Thinking out loud: 2023 OL

[ghostOfHomer777]

Over the prior 2 years, a few factors that had really deleteriously impacted Iowa's OL were:

• deficiencies of starting experience: Linderbaum was the only real multi-year regular starter on the '21 unit. Nobody was a multi-year regular starter in '22.
• deficiencies is veteran leadership: Linderbaum and Schott were leaders in '21 ... unfortunately, Schott was less than 100%. Plumb never materialized as a true leader in '22 ... and he was the only veteran in '22.
• rampant injuries and attrition issues: Poor health on the OL has been well documented over the past 2 years. Complementing this observation is the semi-unexpected departure of Kallenberger prior to the '21 season and the subsequent losses of Ince, Britt, and Davidkov.

Oddly enough, many Iowa fans have attempted to argue that Iowa has been recruiting poorly on the OL over the past few years ... however, since 2020, all the evidence seems to point to pretty strong OL recruiting. Even "on paper" the recruiting haul in 2019 looked good ... for whatever reason the only guy to be left from that class was DeJong ... and he was a walk-on.

When we turn to the '23 OL ...

• Richman and Colby are returning multi-year starters (at Iowa)
• Parker and Feth are multi-year starters at their prior programs
• DeJong will be a SR veteran ... a guy who HAS improved over the past several years.

This points to a scaffolding of the Iowa OL room that SHOULD have an ample supply of veteran voices.

Without question, the center position was a weakness in '22 ... Logan Jones doesn't hide from that observation. However, like many an admirable young man ... he faces it "head on" and attempts to learn from it. Obviously, the '23 season will rely upon significant improvements at the C spot. Why do we have reason to suppose/hope that there will be improvement there?

• We've learned that Jones didn't really know what he was doing last year. That allows us to put his performance more in context. He's a bright guy who is noted as a very diligent worker. There's little reason to suppose that he WON'T improve.
• Feth has extensive prior experience at C. At the very least, he could be a steadying influence to Jones. At best ... he takes over the starting C spot.
• Mylinski is a talented young guy who's health has been the primary thing keeping him from earning more reps on the field. What happens if he can remain healthy?
• As I recall, both Kade Pieper and Leighton Jones were recruited as being strong prospects for the C spot. They obviously WON'T be in the picture to play in '23 ... but it never hurts to have more depth at the spot!

Kirk is on record mentioning how both Stephens and Dunker were thrust into action, perhaps a bit earlier than was ideal (for their development). However, given that as context, he seemed to think that they performed pretty admirably. I think that all of us saw the play of Stephens and recognized right away that he's a guy "who belongs." Dunker was a brawler ... and, when healthy, seemed to give our run-blocking a little more octane. I think that there is a pretty high developmental bar that BOTH of those guys can reach. I truly believe that the future is pretty bright with those guys.

Elsbury remains as a guy who hasn't yet truly "broken through" developmentally ... from 2nd team to 1st team. However, he's clearly a guy who the coaching staff thinks highly of (at the very least, he's been a special-teams regular).

Exiting the '23 spring camp, this is how the OL shook out (keeping in mind that Parker was "grounded" due to injury).
LT - Richman
LG - DeJong (maybe a surprise ... displaced Colby as a listed starter)
C - Jones (not a surprise, given that Feth hadn't yet joined the program)
RG - Stephens
RT - Dunker

Things to note ...

• Colby is listed as 2nd team LG
• Entering the upcoming fall camp, Feth is listed as the 2nd team RG - Feth has 34 career starts (i.e. I expect him to play ... A LOT)
• Elsbury is listed as 2nd team C (however, IIRC, Mylinski may have been coming off a surgery)
• Entering the upcoming fall camp, Parker is listed as the 2nd team RT.
• Dotzler (RS FR) is listed as 2nd team LT

Looking at the interior OL, I'm heartened that we finally seem to have some depth (and experience) there. DeJong, Colby, Feth, Jones, Elsbury, and Stephens all have prior career starts on the interior. Furthermore, it's already pretty clear that Stephens is "the future" of this OL.

The coaches love Richman. He's already been one of our more consistent guys on the OL. I look for him to really continue to make strides though. It's still wild to think that he was just a SO last season. I honestly believe that he has a great chance of upholding Iowa's tradition of placing our starting LTs in the 1st round of the NFL draft.

As I've stated numerous times ... RT is the "big question" entering '23. Dunker IS a young guy ... but he did get some experience last season. Furthermore, Parker is a transfer who explicitly came ... with an opportunity to make some noise and push for the starting spot at RT. Lastly, Colby has some experience at RT ... and has extensively practiced there too.

Health permitting (knock on wood), I think that this really could be the year when things come together for this OL. For McNamara's sake, I hope that it does (b/c that also implies that we should then have a pretty darn good O!).

 

[nu2u]

The considerable OL position movement sure didn’t help. Now you add two brand new veteran transfers into the mix.

IMO job#1 for Coach Barnett is to get the best players in the right position as early as possible and then limit the movement AMAP. Need to develop some consistency.

