Time for an Offensive Line thread, as

[IowaNiceHawk]

I'm bored awaiting the start of tourney.

So, Iowa Line depth chart might look like..............

LT - Alaric J, Kallenberger
LG - Levi Paulsen
C - Tyler Linderbaum,
RG - Cole Banwart, Landan P
RT - Tristan Wirfs, ??

Who ya got ??

 

[Walleye70]

I think you probably nailed it

 

[NevadaHawk]

The big kid who played center last year. Can't come up his name. I thought he still had another year left? Other than him I think you have the lineup right.

 

[IowaNiceHawk]

Keegan Render C and Ross Reynolds G, both Seniors, I believe, last year.
Could get to an NFL camp maybe ??

 

[NevadaHawk]

Yes, Render is one I was thinking of. Thought he still had another year but maybe not. Reynolds was a senior last year. He might get a shot at the NFL. Hope he does.

 

[Hawk94Mn]

LT: Jackson
LG: Kallenberger - too talented to keep off the field
C. Linderbaum - I don't understand the move unless he starts immediately
RG: Banwart
RT: Wirfs

 

[FlickShagwell]

LT: Jackson
LG: Kallenberger - too talented to keep off the field
C. Linderbaum - I don't understand the move unless he starts immediately
RG: Banwart
RT: Wirfs

I was hoping for Kallenberger to crack the starting lineup as well. The Paulsens seem like the greatest guys in the world off the field. I wish their careers here were more significant (Levi has started 3 games, by my count. Landan none). It would be a great story for both of them to leave their mark in their senior season.

 

[HungryHawk]

LT: Jackson
LG: Kallenberger - too talented to keep off the field
C. Linderbaum - I don't understand the move unless he starts immediately
RG: Banwart
RT: Wirfs

What OL position TL play in HS? I was thinking guard? Did he play both ways consistently?

 

[TKingpin]

I'm bored awaiting the start of tourney.

So, Iowa Line depth chart might look like..............

LT - Alaric J, Kallenberger
LG - Levi Paulsen
C - Tyler Linderbaum,
RG - Cole Banwart, Landan P
RT - Tristan Wirfs, ??

Who ya got ??

I would have roughly the same line-ups. I think that Kallenberger could win the LG spot, which makes Levi the next man in and Landon the next after that. Kallenberger will probably also be listed as the back-up to Aleric. He did start the game vs Northern Illinois when Aleric and Tristan were suspended.

Banwart is almost certainly the back-up Center.

Listed on the depth chart behind Tristan Wirfs wIll probably be Plumb, as he played RT in mop up time vs Illinois.

 

[Pawkhawk1]

LT: Jackson
LG: Levi
C. Linderbaum / Banwart
RG: Wirfs
RT: Kallenberger

...never know...

 

[Harbinger273]

I'm excited to see what happens with the OL. Hoping the interior take big strides and perform above expectations. We have options at guard and can shuffle to find the right group. Need to get that solidified early!

 

[icwestisthebest]

LT: Jackson
LG: Levi
C. Linderbaum / Banwart
RG: Wirfs
RT: Kallenberger

...never know...

Honestly, if you put Banwart instead of Levi I think that would be our best line top to bottom

 

[Frosty7130]

Gotta think Jeff Jenkins and Jack Plumb are on the depth chart.

Pretty solid chances for Miller and Endres as well to make it on whenever they get here.. Maybe Justin Britt if his rehab is going well.

 

[Harbinger273]

Gotta think Jeff Jenkins and Jack Plumb are on the depth chart.

Pretty solid chances for Miller and Endres as well to make it on whenever they get here.. Maybe Justin Britt if his rehab is going well.

Britt is too valuable to rush in his recovery. We have some options this year and Britt is a future star. Get him 100% and set up the OL of the Future. Jenkins, Ince and Plumb and others still developing.

 

[millhawk]

LT: Jackson
LG: Kallenberger - too talented to keep off the field
C. Linderbaum - I don't understand the move unless he starts immediately
RG: Banwart
RT: Wirfs

I hope MK is that good. More nasty needed.

 

[mazda1]

I hate to say it, but we’ve become average offensive line U. Our depth is undefinable and the starters have some serious question marks. The years of next man in are in the rear view mirror.

Two years from now we’ll all realize what a huge loss Reese was on the defensive side of the ball as well.

I like the potential of some of the recruits, but I don’t know who are the potential NFL guys are after Jackson and Wirfs leave. Same with A .J. on D.

 

[TonyTheTiger.1865]

I wonder if we will see Jenkins, Plum or Ince in the two deeps this year?

 

[TonyTheTiger.1865]

I would rather see Kallenberger start at guard to get him some snaps before 2020.

