What to watch: Iowa's Offense
Tom Kakert | Publisher
We get a look at the dynamic duo of James Butler and Akrum Wadley on Saturday.
As we head into Iowa’s annual Kid’s Day practice on Saturday, there are probably more questions than answers when it comes to the Hawkeye offense.
Sure, they are some answers, starting with an experienced offensive line and the return of leading rusher Akrum Wadley.
Beyond that, a whole lot of questions, starting with who will be the leading the team at quarterback and going all the way down to the huge mystery at wide receiver.
At this point, it’s hard to say what Iowa’s offense will look like in 2017. They should be solid in the ground game with Wadley’s ability running the football and the Joe Moore Award winning offensive line up front.
The big question is what will the passing game look like under the direction of new offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz? The hope is that on Saturday, we have a better idea as we move closer to the start of the season.
With all that in mind, here are five things to watch and five players to keep a close eye on Saturday afternoon at Kinnick Stadium.
WILL WE GET ANY CLARITY AT QUARTERBACK?
The odds are that we won’t get much clarity, but the open practice gives us a snapshot into how things are going in the battle between Nathan Stanley and Tyler Wiegers for the right to lead the Iowa offense in 2017.
To review, the depth chart that was released by Iowa has Stanley in the top position. Kirk and Brian Ferentz has said that the two signal callers are splitting reps with the first unit in practice. My gut feeling is that in an ideal world, the Iowa coaches would like to pick a starter after Saturday’s practice and move forward. That’s an ideal world and it’s becoming more unlikely that it actually happens.
As I’ve written many times, it’s safe to say that the Iowa coaches want Stanley to win the job. That’s nothing against Wiegers, but the feeling is Stanley has more upside potential. And, there’s a reason that Stanley didn’t redshirt last year and is listed at the top of the depth chart. They are pushing him to come out of his shell a bit more to become the leader of the offense. He’s getting there and they hope he will be there when Iowa opens the season against Wyoming. There’s also a chance that he doesn’t get there and Wiegers, who is a more vocal leader, ends up winning the job. I know some will get caught up in the whole debate on pure talent always winning out, but vocal leadership matter and this offense needs a leader. I still think Stanley wins the job and gets first crack at being the starter, but it may take more time to get there.
WHAT WILL THE DISTRIBUTION OF CARRIES LOOK LIKE AT RB?
Prior to the calendar turning to July, it appeared that Akrum Wadley would get a lot of work this fall. While the coaches like Toren Young and Toks Akinrabade at running back, Wadley was probably in line for a lot of carries this season.
The dynamics all changed when James Butler announced on July 4th that he was going to opt for the graduate transfer option from Nevada and head to Iowa. Butler is a very good back with a different style than Wadley. He’s rushed for over 3,000 yards in his three years at Nevada, so he’s been very productive in a pretty good league.
I’m not sure we will get a full look at how Iowa will use both backs on Saturday, but the best guess is that Wadley will receive north of 50% of the carries and Butler will get the bulk of the rest of the work. Young is probably sitting in the third running back position right now. One thing to watch at running back is will there be some plays designed to get both Wadley and Butler on the field at the same time? The Iowa coaches have hinted at it happen, but will it actually occur? Stay tuned.
THE HEALTH OF MATT VANDEBERG
Back in early July, I had VandeBerg at the top of the most important Hawkeyes list for one reason, he’s the only experienced wide receiver on Iowa’s roster. No other wide out has a catch in their career, which is frankly kind of stunning when you think about it.
VandeBerg is also coming off breaking his foot two times in less than a year and early in camp he’s been battling a sore hamstring. He appears to be fine now, but hamstrings can be a tricky deal, especially for a receiver.
We also learned this summer that VandeBerg has been fitted with a new shoe and it running his routes differently to take some pressure off his recovering foot. All of this leads up to one thing, Iowa needs VandeBerg health and catching passes again. While the inclination is to play it safe and keep him off the field until the opener against Wyoming, VandeBerg has to develop chemistry with both quarterbacks and the only way to do that is to be on the field catching passes. On Saturday, Iowa fans want to see how he looks back on the field.
THE ANNUAL OL SHUFFLE
On paper, the Iowa offensive line appears to be set. The positions also appear to be set. Having said that, we know that the Hawkeyes also like to tinker around with the positions and who plays where on the offensive line.
It just seems pretty unlikely to happen this year. Boone Myers is locked in at left tackle and James Daniels is going to be starting at center. Keegan Render is getting a push at guard in camp, but he is expected to start this year. That really leaves on one possible (and unlikely) switch on the board. Could Iowa flip flop Sean Welsh and Ike Boettger? Again, it’s unlikely, so don’t count on it. Anything other than the starting five staying put to start the year would be considered a significant surprise.