I do understand that position flexibility is important but c’mon. I could be wrong but it seems to me that the best OLs at Iowa had minimal (a lot less) player movement. Guys stayed put for the most part, good chemistry was developed, and the OL play improved as a result.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

The considerable OL position movement sure didn’t help. Now you add two brand new veteran transfers into the mix.

IMO job#1 for Coach Barnett is to get the best players in the right position as early as possible and then limit the movement AMAP. Need to develop some consistency.

I do understand that position flexibility is important but c’mon. I could be wrong but it seems to me that the best OLs at Iowa had minimal (a lot less) player movement. Guys stayed put for the most part, good chemistry was developed, and the OL play improved as a result.

Yep ... I completely agree, establishing consistency is quite essential. That's why (hopefully) having better depth will allow for there to be less positional juggling on the OL. That way guys can really gel together and learn to trust what the guy next to him will do.

 

[coorsoriginal02]

Over the prior 2 years, a few factors that had really deleteriously impacted Iowa's OL were:

• deficiencies of starting experience: Linderbaum was the only real multi-year regular starter on the '21 unit. Nobody was a multi-year regular starter in '22.
• deficiencies is veteran leadership: Linderbaum and Schott were leaders in '21 ... unfortunately, Schott was less than 100%. Plumb never materialized as a true leader in '22 ... and he was the only veteran in '22.
• rampant injuries and attrition issues: Poor health on the OL has been well documented over the past 2 years. Complementing this observation is the semi-unexpected departure of Kallenberger prior to the '21 season and the subsequent losses of Ince, Britt, and Davidkov.

Oddly enough, many Iowa fans have attempted to argue that Iowa has been recruiting poorly on the OL over the past few years ... however, since 2020, all the evidence seems to point to pretty strong OL recruiting. Even "on paper" the recruiting haul in 2019 looked good ... for whatever reason the only guy to be left from that class was DeJong ... and he was a walk-on.

When we turn to the '23 OL ...

• Richman and Colby are returning multi-year starters (at Iowa)
• Parker and Feth are multi-year starters at their prior programs
• DeJong will be a SR veteran ... a guy who HAS improved over the past several years.

This points to a scaffolding of the Iowa OL room that SHOULD have an ample supply of veteran voices.

Without question, the center position was a weakness in '22 ... Logan Jones doesn't hide from that observation. However, like many an admirable young man ... he faces it "head on" and attempts to learn from it. Obviously, the '23 season will rely upon significant improvements at the C spot. Why do we have reason to suppose/hope that there will be improvement there?

• We've learned that Jones didn't really know what he was doing last year. That allows us to put his performance more in context. He's a bright guy who is noted as a very diligent worker. There's little reason to suppose that he WON'T improve.
• Feth has extensive prior experience at C. At the very least, he could be a steadying influence to Jones. At best ... he takes over the starting C spot.
• Mylinski is a talented young guy who's health has been the primary thing keeping him from earning more reps on the field. What happens if he can remain healthy?
• As I recall, both Kade Pieper and Leighton Jones were recruited as being strong prospects for the C spot. They obviously WON'T be in the picture to play in '23 ... but it never hurts to have more depth at the spot!

Kirk is on record mentioning how both Stephens and Dunker were thrust into action, perhaps a bit earlier than was ideal (for their development). However, given that as context, he seemed to think that they performed pretty admirably. I think that all of us saw the play of Stephens and recognized right away that he's a guy "who belongs." Dunker was a brawler ... and, when healthy, seemed to give our run-blocking a little more octane. I think that there is a pretty high developmental bar that BOTH of those guys can reach. I truly believe that the future is pretty bright with those guys.

Elsbury remains as a guy who hasn't yet truly "broken through" developmentally ... from 2nd team to 1st team. However, he's clearly a guy who the coaching staff thinks highly of (at the very least, he's been a special-teams regular).

Exiting the '23 spring camp, this is how the OL shook out (keeping in mind that Parker was "grounded" due to injury).
LT - Richman
LG - DeJong (maybe a surprise ... displaced Colby as a listed starter)
C - Jones (not a surprise, given that Feth hadn't yet joined the program)
RG - Stephens
RT - Dunker

Things to note ...

• Colby is listed as 2nd team LG
• Entering the upcoming fall camp, Feth is listed as the 2nd team RG - Feth has 34 career starts (i.e. I expect him to play ... A LOT)
• Elsbury is listed as 2nd team C (however, IIRC, Mylinski may have been coming off a surgery)
• Entering the upcoming fall camp, Parker is listed as the 2nd team RT.
• Dotzler (RS FR) is listed as 2nd team LT

Looking at the interior OL, I'm heartened that we finally seem to have some depth (and experience) there. DeJong, Colby, Feth, Jones, Elsbury, and Stephens all have prior career starts on the interior. Furthermore, it's already pretty clear that Stephens is "the future" of this OL.

The coaches love Richman. He's already been one of our more consistent guys on the OL. I look for him to really continue to make strides though. It's still wild to think that he was just a SO last season. I honestly believe that he has a great chance of upholding Iowa's tradition of placing our starting LTs in the 1st round of the NFL draft.

As I've stated numerous times ... RT is the "big question" entering '23. Dunker IS a young guy ... but he did get some experience last season. Furthermore, Parker is a transfer who explicitly came ... with an opportunity to make some noise and push for the starting spot at RT. Lastly, Colby has some experience at RT ... and has extensively practiced there too.

