70 Days Until Iowa Football: Beau Stephens

We’re inching closer to the start of Hawkeye football, which means our look down the offensive line continues. Today, we’re profiling redshirt sophomore Beau Stephens, whose 2022 season was…a struggle.

Beau Stephens (Redshirt Sophomore)

6’6”, 319 lbs.

Blue Springs, MO (Blue Springs)

2023 projection: (Probably) backup right guard

As we all know very well, the 2022 season was not kind for the Iowa offense. One of — if not the — biggest of problems came from the offensive line play. Some primarily blamed coaching (that was part of it for sure). The other biggest gripe came from youth (definitely also part of it). Beau Stephens fell in the category of struggling due to inexperience (and maybe a victim of poor coaching, too?).

As a redshirt freshman, Stephens entered the season at the top of the depth chart for right guard and well…the offensive production speaks for itself. Stephens playing at right tackle was one of the only constants for an offensive line that was shuffled around so many times in the course of the season that I don’t even want to look up the number.

The positive is that it literally cannot get worse this year!

Part of that reason is the addition of Rusty Feth to the roster, a pickup in the transfer portal from Miami (OH), where he played four years for the RedHawks. During his first two seasons in 2019 and 20, he saw time shifting between left and right guard, before switching to center for his final two seasons. He wanted to complete his degree before coming to Iowa City, according to The Gazette, so he wasn’t a participant in spring practice and therefore not on the depth chart, so we just have to play the guessing game.

Logan Jones isn’t moving from center, so all indications seems that he’ll be working to earn the top spot of either Stephens or left guard Connor Colby. Colby spent most of last season at tackle despite having experience at guard and was slotted back to left guard after spring practice, so Stephens is the probably man losing his spot.

It’s probably for the best, as well. Stephens wasn’t the only cause of the issues on the line last season, but seeing time this season behind a four year starter and getting some snaps here and there after getting absolutely worked for a season probably won’t hurt. But, we’ll see. It’s still his spot to lose, I guess.