Week 1 at home in Kinnick or Week 2 in Ames?
Will Iowa face PFF's Top 5 QB in 2021?
None of this is surprising after what we saw from Penix back in 2019 when he posted an 84.0 PFF grade in six starts. And while his accuracy wasn't quite as consistent as it was in 2019, he still managed to produce plus results in that area in 2020, ranking 19th in the FBS in the percentage of accurate passes thrown 10-plus yards downfield.
Penix ended up leading all Power Five quarterbacks in big-time throw rate this past season and established himself as one of the top passers in the country before the injury. As long as he can stay healthy, the Hoosiers can be a top-10 team again in 2021.
Iowa faced the #10 QB in their last bowl game played in 2019. Of course, Iowa's defensive unit will be shaped different in 2021, then the past three units, especially in front 7.
The LB unit appears to have a solid starting 3, but will the DL be healthy and up to the task?
Will Iowa face PFF's Top 5 QB in 2021?
5. MICHAEL PENIX JR., INDIANA
Despite playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in college football in 2020, Penix managed to post an 82.9 PFF grade in six starts before tearing his ACL in Week 13. Only four other FBS quarterbacks spent a higher rate of their dropbacks under pressure than Penix at 41%, yet the Hoosier overcame that to put together quality play. He remained calm in collapsing pockets, converting pressure to sacks at an astronomically low rate of 7.4%, the best mark in the FBS.None of this is surprising after what we saw from Penix back in 2019 when he posted an 84.0 PFF grade in six starts. And while his accuracy wasn't quite as consistent as it was in 2019, he still managed to produce plus results in that area in 2020, ranking 19th in the FBS in the percentage of accurate passes thrown 10-plus yards downfield.
Penix ended up leading all Power Five quarterbacks in big-time throw rate this past season and established himself as one of the top passers in the country before the injury. As long as he can stay healthy, the Hoosiers can be a top-10 team again in 2021.
Iowa faced the #10 QB in their last bowl game played in 2019. Of course, Iowa's defensive unit will be shaped different in 2021, then the past three units, especially in front 7.
The LB unit appears to have a solid starting 3, but will the DL be healthy and up to the task?
