2010 Iowa Hawkeyes: Shooting for the Stars (Part One)

Following a remarkable 11-2 season—complete with a BCS Orange Bowl victory—fans are already looking forward to next year and what their beloved Hawkeyes might look like.  Can they repeat their 2009 performance?  Better yet, can they take the next step and get into the National Title discussion?

To answer those questions, we’ve got to look at who is available to lead this team, then take a look at who the Hawkeyes have received commitments from.  Finally, we should look at who is still on their radar.

In this first part, I'll look at who is returning from last year's squad.  In Part two I'll address who is coming in that could make an impact.

Returning offense

The Hawkeye offense was much-maligned throughout 2009.  With injuries ravishing the run game like the plague, and inconsistency infecting the pass attack, there were as many headaches as thrills.  What the Hawkeyes need is a cast of solid veterans that can grow from their experience and lead this unit to a more productive 2010 campaign.

QB Ricky Stanzi Sr.—the undeniable leader of the Hawkeye offense returns for his senior season under center.  While Stanzi was the main cause of the inconsistency (throwing 15 interceptions to 17 touchdowns), he was also the glue that held the offense together.  His calm, cool leadership led Iowa to several exciting finishes—most notably the last second touchdown he tossed to Marvin McNutt against Michigan State, with time expiring.

RB Jewel Hampton Jr.—Hampton missed all of 2009 with a torn ACL.  He was very good in relief of Shonn Greene, however, a year ago.  Hawkeye fans were excited to see how Hampton would do with the full work load on his shoulders when the injury occurred.  It’ll be interesting to see if he can duplicate the 5.09 yard-per-carry average that he posted in ’08 after having a year off and an injury to deal with.

RB Adam Robinson RSo.—Robinson was tasked with filling Jewel Hampton’s shoes (who was tasked with filling Shonn Greene’s shoes) when Hampton tore an ACL in the preseason.  Robinson may not have been Heisman material, but he was a solid runner, amassing 834 yards and five touchdowns.

RB Brandon Wegher So.—Wegher had one of the toughest jobs last year.  As a true freshman, he was asked to forego the traditional “growth curve” most Hawkeyes are allowed by sitting out a year, and step into the mix right away.  When Robinson went down with an ankle sprain, Wegher had to step in and be the featured back.  His numbers weren’t fantastic, but he was exciting to watch and he was a real clutch player in the Orange Bowl, amassing 113 yards on 16 carries, and putting the game away with a 30-yard touchdown scamper late in the fourth quarter.

FB Brett Morse Sr.—Morse was an unsung hero in 2009.  The Hawkeyes don’t ask their fullbacks to carry the ball often, so there aren’t any numbers that would raise eyebrows among scouts.  Morse was a solid blocker, however, and seems fully content with his role on the squad.  

WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos Sr.—DJK is known as the big playmaker for the Hawkeyes.  He’s fast, athletic, and has good hands.  His problem leading into 2009 was his attitude.  Appearing to settle down considerably this last fall, he became a threat all over the field and will be a valuable asset to a team that should find itself comfortably loaded at the receiver position.

WR Marvin McNutt Jr.—the converted QB had a breakout year as a receiver.  As the season wore on, McNutt became a more reliable target even than DJK.  Near the goal line, he’s the new go-to-guy and is a terrific compliment to Johnson-Koulianos.

WR Collin Sandeman Sr.—Sandeman is known more as a return man than a receiver, but he did make some good catches and has enough experience to be a good mentor to the younger group coming in.

WR Keenan Davis So.—Davis saw very limited action as a freshman, but his athletic ability is undeniable.  With a little work on securing the football, his speed and jumping ability should give the Hawkeyes one of the best receiving corps they’ve ever seen.

TE Allen Reisner Sr.—Reisner was largely overshadowed by standout Tony Moeaki.  Still, when given opportunities, Reisner proved to be another in a line of Iowa Hawkeye tight ends that is good at both blocking and receiving.  Though he lacks the speed of Moeaki, he’s a solid target that will give further depth to an already loaded receiving unit, or he can stay at home and level solid blocks to open up the run game.

Before I move on to the offensive line, I should mention that the actual positions of these players could be shuffled from what they were in 2009.  I will list them only as OL since nobody is sure yet where they will be playing.  There have been a few questions raised about this unit, but I think you’ll see that they’re in pretty good condition heading into 2010.

OL Riley Reiff So.—Even as a freshman, Reiff stood out as a solid blocker, both as a pass protector and run blocker.  Now that he has some experience and a little more time to work on his technique, he should be a staple of the Hawkeye line.

OL Julian Vandervelde Sr.—Vandervelde came into the mix during one of the many rotations and made something of a name for himself.  At 6-3, 300 pounds, Vandervelde is a big boy that doesn’t get pushed around easily.

OL Josh Koeppel Sr.—Some might remember Koeppel going down with a grisly hip injury during Iowa’s Outback Bowl victory a year ago.  He spent last year recovering and waiting behind senior center Rafael Eubanks.  Now Koeppel will get his chance to start—probably at center—and show what he can do when healthy.

