Iowa football’s 2023 offense: 41 thoughts on Hawkeyes’ 41 scholarship players
IOWA CITY, Iowa — With the transfer portal now closed except to graduates, it’s time to take stock of the scholarship athletes on Iowa’s football roster.
On offense, there are 41 scholarships pledged for this fall. With seven portal additions, who all are projected to appear on the depth chart, the Hawkeyes have turned over their roster. That should lead to some measure of improvement.
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Every scholarship player has a story and a trajectory, and this is where these players stand after spring football. This list includes scholarship players who competed in spring practice, plus incoming graduate transfer Rusty Feth, who arrives next week after his college graduation and former Ohio State receiver Kaleb Brown, who committed to Iowa on Thursday.
Quarterbacks (3)
Cade McNamara, Sr.: This is McNamara’s position, offense, heck, even team. While the graduate senior (with two years remaining) didn’t participate in 11-on-11 practices last month, coach Kirk Ferentz proclaimed McNamara the starter and rightly so. McNamara (6-foot-1, 206 pounds) has the best resume of any Iowa quarterback and led Michigan to the 2021 Big Ten title. He completes passes and carries himself like a leader. Enough said.
Deacon Hill, Soph.: Hill took an interesting path to Iowa. He entered the portal in October after Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst was fired, then committed to Fordham. In late December, Iowa offered Hill (6-3, 230) a scholarship, and he flipped. With McNamara withheld from team activities, Hill took charge of the offense and moved into the backup role.
Joe Labas, Soph.: Stuck at No. 3 for most of the 2022 season, Labas didn’t get an opportunity until the Music City Bowl. He had a nice performance overall and didn’t commit a turnover, which is something that routinely has plagued him in practice. Still, this spring Labas (6-4, 207) has made strides. While Hill has the edge, Labas isn’t out of the No. 2 competition.
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Cade McNamara fitting in nicely with Iowa teammates
Running backs (4)
Kaleb Johnson, Soph.: Despite a shaky year up front, Johnson set the program freshman record with 779 rushing yards. The blessing for Johnson is his upside. As good as he was, he still can improve fundamentally in how he explodes into defenders and how he runs behind his pads. Johnson (6-0, 212) has the potential to become Iowa’s best running back since Shonn Greene won the Doak Walker in 2008.
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Leshon Williams, Jr.: Working as part of a trio last year, Williams was the unit’s steady performer but brought some toughness when required. Perhaps Williams (5-10, 210) doesn’t have the high-level potential of Johnson, but he’s tough, agile and durable. At Iowa, that means something. Williams will get carries.
Jaziun Patterson, R-Fr.: In ability, it was basically a coin flip last fall between Johnson and Patterson as to who would play and who would redshirt. But with Iowa’s offensive line, it made sense to hold back the speedy Patterson and preserve the extra year. Patterson (5-10, 188) has the best quickness among his backfield mates. Johnson and Patterson have such contrasting styles that their 1-2 punch could elevate Iowa’s offense.
Terrell Washington, Fr.: An early enrollee, Washington worked behind the other three for most of spring football. He has versatile potential both as a runner and a receiver. Is there a way he can carve out a role this fall? With a healthy backfield, it’s unlikely. But Washington (5-11, 195) might get four games to showcase his skill set.
Wide receivers (4)
Nico Ragaini, Sr.: Of Iowa’s three six-year returnees, nobody was more valuable than Ragaini. Ragaini (6-0, 196) has 91 career catches for 968 yards, but last year he was the primary receiving threat when he returned from a broken foot sustained in August. He’s at his best when he can play from the slot and can move the chains. He was out during the spring with a foot sprain, but he is an essential piece of Iowa’s offense.
Diante Vines, Jr.: From an Achilles injury as a freshman to a broken wrist in preseason camp last year, Vines has had plenty to overcome physically. He returned by midseason and caught 10 passes. Now, he has the opportunity to become a consistent weapon. If Vines (6-0, 198) can become a quality receiver, this offense will look vastly different this fall.
