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