 

[desihawk]

Despite sharing some of your concerns, I am a bit more optimistic. We may not be a juggernaut on the OL (rush production wise) but 4 of 5 OL starters will likely end up on NFL teams upon graduation (possibly staggered over the years). This roughly holds true projecting forward over the next few years also, so it's not like after Wirfs and Jackson leave the talent will be down.

I also do worry about the impact of Reeses departure in the short term (this year) but expect Phil Parker to keep a steady ship going forward.

I hate to say it, but we’ve become average offensive line U. Our depth is undefinable and the starters have some serious question marks. The years of next man in are in the rear view mirror.

Two years from now we’ll all realize what a huge loss Reese was on the defensive side of the ball as well.

I like the potential of some of the recruits, but I don’t know who are the potential NFL guys are after Jackson and Wirfs leave. Same with A .J. on D.

 

[IowaNiceHawk]

I hope MK is that good. More nasty needed.

Believe that M Kallenberger started the first game in 2018, at
Kinnick and did a very good job. Go Hawks

 

[TKingpin]

I wonder if we will see Jenkins, Plum or Ince in the two deeps this year?

I think you will see Plumb at the 2 deep right away at RT. Even if they are listed on the 2-deep, I don’t expect any of these guys to be the next man in.

I expect Levi to be the 6 th man no matter which starter goes down (expecting Aleric, MK, Linderbaum, Banwart and Wirfs day 1).

1) if Jax gets hurt, MK moves over and Levi to LG.
2) MK gets hurt, Levi steps in.
3) Linderbaum gets hurt? Banwart to Center, and Levi to RG.
4) Banwart? Levi steps in and has had a lot of reps at RG.
5) Wirfs? Levi steps in and has played RT multiple games, IIRC.

I expect Landon to be 7th and God help us if we need to dig deeper than that.

I expect a real dogfight for the 2020 starting OL with the Paulsen boys graduating and Aleric and Tristan both being 1st round picks in 13 months.

Spitballing it here:
MK, Ezra
Jenkins, Endres
Linderbaum, Britt
Banwart, Ince
Plumb, Winters(pure speculation)

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I don't understand why folks assume that Linderbaum will be starting at C so early. It's way too critical of a position on the OL ... and he's barely had any time to apprentice yet at the position. Ferentz has been pretty explicit about his motivation for Linderbaum's position move ... the C spot wasn't working for Duwa ... we lost Williams due to injury a year back ... and we just lost Render and Ferg to graduation. That left us with only ONE guy to play at C (Banwart)! Even then ... Ferentz knew about those losses and didn't move Linderbaum earlier. Why? Well ... this was all before Britt went down to injury early during his SR season. I think that Kirk bonded with Britt and assumed that Britt would be Iowa's next "heir apparent" at C. However, with the ACL injury and the need for a full rehab ... that essentially took Britt off the proverbial table for the '19 season. Thus, we critically needed some depth at the C spot for '19 .... and hence, Linderbaum was moved to fill that urgent need.

While I don't expect Linderbaum will start at the C spot ... I do expect that he'll be much like Blythe and Welsh ... and receive quality game reps at OG as a RS FR. Will he start at OG? That will likely be entirely up to him ... and the guys he's competing against. However, I expect that we'll AT LEAST see Linderbaum rotating at OG in '19.

There is no question in my mind that Wirfs, Jackson, and Banwart comprise 3 of Iowa's top 5 on the OL.

The question is ... who will snatch the final 2 spots? I could definitely see prime contenders being Kallenberger, Linderbaum, and Levi Paulsen.

Furthermore, Landen Paulsen saw a lot of quality backup snaps in '18 ... and I'm very intrigued about Plumb (among other guys). It will be really interesting to see how things shake out.

 

[Johnsoda123]

I don't understand why folks assume that Linderbaum will be starting at C so early. It's way too critical of a position on the OL ... and he's barely had any time to apprentice yet at the position. Ferentz has been pretty explicit about his motivation for Linderbaum's position move ... the C spot wasn't working for Duwa ... we lost Williams due to injury a year back ... and we just lost Render and Ferg to graduation. That left us with only ONE guy to play at C (Banwart)! Even then ... Ferentz knew about those losses and didn't move Linderbaum earlier. Why? Well ... this was all before Britt went down to injury early during his SR season. I think that Kirk bonded with Britt and assumed that Britt would be Iowa's next "heir apparent" at C. However, with the ACL injury and the need for a full rehab ... that essentially took Britt off the proverbial table for the '19 season. Thus, we critically needed some depth at the C spot for '19 .... and hence, Linderbaum was moved to fill that urgent need.