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Kaleb Brown, R-Fr.: In one of Iowa’s biggest lifts from the transfer portal, Brown (5-10, 197) chose the Hawkeyes over Oklahoma and Texas A&M. A former four-star recruit who was No. 79 overall, Brown immediately upgrades the receiving corps and should eventually become the No. 1 target.
Seth Anderson, Soph.: Oh, how we all wanted to see Anderson participate in spring football. A hamstring injury right before practice stole our chance to watch Anderson, who was last year’s Big South Freshman of the Year at Charleston Southern. While that opportunity is history, at least Anderson (6-0, 178) can work on routes in summer throwing sessions.
Jacob Bostick, R-Fr.: On the surface, there’s plenty to like about Bostick (6-2, 171). He’s long, fast and athletic. The problem is, we haven’t seen it. He was injured for most of last season and barely dressed. Then he was injured this spring, too. With three true freshmen and probably another transfer coming in, Bostick has a narrow window of proving himself before getting passed by.
GO DEEPER
Former Ohio State WR Kaleb Brown commits to Iowa
Tight ends (5)
Luke Lachey, Jr.: Lachey (6-6, 252) began his career as an athletic, oversized receiver trying to become a tight end. By November, he was probably one of the top five in the Big Ten. This year, Lachey is going to break out — mark my words. He led Iowa in touchdown catches (four) and yards per reception (14.2) while hauling in 28 passes for 398 yards. He could be Iowa’s next Mackey Award finalist.
Erick All, Sr.: All (6-5, 255) certainly looks the part with a true athletic and physically defined build. The Hawkeyes could have college football’s best tandem as they did with first-rounders T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant back in 2018. It’s likely Iowa will count on the Michigan transfer to play everywhere from inline to X to H. Fant and Hockenson combined for 88 catches for 1,279 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2018. It’s not impossible to think Lachey and All could do the same.
Addison Ostrenga, Soph.: There’s plenty to like about Ostrenga (6-4, 234), who initially committed to Iowa baseball before switching to football. Last year, he played on special teams in every game. This year, Ostrenga looks bigger and more comfortable in Iowa’s offense. He has the third tight end role locked up and could be a valuable member of the offense in 2024.
Steven Stilianos, Sr.: A transfer from Lafayette last year, Stilianos (6-5, 264) didn’t see as much action as hoped. He has developed into a blocking tight end and could hold that role again this year, especially in three-tight-end formations.
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Cael Vanderbush, R-Fr.: Undersized for an Iowa tight end, Vanderbush (6-4, 208) didn’t see action last year and sits about fifth on the depth chart right now. But he could vault up to No. 2 in 2024, so this is a big developmental year for him.
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Michigan TE All transferring to Iowa
Offensive line (13)
Mason Richman, Jr.: With injuries, attrition and recruiting misses, Richman had to play early at a prominent position, and it was difficult. With 25 starts at left tackle, Richman is the unit veteran and has played well at times. Usually, players like Richman rotate at guard for a year before starting somewhere. Despite sitting out this spring because of injury, Richman (6-6, 308) is on track to become an upper-level Big Ten lineman.
Connor Colby, Jr.: Colby’s college career has been filled with adjustments. In 2021, he opened 11 games at guard, the most starts for a true freshman offensive lineman in school history. Last year, he switched to right tackle, where he made seven starts. But Colby (6-6, 308) struggled and shifted back inside permanently for the final six games. By the season’s end, Colby started to ascend. Perhaps this is the year he takes off.
Logan Jones, Jr.: A defensive tackle for two seasons, Jones moved to center last spring, and the transition hardly was seamless. From making pre-snap calls to hiking the ball to executing blocks, each area had its degree of difficulty. But Jones (6-3, 283) has freakish athletic ability and with more experience, that physical advantage will assert itself. He flashed late in the season and in spring practice. It’s starting to come together.