Health permitting (knock on wood), I think that this really could be the year when things come together for this OL. For McNamara's sake, I hope that it does (b/c that also implies that we should then have a pretty darn good O!).

You lost me following the Bold..

DeJong was as bad or worse than Plumb.

 

[nu2u]

Yep ... I completely agree, establishing consistency is quite essential. That's why (hopefully) having better depth will allow for there to be less positional juggling on the OL. That way guys can really gel together and learn to trust what the guy next to him will do.

I mean, half way through the schedule and you’re still trying to find “the right combination” is not the players’ fault. That’s an indictment of the coaches. They really need to pick the lock in August.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

You lost me following the Bold..

DeJong was as bad or worse than Plumb.

Watch the film man ... compare '21 film to '22 film. There was some improvement there. Plumb, in contrast, still had some egregious whiffs ... even towards the end.

Anyhow, there is a laundry-list of players I could mention at Iowa who had their years of struggling ... but finished strong at the end of their careers. Guys don't always put it all together at day one. I think that it is patently unfair to "give up" on DeJong.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I mean, half way through the schedule and you’re still trying to find “the right combination” is not the players’ fault. That’s an indictment of the coaches. They really need to pick the lock in August.

If you recall, the OL was already hit hard by injuries before the season even started. As I recall, in the prior spring, there had been a substantial investment into Davidkov at OT ... and many speculated that he could get the starting nod at RT in '23. I honestly don't know what transpired with Davidkov ... but obviously, he wasn't a go (and didn't stick around).

Then, right near the half-way point ... BOTH DeJong (a starter at the time) and Dunker (a top backup) go down in pretty quick succession. They then gave Elsbury a chance to quell the bleeding ... but that solution proved to be suboptimal. On top of all that, Colby seemed to have a bit of a crisis of confidence - so his play seemed to devolve a bit. It took returning to LG for him to regain some of his footing/composure.

Consequently, I don't think that the scenario was exactly one of trying to find the right combo. The lack of strides made by Plumb in addition to the departure of Davidkov really were pretty crippling blows to our situation at OT. Thus, at that mid-season juncture, after the injuries to DeJong and Dunker ... I think that the OL was simply scrambling in survival mode.

I think Kirk understood that ... and that is a big reason why his reaction to our "crisis" on O was so measured (rather than panicked).

 

[shanksit44]

Over the prior 2 years, a few factors that had really deleteriously impacted Iowa's OL were:

• deficiencies of starting experience: Linderbaum was the only real multi-year regular starter on the '21 unit. Nobody was a multi-year regular starter in '22.
• deficiencies is veteran leadership: Linderbaum and Schott were leaders in '21 ... unfortunately, Schott was less than 100%. Plumb never materialized as a true leader in '22 ... and he was the only veteran in '22.
• rampant injuries and attrition issues: Poor health on the OL has been well documented over the past 2 years. Complementing this observation is the semi-unexpected departure of Kallenberger prior to the '21 season and the subsequent losses of Ince, Britt, and Davidkov.

Oddly enough, many Iowa fans have attempted to argue that Iowa has been recruiting poorly on the OL over the past few years ... however, since 2020, all the evidence seems to point to pretty strong OL recruiting. Even "on paper" the recruiting haul in 2019 looked good ... for whatever reason the only guy to be left from that class was DeJong ... and he was a walk-on.

When we turn to the '23 OL ...

• Richman and Colby are returning multi-year starters (at Iowa)
• Parker and Feth are multi-year starters at their prior programs
• DeJong will be a SR veteran ... a guy who HAS improved over the past several years.

This points to a scaffolding of the Iowa OL room that SHOULD have an ample supply of veteran voices.

Without question, the center position was a weakness in '22 ... Logan Jones doesn't hide from that observation. However, like many an admirable young man ... he faces it "head on" and attempts to learn from it. Obviously, the '23 season will rely upon significant improvements at the C spot. Why do we have reason to suppose/hope that there will be improvement there?

• We've learned that Jones didn't really know what he was doing last year. That allows us to put his performance more in context. He's a bright guy who is noted as a very diligent worker. There's little reason to suppose that he WON'T improve.
• Feth has extensive prior experience at C. At the very least, he could be a steadying influence to Jones. At best ... he takes over the starting C spot.
• Mylinski is a talented young guy who's health has been the primary thing keeping him from earning more reps on the field. What happens if he can remain healthy?
• As I recall, both Kade Pieper and Leighton Jones were recruited as being strong prospects for the C spot. They obviously WON'T be in the picture to play in '23 ... but it never hurts to have more depth at the spot!

Kirk is on record mentioning how both Stephens and Dunker were thrust into action, perhaps a bit earlier than was ideal (for their development). However, given that as context, he seemed to think that they performed pretty admirably. I think that all of us saw the play of Stephens and recognized right away that he's a guy "who belongs." Dunker was a brawler ... and, when healthy, seemed to give our run-blocking a little more octane. I think that there is a pretty high developmental bar that BOTH of those guys can reach. I truly believe that the future is pretty bright with those guys.

