2020 Team Preview: Can Iowa Overcome Offseason Controversy?

The Iowa Hawkeyes are regularly in the mix for the Big Ten West Division title. Wisconsin has usually been the best team in the division, but the Hawkeyes usually play the Badgers tough, and have a chance to win the division in most seasons. Iowa has typically fallen short on offense while possessing a solid defense, and that is the pattern the Hawkeyes have to break free of on the offensive side of the ball. You can generally know what to expect from Iowa, which is part of the problem. This program hasn’t been dynamic or clever enough on offense to win when the opposing defense is considerably talented. Yet, with all the challenges the Hawkeyes face on the field, their biggest obstacle this year might come off the field.

Offseason Changes

The Hawkeyes lost offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs, defensive end A.J. Epenesa, and defensive back Michael Ojemudia to the NFL Draft. Yet, those are minor changes compared to what happened off the field in late spring. While Black Lives Matter protests raged across the United States, it was revealed that nearly 40 former Iowa players had endured what they claimed was inappropriate treatment and behavior from longtime strength coach Chris Doyle. The stories which flooded in – inspired by Black Lives Matter activism and a general willingness among athletes to talk – pushed Doyle out of his job. Losing a very successful strength coach could hurt Iowa. What will also hurt Iowa is that head coach Kirk Ferentz, who has been on the job since 1999, has lost a lot of trust among players. That might be the biggest change inside the program since the end of the 2019 season. It is the big challenge the Hawkeyes will have to fight through, more than tactics or positional replacements.

The Hawkeyes Will Succeed If…

They can trust their head coach and put the past behind them. There was a lot of dirty laundry aired in the offseason, and a lot of Iowa players clearly realized that their coach has not been setting a good example. Can Kirk Ferentz – who has been on the job for 21 years – patch up the suspicions, the mistrust, the wariness from his players after all this time? Can he truly get his players to rally around him and convince them he has their best interests at heart? This is a hugely uncertain question, and if Ferentz can’t answer it properly, he’s finished. He will be fired at the end of this season following a subpar 2020 result. If he can earn his players’ respect, though, Iowa could be right there in the chase for the Big Ten West title.

The Hawkeyes Will Fail If…

The offense – chiefly the passing game – can’t get better. Nate Stanley was a very inconsistent quarterback in his time as a Hawkeye. He has graduated, which means an untested quarterback will take over this offense in 2020. Spencer Petras, Alex Padilla, and Deuce Hogan are competing for the job, with Petras having the inside track. If Iowa can find a gem at QB, everything changes for the better, but if not, this offense will not make use of its resources.

Prediction

The players’ skill levels are good enough to win the division, but the players’ trust level might not be there. This season could blow up in Ferentz’s face after 21 years on the job. All in all, it’s very hard to trust that Iowa will be a cohesive and harmonious team this season. That will hurt a lot.

Prediction: 3rd In Big Ten West