Iowa was clearly working the TEs in big-time for a number of important reasons.
1. Given the relative inexperience of our OL ... we need LBs to be preoccupied some with our TEs. Otherwise, they'll just tee-off on our running game.
2. Developing our TE play to a very high level also gets the attention of the safeties. When the LBs and safeties consider our TEs as big receiving threats ... that will force more Ds to put a DB on an island against one of our WRs.
3. The higher the quality of our TE play ... the greater our ability to play smash-mouth football. We can then use our multi-TE sets more in the future without sacrificing versatility of the O.