While I don't expect Linderbaum will start at the C spot ... I do expect that he'll be much like Blythe and Welsh ... and receive quality game reps at OG as a RS FR. Will he start at OG? That will likely be entirely up to him ... and the guys he's competing against. However, I expect that we'll AT LEAST see Linderbaum rotating at OG in '19.

There is no question in my mind that Wirfs, Jackson, and Banwart comprise 3 of Iowa's top 5 on the OL.

The question is ... who will snatch the final 2 spots? I could definitely see prime contenders being Kallenberger, Linderbaum, and Levi Paulsen.

Furthermore, Landen Paulsen saw a lot of quality backup snaps in '18 ... and I'm very intrigued about Plumb (among other guys). It will be really interesting to see how things shake out.

The counter argument is that it depleted depth on the DL. Before Nelson declared a lot of Hawk fans were excited about the DL potential for 09. Nixon, Shannon and Linderbaum in the rotation and Golston could also slide inside in certain situations. Then Nelson, Linderbaum and maybe Nixon gone.

With the grad transfer there still could be an 8 man rotation if Waggoner is ready for reps.

 

[TKingpin]

It’s just a crapshoot at this point.

I have started to buy in to the fact that Kirk must really see something in Linderbaum at Center or he would not have moved him. He was most definitely in line to be in the 4-man rotation at DT. The thinking is that there is no way he gets moved unless there really is something there.

Kirk has earned that right when it comes to the center position. He has been pretty damn spot on at that position for 20 years.

If Britt doesn’t get hurt, it is very possible that they don’t move Linderbaum, but we will never know.

 

[Frosty7130]

I don't understand why folks assume that Linderbaum will be starting at C so early. It's way too critical of a position on the OL ... and he's barely had any time to apprentice yet at the position. Ferentz has been pretty explicit about his motivation for Linderbaum's position move ... the C spot wasn't working for Duwa ... we lost Williams due to injury a year back ... and we just lost Render and Ferg to graduation. That left us with only ONE guy to play at C (Banwart)! Even then ... Ferentz knew about those losses and didn't move Linderbaum earlier. Why? Well ... this was all before Britt went down to injury early during his SR season. I think that Kirk bonded with Britt and assumed that Britt would be Iowa's next "heir apparent" at C. However, with the ACL injury and the need for a full rehab ... that essentially took Britt off the proverbial table for the '19 season. Thus, we critically needed some depth at the C spot for '19 .... and hence, Linderbaum was moved to fill that urgent need.

While I don't expect Linderbaum will start at the C spot ... I do expect that he'll be much like Blythe and Welsh ... and receive quality game reps at OG as a RS FR. Will he start at OG? That will likely be entirely up to him ... and the guys he's competing against. However, I expect that we'll AT LEAST see Linderbaum rotating at OG in '19.

There is no question in my mind that Wirfs, Jackson, and Banwart comprise 3 of Iowa's top 5 on the OL.

The question is ... who will snatch the final 2 spots? I could definitely see prime contenders being Kallenberger, Linderbaum, and Levi Paulsen.

Furthermore, Landen Paulsen saw a lot of quality backup snaps in '18 ... and I'm very intrigued about Plumb (among other guys). It will be really interesting to see how things shake out.

For me, it's when the move was made. TL had showed a lot of promise at DT in preseason camp, gained a few snaps early in the year and was slated to be a contributor there next season. But, going through bowl prep, knowing that DT was going to be somewhat thin the following year, even before Jansen's departure, they still made the move and had him work at center through bowl prep, and by all accounts he picked it up very quickly.

Knowing that we still had options on OL, were thin at DT, and that TL had played well at DT, and they still made the move makes me think he's picked it up fast enough that he's gonna play right away.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

For me, it's when the move was made. TL had showed a lot of promise at DT in preseason camp, gained a few snaps early in the year and was slated to be a contributor there next season. But, going through bowl prep, knowing that DT was going to be somewhat thin the following year, even before Jansen's departure, they still made the move and had him work at center through bowl prep, and by all accounts he picked it up very quickly.

Knowing that we still had options on OL, were thin at DT, and that TL had played well at DT, and they still made the move makes me think he's picked it up fast enough that he's gonna play right away.

If you look at Linderbaum's high school tape ... the first thing that came to my mind was "center." He's active at DT too ... but the first thing I saw was a center. As I said before ... the timing probably was a little bit more telling about Britt's injury and the coaches decided to change their plans with Duwa.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

The counter argument is that it depleted depth on the DL. Before Nelson declared a lot of Hawk fans were excited about the DL potential for 09. Nixon, Shannon and Linderbaum in the rotation and Golston could also slide inside in certain situations. Then Nelson, Linderbaum and maybe Nixon gone.

