IOWA CITY, Iowa — Barely 24 hours after falling to Michigan in the Big Ten title game, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz realized he had a massive amount of non-football work waiting for him at home with lightning-quick turnarounds.
Ferentz, 68, must hire a new offensive coordinator after his son, Brian, will not have his contract renewed by University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson and interim athletics director Beth Goetz. The transfer portal opened today and multiple Iowa players already entered with more likely to jump in soon. The Hawkeyes also need to consider signing portal prospects, and national signing day is barely two weeks away. The month concludes with a trip to Orlando for the Citrus Bowl.
Each of these areas requires significant attention for any program, not just Iowa. How will Ferentz and his staff approach each one and the challenges awaiting them?
Portal breakdown
Wide receiver Diante Vines, defensive back Brenden Deasfernandes and defensive tackle Anterio Thompson entered the portal on Monday. Vines started 13 games, including eight this year. He caught 22 passes for 228 yards and one touchdown. Neither defender was on Iowa’s two-deep at their position group, although both were well-liked and quality special teams performers.
It’s likely other scholarship players could join them in seeking new homes. Just how many remains undetermined. The staff is meeting with players on Monday and Tuesday after competing for the Big Ten championship this past Saturday. Last year, they had met with players the week after Thanksgiving and “had some indication” of how the roster would shift before the portal opened.
“What you want for every player is for them to be happy with their situations,” Ferentz said. “If a guy is not sure he wants to be here or sure he doesn’t want to be here, then my encouragement would be maybe check something else out. We operate better with guys that are really fully invested.”
So who else could be on their way out? Rather than speculate on names — which is unfair to the players — let’s examine the position groups and consider the possibilities.
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Quarterback — Cade McNamara returns next year as the starter, and there was a trio of quarterbacks on campus this fall, including sophomore Deacon Hill, sophomore Joe Labas and true freshman Marco Lainez III. McNamara started five games before tearing his ACL and Hill took over the rest of the way.
Portal breakdown: One quarterback is likely to depart. With McNamara’s injury history and the positional production this year, coupled with a new offensive coordinator, the Hawkeyes need to see more of Lainez. Iowa should consider adding a second- or third-year quarterback to compete for backup reps with the possibility of taking over in 2025.
Running back — Three running backs rotated and at least one may step out in the open market. Leshon Williams, a junior, led the team with 164 carries and 804 rushing yards. Sophomore Kaleb Johnson didn’t play in four games (three because of a high-ankle sprain) and ran for 429 yards on 110 carries. Redshirt freshman Jaziun Patterson ran for 199 yards on 56 carries in 10 games.
True freshmen Kamari Moulton and Terrell Washington Jr. each played in three games and showed potential as key contributors next season and beyond.
Portal breakdown: One, perhaps two runners could leave via the portal. Barring an exodus, it’s unlikely Iowa would add a scholarship-level running back in the portal, especially with two more signing with the program on Dec. 20.
Wide receiver — With Vines’ departure, two receivers with eligibility remaining played significant snaps: redshirt freshman Kaleb Brown and sophomore Seth Anderson while redshirt freshman Jacob Bostick saw limited action once he returned from injury. Of Iowa’s three true freshmen, just Jarriett Buie saw any snaps but that was in only two games. It’s a mix of inexperience with uncertainty.
Portal possibility: As with almost every season, there are more questions at receiver than answers. Did it fail to produce because of talent, scheme or quarterback play? There’s a little “yes” to all of it. Besides Vines, will another one leave or will Iowa pick up a receiver in the portal? That remains to be determined, but an addition needs consideration.
Tight end — The team’s top offensive threats entering the season were tight ends Luke Lachey and Erick All. Both suffered season-ending injuries by mid-October. Both are also NFL prospects or could return. Their decisions impact this group from standing pat to looking outward for help. Sophomore Addison Ostrenga became one of the team’s better offensive players after replacing Lachey and All. Zach Ortwerth became a rotational player over the last month and was the only true freshman to start a game this year.
Portal possibility: It depends on Lachey and All. If one or both decide to return, there’s no need to go outside. Either one could pair with Ostrenga to be an impact group. If neither comes back, then Iowa should look at adding a portal tight end. As of today, it’s a depleted position and difficult to project a departure.
