It’s time to take a look at the Iowa Hawkeye lineup for the 2021 season.
For the next couple of weeks, I’ll talk about the offense, defense and special teams.
The starters could possibly change as the season gets going.
Offensive lineIt all starts up front with center Tyler Linderbaum (6-3, 290).
The former Solon prep could have turned pro last year but chose to stay and will lead the offensive line. Tyler was first team All American last year as well as first team All Big Ten.
He is a preseason pick to do the same this year. Tyler started out as a defensive lineman and played in two games as a freshman but switched to offense his freshman year.
Starting guards include junior Cody Ince (6-4, 282) and senior Kyler Schott (6-2, 294).
Cody played in all eight games last fall and started the last six. He is a preseason All Big Ten second team pick. Kyler is a former walk-on who has started eight games in the last two years.
He was honorable mention All Big Ten last year.
Tackles include junior Jack Plumb (6-7, 296) and sophomore Nick DeLong (6-6, 292).
Jack came in as a tight end where he was a four-year letterman in high school. He has played in 19 games with two starts. Nick is a walk on from Pella and played mostly on special teams last year.
Backups include center Matt Fagan (6-5, 287); guards Tyler Elsbury (6-5, 301) and Justin Britt (6-4, 302); tackles Mason Richman (6-6, 296) and Conner Colby (6-6, 298).
Justin Britt played in four games as a true freshman and Tyler Elsbury played in two.
The line doesn’t have a lot of experience but has talent and should get better as the season goes on.
Tight Ends-Wide ReceiversI’m looking for tight end Sam LaPorta to have a good year. Sam has the size (6-4, 249), the good hands and is a good blocker. LaPorta played in 12 games as a true freshman in 2019, caught 15 passes for 188 yards. The junior from Illinois had a career best six catches for 44 yards against USC in the Holiday Bowl. Last season, in only eight games, Sam led the team with 27 receptions for 271 yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt freshman Luke Lachey (6-6, 248) was a top recruit coming out of Columbus, Ohio and played in one game last fall. Iowa will be young at tight end but there is a lot of talent there.
At wide receiver you start with Tyrone Tracey (5-11, 201) and Nico Ragaini (6-0, 191).
Both are juniors, both have experience and both have good talent. As a redshirt freshman Tyrone won the Next Man in Award catching 36 passes for 589 yards and three touchdown receptions. He also ran for a score against USC in the Holiday Bowl. Last year Tyrone had 14 catches for 154 yards and one touchdown.
Both Tracey and Ragaini will need to be the leaders of the receivers. Backups include true freshman Keagon Johnson (6-1,197) and senior Charlie Jones (6-0, 188). The Hawks stole Johnson away from Nebraska as he grew up in Bellevue, Nebraska and his dad was a Cornhusker. Charlie is a transfer from Buffalo and didn’t catch any passes but led the league in punt returns.
Running BacksTyler Goodson (5-10, 199) was all Big Ten at running back last season. The junior from Georgia picked up 762 yards and scored seven times. Tyler played as a true freshman and is the first Hawkeye to lead the team in rushing as a first-year player with 638 yards with five TD’s.
The breakaway speed is what makes Goodson great plus he has 39 receptions in his first two years.
Ivory Kelly-Martin (5-10, 200) is a three-year letterman and has run for 602 yards and scored five times in his career. He has also caught 18 passes for 150 yards for one touchdown and returned kickoffs for 444 yards. Look for a couple of redshirt freshman like Leshon Williams (5-10, 205) and Gavin Williams to add depth.
Monte Pottebaum (6-1 246) and Turner Pallissard (6-0, 245) are listed as the top two fullbacks.
Both are juniors and both are walk-ons. Monte started out at linebacker and moved to fullback in 2019. The junior from Larchwood has three rushing attempts for 39 yards.
Turner doesn’t have any carries but both are good blockers and are important in the running game. Iowa’s offense should be pretty good this year, especially if the offensive line develops.
This is the first part of breaking down Iowa’s two-deeps.
Next week I’ll talk about quarterback Spencer Petras and the chance he has to make all Big Ten. Also, I’ll look at his backups and the Hawkeye defense.