Elsbury remains as a guy who hasn't yet truly "broken through" developmentally ... from 2nd team to 1st team. However, he's clearly a guy who the coaching staff thinks highly of (at the very least, he's been a special-teams regular).

Exiting the '23 spring camp, this is how the OL shook out (keeping in mind that Parker was "grounded" due to injury).
LT - Richman
LG - DeJong (maybe a surprise ... displaced Colby as a listed starter)
C - Jones (not a surprise, given that Feth hadn't yet joined the program)
RG - Stephens
RT - Dunker

Things to note ...

• Colby is listed as 2nd team LG
• Entering the upcoming fall camp, Feth is listed as the 2nd team RG - Feth has 34 career starts (i.e. I expect him to play ... A LOT)
• Elsbury is listed as 2nd team C (however, IIRC, Mylinski may have been coming off a surgery)
• Entering the upcoming fall camp, Parker is listed as the 2nd team RT.
• Dotzler (RS FR) is listed as 2nd team LT

Looking at the interior OL, I'm heartened that we finally seem to have some depth (and experience) there. DeJong, Colby, Feth, Jones, Elsbury, and Stephens all have prior career starts on the interior. Furthermore, it's already pretty clear that Stephens is "the future" of this OL.

The coaches love Richman. He's already been one of our more consistent guys on the OL. I look for him to really continue to make strides though. It's still wild to think that he was just a SO last season. I honestly believe that he has a great chance of upholding Iowa's tradition of placing our starting LTs in the 1st round of the NFL draft.

As I've stated numerous times ... RT is the "big question" entering '23. Dunker IS a young guy ... but he did get some experience last season. Furthermore, Parker is a transfer who explicitly came ... with an opportunity to make some noise and push for the starting spot at RT. Lastly, Colby has some experience at RT ... and has extensively practiced there too.

Health permitting (knock on wood), I think that this really could be the year when things come together for this OL. For McNamara's sake, I hope that it does (b/c that also implies that we should then have a pretty darn good O!).

Agree with pretty much everything you stated. I think Jones was physically overwhelmed at his position from the get go. I would hope he’s developed over the off season and learned from last years experience so the mistakes are not repeated.

That said the swinging gate at right tackle, with all his experience, was the weakest link and the portal to a Qb that needed more than 2-3 seconds to get a pass off, inaccurate or not. Watching some of the reruns from last season there weren’t many Qb’s in the country that would have had success dodging pressure through the center and from the right, virtually untouched.

It does appear that there is depth this year and hopefully that remains the case throughout the season. I miss the solid O-line play that’s been the core of Hawkeye football.

 

[83Hawk]

The line couldn't have been much worse last year....they can only get better.

Between the additional year of growth and the veteran transfers, I anticipate noticable improvement in our o-line play. Will they one of the top lines in the Big 10? Probably not.....but they should at least be serviceable.

 

[MitchLL]

Boy, reading the last half dozen posts has really left me depressed.

Almost everything has to improve to even have an "average" season.

CadeM better be mobile.

 

[jonesy5960]

You lost me following the Bold..

DeJong was as bad or worse than Plumb.

Lost me after referencing a guy that has now been gone for 2 and a half years as part of the problem. If the oline struggles this year people here will still be saying "well Kallenberger leaving in February of 2021 sure didn't help matters any"....

 

[coorsoriginal02]

Watch the film man ... compare '21 film to '22 film. There was some improvement there. Plumb, in contrast, still had some egregious whiffs ... even towards the end.

Anyhow, there is a laundry-list of players I could mention at Iowa who had their years of struggling ... but finished strong at the end of their careers. Guys don't always put it all together at day one. I think that it is patently unfair to "give up" on DeJong.

I can see struggling in years one and two and still receiving patience from the staff.

But year 3? Year 4? No. No reason there shouldn’t be other [younger] guys by that time that haven’t kicked him down to 3rd string or worse. #56 is now in his 5th season.

Expedite the development just a bit.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I can see struggling in years one and two and still receiving patience from the staff.

But year 3? Year 4? No. No reason there shouldn’t be other [younger] guys by that time that haven’t kicked him down to 3rd string or worse. #56 is now in his 5th season.

Expedite the development just a bit.

What are you talking about? DeJong was a tall, lanky TE-type who was a developmental project for the OL ... and a walk-on to boot! All the same, he rushed out well ahead of ALL the scholarship guys in his class (with the possible exception of Britt, who was chronically injured).

Anyhow, '21 was his first year starting ... and '22 was his second year starting. Those are the only years that he's played.

While technically a SR ... DeJong could be a covid JR (if he wants to take his covid-year).

Tobin, Boffeli, Reynolds, Bruggeman, Eubanks, etc ... the list of guys who struggled for years only to put together a great final campaign is quite a long list.

Quite apparently, some folks aren't willing to give a guy like DeJong the benefit of the doubt ... but I am.

Anyhow, you and another poster were lost at a juncture when I simply MENTIONED DeJong. That's silly! I wasn't even mentioning DeJong as a lynch-pin member of the group. However, he is a guy who has consistently started over each of the last 2 years ... he's a guy who has Kirk's seal of approval ... and he's going to be in his 5th year with the program. I don't see how there isn't some value there.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Agree with pretty much everything you stated. I think Jones was physically overwhelmed at his position from the get go. I would hope he’s developed over the off season and learned from last years experience so the mistakes are not repeated.

