It is just about that time folks! We are reaching the portion of the summer where the 2022 college football season officially gains the moniker of “last year” and all eyes are squarely focused on the upcoming 2023 season.
Last season was rough for the Hawkeyes and the misery started from the get-go. Expectations were pretty dang high around the team. They made it to the Big Ten Championship in 2021 after only a two-loss regular season. We won’t talk about the postseason after that.
There was a ton of buzz throughout the offseason about how much better the offense looked and how quarterback Spencer Petras had taken big strides during the summer. The offensive line was said to be much-improved as well.
With what we all thought was the worst the offense could do the season prior still yielding a massively successful season, hope was insanely high heading into the week one contest against FCS powerhouse South Dakota State. Panic soon swept over Kinnick Stadium as the Hawkeyes remained deadlocked with the Jackrabbits at 3-3 entering the half.
It was an abysmal half of football where the offense truly was offensive. And it didn’t get much better either. Iowa’s 7-3 victory over South Dakota State featured zero touchdowns and a pair of safeties. It was a great representation for the 2023 season.
Despite the eight notches in the win column, it truly was a difficult season to get through as Iowa scored 10 points or less in FOUR contests!
Gone are the disappointing 8-5 Iowa Hawkeyes of last year. Please welcome in an exciting new-look 2023 squad! Led by new starting quarterback Cade McNamara—you may remember him from Michigan‘s 42-3 beatdown of Iowa in the 2021 Big Ten Championship game—Iowa once again promises fans an improved product on offense.
There are some actual players to build that excitement, too, including budding star running back Kaleb Johnson and potentially the next big-time duo at “Tight End U” in Luke Lachey and Erick All.
With the defense sturdy as ever under Phil Parker with a bevy of returning impact defenders, the potential for offensive improvement makes 2023 such an exciting year for Hawkeye Nation.
Their first test comes early in Mountain West Conference foe Utah State in the season and home opener on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. from Kinnick Stadium. Here is everything you need to know about the Aggies!
Utah State also looking to rebound
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Bring out the pointing Spiderman meme!
Utah State found themselves in a pretty similar situation as the Hawkeyes last year, only they were a lot worse. A year after going 11-3 and winning the Mountain West Championship game, the Aggies sputtered to a disappointing 6-7 season.
Much like Iowa, the offense struggled mightily. The Aggies finished with the 104th highest-scoring offense in the nation. Their defense didn’t fare any better either. Head coach Blake Anderson will look to rebound from the down season.
Phil Parker’s defense looking to make a statement early
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This is the perfect type of offense to get Iowa’s vaunted defense rolling right out of the gates. At least when you look at the Aggies’ last season anyways. Utah State struggled mightily to hold onto the ball with 27 total turnovers on the year. That’s not good at all, especially when facing an Iowa defense that is as eager for turnovers as I am whenever I go to my local bakery.
A Perfect Opportunity to get the Offense Rolling
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As bad as the Aggies’ offense was, the defense was even worse if you can believe it. Utah State allowed close to 400 yards per game, which is not good at all, especially in the Mountain West. Though they showed they can get to the quarterback, this is a great litmus test for the Iowa offense. If they are truly improved, they shouldn’t have a problem putting points up here.
Key Player: Cooper Legas, Quarterback
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The Aggies have a lot of work to do on offense. After struggling last season with a pedestrian 22.2 points per game, Utah State also has to replace multiple key contributors. They do bring back starting quarterback Cooper Legas, though. Legas will look to build off a so-so 2022 that saw him throw 11 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.
Legas did show some improvement over Logan Bonner who started off the year with six touchdowns to eight interceptions through four games, including five against UNLV alone.
Key Player: Terrell Vaughn, Wide Receiver
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Utah State is looking for a new top wide receiver after losing WR1 Brian Cobb to graduation in the offseason. All eyes are on senior Terrell Vaughn to fill that void in the Aggies’ offense this year.
A JUCO product, Vaughn was an All-Mountain West honorable mention selection after a successful 2022 campaign saw him catch 56 passes for 624 yards and five touchdowns. Vaughn was recently named a preseason second-team All-Mountain West choice by Athlon Sports.
Key Player: Robert Briggs, Running Back
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Not only did Utah State lose their top receiving option this offseason, they also find themselves in need of a new featured running back. Senior Calvin Tyler Jr. made up a large chunk of the Aggies’ offense last year, leading the way with 1,122 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns.
Bellville, Texas, native Robert Briggs will have the first shot at the starting running back position in 2023. The junior was solid in relief last year, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He finished with 353 rushing yards and a touchdown. Briggs was named a preseason third-team All-Mountain West member by Athlon Sports.
Key Player: Ike Larsen, Safety
(Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)
Onto the defensive side of the ball, Ike Larsen is the player to watch out for the Aggies. One of the best safeties in the Mountain West Conference last year, Larsen intercepted four passes and returned one for a touchdown to garner second-team MWC honors.
He set the single-season school record with three blocked punts last year as well. A College Football News honorable mention freshman All-American last year, there are high expectations for the Smithfield, Utah, product in 2023.
Key Player: Hale Motu’apuaka, Defensive Tackle
(Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
No list of Utah State football would be complete without their warrior on the defensive line, Hale Motu’apuaka. I mean warrior in the literal sense, too, as Motu’apuaka is a three-time world champion in Fireknife.
He’s also pretty dang good at the whole football thing, too, finishing with eight tackles for loss and five sacks last season. Motu’apuaka was named a preseason second-team All-Mountain West selection by Athlon Sports.
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