As Nebraska enters a crucial fifth season underneath head coach Scott Frost in 2022, we determined to take a look at the place issues stand with the Huskers’ 12 opponents popping out of spring practices.
We conclude this collection with Iowa, a staff trying to find one other Massive Ten West title.
Tom Kakert from HawkeyeReport.com gave us his ideas on Iowa and their last recreation of the season towards Nebraska in Iowa Metropolis.
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1. The quarterback place
Iowa has a singular scenario in its quarterback room. Brian Ferentz added quarterbacks coach to his offensive coordinator title though he has by no means performed nor coached quarterbacks earlier than.
The quarterback place group was a weak level of Iowa’s offense final season and was a spotlight for the spring and through this offseason.
As for the gamers, veteran Spencer Petras is again for his fifth season with the Hawkeyes and has began in 19 video games over the past two seasons. He accomplished 165-of-288 passing makes an attempt for 1,half of one mile in 2021 with 10 touchdowns and 9 inceptions.
Junior Alex Padilla performed in 9 video games in 2021, beginning in three video games. The Colorado native accomplished 55-of-114 passing makes an attempt for 648 yards for 2 touchdowns with two interceptions.
Iowa is hoping for an enormous enchancment inside its quarterbacks place this fall.
2. Strengthing the offensive line
The glue to Iowa’s offense, heart Tyler Linderbaum, was chosen because the twenty fifth general decide within the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Linderbaum was the Rimington Trophy winner, a first-team AP All-American and the Massive Ten Convention Offensive Lineman of the Yr in 2021.
Iowa allowed 18 sacks and 91 quarterback pressures within the 2021 season in response to Professional Soccer Focus. Linderbaum allowed six pressures all season and just one sack.
The Hawkeyes averaged 3.4 yards per stick with it the bottom in 2021, which was down from 4.5 yards per carry in 2020. Strengthening the offensive line and filling the massive gap within the center now with Linderbaum within the league is excessive on Iowa’s precedence listing.
3. Rebuilding the Line of defense
Iowa has misplaced loads of expertise over the past couple of years on the line of defense. Most just lately, the Hawkeyes misplaced defensive finish Zach VanValkenburg, who signed with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent.
They’ve three starters returning in Noah Shannon, Logan Lee and Lukas Van Ness. Kakert stated there may be some younger expertise as nicely, for instance Yahya Black who performed 287 snaps on the road final season.
Kakert stated Iowa wants to determine its cross rush and he is seeking to see if they will discover a option to get to the magical variety of 30 sacks once more in 2022.
Kakert: “It is all the time a giant recreation. And Iowa has dominated the collection in recent times. When Nebraska joined the Massive Ten and Iowa was enjoying them, I stated it does not turn out to be a rivalry till each groups begin profitable and sort of alternating and for some time it was Nebraska dominating the collection. And I used to be like, eh, it is not likely a rivalry till Iowa begins profitable. Then now, it is actually not a rivalry in that sense as a result of Nebraska hasn’t gained.
“They have been aggressive video games. They usually’ve been actually good video games. Two of them in recent times, determined within the final minute on subject targets: the Keith Duncan subject purpose at Memorial Stadium and Miguel Recinos hit one a few years in the past in Iowa Metropolis.
“However I believe it is nonetheless a extremely good rivalry as a result of it is actually spirited, particularly in Western Iowa the place you’ve got obtained that cross-section of Iowa and Nebraska followers.
“I believe this 12 months is gonna be a extremely good recreation. And I believe Nebraska is de facto pointing to that recreation, simply because Scott Frost needs to get that program shifting in the proper course.
“I am going again to the outdated (Nebraska Athletic Director Shawn) Eichorst when he stated that they measured themselves towards Iowa, and I believe that is sort of the place you bought to be proper now too with the West with Iowa being the defending champion of the Massive Ten West.”
Kakert: “I often make my prediction on July 4, so this isn’t my official prediction but. But it surely’s attention-grabbing taking a look at Vegas, and so they’re beginning to concern their over/underneath for win totals and I used to be at 7.5 and I used to be sort of shocked by that. I believed it is perhaps a bit of tick increased.
“I believe Iowa they’ve two robust Massive Ten crossover video games this 12 months. Michigan involves Iowa Metropolis. And we noticed what Michigan did to Iowa within the Massive Ten championship recreation. So there’s a bit of revenge there, but additionally a realization that that is a fairly good Michigan staff too. And Iowa has to go to Ohio State and Ohio State’s usually thought of most likely the No. 1 staff within the convention going into this 12 months.
“So should you’re taking a look at two losses there, you then determine someplace alongside the road you stubbed your toe. So I am pondering that Iowa might be a 9-3 staff at this level going into the season. In order that’s sort of my method early prediction for the Hawkeyes this 12 months.”