I don't think that the issue with Jones was physical at all. Given what he's said (not really knowing/appreciating what he was doing) ... it's clear that he was likely playing a step slow. Thus, when you have some high quality Big 10 DTs who are immediately up in your grill ... that's going to put you at the disadvantage from the get-go. Reports in camp last year was that in drills, it was impressive how Jones was able to move people ... given his relative lack of experience/understanding. Thus, if his understanding of the position can elevate in status up to his physical, weight-room prowess ... then I'm confident that Logan will develop into a fine center for us.

 

[herkyhawk00]

I would be interested to see what Jones could do at Guard. He seems like an athletic kid that can move and is certainly strong.

 

[coorsoriginal02]

What are you talking about? DeJong was a tall, lanky TE-type who was a developmental project for the OL ... and a walk-on to boot! All the same, he rushed out well ahead of ALL the scholarship guys in his class (with the possible exception of Britt, who was chronically injured).

Anyhow, '21 was his first year starting ... and '22 was his second year starting. Those are the only years that he's played.

While technically a SR ... DeJong could be a covid JR (if he wants to take his covid-year).

Tobin, Boffeli, Reynolds, Bruggeman, Eubanks, etc ... the list of guys who struggled for years only to put together a great final campaign is quite a long list.

Quite apparently, some folks aren't willing to give a guy like DeJong the benefit of the doubt ... but I am.

Anyhow, you and another poster were lost at a juncture when I simply MENTIONED DeJong. That's silly! I wasn't even mentioning DeJong as a lynch-pin member of the group. However, he is a guy who has consistently started over each of the last 2 years ... he's a guy who has Kirk's seal of approval ... and he's going to be in his 5th year with the program. I don't see how there isn't some value there.

And he wasn’t any good. What does that say about the development/ability of the scholarship guys?

Secondly, he first saw the field in 2019. Then a number of times in the ‘20 season on ST and OL.. etc etc.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Boy, reading the last half dozen posts has really left me depressed.

Almost everything has to improve to even have an "average" season.

CadeM better be mobile.

Nah ... my whole premise is that the OL situation entering the '23 season is way better than it's been for any of the prior years. I'd be genuinely shocked if we don't see substantial improvement.

Couple that with ...

• Cade McNamara being a supremely confident dude (w/ experience)
• Kaleb Johnson is a stud RB
• Within Iowa's scheme ... Lachey and All are poised to have an impressive season! Given the combined level of talent-experience ... could be the strongest the room has been since we had Fant and Hock.
• Ragaini is quite a solid slot guy at WR.
• Brown and Anderson give us a little more experience/talent at WR.

Lastly, with Ostrenga, Large, and Stilianos - combined with Brian's usage of TEs (which even naysayers must acknowledge as being his strong-suit) ... we should be able to have the personnel to use a TE as a H-back ... thereby compensating for our personnel transition at FB.

Anyhow, I think that the O should be pretty solid (by Iowa standards ... low bar, but it doesn't need to be great given our D and ST).

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Secondly, he first saw the field in 2019. Then a number of times in the ‘20 season on ST and OL.. etc etc.

In '19, he was a TR FR ... and he saw action in clean-up duty. In the '20 season ... he was getting ST action. That's actually a feather in his cap ... not a sign of any great deficiency.

 

[coorsoriginal02]

In '19, he was a TR FR ... and he saw action in clean-up duty. In the '20 season ... he was getting ST action. That's actually a feather in his cap ... not a sign of any great deficiency.

AND snaps on the OL.

Then in ‘21 - he wasn’t any good.

2022? Was a revolving door just like Jacky Plumber.

Little-to-no progress four years in the program.

Is he FINALLY ready to play Big Ten level football in year 5? Whew…about freaking time.

 

[cm8124]

I’m still rooting for David Davidkov as a comeback story. He is on medical scholarship, but has not retired from football.

 

[cmhawks99]

I can see struggling in years one and two and still receiving patience from the staff.

But year 3? Year 4? No. No reason there shouldn’t be other [younger] guys by that time that haven’t kicked him down to 3rd string or worse. #56 is now in his 5th season.

Expedite the development just a bit.

In theory your point has merit, but as I’m sure, Homer will tell you, mostly because he has more passion for it now than I do at this time, but we have had several fourth-year players blow up their final season, without ever having had much of an impact.

I can’t remember their names, but he will!

The linebacker from a few years back rings, a bell, a wide receiver, back in the Nathan Chandler, era, etc. etc. etc.

 

[shanksit44]

I don't think that the issue with Jones was physical at all. Given what he's said (not really knowing/appreciating what he was doing) ... it's clear that he was likely playing a step slow. Thus, when you have some high quality Big 10 DTs who are immediately up in your grill ... that's going to put you at the disadvantage from the get-go. Reports in camp last year was that in drills, it was impressive how Jones was able to move people ... given his relative lack of experience/understanding. Thus, if his understanding of the position can elevate in status up to his physical, weight-room prowess ... then I'm confident that Logan will develop into a fine center for us.
[/QUOTE
You’re entitled to your perception that inexperience was key as at certainly showed during games. Getting bull rushed by bigger DT’s was also a problem on both running and passing plays. Tough gig playing a position that’s unfamiliar and to do it against some very physical BIG DT’s……………….you saw the results.