WHICH TRUE FRESHMAN WR’S COULD MAKE AN IMPACT
The Iowa coaches haven’t been shy about saying that this group of freshmen wide receivers need to produce this season. As mentioned earlier, Iowa has openings and they need develop other passing game options beyond VandeBerg. Enter this freshman group, who will need to step forward.
The most logical player to make an immediate impact is Brandon Smith. He has all the tools and the size to play this year. Physically, he passes the eyeball test for sure. Then there’s Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who Coach Kelton Copeland called the best deep threat from this group. The rumblings this summer suggest that Max Cooper is a player to watch and has drawn comparisons to VandeBerg in his first year. My sense is those are the top three candidates to play this year from this group of freshmen.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
NATHAN STANLEY – As mentioned earlier, the coaches seem to be favoring him thus far, but he needs to get over the finish line with them. With a decent crowd on hand for practice on Saturday at Kinnick, perhaps he rises to the occasion and we get a quarterback officially named for this season.
T.J. HOCKENSON – All the headlines might go to Noah Fant, who played as a true freshman. Don’t sleep on Hockenson this fall. Iowa likes to rotate three or four tight ends on just about every possession and Hockenson is going to get his chance. He set all kinds of prep records because of his ability to catch the ball. Iowa’s offense needs more pass catching options and you can expect to see plenty of two tight end formations. Opportunity will be knocking for him, no matter who the quarterback ends up being.
ADRIAN FALCONER – There’s been a little buzz that the junior wide receiver has taken a step in the right direction during camp. We all know Iowa needs someone to move forward, so this would be welcome news if it is happening. As much as some fans are interested in the incoming freshmen group, the Hawkeyes need a veteran stepping up.
JAMES BUTLER – We know what Akrum Wadley can do on the field. We saw what Toren Young and Toks Akinrabade can do this spring. Saturday afternoon we get our first extended look at James Butler in an Iowa uniform. Everyone assumes that he will be the backup to Wadley and it’s probably safe to do so, but how he is adjusting to Iowa’s run game scheme and are they using him to catch the ball out of the backfield?
ALARIC JACKSON – The starters are pretty much set on the offensive line, so there’s no real drama on that front. There are also a number of seniors on the line, which means a year from now the next wave will be counted on to fill those roles. Jackson is penciled in as Iowa’s next left tackle and has high upside potential. He said at media day that he’s dropped 40 pounds since last year and reshaped his body. I’m interested in getting a look at him on Saturday.
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Tom Kakert | Publisher
We get a look at the dynamic duo of James Butler and Akrum Wadley on Saturday.
As we head into Iowa’s annual Kid’s Day practice on Saturday, there are probably more questions than answers when it comes to the Hawkeye offense.
Sure, they are some answers, starting with an experienced offensive line and the return of leading rusher Akrum Wadley.
Beyond that, a whole lot of questions, starting with who will be the leading the team at quarterback and going all the way down to the huge mystery at wide receiver.
At this point, it’s hard to say what Iowa’s offense will look like in 2017. They should be solid in the ground game with Wadley’s ability running the football and the Joe Moore Award winning offensive line up front.
The big question is what will the passing game look like under the direction of new offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz? The hope is that on Saturday, we have a better idea as we move closer to the start of the season.
With all that in mind, here are five things to watch and five players to keep a close eye on Saturday afternoon at Kinnick Stadium.
WILL WE GET ANY CLARITY AT QUARTERBACK?
The odds are that we won’t get much clarity, but the open practice gives us a snapshot into how things are going in the battle between Nathan Stanley and Tyler Wiegers for the right to lead the Iowa offense in 2017.
To review, the depth chart that was released by Iowa has Stanley in the top position. Kirk and Brian Ferentz has said that the two signal callers are splitting reps with the first unit in practice. My gut feeling is that in an ideal world, the Iowa coaches would like to pick a starter after Saturday’s practice and move forward. That’s an ideal world and it’s becoming more unlikely that it actually happens.
As I’ve written many times, it’s safe to say that the Iowa coaches want Stanley to win the job. That’s nothing against Wiegers, but the feeling is Stanley has more upside potential. And, there’s a reason that Stanley didn’t redshirt last year and is listed at the top of the depth chart. They are pushing him to come out of his shell a bit more to become the leader of the offense. He’s getting there and they hope he will be there when Iowa opens the season against Wyoming. There’s also a chance that he doesn’t get there and Wiegers, who is a more vocal leader, ends up winning the job. I know some will get caught up in the whole debate on pure talent always winning out, but vocal leadership matter and this offense needs a leader. I still think Stanley wins the job and gets first crack at being the starter, but it may take more time to get there.
WHAT WILL THE DISTRIBUTION OF CARRIES LOOK LIKE AT RB?
