Iowa Football Position Preview: Three New Starters on D-Line

Good article. Thanks. This whole analysis has really been interesting. As to the D line, I think because we have had so many good starters recently, we may discover that the back ups are much more developed and talented that we might expect. Looks like some weight gain is in the cards for some.
 
Thanks for reading.

Really need one or two of Waggoner, VanValkneberg and Evans to play consistently well opposite Golston. Logan Lee is a possibility on the outside as well. McCall, Reames and Karchinski likely will need more development time.

I think the tackle group could be pretty good.
 
Thanks for reading.

Really need one or two of Waggoner, VanValkneberg and Evans to play consistently well opposite Golston. Logan Lee is a possibility on the outside as well. McCall, Reames and Karchinski likely will need more development time.

I think the tackle group could be pretty good.

I'm probably wrong but I thought I remembered hearing that Logan Lee was working with the DTs during bowl prep which surprised me that a former TE would be able to bulk up enough to play DT.
 
He's been playing both end and tackle.

He's versatile in the mold of Christian Ballard, also a high school tight end.
 
Honestly it may be expecting a lot but I don't see much drop off with this group. Gholston to me is a stud in his own right prime to have a monster year. I think the coaches have recruited the Dline amazingly well. Sure guys like Nixon and Shannon and Waggoner have hardly gotten their feet wet but they have a little. But they have all kinds of promise and potential. Evans was an absolute game wrecker when he got in there on some obvious passing downs. I'm pretty stoked with the overall unit and look forward to see them wrecking havoc out there again
 
Honestly it may be expecting a lot but I don't see much drop off with this group. Gholston to me is a stud in his own right prime to have a monster year. I think the coaches have recruited the Dline amazingly well. Sure guys like Nixon and Shannon and Waggoner have hardly gotten their feet wet but they have a little. But they have all kinds of promise and potential. Evans was an absolute game wrecker when he got in there on some obvious passing downs. I'm pretty stoked with the overall unit and look forward to see them wrecking havoc out there again

I like your optimism, but I think AJE is the real difference. I agree that we recruit and develop well within this unit, but AJE was such a difference maker, and I don't think they have anyone else who can come close to him. Maybe Deontae Craig eventually, but certainly not this year.

Now, if Nixon becomes that DT equivalent of AJE, which is not completely out of the question, and another situational edge rusher emerges from within this group or from the LBs, then we might be plenty salty. But I think there will be a substantial dropoff.
 
I like your optimism, but I think AJE is the real difference. I agree that we recruit and develop well within this unit, but AJE was such a difference maker, and I don't think they have anyone else who can come close to him. Maybe Deontae Craig eventually, but certainly not this year.

Now, if Nixon becomes that DT equivalent of AJE, which is not completely out of the question, and another situational edge rusher emerges from within this group or from the LBs, then we might be plenty salty. But I think there will be a substantial dropoff.
There's no doubt AJE was a monster. The other teams game planned to try slowing him down with TEs and Rbs chipping him a lot. Plus running plays away from him etc. I feel you may be underselling Gholston a little. He may not be AJE but he's physically and athletically not far from it. I think Nixon and Shannon can take up space in the middle. I'm not saying we'll be as good as we were last yr day 1 this next yr. But I think they'll be a solid group once they settle into their roles. It won't be a noticeable weakness I hope.
 
There's no doubt AJE was a monster. The other teams game planned to try slowing him down with TEs and Rbs chipping him a lot. Plus running plays away from him etc. I feel you may be underselling Gholston a little. He may not be AJE but he's physically and athletically not far from it. I think Nixon and Shannon can take up space in the middle. I'm not saying we'll be as good as we were last yr day 1 this next yr. But I think they'll be a solid group once they settle into their roles. It won't be a noticeable weakness I hope.

I know Golston will be good, but I guess I am expecting him to be roughly equivalent to what he has been (a really good, borderline all-conference player). It wouldn't be out of the question for him to jump to a first-team All-B1G type, which would be huge.
 
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