Iowa
Questions for Iowa’s defense, special teams with spring practices underway
Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Deontae Craig (45) sacks Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Destin Wade (15) within the first half of the Music Metropolis Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
Editor’s be aware: That is the second of a two-part collection taking a look at key questions for every of Iowa’s place teams. Questions for the offense can be found right here.
IOWA CITY — Final week’s begin to 2023 spring soccer practices once more adopted productive years from Iowa’s protection and particular groups.
Iowa’s protection led the FBS in yards per play allowed, and the particular groups unit ranked twelfth in Soccer Outsiders’ particular groups FEI scores.
Listed below are key questions for place teams within the aforementioned phases of the sport:
Line of defense
Who’s the subsequent participant to take a Deontae Craig-esque soar within the offseason?
Deontae Craig is coming off a breakout season.
He went from 1.5 sacks in 2021 to six.5 in 2022 and from three tackles for loss in 2021 to 10 in 2022.
The drastic enchancment was regardless of having fewer alternatives than his friends within the place group. Craig took 100-plus fewer snaps than fellow defensive linemen Logan Lee, Noah Shannon, Lukas Van Ness, Joe Evans and John Waggoner.
At a place with not many query marks — three of 4 starters are returning, as are a number of key reserve gamers — the most important query is likely to be who’s the subsequent defensive lineman to see that very same sort of exponential progress.
The defensive position will lose at the least two starters after this upcoming season — Evans and Shannon may have already used their COVID-19 years — and Logan Lee will probably be a senior, so whoever steps up in 2023 may see a big function in 2024.
Linebackers
What can Karson Sharar present at linebacker?
Karson Sharar, Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz mentioned, “is a man that’s actually intriguing.”
Sharar appeared in seven video games on particular groups earlier than struggling an damage.
The soon-to-be sophomore additionally had a powerful play ultimately yr’s Youngsters Day open apply, intercepting Joe Labas after a tip by Xavier Nwankpa. He would have returned it for a landing if the play was not blown lifeless first.
Now with Jack Campbell and Seth Benson transferring on to professional careers, the door is open for Sharar and different linebackers to step into a bigger function.
Kyler Fisher and Jaden Harrell had been among the many different linebackers Ferentz introduced up in his spring information convention after not having vital roles on the protection in previous seasons.
Defensive backs
Who emerges as dependable second-team defensive backs?
Iowa’s first-team secondary has no scarcity of expertise.
Cornerback Cooper DeJean and free security Quinn Schulte began all 13 video games final season. Money security Sebastian Castro began in eight video games.
Cornerback Jermari Harris missed the 2022 season with an damage, however he had 4 begins in 2021.
The one participant to solely have one begin, Xavier Nwankpa, was the highest security within the nation within the 2022 recruiting class. He returned an interception for a landing in that one begin.
If the first-team secondary is an exclamation level, the second-team secondary is likely to be extra of a query mark.
DeJean’s damage uncovered the dearth of depth on the place because the Huskers exploited the weak spot closely en path to a 24-17 upset.
The three second-team defensive backs to not have first-team roles elsewhere — T.J. Corridor, Koen Entringer and Deshaun Lee — all will probably be of their second seasons on campus.
Corridor noticed probably the most motion out of any of the three, showing in all 13 video games. He earned defensive snaps in 4 video games, based on Professional Soccer Focus.
With out improved depth within the secondary, Iowa’s protection may have a skinny margin for error in 2023.
Particular groups
What does one other yr of conditioning do for kicker Drew Stevens?
Drew Stevens had about pretty much as good a freshman yr as anybody may ask for in 2022.
The North Augusta, S.C., native nailed 16 of 18 field-goal makes an attempt and all 24 extra-point makes an attempt. He was considered one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award, which fits to the highest kicker within the nation.
Stevens, an early enrollee final yr, now has the advantage of a second spring semester with Iowa’s power and conditioning employees.
“If he beneficial properties 15 kilos over the subsequent yr, he’s not solely going to be hitting kickoffs that go 8 (yards) deep, he’s going to be placing them into the stands,” Dan Orner, Stevens’ personal kicking coach who additionally labored with Keith Duncan, mentioned within the fall.
Feedback: john.steppe@thegazette.com
Iowa
Latest Iowa high school volleyball rankings reveal regional pairings
It was an important date around the state for volleyball teams in Iowa, as the latest rankings were released and regional pairings in all five classes were revealed.
The two come into play once regionals reach the championship round, as the higher-ranked team will serve as the host for those games.
All five No. 1 squads remained the same, as Ankeny Centennial (Class 5A), Cedar Rapids Xavier (4A), Mount Vernon (3A), Denver (2A) and Ankeny Christian (1A) held serve.
New teams to the Top-15 include Iowa City West in 5A, Ballard in 4A, Wapsie Valley in 2A and Stanton in 1A. The entire 3A poll remained the same while Sidney made one of the biggest climbs, moving to ninth from 12th in 1A.