With the grad transfer there still could be an 8 man rotation if Waggoner is ready for reps.

I think that the Kirk maybe views the personnel on the DL as being a little more interchangeable than it perhaps might be on the OL (although there's plenty of "musical chairs" done on the OL too).

I agree that the Hawks are clearly thin on the DL too ... but perhaps not as thin as Kirk perceived our C spot to be.

In terms of perception of the DL situation ... I'm inclined to think that it is rather telling that the coaches never offered Atlias Bell (DT at IWCC who ultimately committed to Houston). The Hawks definitely recruited Bell ... however, if the coaches felt that their situation was THAT desperate at DT ... I think that they would have offered Bell.

Anyhow, the Hawks still return some legit talent on the DL ... and they also return quite a bit of experience among the back 7 of the D too. Perhaps the return of so much experience on the D also colored Kirk's opinion ... and led him to believe that the risk-reward of Linderbaum's move was "worth it."

 

[kceasthawk]

I was hoping for Kallenberger to crack the starting lineup as well. The Paulsens seem like the greatest guys in the world off the field. I wish their careers here were more significant (Levi has started 3 games, by my count. Landan none). It would be a great story for both of them to leave their mark in their senior season.

For my money both have already contributed, especially Levi, and will be significant to this years team, if for nothing more then quality depth. If Banwart, and whomever can keep the Paulsen's from the starters line, then we are that much better off. Certainly one or both of them will see some action at anyone of the guard or tackle spots this year, and we are lucky to have them.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Also, apparently the coaches liked their chances of keeping Nixon on the team ...

 

[millhawk]

Linderbaum will definitely start according to some insiders. He's good.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Linderbaum will definitely start according to some insiders. He's good.

Given how effusive Kirk has been about Linderbaum ... I believe that it's expected that he'll play. It will be impressive if he starts though ... but I'll grant you that it's entirely possible.

Are the insiders saying that he'll definitely be starting at C?

 

[Harbinger273]

Given how effusive Kirk has been about Linderbaum ... I believe that it's expected that he'll play. It will be impressive if he starts though ... but I'll grant you that it's entirely possible.

Are the insiders saying that he'll definitely be starting at C?

He was specifically moved to the offensive side of the ball to play Center. That's where he'll play and I believe Start. It's a strategic move for a guy with the attitude and ability to lead. I'll side with Millhawk and the insiders.

 

[Johnsoda123]

He was specifically moved to the offensive side of the ball to play Center. That's where he'll play and I believe Start. It's a strategic move for a guy with the attitude and ability to lead. I'll side with Millhawk and the insiders.

How much does he weigh Harb? 290? He better be a Pitt bull or a wolverine. You can't play center at 290 in the B1G.

 

[Harbinger273]

How much does he weigh Harb? 290? He better be a Pitt bull or a wolverine. You can't play center at 290 in the B1G.

Really? James Ferentz was under 290. Blythe was listed at 290 his senior year. Linderbomb IS a pitbull and that's a reason for the move. Guarantee he can handle himself against most DL at 290.

 

[HawkOn15]

How much does he weigh Harb? 290? He better be a Pitt bull or a wolverine. You can't play center at 290 in the B1G.

I’m pretty sure that was James Dans playing weight

 

[Johnsoda123]

Really? James Ferentz was under 290. Regardless, Linderbomb IS a pitbull and that's a reason for the move. Guarantee he can handle himself against most DL at 290.

Hey. I have no problem with a skinny 300 lb. Kallenberger at RT and Wirfs at his natural position at guard. I want a nasty OL.

 

[Harbinger273]

Hey. I have no problem with a skinny 300 lb. Kallenberger at RT and Wirfs at his natural position at guard. I want a nasty OL.

U suggesting a position change for Wirfs is in order?

 

[HungryHawk]

How much does he weigh Harb? 290? He better be a Pitt bull or a wolverine. You can't play center at 290 in the B1G.

That is patently false.

 

[thecarls]

Wirfs excell’s in pass pro. I wouldn’t call OG his natural position. His run blocking is actually what needs work.

 

[millhawk]

Given how effusive Kirk has been about Linderbaum ... I believe that it's expected that he'll play. It will be impressive if he starts though ... but I'll grant you that it's entirely possible.

Are the insiders saying that he'll definitely be starting at C?

Yes as far as starting. A recent pic suggests he has packed on some muscle. Looks huge in the 280-290 range some say 300 but idk about that. Very quick, keeps pads low and nasty, which is much needed there. If the hype is true then we have a helluva anchor for awhile.