The Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off a workman-like win over Minnesota last Saturday, pushing their record to 5-3 thus far on the season. The Hawkeyes are led by their defense which currently sits 44th nationally in Total Defense and 12th in Scoring Defense with 17.4 average points allowed.
The strength of the defense lies in the linebacker unit where the starters have combined for a total of 107 games started in their respective careers.
Iowa ranks number 1 nationally in defending kickoff returns and has not allowed a return of more than 30 yards on the season. The Hawkeyes have been able to force opposing offenses to drive the length of the field to put points on the board.
Offensively, Iowa ranks 104th nationally in Total Offense and 88th in Scoring Offense at 25 points per game. Also of note, the Hawkeyes rank last in the Big Ten in Red Zone scoring with only 16 touchdowns (6 Rush/10 Pass).
In this week’s edition of No Huddle Breakdown, we take a look at the impact players of the Iowa Hawkeyes in advance of their matchup versus Ohio State.
Iowa Offense
Akrum Wadley (#25)
5’11” 195
Senior
Running Back
An undersized back, Wadley possesses very good agility, lateral quickness and change of direction. Hits the hole hard and gets north and south quickly to maximize yardage before making a move. Shows good patience on outside runs to let the blocks develop before sticking a foot in the ground and getting what he can. Wadley is dynamic in the open field, maximizing yards by displaying good speed and use of a spin move. He is utilized out of the backfield in the short passing game. Struggles with consistency catching the football, and will short arm passes across the middle of the field. Akrum leaves a lot to be desired in pass protection and will not move the pile in short yardage situations.
Nick Easley (#84)
5’11” 203
Junior
Wide Receiver
The leading receiver for the Hawkeyes, and former walk-on, Easley is not your ideal height for a wide receiver, but Easley wins consistently with good quickness and separations skills. Uses his hands well on his release and is a technician as a route runner. Uses good play strength to gain leverage within the route stem to fight off the coverage. Has soft hands and is a courageous receiver in the middle of the field. Shows consistently good concentration while hauling in contested passes. He will have a long, successful career for the New England Patriots.
Noah Fant (#87)
6’5” 232
Sophomore
Tight End
A young tight end, Fant enters this contest with 19 receptions and 5 touchdowns on the season. Noah is a big bodied TE who can line up in the slot or in-line and is athletic enough to be used on swing pass to flats, similar to the role of a smaller H-Back. Has good speed and is a threat to stretch the field while providing his quarterback with a large catch radius due to his exceptional hands. Is solid as a pass blocker.
Iowa Defense
Josey Jewell (#43)
6’2” 236
Senior
Middle Linebacker
The leader of the defense with 79 Tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss, Jewell consistently provides effort and toughness for the Hawkeyes. A good overall athlete, Jewell excels in run-down opportunities where he can use his instincts and lateral agility to read and react to the play. Josey is a smart player and rarely over-pursues the ball. He does well to avoid blockers and has the ability to shed if engaged. Jewell is a good tackler, both at the point of attack as well as in the open field.
Joshua Jackson (#15)
6’1” 192
Junior
Cornerback
An underrated player nationally, Joshua is an extremely athletic cornerback with long arms and solid frame. Jackson has very good feet and hips and excels in press man coverage where he can use his hands and strength to disrupt the release of the receiver. Excels in man coverage where he displays good mirroring skills and has superb timing to play the pocket of the receiver with his back to the ball. Uses good mental processing to undercut routes and has the acceleration to close the distance if beaten. Joshua has very good body control and elite ball skills as he has tallied 15 pass breakups so far this season and is rarely penalized. His effort in pursuit is impressive and he is utilized on all special teams units because of his effort and physicality.
Other Notables
Nathan Stanley (#4) 6’5” 230, Sophomore, Quarterback – Big bodied QB who will not “wow” you with athleticism but has enough ability to create yardage outside the pocket. Is extremely tough to bring down as he can fend off would-be tacklers while keeping his eyes downfield. Struggles with accuracy and consistency on all three levels and will not be able to carry the team if asked to throw a lot.
Cedrick Lattimore (#95) 6’5” 295, Sophomore, Defensive Tackle – A rising young prospect for the Hawkeyes, and shows good initial burst off the ball and use of hands to leverage his gap. Has very good effort in pursuit and consistently plays to the echo of the whistle.
A.J. Epenesa (#94) 6’5” 270, Freshman, Defensive End – A High School U.S. Army All-American, Epenesa is slowly working his way towards the starting lineup. A.J. is a phenomenal athlete and starred in multiple sports at the H.S. ranks. Will utilize a solid bull rush and has the speed to threaten the edge. Needs to develop a pass rush repertoire but the future is bright for this true freshman.