Regional play for 1A and 2A begins Oct. 21 with 3A, 4A and 5A starting Oct. 22. The state tournament is scheduled for Nov. 4-7 in Coralville from the Xtream Arena. Complete regional pairings can be found on Bound.
Class 5A
1. Ankeny Centennial; 2. Pleasant Valley; 3. Ankeny; 4. West Des Moines Dowling; 5. Indianola; 6. Waukee Northwest; 7. Cedar Falls; 8. Cedar Rapids Prairie; 9. Waukee; 10. Iowa City Liberty; 11. West Des Moines Valley; 12. Sioux City East; 13. Iowa City West; 14. Iowa City High; 15. Linn-Mar.
Class 4A
1. Cedar Rapids Xavier; 2. Sioux City Bishop Heelan; 3. North Scott; 4. Clear Creek-Amana; 5. Lewis Central; 6. Pella; 7. Glenwood; 8. Carlisle; 9. Marion; 10. Adel-ADM; 11. Norwalk; 12. Sergeant Bluff-Luton; 13. MOC-Floyd Valley; 14. Ballard; 15. Grinnell.
Class 3A
1. Mount Vernon; 2. Western Christian; 3. West Delaware; 4. Dubuque Wahlert; 5. Davenport Assumption; 6. Sioux Center; 7. Carroll Kuemper; 8. Mid-Prairie; 9. Cherokee; 10. Wilton; 11. Solon; 12. Anamosa; 13. Roland-Story; 14. Clarinda; 15. Nevada.
Class 2A
1. Denver; 2. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; 3. Dyersville Beckman; 4. Dike-New Hartford; 5. Aplington-Parkersburg; 6. South Hardin; 7. Boyden-Hull; 8. Pella Christian; 9. Iowa City Regina; 10. Hinton; 11. Grundy Center; 12. Sumner-Fredericksburg; 13. Wapsie Valley; 14. West Burlington; 15. Shenandoah.
Class 1A
1. Ankeny Christian; 2. Holy Trinity; 3. Saint Ansgar; 4. Riverside; 5. BCLUW; 6. Janesville; 7. North Tama; 8. Don Bosco; 9. Sidney; 10. River Valley; 11. Akron-Westfield; 12. Stanton; 13. Fremont-Mills; 14. Southwest Valley; 15. Gladbrook-Reinbeck.
Iowa
Iowa high school football computer rankings (10/10/2024)
Week 6 of the 2024 Iowa high school football season has wrapped up, and High School on SI is continuing its weekly computer rankings for the season.
The Dowling Maroons kept their top five placing in this week’s 5A Iowa computer rankings after a thrilling 41-35 victory over Ankeny Centennial. They face a strong Urbandale team on Friday, to keep their momentum going.
The top of the 5A computer rankings stay the same this week as the Bettendorf Bulldogs take home another win, this time defeating Kennedy 33-14. The Bulldogs look forward to Friday, where they will travel to Davenport Central in hopes to hold their place in the standings.
SBLive’s formula was created using its linear algebra-based ranking algorithm inspired by the Colley Bias-Free Ranking Method. Colley’s Method was created by Wes Colley, Ph.D., an astrophysicist at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. He devised his algorithm to help address the subjectivity and controversy regarding BCS college football selections in the 1990s and early 2000s, using a method that used no subjective variables.
- FAQ: SBLive High School Football Computer Rankings
Here are SBLive’s latest Iowa football computer rankings, as of Oct. 7, 2024:
IOWA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COMPUTER RANKINGS
CLASS 5A | CLASS 4A
CLASS 3A | CLASS 2A
CLASS 1A | CLASS A
CLASS 8 MAN
DOWNLOAD THE SBLIVE APP
To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App
— Ben Dagg | @sblivesports
Iowa
Grinnell window manufacturer announces plans to lay off 152 workers in November
JELD-WEN, a manufacturer of windows and doors in Grinnell, has announced it will be laying off 152 workers effective Nov. 7.
The announcement was made on Iowa’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) site.
The company, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, was founded in 1960 and has 18,000 employees, with operating facilities in 16 countries in North America and Europe with 2023 sales of $4.3 billion, according to the company’s website.
JELD-WEN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Earlier this year, JELD-WEN announced the closing of its Hawkins, Wisconsin facility, affecting 338 employees, and in Vista, California, resulting in the loss of 110 jobs.
-
Technology1 week ago
Charter will offer Peacock for free with some cable subscriptions next year
-
World1 week ago
Ukrainian stronghold Vuhledar falls to Russian offensive after two years of bombardment
-
World1 week ago
WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange says he pleaded ‘guilty to journalism’ in order to be freed
-
Technology7 days ago
Beware of fraudsters posing as government officials trying to steal your cash
-
Health5 days ago
Health, happiness and helping others are vital parts of free and responsible society, Founding Fathers taught
-
Virginia1 week ago
Status for Daniels and Green still uncertain for this week against Virginia Tech; Reuben done for season
-
Sports6 days ago
Freddie Freeman says his ankle sprain is worst injury he's ever tried to play through
-
News5 days ago
Lebanon says 50 medics killed in past three days as Israel extends its bombardment