 

[kceasthawk]

Agree with pretty much everything you stated. I think Jones was physically overwhelmed at his position from the get go. I would hope he’s developed over the off season and learned from last years experience so the mistakes are not repeated.

That said the swinging gate at right tackle, with all his experience, was the weakest link and the portal to a Qb that needed more than 2-3 seconds to get a pass off, inaccurate or not. Watching some of the reruns from last season there weren’t many Qb’s in the country that would have had success dodging pressure through the center and from the right, virtually untouched.

It does appear that there is depth this year and hopefully that remains the case throughout the season. I miss the solid O-line play that’s been the core of Hawkeye football.

Honestly, I think Jones was more mentally overwhelmed. Hes a beast from what I've heard, but understanding the assignments of the whole line, and being in sync with the cadence and snap count we're his biggest issues. I think he can handle the physicality of the position, if he's made strides in the mental aspect, I think he'll make solid gains.

 

[cmhawks99]

I can see struggling in years one and two and still receiving patience from the staff.

But year 3? Year 4? No. No reason there shouldn’t be other [younger] guys by that time that haven’t kicked him down to 3rd string or worse. #56 is now in his 5th season.

Expedite the development just a bit.

Ramon Ochoa and Fisher is who I’m thinking of, I believe.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

AND snaps on the OL.

Then in ‘21 - he wasn’t any good.

2022? Was a revolving door just like Jacky Plumber.

Little-to-no progress four years in the program.

Quite seriously ... what exactly are your credentials for grading out OL play? Do tell! I espouse no such expertise ... other than watching each game multiple times ... and having a detail-oriented mind.

Also, what sample size are you going off of as it relates to the '22 season? At the halfway point, he got injured and then missed time until pretty much the very end of the season. Furthermore, he spent the last part of fall-camp in a boot. I thought that it was a freaking miracle that he played at all. And, despite coming from being in a boot ... if you look at his play at OG ... it wasn't nearly as bad as you're suggesting.

I won't dispute that DeJong certainly struggled quite a bit in '21, but I think that he definitely seemed more comfortable at OG than RT.

Lastly, I don't understand your insistence that he saw positional action in '20. When a walk-on is earning reps like that ... that early in their career ... that's typically a sign that the coaches really like what they're seeing in him. Hence, it makes it less of a surprise that we've seen him as a regular starter in each of the last two years (in spite of any struggles that he might have had).

 

[kceasthawk]

I’m still rooting for David Davidkov as a comeback story. He is on medical scholarship, but has not retired from football.

If he's on a medical, I don't think he can play at Iowa ever. See Ezra Miller. Another touted prospect who never played a down for the Hawks.....

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

You’re entitled to your perception that inexperience was key as at certainly showed during games. Getting bull rushed by bigger DT’s was also a problem on both running and passing plays. Tough gig playing a position that’s unfamiliar and to do it against some very physical BIG DT’s……………….you saw the results.

A lot of that struck me as reaction-time and playing slow. We've seen undersized guys like Ferentz (James), Bruggeman, and Linderbaum play at essentially a dominant level ... possessing LESS size than Jones.

It's a matter of record that Jones is strong as an ox. Now ... does he have a wrestler's knowledge and usage of leverage? I don't know. Does he have the sort of competitiveness like Ferentz and Lindy ... to be a complete pain in the ass to opposing DTs? Also ... I don't know. However, given everything I've heard about him ... he's certainly a smart and prideful guy ... so that type of dude is usually highly driven and competitive.

Anyhow, Iowa almost always relies more on footwork, athleticism, and doubling blocks to handle those beastly-big DTs. Even Linderbaum, a 1st rounder, was getting blown backwards some by Kentucky's enormous, bull-rushing DT.

 

[karnack1955]

my starting 5
LT RSJR Richman 6'6 312 lbs
LG JR Colby 6'6 311 lbs
C RSJR Jones 6'3 290 lbs
RG RSSR Feth 6'3 310 lbs
RT RSSR Palmer 6'5 315 lbs

that lineup is the biggest and heaviest in KF tenure,

the backups some are guesses
LT FR Leonard 6'8 290 lbs
LG RSJR Elsbury 6'5 312 lbs
C RSSO Myslinski 6'3 290 lbs
RG RSSO Stephens 6'6 319 lbs
RT RSSO Dunker 6'5 320 lbs

the backups are bigger than the starters,

 

[cmhawks99]

my starting 5
LT RSJR Richman 6'6 312 lbs
LG JR Colby 6'6 311 lbs
C RSJR Jones 6'3 290 lbs
RG RSSR Feth 6'3 310 lbs
RT RSSR Palmer 6'5 315 lbs

that lineup is the biggest and heaviest in KF tenure,

the backups some are guesses
LT FR Leonard 6'8 290 lbs
LG RSJR Elsbury 6'5 312 lbs
C RSSO Myslinski 6'3 290 lbs
RG RSSO Stephens 6'6 319 lbs
RT RSSO Dunker 6'5 320 lbs

the backups are bigger than the starters,

I would be absolutely shocked if Leonard played this early. In fact shocked wouldn’t be the word!