Luke Lachey played in two games for Iowa this season before an injury. (Jeffrey Becker / USA Today)
Offensive line — The Hawkeyes return four starters (LT Mason Richman, RT Gennings Dunker, C Logan Jones, G Connor Colby) and two rotational performers (Beau Stephens, Tyler Elsbury) from an improving but inconsistent offensive line. There are a pair of sixth-year candidates (Daijon Parker, Nick DeJong) who have yet to declare their intentions.
Portal possibility: Iowa has a mix of veterans, unproven underclassmen and a few oft-injured prospects reaching middle age on the roster. Some difficult questions and decisions are necessary, both from the team perspective and for the individual. Is Richman a better guard than left tackle? Can Dunker flip to left tackle or is he a bulked-up guard? A year into the system, can Parker return for an extra year and become the lineman Iowa needed when he arrived from the portal last year? Or, should Iowa search for a dominant tackle in the portal?
Defensive line — Iowa appears to have a solid front wall returning in ends Deontae Craig and Ethan Hurkett and tackles Yahya Black and Aaron Graves. Backups Max Llewellyn and Jeremiah Pittman rotated, while redshirt freshman Brian Allen saw pass-rush snaps. Thompson’s loss is absorbable but unfortunate. He had plenty of athletic ability and likely would have rotated. Compared to a decade ago, seven returning rotational linemen is an abundance of wealth for Iowa. Now, you’d like to see nine or 10.
Portal possibility: The Hawkeyes have talent among their underclassmen, which could determine whether they seek a pass rusher in the portal or stand pat. It’s possible another defensive lineman could join Thompson in the portal, but the biggest fear would be losing Black to the NFL. As a two-gap defensive tackle, Black’s stats are modest but his impact is obvious. It could come down to becoming a fifth-rounder in 2024 or staying and becoming a first-rounder in 2025.
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Linebacker — What was considered a weakness entering the season has turned into a strength. Now, it’s another major question mark. Jay Higgins, who has compiled 155 tackles, and Virginia transfer Nick Jackson have become one of Iowa’s most prolific tandems in program annals. Behind them are inexperienced backups like sophomores Jaden Harrell, Karson Sharar and Jaxon Rexroth who need to step forward next year depending on how this group shakes out.
Portal possibility: Much of this depends on Higgins’ decision. He has one more year remaining but he put up impressive tape this season. He could make the jump. Jackson’s final season at Virginia in 2022 ended abruptly after a shooting killed three of his teammates. It’s possible he could apply for a waiver for an extra season, but that remains undetermined. If both leave for the NFL, then Iowa might need to examine the portal. I wouldn’t rule out incoming true freshmen Cam Buffington or Derek Weisskopf as potential impact performers next fall, either.
Defensive back — The team’s biggest December question mark belongs to this group. They could return all five starters or just one. Cooper DeJean, a junior cornerback, is considered a likely first-rounder by most NFL draft analysts, including The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. Safeties Quinn Schulte and Sebastian Castro have sixth-year options, and cornerback Jermari Harris also has a year available. But all three could leave for the NFL, too.
“I have a year left and it’s always possible to stay,” Castro said. “If I stay here or decide to go and put my name in draft, I’m going to just do the best I can.”
Sophomore Xavier Nwankpa (13 starts) and freshman Deshaun Lee (five) return, while safety Koen Entringer and injured cornerback T.J. Hall have some experience, too.
Portal possibility: It depends on who is returning and who is leaving. If the Hawkeyes bring back Castro, Harris and perhaps Schulte, then maybe they skip the portal. If only one returns, then Iowa will become a major player for at least a cornerback.
Special teams — Kicker Drew Stevens and snapper Luke Elkin return, but the Hawkeyes graduate all-world punter Tory Taylor. Ferentz said previously he plans to work with Melbourne’s ProKick Australia to bring in another punter with a style similar to Taylor.
Portal possibility: If a punter is available and similar enough to Taylor, then I’m sure the staff will entertain that thought. But the most likely outcome is to bring in an Aussie punter.
(Top photo of Diante Vines: Jeffrey Becker / USA Today)
2023-12-05 02:12:44
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