Senior Kyle Haganman and junior Markus Zusevics could earn their way onto the Hawkeye starting squad, but they may have a little competition from incoming recruits.  Time will tell who will fill out the Iowa offensive line, but with Head Coach Kirk Ferentz’s background as an NFL line coach (and former Iowa line coach), Iowa can be sure that whoever is available will have the benefit of having a teacher who really knows what he’s talking about.

Returning Defense

There was no question about the strength of the defense.  Rated 3rd in the nation against the pass, 34th against the run, eighth in scoring, and 10th overall, the Hawkeyes were not an easy team to beat.

DE Adrian Clayborn Sr.—Hawkeye Nation was ecstatic to learn that their All Big Ten defensive end would be postponing his NFL career for another year to play at Iowa.  Clayborn should be on the All American list for 2010 and will draw a lot of attention from fans and opponents alike.

DE Broderick Binns Sr.—Binns spent last year in the massive shadow of Clayborn.  It’s likely, the same will hold true in 2010.  However, while offensive lines were busy watching out for Clayborn, Binns earned 5.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles-for-loss, 62 tackles, nine broken passes, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick.  That’s not too bad for a guy living in someone else’s shadow.

DT Christian Ballard Sr.—Ballard was originally slated to be on the end opposite Clayborn, but instead found a home in the center of the line after Mitch King and Matt Kroul left.  He successfully solidified a portion of the line that was in question going into the season.

DT Karl Klug Sr.—Klug was a virtual unknown going into 2009.  With King and Kroul’s departure, many wondered how strong the center of the Hawkeye D-line would be.  Klug answered that question securely, racking up four sacks, 13 tackles-for-loss, 64 tackles, five broken passes, four quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles.

LB Jeremiah Hunter Sr.—Hunter was the third part of a linebacker trio that was incredibly dangerous.  Pat Angerer got the most attention of the triad, and A.J. Edds has been a household name for a couple of years now, but Hunter was never hiding behind the other two.  Second on the team (behind Angerer) with 90 tackles, Hunter seemed to be everywhere the ball was.  He’ll bring much-needed leadership to a corps that loses two of its three starters.

LB Jeff Tarpinian Sr.—Tarpinian had 20 tackles in limited action during 2009.  With Angerer, Edds, and Hunter taking good care of business, Tarpinian spent most of his time on the bench, waiting his turn.  He showed though, that he’ll be a solid addition to the team, adding a couple of broken passes to his stat sheet, along with those tackles.  He’ll need to step up big in his final year though, since the line will give him ample opportunity to shine.

Who will be the third?  On the depth chart last season were Tyler Nielsen (junior), Bruce Davis (junior), and Troy Johnson (senior).  Who will get the call is anyone’s guess, and there may be some new faces to make it a real race.

CB Shaun Prater Jr.—Prater missed a little time with injury in 2009, but when he was healthy, he was a solid cover corner.  Out shined by Amari Spievey, Prater still managed two interceptions, 42 tackles, and eight broken passes.  His experience will be extremely important since Spievey chose to exit early for the NFL.

Opposite Prater could be either William Lowe (junior) or Greg Castillo (sophomore).  Both saw limited time in 2009 and neither made a great impression.  Lowe did have a couple of broken passes, but both corners were exploited a time or two as well.  I may be crazy, but considering the depth at receiver, I’d like to see how Keenan Davis would do as a corner.  I think his sheer athletic ability would be a tremendous asset to a position that needs a little help.

S Tyler Sash Jr.—Sash had a breakout season, pulling down six interceptions with a TD.  He also had 85 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, six broken passes, and two forced fumbles.  He was the kind of player that makes quarterbacks very nervous.

S Brett Greenwood Sr.—Greenwood may not have been as visible as Sash, but he had a pretty solid season of his own.  His stats are good in their own right, with three interceptions, 56 tackles, and seven broken passes.  Together with Sash, this duo adds tremendous range to the secondary that makes even good quarterbacks look like fools.

Returning Special Teams

P Ryan Donahue Sr.—Donahue is one of those guys that’s better than his stats appear.  Averaging just under 41 yards per punt (40.9), he’s not considered the strongest punter in the nation by far.  However, he does have a long of 73 yards and was very good at pinning opponents deep in their own territory.

K Daniel Murray Sr.—Murray will be most remembered for hitting the shot that took Penn State out of the National Title discussion in 2008.  He was a solid asset for Iowa in ’09 as well, hitting 19 of 26 attempts (73.1 percent) and making 32 of 33 extra points (97 percent).  A little inconsistent, Murray is best when the pressure’s on.

As far as returning players go, the Hawkeyes are bringing back so much talent it’s scary.  The defense will undoubtedly miss the departing linebackers (as well as Spievey), but with the entire line coming back, as well as their safeties, the defense should be every bit as intimidating as it was in 2009.  

The offense will likely still have some room for improvement, and the loss of key linemen will undoubtedly hurt a little early on, but there’s a stable full of running backs and receivers to build a powerful attack around.  If the line is even merely “decent,” Stanzi will lead this unit to some spectacular performances.

All-in-all, this Hawkeye team is coming off a great season with enough of the pieces still in place to be one of the best all around teams in the country.