 

[karnack1955]

I would be absolutely shocked if Leonard played this early. In fact shocked wouldn’t be the word!

stranger things have happened, like I said picking the backups is a guess.

 

[93hawkeye]

I'm hoping for the best...the O Line could b noticeably better than '22 and still not very good.
Let's hope for noticeably better and good.

 

[cmhawks99]

stranger things have happened, like I said picking the backups is a guess.

Sure, but I’m positive he isn’t strong enough yet and very raw. At one time he was a better bball prospect and my son threw him around in b-ball 3 years ago, could be 4 and to be fair he was a frosh, but yes it’s possible and would be quite a story!

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

my starting 5
LT RSJR Richman 6'6 312 lbs
LG JR Colby 6'6 311 lbs
C RSJR Jones 6'3 290 lbs
RG RSSR Feth 6'3 310 lbs
RT RSSR Palmer 6'5 315 lbs

that lineup is the biggest and heaviest in KF tenure,

the backups some are guesses
LT FR Leonard 6'8 290 lbs
LG RSJR Elsbury 6'5 312 lbs
C RSSO Myslinski 6'3 290 lbs
RG RSSO Stephens 6'6 319 lbs
RT RSSO Dunker 6'5 320 lbs

the backups are bigger than the starters,

At RT, I assume that you mean Parker instead of Palmer (b/c there is no Palmer).

In terms of size ... usually, given Iowa's zone-schemes, athleticism is usually desirable, above size (although, obviously they have no qualms for really athletic big guys ... the more Scherff/Wirfs-types we can get, the better).

That said ... one of the characteristics of the OL under Polasek was that he had them work a little extra on one-on-one blocking ... and he had guys stay on their blocks longer than has been Iowa's tradition. Under Barnett, I cannot say that I've noted a distinctive signature quite yet (at least, not a positive one).

 

[LampoonYou]

Over the prior 2 years, a few factors that had really deleteriously impacted Iowa's OL were:

• deficiencies of starting experience: Linderbaum was the only real multi-year regular starter on the '21 unit. Nobody was a multi-year regular starter in '22.
• deficiencies is veteran leadership: Linderbaum and Schott were leaders in '21 ... unfortunately, Schott was less than 100%. Plumb never materialized as a true leader in '22 ... and he was the only veteran in '22.
• rampant injuries and attrition issues: Poor health on the OL has been well documented over the past 2 years. Complementing this observation is the semi-unexpected departure of Kallenberger prior to the '21 season and the subsequent losses of Ince, Britt, and Davidkov.

Oddly enough, many Iowa fans have attempted to argue that Iowa has been recruiting poorly on the OL over the past few years ... however, since 2020, all the evidence seems to point to pretty strong OL recruiting. Even "on paper" the recruiting haul in 2019 looked good ... for whatever reason the only guy to be left from that class was DeJong ... and he was a walk-on.

When we turn to the '23 OL ...

• Richman and Colby are returning multi-year starters (at Iowa)
• Parker and Feth are multi-year starters at their prior programs
• DeJong will be a SR veteran ... a guy who HAS improved over the past several years.

This points to a scaffolding of the Iowa OL room that SHOULD have an ample supply of veteran voices.

Without question, the center position was a weakness in '22 ... Logan Jones doesn't hide from that observation. However, like many an admirable young man ... he faces it "head on" and attempts to learn from it. Obviously, the '23 season will rely upon significant improvements at the C spot. Why do we have reason to suppose/hope that there will be improvement there?

• We've learned that Jones didn't really know what he was doing last year. That allows us to put his performance more in context. He's a bright guy who is noted as a very diligent worker. There's little reason to suppose that he WON'T improve.
• Feth has extensive prior experience at C. At the very least, he could be a steadying influence to Jones. At best ... he takes over the starting C spot.
• Mylinski is a talented young guy who's health has been the primary thing keeping him from earning more reps on the field. What happens if he can remain healthy?
• As I recall, both Kade Pieper and Leighton Jones were recruited as being strong prospects for the C spot. They obviously WON'T be in the picture to play in '23 ... but it never hurts to have more depth at the spot!

Kirk is on record mentioning how both Stephens and Dunker were thrust into action, perhaps a bit earlier than was ideal (for their development). However, given that as context, he seemed to think that they performed pretty admirably. I think that all of us saw the play of Stephens and recognized right away that he's a guy "who belongs." Dunker was a brawler ... and, when healthy, seemed to give our run-blocking a little more octane. I think that there is a pretty high developmental bar that BOTH of those guys can reach. I truly believe that the future is pretty bright with those guys.

Elsbury remains as a guy who hasn't yet truly "broken through" developmentally ... from 2nd team to 1st team. However, he's clearly a guy who the coaching staff thinks highly of (at the very least, he's been a special-teams regular).

