to throw the ball. Kentucky was without several starters, but that was still a better defense than many Big 10 defenses Iowa played last year.
 
Just my take from what little I could pick out of the Spring scrimmage but it sure looked like Elsbury was relatively slow getting off the ball and his pad level seemed pretty high. I am no O Line guru and not bashing the young man. Hoping he is the real deal and is able to contribute a lot over the next 3 years
 
From a post in Sept of 2021:


I definitely agree that it starts up front. It always does for Iowa. I expressed concern coming into the season about both lines. I had us 0-2 out of the chute. One reason was I felt like the D-Line wasn't where it needed to be against two ranked teams early in the season and would steadily improve over the course of those two games. Not enough to allow our back 7 to thrive though. I was dead wrong about that. They have been better than I could have imagined they would early on. Matter of fact, the better they get, the better this defense will get. That's got to be scary for opponents!

I also didn't feel as if the Oline would perform the way we need them to. Ferentz saying we could play 8 prior to Indiana was a pretty good indication to me that things were unsettled. They are still unsettled going into game 3. Iowa needs to get Shooter back decide who is the guy at that other guard and roll with it. The inside of that line has been, well, bad. Tackle play has been inconsistent. Partly because that is still up in the air as well. We playing DeJong or Plumb? We playing Richmond or Plumb? Someone needs to assert themselves and just say "this is my f'ing job, you want it, you better take it from me"! That's the mentality we need at every single one of those positions.


I hope, after camp, we are more settled this year. Really need to be!
 
I've heard the OL coach talk about Plumb. While his play did improve over last season, I do not think he will fend off Davidkov by the end of this season. Think the same is true of Britt and Stephens & Elsbury. Britt has been a serviceable to good player. As with Plumb, I think there is superior but inexperienced talent behind Britt.

DeJong needs to gain about 60 pounds if he plays inside. DeJong and Plumb at right tackle was a huge liability last year.

Aside from Lindy Iowa went into last season with a lot of question about four of the linemen. We opened a very big question at center but we have fewer questions overall.​
I think you are right. The coaches will give Plumb every chance and as we've seen in the past rotate and we will see both Plumb and Davidkov play RT early on in the season. But I'm in agreement I think end of year it won't be Plumb starting at RT. Same with guys you list at G think will be a rotation of 2-3 early on. I think Colby, Richman and who ever wins the C spot will be in there the whole time. I just don't see KF wanting to rotate and play 2 Cs unless the starter gets hurt or struggles mightily. Or if we get a comfortable lead and see how they fair with the 1st string. Dejong hats off for earning PT last year and is good for depth but if he's starting at RT we are in trouble.
 
No he didn't. There are a few guys (Ellsbury, Britt, Davidkov, Stephens) who we just haven't seen enough of at all to make any determination as to how good they are. Britt has been injured his entire Iowa career. A few folks here are in love with Ellsbury based on HS tape. That's fine, but when it comes to OL I don't pay attention to anything other than what we see in open practices or games. Have to actually get on the field and do it.

I'm not as optimistic on the OL as some others this year. Yes, should be improvement from Plumb, Richman and Colby as they have played meaningful snaps. But still 2-3 guys will have to play who haven't played a lot in games yet. It will take time for them. And they have a QB behind them who is not adept, at all, in covering up mistakes by the OL. On the optimistic side, I liked what I saw in the bowl game. Very few negative plays, generally time to throw the ball. Kentucky was without several starters, but that was still a better defense than many Big 10 defenses Iowa played last year.
I think the biggest differences is the newer O linemen, except center, are at least based on recruiting rankings and the snippets of information that emerges from a pretty tight-lipped operation is last year's freshmen are starting their development already ahead of where most of their predecessors began. Hence I anticipate a sharper learning curve.

But, as you said "Have to actually get on the field and do it" is the only test that actually matters.

Just my take from what little I could pick out of the Spring scrimmage, but it sure looked like Elsbury was relatively slow getting off the ball and his pad level seemed pretty high. I am no O Line guru and not bashing the young man. Hoping he is the real deal and is able to contribute a lot over the next 3 years
Elsy was playing way out of position. He's 6'6", which seems really tall for a center. Plus, he was rushed into the position to start spring practice because Myslinski was injured. I think we will only see Mylinski and Jones at center. Stephens or Elsy will lock up that other guard spot before more than a few games go by. Just don't see Britt healthy for very long.
 
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