Athlon Sports ranks Iowa Hawkeyes No. 32 nationally entering 2022
Several weeks ago, Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan released his top 25 rankings for 2022 and the Iowa Hawkeyes weren’t among that list. Instead, five other Big Ten teams were among Lassan’s top 25 rankings for 2022 heading into the summer.
That group included No. 2 Ohio State, No. 6 Michigan, No. 14 Michigan State, No. 19 Wisconsin and No. 25 Penn State. When Lassan’s top 25 was released, he had Iowa in his “next tier” of teams that also included Air Force, Appalachian State, Auburn, Boise State, BYU, Coastal Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Fresno State, Kansas State, LSU, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Purdue, South Carolina, Texas, UAB, UCLA and UTSA.
Now, after Athlon Sports’ release of its 2022 Iowa football preview, there’s a precise number to attach from the outlet to the Hawkeyes. Athlon Sports ranks Iowa No. 32 nationally heading into the 2022 season.
Here’s a breakdown on everything Athlon Sports had to say about Iowa.
Stability at the top
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As Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz enters his 24th season leading the Hawkeyes, Athlon Sports still has plenty of respect for the type of leader running the show in Iowa City.
Kirk Ferentz will be 67 when the season starts, and while some members of his staff have recently retired or stepped away from coaching, things are business as usual for Ferentz. He just recently agreed to a new contract extension that runs through the 2029 season, and he already is the longest-tenured head coach in college football as he enters his 24th season in Iowa City.
It also could be argued that Ferentz is getting better with age, with Iowa coming off a season in which it won the Big Ten West Division for the second time and finished 10–4 overall. Iowa has won 10 games in two of the last three seasons and has a 26–9 record since 2019. – Athlon Sports.
Offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz searching for a breakout season
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As Iowa’s offense struggled to a finish as the nation’s No. 121 total offense, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz was naturally a target of fans and critics’ ire. The Hawkeyes mustered up just 303.7 yards of total offense per game in 2021.
In addition to his duties as the offensive coordinator, Ferentz is now operating as Iowa’s quarterbacks coach heading into 2022. Maybe having more of a direct say in the day-to-day with the Hawkeyes’ signal-callers can help jumpstart an offense looking to prove doubters wrong.
The offense has struggled during most of Brian Ferentz’s time as offensive coordinator, dating back to 2017. Iowa hasn’t had a first-team All-Big Ten quarterback since Drew Tate in 2004, and not since the 2015 season has an Iowa quarterback completed at least 60 percent of his passes (C.J. Beathard, 61.6 percent). – Athlon Sports.
Quarterbacks have plenty to prove
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Iowa is still in the midst of a quarterback competition heading into fall camp, though Spencer Petras was listed atop the depth chart to begin the spring. Alex Padilla will challenge for the lead role as will Joe Labas.
Petras has been busy this offseason reworking his body and fundamentals. His hope is that it can help him produce his best season so far in Iowa City. The 6-foot-5, 233 pound quarterback from San Rafael, Calif., completed 57.3% of his passes last season, finishing with 1,880 passing yards and 10 passing touchdowns against nine interceptions.
Meanwhile, Padilla made three starts in 2021 and completed 49.1% of his passes. The 6-foot-1, 197 pound quarterback from Greenwood Village, Colo, threw for 636 yards and a pair of touchdowns against a pair of interceptions.
Quarterback is a major concern — at least among the fans — as senior Spencer Petras completed only 57.3 percent of his passes last season and threw almost as many interceptions (nine) as touchdown passes (10). Junior Alex Padilla started three games when Petras was injured, but the results were mixed, as Padilla completed 49.1 percent of his passes and didn’t play in the Citrus Bowl. – Athlon Sports.
Who steps up to replace Tyler Goodson?
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As Athlon Sports notes, Iowa averaged just 123.6 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry last season. Of course, that was with 1,000-yard rusher Tyler Goodson who is off to the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Green Bay Packers.
Gavin Williams and Leshon Williams both ran hard and were effective in the Citrus Bowl, and there will also be three other running backs on scholarship, including two incoming freshmen. So, there are plenty of candidates to replace Goodson. – Athlon Sports.
Gavin Williams appears to have the leg up here, but both he and Leshon Williams should see serious playing time, especially early. Gavin Williams finished the 2021 season with 65 carries for 305 yards. In his start in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl against Kentucky, Gavin Williams registered 98 rushing yards on 16 totes.
Meanwhile, Leshon Williams carried 21 times for 69 yards last season.
Tight end is rock solid, what about the other skill positions?
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Athlon Sports actually views Iowa’s pass catchers as perhaps the team’s biggest offensive bright spot.
The biggest strength on offense might be the pass-catchers, led by senior tight end Sam LaPorta, who paced Iowa with 670 receiving yards and 53 catches last season.
At wideout, Keagan Johnson and Arland Bruce IV both played significant roles as true freshmen last season, and both should have even bigger roles this season. – Athlon Sports.
Tight end Sam LaPorta brings star power back with him to Iowa City. There’s a reason he’s garnering third-team All-American attention from Phil Steele and multiple first-team All-Big Ten prognostications this offseason.
It’s nice to see both Arland Bruce IV and Keagan Johnson receiving positive press. As true freshmen, the pair combined for 43 receptions, 561 receiving yards and three touchdown grabs last season.
Front seven returns wealth of experience defensively
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Iowa returns a trio of linebackers that combined for 301 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hurries. The Hawkeyes also bring back Logan Lee, Noah Shannon and John Waggoner up front.
Lee, Shannon and Waggoner each started all 14 games last season and combined for 129 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. Plus, Iowa can mix in talented defensive linemen Lukas Van Ness and Yahya Black as well.
Longtime defensive coordinator Phil Parker has built some great defenses over the years, and this could be one of his best. Three starters return on the defensive line, along with the top three linebackers, including senior middle linebacker Jack Campbell, who led the nation with 143 tackles last season. – Athlon Sports.
Optimism in the secondary despite departures
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Iowa led the nation with 25 interceptions a season ago. In fact, 11 different players recorded a theft last season. Despite the Hawkeyes needing to replace Dane Belton, Matt Hankins and Jack Koerner on the back end, there’s optimism about Iowa’s defensive backfield.
But Iowa also has one of the most experienced cornerbacks in the nation returning in fifth-year senior Riley Moss, who has started 27 games and appeared in 41. Moss was named the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year last season despite missing three games with a left knee injury.
Senior strong safety Kaevon Merriweather also has played extensively over the past two seasons, while junior cornerback Jermari Harris came on strong at the end of last season. – Athlon Sports.
Will Iowa remain great in the third phase?
Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Iowa had a defection in its return game after former wide receiver and Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year Charlie Jones hit the transfer portal and resurfaced at Purdue.
Who the Hawkeyes tab in the return game will be an interesting storyline to follow throughout fall camp. Perhaps the more pressing concern is the loss of field goal kicker Caleb Shudak. Shudak connected n 24-of-28 field goal tries last season.
The bad news is that Iowa has to replace kicker Caleb Shudak. Aaron Blom, Lucas Amaya and preferred walk-on Drew Stevens were all battling for the No. 1 spot in spring practice. – Athlon Sports.
The Hawkeyes do return one of the Big Ten and nation’s best punters in Tory Taylor. The Aussie averaged 46.1 yards per punt, had 27 punts that traveled at least 50 yards and had 39 punts downed inside opponents’ 20-yard line.
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