Kamari Moulton’s name at the top spot of Iowa’s running back depth chart was one of the attention-getters when the notes for the Hawkeyes’ season opener against Illinois State were released.

But coach Kirk Ferentz said on Tuesday he expects everyone on the depth chart — Moulton, Leshon Williams and Kaleb Johnson — to get carries in Saturday’s game at Kinnick Stadium.

“The other guys have done a good job too,” Ferentz said. “I feel pretty good about the group. I’m eager to see them play, and Kamari especially, we haven’t really seen him go in game activity.”

Williams, Iowa’s leading rusher last season, has been dealing with a nagging injury during training camp, which was one of the reasons Moulton made it to the top of the depth chart, Ferentz said.

“It’s more a by-product of what’s going on,” Ferentz said. “Leshon missed some time. He’s had an injury that nagged pretty much throughout camp, so Kamari got a lot of work this August.

“The other component there is Kamari’s done a nice job. I mentioned that or alluded to that back in December. He started to look comfortable and did a lot of good things, did a good job in the spring and has just been consistent all the way through August.”

Moulton, a redshirt freshman, played in four games for the Hawkeyes last season, the minimum appearances allowed by the NCAA for a player to retain his redshirt year. He had eight carries for 50 yards and two touchdowns.

“Kamari is an awesome dude,” quarterback Cade McNamara said. “He’s a real energetic guy. He’s definitely one of the favorites on the team and me, the rest of the guys, can’t wait to see what he does.”

Ferentz said Moulton’s confidence has grown in the offseason.

“He’s had a great attitude since he’s been here,” Ferentz said. “He’s got good vision. He’s bigger and stronger physically than he was certainly a year ago, year-plus ago when he got here. All that’s good, and that’s one of the benefits of experience. Happy about that. He’s got a tremendous attitude, but he’s got a real good vision, a good ability to see things that maybe other guys can’t see, and that’s been pretty consistent.”

Moulton’s play on the scout team during practices last season also gave Ferentz an indication of what was to come.

“It really started showing in December when we were doing more work with the guys,” Ferentz said. “He’d been on the scout team most of the time last year. It seemed like he was maybe a guy who could pop through here a little bit. I think he’s certainly done that in August.”

McNamara said Moulton’s consistency was a big factor in his play during camp but, like Ferentz, expects there to be plenty of carries for everyone.

“Overall, the running back room, in general, there’s going to be a lot of dudes playing,” McNamara said. “There’s a lot of talent in that room. And the way our (offensive) line is playing, we’re just excited to see what they can do.”

“Again, I envision us playing a lot of the guys in the group,” Ferentz said. “Max White’s done a good job, too. I feel like it’s a good group that way. We’ll just kind of see how it plays out as we keep going forward. History would say you can never have too many backs, that’s for sure.”

The Iowa State Cyclones’ Big 12 championship rings include a rather suspicious detail.

The most prominent elements of the hardware highlight all the usual bells and whistles of a team celebrating a title. There are the red and gold colors and retro logo that pay homage to the Cyclones’ brand. There’s a “23-0 at Hilton” line, referencing the team’s undefeated record at the Hilton Center, as well as in Kansas City (“Hilton South”) and Omaha (“Hilton West”) in the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments.

And then there’s the video game character.

The details on Iowa State’s rings 👀💍

(via @CycloneMBB) pic.twitter.com/btPs1Bm7IB

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— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 28, 2024

The video game “Among Us” rose to fame in 2020, bolstered by interactive elements suitable for a socially distanced world. The game’s player base has declined since, but it never went away completely — certainly not in Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State would use the game as a means of team bonding on road trips throughout the season. The animated character graphic is accompanied by the text “Send code!” a phrase used by the Cyclones to signify the start of a new game.

not the detail i expected

— Among Us 🚀 PAX West (@AmongUsGame) August 28, 2024

Iowa State men’s basketball will set out to defend its conference crown and undefeated home record on November 4, when the team opens the season against Mississippi Valley State.

IOWA CITY — Ladell Betts was just talking about this.

During the Kids Day at Kinnick open practice, Kamari Moulton, standing in the backfield with quarterback Brendan Sullivan, ran near the sideline as a check-down option. Sullivan, who went through his progressions, settled with slinging the ball out wide to Moulton. 

The pass was a touch behind Moulton, but he adjusted to haul it in. Though it seemed like a rather unremarkable play in a quiet Kids Day performance for Moulton, it spoke to a larger theme.

The day before, Betts, Iowa’s running backs coach, talked about this scenario — almost to a tee.

“If I had to say he had a weakness coming out, it would be his catching the ball and route-running,” Betts said of Moulton. “And those are things he’s worked on and those are things he and I talked about. To me, you wouldn’t even know it’s a weakness at this point.”