Prior to the calendar turning to July, it appeared that Akrum Wadley would get a lot of work this fall. While the coaches like Toren Young and Toks Akinrabade at running back, Wadley was probably in line for a lot of carries this season.
The dynamics all changed when James Butler announced on July 4th that he was going to opt for the graduate transfer option from Nevada and head to Iowa. Butler is a very good back with a different style than Wadley. He’s rushed for over 3,000 yards in his three years at Nevada, so he’s been very productive in a pretty good league.
I’m not sure we will get a full look at how Iowa will use both backs on Saturday, but the best guess is that Wadley will receive north of 50% of the carries and Butler will get the bulk of the rest of the work. Young is probably sitting in the third running back position right now. One thing to watch at running back is will there be some plays designed to get both Wadley and Butler on the field at the same time? The Iowa coaches have hinted at it happen, but will it actually occur? Stay tuned.
THE HEALTH OF MATT VANDEBERG
Back in early July, I had VandeBerg at the top of the most important Hawkeyes list for one reason, he’s the only experienced wide receiver on Iowa’s roster. No other wide out has a catch in their career, which is frankly kind of stunning when you think about it.
VandeBerg is also coming off breaking his foot two times in less than a year and early in camp he’s been battling a sore hamstring. He appears to be fine now, but hamstrings can be a tricky deal, especially for a receiver.
We also learned this summer that VandeBerg has been fitted with a new shoe and it running his routes differently to take some pressure off his recovering foot. All of this leads up to one thing, Iowa needs VandeBerg health and catching passes again. While the inclination is to play it safe and keep him off the field until the opener against Wyoming, VandeBerg has to develop chemistry with both quarterbacks and the only way to do that is to be on the field catching passes. On Saturday, Iowa fans want to see how he looks back on the field.
THE ANNUAL OL SHUFFLE
On paper, the Iowa offensive line appears to be set. The positions also appear to be set. Having said that, we know that the Hawkeyes also like to tinker around with the positions and who plays where on the offensive line.
It just seems pretty unlikely to happen this year. Boone Myers is locked in at left tackle and James Daniels is going to be starting at center. Keegan Render is getting a push at guard in camp, but he is expected to start this year. That really leaves on one possible (and unlikely) switch on the board. Could Iowa flip flop Sean Welsh and Ike Boettger? Again, it’s unlikely, so don’t count on it. Anything other than the starting five staying put to start the year would be considered a significant surprise.
WHICH TRUE FRESHMAN WR’S COULD MAKE AN IMPACT
The Iowa coaches haven’t been shy about saying that this group of freshmen wide receivers need to produce this season. As mentioned earlier, Iowa has openings and they need develop other passing game options beyond VandeBerg. Enter this freshman group, who will need to step forward.
The most logical player to make an immediate impact is Brandon Smith. He has all the tools and the size to play this year. Physically, he passes the eyeball test for sure. Then there’s Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who Coach Kelton Copeland called the best deep threat from this group. The rumblings this summer suggest that Max Cooper is a player to watch and has drawn comparisons to VandeBerg in his first year. My sense is those are the top three candidates to play this year from this group of freshmen.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
NATHAN STANLEY – As mentioned earlier, the coaches seem to be favoring him thus far, but he needs to get over the finish line with them. With a decent crowd on hand for practice on Saturday at Kinnick, perhaps he rises to the occasion and we get a quarterback officially named for this season.
T.J. HOCKENSON – All the headlines might go to Noah Fant, who played as a true freshman. Don’t sleep on Hockenson this fall. Iowa likes to rotate three or four tight ends on just about every possession and Hockenson is going to get his chance. He set all kinds of prep records because of his ability to catch the ball. Iowa’s offense needs more pass catching options and you can expect to see plenty of two tight end formations. Opportunity will be knocking for him, no matter who the quarterback ends up being.
ADRIAN FALCONER – There’s been a little buzz that the junior wide receiver has taken a step in the right direction during camp. We all know Iowa needs someone to move forward, so this would be welcome news if it is happening. As much as some fans are interested in the incoming freshmen group, the Hawkeyes need a veteran stepping up.
JAMES BUTLER – We know what Akrum Wadley can do on the field. We saw what Toren Young and Toks Akinrabade can do this spring. Saturday afternoon we get our first extended look at James Butler in an Iowa uniform. Everyone assumes that he will be the backup to Wadley and it’s probably safe to do so, but how he is adjusting to Iowa’s run game scheme and are they using him to catch the ball out of the backfield?
ALARIC JACKSON – The starters are pretty much set on the offensive line, so there’s no real drama on that front. There are also a number of seniors on the line, which means a year from now the next wave will be counted on to fill those roles. Jackson is penciled in as Iowa’s next left tackle and has high upside potential. He said at media day that he’s dropped 40 pounds since last year and reshaped his body. I’m interested in getting a look at him on Saturday.
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