Nick DeJong, Sr.: A former walk-on, DeJong (6-6, 300) has played both tackle and guard and started 17 games. This spring, he worked at left tackle with Richman out. Ferentz praised DeJong multiple times this spring as someone who has made strides. Whether that results in a swing role or as a starter, we won’t know until fall.
Beau Stephens, Soph.: With 10 starts last year at right guard, Stephens (6-6, 307) was thrown in the deep end and didn’t drown. But he wasn’t really swimming, either. Stephens has plenty of talent but probably saw action a year too early. That’s not his fault. But he has taken strides this spring and will make a push to start or at least rotate.
Gennings Dunker, Soph.: One of the most massive players I’ve seen at Iowa, Dunker (6-5, 316) has the raw physical ability of a tank. But with one start at right guard and action at right tackle this spring, Dunker has gifts that will elevate him fairly soon. Once his technique catches up with his body, watch out.
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Daijon Parker, Sr.: Nobody needed spring practice more than Parker, who arrived at Iowa as a graduate transfer from Division II Saginaw Valley State. Then one practice in at right tackle and Parker was on crutches for the rest of spring ball. Parker (6-5, 300) attacked the offseason with a mission, and he’ll be full-go this summer. But his injury robbed him of a chance to compete against Iowa’s staunch defensive line. In a word, unfortunate.
Rusty Feth, Sr.: A second-team All-MAC center last year at Miami (Ohio), Feth (6-5, 304) graduates this month and immediately moves to Iowa City. He played guard for current Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett in 2020, and that’s where Feth is slated to play this fall. His versatility could lead him to center when required, but he’s the type of player Iowa really needed last year … and this year.
Tyler Elsbury, Jr.: Elsbury (6-5, 308) started two games at left guard last year and worked in practice at center and tackle. He’s a depth-chart candidate somewhere, but can he win a starting role or become a rotational lineman? It’s going to be a pivotal training camp for Elsbury, who is on a different time clock than his competition.
Mike Myslinski, Soph.: Timing is everything in life and for Myslinski, and it has yet to tick in the right direction. He worked up to the No. 2 center behind All-American Tyler Linderbaum in 2021 only to injure his knee in bowl prep. Myslinski (6-3, 287) rehabbed but lost a chance to compete with Jones at center and perhaps as a guard. This spring, he was injured again. The tools are there but health will determine when he gets on the field.
Griffin Liddle, Soph.: The first high school freshman ever to pick up an Iowa offer, Liddle immediately flipped from defensive tackle to offensive line in his first preseason camp. Since then, Liddle (6-3, 282) hasn’t been healthy, and he’s falling further behind by the day.
Jack Dotzler, R-Fr.: With injuries throughout the line this spring, Dotzler (6-6, 266) has elevated his profile and worked as a second-team tackle. Long and athletic, Dotzler is one to watch in another year.
Kale Krogh, R-Fr.: Still young and developing, Krogh (6-5, 276) is a probable scout-team candidate this fall but with potential to elevate next spring.
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Breaking down the Hawkeyes' offense for 2023
Incoming scholarship freshmen
QB — Marco Lainez III (6-3, 230)
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RB — Kamari Moulton (5-11, 185)
WR — Jarrett Buie (6-3, 185); Alex Mota (6-1, 175); Dayton Howard (6-3, 230)
TE — Zach Ortworth (6-4, 225); Grant Leeper (6-7, 215)
OL — Leighton Jones (6-2, 275); C.J. Leonard (6-8, 270); Kade Pieper (6-3, 250); Trevor Lauck (6-5, 295)
Walk-ons to watch
FB — Hayden Large, Sr. (6-5, 240)
WR — Alec Wick, Soph (6-1, 196); Jack Johnson, Jr. (6-0, 194)
TE — Johnny Pascuzzi, Soph. (6-4, 224); Grant Leeper, Fr. (grayshirt, 6-5, 215)
(Top photo of Cade McNamara: Matthew Holst / Getty Images)