Exiting the '23 spring camp, this is how the OL shook out (keeping in mind that Parker was "grounded" due to injury).
LT - Richman
LG - DeJong (maybe a surprise ... displaced Colby as a listed starter)
C - Jones (not a surprise, given that Feth hadn't yet joined the program)
RG - Stephens
RT - Dunker

Things to note ...

• Colby is listed as 2nd team LG
• Entering the upcoming fall camp, Feth is listed as the 2nd team RG - Feth has 34 career starts (i.e. I expect him to play ... A LOT)
• Elsbury is listed as 2nd team C (however, IIRC, Mylinski may have been coming off a surgery)
• Entering the upcoming fall camp, Parker is listed as the 2nd team RT.
• Dotzler (RS FR) is listed as 2nd team LT

Looking at the interior OL, I'm heartened that we finally seem to have some depth (and experience) there. DeJong, Colby, Feth, Jones, Elsbury, and Stephens all have prior career starts on the interior. Furthermore, it's already pretty clear that Stephens is "the future" of this OL.

The coaches love Richman. He's already been one of our more consistent guys on the OL. I look for him to really continue to make strides though. It's still wild to think that he was just a SO last season. I honestly believe that he has a great chance of upholding Iowa's tradition of placing our starting LTs in the 1st round of the NFL draft.

As I've stated numerous times ... RT is the "big question" entering '23. Dunker IS a young guy ... but he did get some experience last season. Furthermore, Parker is a transfer who explicitly came ... with an opportunity to make some noise and push for the starting spot at RT. Lastly, Colby has some experience at RT ... and has extensively practiced there too.

Health permitting (knock on wood), I think that this really could be the year when things come together for this OL. For McNamara's sake, I hope that it does (b/c that also implies that we should then have a pretty darn good O!).

Will this translate into 25 points per game? Asking for a coach at U of I.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Will this translate into 25 points per game? Asking for a coach at U of I.

LOL ... actually, I think it's probably good for 27 points per game. A lot depends on what sort of play we'll see from our WRs though.

 

[MitchLL]

Maybe I need to move to Missouri, because I need a "Show Me" from the 2023 OLine on regards to their purported progress.

 

[shanksit44]

Honestly, I think Jones was more mentally overwhelmed. Hes a beast from what I've heard, but understanding the assignments of the whole line, and being in sync with the cadence and snap count we're his biggest issues. I think he can handle the physicality of the position, if he's made strides in the mental aspect, I think he'll make solid gains.

There are many responsibilities as the center and clearly, if it’s a relative new position, the game must seem so much faster than it would had there been a few games under his belt going into last year. If that slight hesitation, due to his inexperience, was the reason for being out of position allowing penetration into the backfield I hope film and better footwork will alleviate that issue. Need improvement at all line positions this year.

 

[LampoonYou]

LOL ... actually, I think it's probably good for 27 points per game. A lot depends on what sort of play we'll see from our WRs though.

I will say we are in a much better position and If we do get 25 pts per game then the season will be a great one.
1) Phil Parker will get it done
2) QB is upgrade
3) WR group should stabilize
The wildcard is OL and was a glaring issue last year which amplified weakness in other offensive positions IMO. We needed new blood and I am very hopeful this has been fixed.

 

[karnack1955]

last season Colby started at RT then moved to LG. this did not help Jones get settled in, the the RG position was a revolving door due to injuries, the OL last season very rarely had the entire OL together long enough to practice together.

this hurt them the most, not being able to practice as a unit, and that is what makes or breaks the OL. playing and PRACTICING TOGETHER.

this season these have starting experience
Dunker now a RSSO
Stephens now a RSSO
Elsbury now a RSJR
DeJong now a RSSR

that makes 4 with starting experience spread out over 3 years. finally there are players with starting time under their belts something last seasons team lacked. the best thing is there are only 3 SR's on this years OL.

Daniels
Feth
DeJong

2 starters
1 backup
leaving IA with the majority back for another year together under Barnett. strange how familiarity between the coach and his players makes them better.

 

[coorsoriginal02]

last season Colby started at RT then moved to LG. this did not help Jones get settled in, the the RG position was a revolving door due to injuries, the OL last season very rarely had the entire OL together long enough to practice together.

this hurt them the most, not being able to practice as a unit, and that is what makes or breaks the OL. playing and PRACTICING TOGETHER.

this season these have starting experience
Dunker now a RSSO
Stephens now a RSSO
Elsbury now a RSJR
DeJong now a RSSR

that makes 4 with starting experience spread out over 3 years. finally there are players with starting time under their belts something last seasons team lacked. the best thing is there are only 3 SR's on this years OL.

Daniels
Feth
DeJong

2 starters
1 backup
leaving IA with the majority back for another year together under Barnett. strange how familiarity between the coach and his players makes them better.

I guess the point - from my perspective at least - is it’s simply taking TOO long for most of these guys to develop into Big Ten-ready linemen.

Whether it’s physical strength, footwork, or cohesiveness amongst the group that makes for a good overall combined unit of function...

Unless the player is a true frosh - the coach should be able to ‘plug and play’ and see decent performances.

The majority of scholarship recruits are coming in at 6’5” / 6’6” and close to [if not] 300 lbs. HUGE young guys! IMO, development is clearly lacking.