STORY: Hockenson Exit & What's Left at TE

Come next fall Rob and all the other pundits will be singing the blues about replacing two All-America TES but I'm not worried about it. There is talent and depth, everything but experience waiting in the wings. With nine months between now and kickoff the new group should be more than ready.
 
Thanks for the "move back away from the ledge" article Rob. I doubt it will stop the KF hate crowd from finding a negative slant about how the Ferentz boys can't keep players in Iowa City, but this does show that there are some good recruits waiting their turn.

Beyer is particularly intriguing to me. The kid has some wheels. The speed at which he got to the ball against Wisconsin was impressive on the punt return team. :) Actually, I think he's going to do very well. It's kind of hard to break into a lineup with two high draft TE's ahead of you.
 
These losses are going to hurt. 2019 had the potential to be a great year. But that would be easy. And it seems nothing comes easy at Iowa.

If the coaches get this team to Indy this year they deserve coach of the year.

Nelson's gone. Fant, Hockenson, Hesse, Easley, Hooker gone. It's going to be tough to replace these guys. Best of luck to them.
Go Hawks.
 
I’m optimistic that Smith and Smith-Marsette will continue to improve. Both made strides especially as the season moved on. Maybe Iowa can actually throw to the WRs constructively in 2019.
 
Thanks for the "move back away from the ledge" article Rob. I doubt it will stop the KF hate crowd from finding a negative slant about how the Ferentz boys can't keep players in Iowa City, but this does show that there are some good recruits waiting their turn.

Beyer is particularly intriguing to me. The kid has some wheels. The speed at which he got to the ball against Wisconsin was impressive on the punt return team. :) Actually, I think he's going to do very well. It's kind of hard to break into a lineup with two high draft TE's ahead of you.

If Nate S. and the new TEs are around over the summer to work with each other that always helps and I hope NAte S gets lots of throws in for timing sakes with the WRs.
 
Having both starting TEs go pro early I think will actually HELP Iowa's program long-term.
More than once before and after the bowl game I heard the term "Tight End-U" when referring to the Hawkeyes.
That's a really good thing to keep the pipeline of talent flowing towards Iowa City!
 
I'd like to see Drew Cook emerge in his last year.

I'll bet the TE group is really excited knowing they will all have a shot at the field this fall.

I wonder if there has ever been a draft in MFL history where two TEs from the same school were drafted in the first round? I'll bet not.
 
Weiting is a good blocking TE. Just hope he gets a few balls thrown his way. If he’s in, teams will think run and stack the box. Beyer sounds promising, hope he has good hands. Cook is a senior and this is his one and only shot. He’s a former QB so should understand about running routes. Hell, maybe they’ll even let him throw a pass! Hopefully these guys will give the newbies a little time to develop. But the future at TE does look bright.
 
I’m optimistic that Smith and Smith-Marsette will continue to improve. Both made strides especially as the season moved on. Maybe Iowa can actually throw to the WRs constructively in 2019.

Smith made huge strides this year. Anyone remember this catch?
brandon-smith-iowa-catch-1538863642.png
 
Having both starting TEs go pro early I think will actually HELP Iowa's program long-term.
More than once before and after the bowl game I heard the term "Tight End-U" when referring to the Hawkeyes.
That's a really good thing to keep the pipeline of talent flowing towards Iowa City!

You mught have missed the starting and times targeted and the funny all the sudden cant get targeted in the outback. KF has a history of not capitalizing.

Not much will change. Hawks eill continue to be solid with a few deviations plus and minus.
 
Hockenson, Fant exits leave huge void at TE, but the cupboard isn't bare:

LINK
Nice job Rob! Did anyone listen to Jon Miller? He basically said that all TJ did was ride Noah's coat tails and that all of TJ's success is because no one was paying attention to him. That's BS. On many of the snaps where TJ had success this year, Noah was not even in the game.
 
Nice job Rob! Did anyone listen to Jon Miller? He basically said that all TJ did was ride Noah's coat tails and that all of TJ's success is because no one was paying attention to him. That's BS. On many of the snaps where TJ had success this year, Noah was not even in the game.

I think Miller & Deace really missed out on what TJ can do at the pro level. TJ can be a 3 down TE, which is harder and harder to find. But what makes TJ special is his catch radius. The kid has long arms and he can go up for balls as well as dig them off the turf. He’s got glue for hands and is a pretty good blocker to boot.
 
Kirk really dropped the ball with this one. Every coach in America would have played Noah as the number 1 tight end. Kirk is the only guy who would recognize TJ is a slightly better all around player and make him the number 1. If he would have just done the obvious thing and play Fant, he would probably have Hock back next year. Instead he wasted Fant and lost both.

I cant decide if I'm serious or not with this post.
 
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