Depth Chart Projection



Offensively do we have a LT? Will the highly recruited Lauck step up cause I think everyone wishes he'd take that job and run with it. I think the WRs and RB situations will sort itself out they have lots of good options at both. TEs I'm not exactly high on Ostrenga/Ortworth but I don't get the impression that Lesters O is all that TE friendly anyway. So as long as they can block we'll be alright. My guess is they'll be helping out on Laucks side alot.

Defensively I think the Dline is going to be great. And they'll need to be cause the back 7 has lots of questions. The LB group is mostly all new. Harrel has barely played much same for Sharar. Behind them there's some highly recruited youngsters that haven't been on the field yet. Defensively we have corners with limited experience and some of the experience Hall and Lee has had wasn't the best. Behind them even less experience.. And safety we basically have 2 new guys cause XN is switching spots from strong to free and Lutmer hasn't played a whole lot. I hear lots of good things about Entringer and how he'll probably be the new slot/5th DB/3rd LB on the field.

So to me the O is going to have to step up putting pts on the board and controlling the game cause defensively unless the Dline is extremely dominant they aren't going to be a top 10ish group like normal. That just seems unlikely. But I'm excited to see how it goes. I'm ready for football.
 


As for LT, I wouldn't be surprised if Bryce George works his way on to the #1 line. Or maybe he and Lauck will rotate the position some. And I think the O-Line will be pretty salty by mid-season. It might take a while but the potential is there. And we all know what usually happens if we have a good O-Line and D-Line. There is at least the hope that the season could be special.
 


This is all just speculation right now. The team is finishing summer workouts and will being fall camp in just a few weeks. That's when it gets real.

The first week of August depth chart is the most important of the year.

I see where Patterson is now up to 210 lbs, that sounds good for chugging through those holes the OL will be opening up for him.
 


Agree that LT is the biggest question mark on offense. It looks like we have three candidates there. The transfer kid is intriguing given his size and experience, but they gotta figure out who is the best of that bunch and hope they are up to the job. Its been a minute since we had an elite LT, and I don't see that changing this year.

On defense, there are tons of question marks, but we all have a pretty good amount of faith in the coaches. Seems like Parker, especially early, will play a lot of vanilla base D and try to get his young back 7 in the right positions to succeed while expecting an experienced Dline to cause havoc. I have always felt between having an inexperienced LB corp or DL, I would rather have green LBs behind a seasoned DL than the other way. Iowa's defenses have struggled in years where the DL was not dominant. So, I think this defense will be very good to great, and get better as the year goes.
 


NorthKCHawk said:
Agree that LT is the biggest question mark on offense. It looks like we have three candidates there. The transfer kid is intriguing given his size and experience, but they gotta figure out who is the best of that bunch and hope they are up to the job. Its been a minute since we had an elite LT, and I don't see that changing this year.

On defense, there are tons of question marks, but we all have a pretty good amount of faith in the coaches. Seems like Parker, especially early, will play a lot of vanilla base D and try to get his young back 7 in the right positions to succeed while expecting an experienced Dline to cause havoc. I have always felt between having an inexperienced LB corp or DL, I would rather have green LBs behind a seasoned DL than the other way. Iowa's defenses have struggled in years where the DL was not dominant. So, I think this defense will be very good to great, and get better as the year goes.
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Yeah we kinda had that back and forth before yrs ago. But that was back when offenses were less pass happy then they are now. Nowadays offenses throw more and quicker. It's tougher for Dls to get to the QBs and make an impact. LBs gotta be able to read and cover quick throws almost more so then being able to take on blockers and make tackles. It's been a part of the evolution of the game. LBs used to be 245 lbs and muscle bound almost slow guys. Now you want 225 lb guys with long arms and quick feet that can go sideline to sideline.
 


My expert analysis from 1,000 miles away and listening to numerous podcasts is this. Its unanimous, it all starts with "If Gronoski is good..." right? So we'll assume he'll be at least a big upgrade.
1. The O line will be solid an maybe very good. Two guys have all-conference if not all-america abilities.
2. RB will be fine and I think Moulton will suprise everyone outside of the Iowa Fan base.
3. The WR will improve as the QB and coaching / scheme improves - rising tide floats all boats here.

