Hawkeye Football: Iowa vs Albany Game Preview

Ladies and gentlemen, the long wait is finally over. No longer will the Hawkeye faithful be forced to argue over depth chart predictions, follow the Kid’s Day practice a little too closely, or debate whether or not Gronowski’s game will translate to the Power 5 level. Month upon month of wait has all led up to this. And what better way to start than with a little late night Kinnick magic, as Iowa prepares to start its season off at home against FCS under-dog UAlbany. Coming off of a disappointing 8-5 season last year marred by instability at the QB position and a noticeable regression in Phil Parker’s defense, things are looking up for the Hawks this year as they prepare to start 2x National Championship winning QB Mark Gronowski, alongside a WR room with much to prove and a young, hungry defense.

While this seems like an easy win for the Hawkeyes, it must be remembered that NOTHING comes easy in the world of College Football. In a sport where a middling FCS school can upset the #5 team in the nation at home, it is important to temper expectations and remember nothing can be taken for granted. With that being said, let’s take a look at some goals for this Iowa team in their debut, and some aspects of their game fans should pay close attention to as we prepare to march through one of the most difficult schedules in the FBS this season.

THE OFFENSE

This is our first look at a new and improved offense, with major overhauls at almost every position. Despite the apparent confidence of offensive coordinator Tim Lester, this unit has a lot to prove in this game, being totally untested by another team up to this point. While expected to batter the Albany defense, there are still a few glaring questions that remain.

Does Gronowski have chemistry with the receivers, and does his talent translate to the FBS level?

Mark Gronowski showed undeniable talent and athleticism at South Dakota State, that much cannot be argued. Even still, questions will arise regarding his ability to play against FBS defenses. Having never beaten an FBS team with SDSU, his ability to throw against Power 5 level defenses will remain in question. It’s important for Gronowski to impress this game, and show out against a mid-level FCS defense. More importantly, Gronowski needs to establish chemistry with this WR room. Despite a successful offseason, it is imperative Gronowski shows excellent timing and rapport with this WR core. The WR room itself is also something that should be of interest to any of the Hawkeye faithful, as returning players such as Seth Anderson and Jacob Gill fight for dominance alongside transfer receiver Sam Phillips and Rs. Freshman KJ Parker.

Can the RB room bounce back after losing Kaleb Johnson?

Kaleb Johnson was the heart of the Iowa offense last season, leading Iowa to 8 wins despite inconsistent QB play and disappointing defensive efforts. A record shattering season, it is hard to imagine that losing KJ to the NFL draft did not present an immense challenge to this year’s room. With snaps expected to be split between Sophomore Kamari Moulton and Junior Jaziun Patterson, it’s important the Hawks establish a strong running game early on in the season. With an athlete like Mark Gronowski at QB, however, the offense is expected to be far more balanced than the 2024 unit, splitting rushes between the QB and the RBs, as well as complimenting the run with a competent passing offense (something the 2024 team lacked completely).

THE DEFENSE

Can this young defense fill the holes left by last year’s team?

Even with returning seniors like Ethan Hurkett and Logan Jones, the Hawkeyes lost a considerable number of key players on the defensive side of the ball to last year’s draft. Big names like Jay Higgins, Nick Jackson, Sebastian Castro, and Yahya Black all signed with NFL teams this past April, leaving massive holes in this defense. This begs the question, can Phil Parker effectively replace such key players? With a defensive line made mostly of returning seniors, the burden is slightly reduced on this young linebacker core, led by Jaden Harrel, Karson Sharar, and Jaxon Rexroth.

Can Xavier Nwankpa finally live up to expectations?

We are entering the fourth and final year of the Nwankpa experiment, and after a long three years of high highs and lower lows, a breakout performance is not just expected, but demanded of Xavier Nwankpa. This season marks his last opportunity to establish draft stock and prove himself to the NFL that he is a pro-caliber player. With such a green defense around him, veterans of the defense like Xavier and Koen Entringer are expected to pick up the slack and prove themselves to be true representatives of Iowa’s historically valiant defense.

Although Albany likely doesn’t represent a threat to this Iowa team, its not entirely without its strengths. With a strong runningback duo in Griffin Woodell and Jojo Uga, a key piece of the gameplan should be shutting down the run. Quarterback Jack Shields also presents a problem for this young secondary, as he’s consistently proven his strength in a scripted passing game. Pressuring the QB and forcing off-platform throws should be a major goal for this Iowa defense.

In all likelihood, Iowa will win this game decisively. Still, even a win can expose major issues within a team. Iowa needs to come out swinging, and they need to swing for the fences.

As always,

GO HAWKS!