Video: Ladell Betts on Leshon Williams, Kaleb Johnson and more

Running backs coach Ladell Betts discusses a variety of topics at Iowa football media day on August 9, 2024.

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The redshirt freshman’s rapid ascent on offense reached a new high-water mark when the pre-Illinois State depth chart dropped on Monday — he was listed as the Hawkeyes’ first-team running back. The reasoning for that, as explained by head coach Kirk Ferentz, is multi-pronged.

First, Leshon Williams missed time during fall camp. Williams, coming off the best season of his college career, expects to build off his success of 2023. But an injury, which set back his timeline, also opened up an opportunity for Moulton.

But Moulton has also taken advantage of it. 

“Really started showing in December when we were doing more work with the guys,” Ferentz said. “He’d been on the scout team most of the time last year. It seemed like he was maybe a guy who could pop through here a little bit. I think he’s certainly done that in August.”

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Video: Kirk Ferentz on Cade McNamara and more ahead of season-opener

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz discusses a variety of topics ahead of the Hawkeyes’ 2024 season-opener vs. Illinois State.

In the short time he has been at Iowa, Moulton has already given a window, albeit brief, into his potential. He was one of the unexpected standouts from the Hawkeyes’ win over Western Michigan last September, when he ran for 50 yards and two touchdowns. But overall, his role was not significant — with that game counting for more than half of his rushing yards on the season as he maintained his redshirt.

“I think last season was a great feeling for me,” Moulton said earlier in August. “Just to be a freshman and be able to travel and see different places and different things. I feel like it was great for my mental and see what I can do, see where places I can be and achieve.”

From Citrus Bowl preparation to the spring to now being on the horizon of the 2024 season, Moulton has risen in the running backs room. He added bulk to his frame, putting on 12 pounds since last season, according to Iowa’s official roster. Rice, chicken and steak, along with work in the weight room, helped him do that.

Buzz around Moulton from the spring was reflected in the pre-fall camp depth chart, on which he was listed as the third-team running back, jumping returning contributor Jaziun Patterson. With Williams out during the Kids Day open practice, Moulton got some reps with the first team. And now heading into Week 1, he has moved past Kaleb Johnson and Williams.

“He’s had a great attitude since he’s been here,” Ferentz said of Moulton, a Florida native. “He’s got good vision. He’s bigger and stronger physically than he was certainly a year ago, year-plus ago when he got here. All that’s good, and that’s one of the benefits of experience. Happy about that. He’s got a tremendous attitude, but he’s got a real good vision, a good ability to see things that maybe other guys can’t see, and that’s been pretty consistent.”

Even then, it’s somewhat surprising Moulton has gotten to the RB1 line so fast. Johnson is considered a potential breakout candidate. Williams has returned to practice and figures to be a significant factor. Patterson is capable of being a contributor. Which makes Moulton’s status all the more impressive, especially for someone who has just 93 career rushing yards to his name.

More: Leistikow: A Kaleb Johnson resurgence would stave off quarterback panic for Iowa football

But just because Moulton is listed as the first-team running back doesn’t negate the fact that Iowa likely won’t be shy in sharing the love. Or potentially riding whoever the hot hand(s) if it emerges. That’s how good Iowa’s running backs room could be.

“I envision us playing a lot of the guys in the group,” Ferentz said. “Max White’s done a good job, too. I feel like it’s a good group that way. We’ll just kind of see how it plays out as we keep going forward. History would say you can never have too many backs, that’s for sure.”

Unlike Johnson, who is physically gifted in many ways, Moulton is not especially imposing in stature. He is listed at just 5-foot-9. The muscle he added has helped make him better suited as a college running back, but it’s not as if he is some genetic wrecking ball.

But he can actually use that to his advantage.

“A lot of the times, (notable plays) happen when you don’t think it’s going to,” defensive lineman Jeremiah Pittman said of Moulton. “Because you think the gap’s sealed off, he either slithers through or he knows how to cut. Like he makes some good cuts. But being a smaller guy, he’s really agile. So I think he knows how to make something out of nothing.”

For instance:

“If I’m a 3-tech going B (gap) and I see him in A (gap), he might not be there by the time I shed the block and get there just because he’s so quick,” Pittman said.

It remains to be seen what type of longevity Moulton holds in that role. But his progress has been a fascinating development in a position group already projected to be one of the best on Iowa’s offense. The Hawkeyes can take all the help they can get as they try to get a rebuilding offense back on its feet under new coordinator Tim Lester.

“He’s just a ball of enjoyment,” defensive back Jermari Harris said of Moulton. “When you talk to him, he’s always smiling. And he plays like that on the field. Hard-nosed runner, can get downhill, great vision. I think he’s shown that over these last couple of weeks.”

Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com