The Defense will has really one big vulnerability and that is Linebacker. I think the players will be good but we'll see a few gash plays that we're just not used to seeing. We always see DBs as starters who have some scars from early career mistakes. They'll be fine. The defensive line will be fine too.

However the competition is steeper and we'll see stuff that we're not used to seeking. Hell Oregon hung over 40 points on PSU in the B1G championship game last year. Can Iowa keep the pace?

It will be exciting - more points given and more points scored. It will seeem odd.
 


Hawkfnntn said:
Yeah we kinda had that back and forth before yrs ago. But that was back when offenses were less pass happy then they are now. Nowadays offenses throw more and quicker. It's tougher for Dls to get to the QBs and make an impact. LBs gotta be able to read and cover quick throws almost more so then being able to take on blockers and make tackles. It's been a part of the evolution of the game. LBs used to be 245 lbs and muscle bound almost slow guys. Now you want 225 lb guys with long arms and quick feet that can go sideline to sideline.
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Fair points. What you say is why Parker incorporated the Cash position into his base D. Basically we play 3 safeties and 2 LBs most of the time these days. I agree DL do not get home as much with the quicker passing games, but if the DL cannot hold the point of attack on the run and put pressure on the QB to move him off his spot, I don't think the LB play can save that. I would still rather have a dominant DL. All of the LBs have been in the system for a while, and they were stuck behind some all-conference caliber guys. Iowa has always been a good LB school. Let's hope these guys are ready from the get go.
 


NCHawker said:
My expert analysis from 1,000 miles away and listening to numerous podcasts is this. Its unanimous, it all starts with "If Gronoski is good..." right? So we'll assume he'll be at least a big upgrade.
1. The O line will be solid an maybe very good. Two guys have all-conference if not all-america abilities.
2. RB will be fine and I think Moulton will suprise everyone outside of the Iowa Fan base.
3. The WR will improve as the QB and coaching / scheme improves - rising tide floats all boats here.

The Defense will has really one big vulnerability and that is Linebacker. I think the players will be good but we'll see a few gash plays that we're just not used to seeing. We always see DBs as starters who have some scars from early career mistakes. They'll be fine. The defensive line will be fine too.

However the competition is steeper and we'll see stuff that we're not used to seeking. Hell Oregon hung over 40 points on PSU in the B1G championship game last year. Can Iowa keep the pace?

It will be exciting - more points given and more points scored. It will seeem odd.
Click to expand...
Even if Gron. is just okay, he will be an upgrade at the most important position on the field. He could be elite? Aren't we due for a break at QB? Why shouldn't he be great?

The offense will be better. If the defense can come close to replicating its performance the last few years (ya know, when the offense was not helping them at all), this team can absolutely win 10 games, even with that schedule.

Getting excited to see the team on the field.
 


NorthKCHawk said:
Fair points. What you say is why Parker incorporated the Cash position into his base D. Basically we play 3 safeties and 2 LBs most of the time these days. I agree DL do not get home as much with the quicker passing games, but if the DL cannot hold the point of attack on the run and put pressure on the QB to move him off his spot, I don't think the LB play can save that. I would still rather have a dominant DL. All of the LBs have been in the system for a while, and they were stuck behind some all-conference caliber guys. Iowa has always been a good LB school. Let's hope these guys are ready from the get go.
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The days of watching AJ Edds (as good as he was) trying to cover WRs in space were tough to watch... Norm Parker God bless him on 3rd downs would have LBs covering WRs and it was probably the one major schematic thing that kept our defense from being better then they were back then.
 


NorthKCHawk said:
Even if Gron. is just okay, he will be an upgrade at the most important position on the field. He could be elite? Aren't we due for a break at QB? Why shouldn't he be great?

The offense will be better. If the defense can come close to replicating its performance the last few years (ya know, when the offense was not helping them at all), this team can absolutely win 10 games, even with that schedule.

Getting excited to see the team on the field.
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If Tim Lester can turn Gron. into an all Big Ten QB, Lester will become the new hot head coaching candidate in college football. But that's a big IF.
 




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