@SWIowahawks who is the backup QB?
I'd say on the outside looking in:
QB - Stanley staying healthy. Every team wants their QB to be healthy, but having a veteran is great to have.
TE - You'll probably have some in pipeline, but those guys were matchup nightmares and made the D have to adjust to cover them.
RB - Iowa normally has a stud RB, but it was noticeable last year that it was missing that.
Secondary - Lot's of opposing teams seem to have good WR corps. Your D-Line will get pressure which will make it easier, but their are some matchup that are going to be tough in a lot of games on that end.
Pretty good appraisal from an outsider.
The fan favorite at backup QB seems to be
Peyton Mansell - Texas kid (literally named after Peyton Manning) with wheels. Reminds me of Drew Tate but bigger.
Seems to want to run first though, which isn't Kirk Ferentz at all. Was recruited by Greg Davis. Those in the know say it's just a matter of time before 4 star
Spencer Petras (big kid, prototypical KF prostyle pocket passer) wins the job. Last year Mansell was the number two with Petras coming in a couple times in mop up duty. Didn't burn his redshirt.
Not worried about TE at all. Over the last 20 years, if you've started at TE under KF, you've gotten an NFL paycheck eventually. Beyer and Weiting won't be Hock and Fant, but they could be our 2015 tight ends, Kittle and Henry Krieger-Coble. That didn't go so badly.
Our RBs were pressed into service a year early last season and it showed. IKM won the starting role in fall camp and dealt with a nagging ankle injury all season. He should be healthy this year, and the other two guys have a season under their belt. Help is on the way in
Tyler Goodson who might be a back like we haven't seen in years. Georgia and Bama sniffed around late in the process. The middle of the offensive line has to come along though, or all the talent and experience in the world at RB won't mean anything. That's the biggest question for me.
I love our secondary this year. We switched from the 4-3 to a 4-2-5 with a DB playing the "cash" position. We've put a linebacker on slot receivers for years and it's a big deal that KF switched things up philosophically. That looks like we'll be moving one of our starters at corner to it and
Julius Brents who was a 4 star and started a handful of games last year as a true freshman will fill in his spot. Phil Parker is the country's best defensive backs coach, so not too worried there.
The interior of the oline and the schedule will be the biggest hurdles this Hawkeye team will have to overcome this season.