The Big Ten is going through some changes.
While this is more of a general statement, we are seeing a shift away from the old-style offenses of yesteryear for the Big Ten. Wisconsin’s shift away from it under new head coach Luke Fickell says a lot about the direction of the conference. The stereotype for the Big Ten offense is seeking new ways, and I can guarantee you that UCLA and USC aren’t going to be trotting out the I formation a ton.
Football is changing, opting to spread things out on offense and prioritize speed over brute force. With that trend in mind, you may expect Iowa to rely more on their 4-2-5 defensive look more than ever!
What about those holdovers though? We know teams like Minnesota are still going to rely heavily on their run game, and sometimes you are going to face a team that loves to use their tight ends. Well, my friend, this is where the LEO position comes in.
The LEO position is essentially a third starting linebacker in a 4-3, but one who can ultimately line up on the line of scrimmage to add some versatility. This was going to be the role of Jestin Jacobs before his transfer, and now it appears to be the job of sophomore Karson Sharar.
Karson Sharar may not be a name you are familiar with ahead of the season, but he’s someone who could play an important role in the Iowa defense this year. Facing some staunch rushing attacks, expect to see the Iowa Falls native earn plenty of playing time. Here is a look at Iowa’s versatile third linebacker.
Karson Sharar’s Preseason Player Profile
Hometown: Iowa Falls, Iowa
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 235
Class in 2023: Soph.
Recruiting
| Stars | Overall | State | Position | |
| 247 | 3 | N/A | 19 | 89 |
| Rivals | 2 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| ESPN | 3 | N/A | 12 | 80 |
| On3 Recruiting | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 247 Composite | 3 | 1339 | 20 | 102 |
Before Iowa
- Earned first-team all-state honors as a senior
- Earned second-team all-state as a junior
- Three-year football letterman
- Recorded 81 tackles as a senior, along with 1,325 all-purpose yards and 15 total touchdowns
Career Stats
| Tackles | Def Int | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF |
| *2021 | Iowa | Big Ten | FR | LB | |||||||||||||||
| *2022 | Iowa | Big Ten | SO | LB | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career | Iowa | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Depth Chart Overview
With the arrival of new starting weakside linebacker Nick Jackson to the Iowa defense, Sharar is currently listed as the starter at the LEO position. Essentially consider him to be the third starting linebacker, out there whenever Iowa looks to line up in a 4-3 formation.
[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.