Iowa released their depth chart for the Citrus Bowl against Kentucky this week and while there aren't too many changes, let's discuss 'em.
| OFFENSE | DEFENSE | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | FIRST STRING | SECOND STRING | POS | FIRST STRING | SECOND STRING |
| QB | SPENCER PETRAS (Jr) | ALEX PADILLA (So) | DE | JOHN WAGGONER (Jr) | JOE EVANS (Jr) |
| RB | IVORY KELLY-MARTIN (Sr) | GAVIN WILLIAMS (RS Fr) | DT | NOAH SHANNON (Jr) | LUKAS VAN NESS (RS Fr) |
| FB | MONTE POTTEBAUM (Jr) | TURNER PALLISSARD (Jr) | DT | LOGAN LEE (So) | YAHYA BLACK (RS Fr) |
| WR | KEAGAN JOHNSON (Fr) | CHARLIE JONES (Sr) | DE | ZACH VANVALKENBURG (Sr) | DEONTAE CRAIG (RS Fr) |
| WR | NICO RAGAINI (Jr) | ARLAND BRUCE IV (Fr) | CASH / LEO | DANE BELTON (Jr) | JESTIN JACOBS (So) |
| TE | SAM LAPORTA (Jr) | LUKE LACHEY (RS Fr) | MLB | JACK CAMPBELL (Jr) | JAY HIGGINS (So) |
| LT | JACK PLUMB (Jr) | MASON RICHMAN (RS Fr) | WLB | SETH BENSON (Jr) | KYLER FISHER (So) |
| LG | KYLER SCHOTT (Sr) | CODY INCE (Jr) | LCB | JERMARI HARRIS (So) | COOPER DEJEAN (Fr) |
| C | TYLER LINDERBAUM (Jr) | MATT FAGAN (Jr) | FS | JACK KOERNER (Sr) | QUINN SCHULTE (So) |
| RG | CONNOR COLBY (Fr) | JUSTIN BRITT (So) | SS | KAEVON MERRIWEATHER (Jr) | SEBASTIAN CASTRO (So) |
| RT | NICK DEJONG (So) | TYLER ELSBURY (RS Fr) | RCB | RILEY MOSS (Sr) | XAVIOR WILLIAMS (Sr) |
| LS | LUKE ELKIN (Fr) | AUSTIN SPIEWAK (Sr) | |||
| K | CALEB SHUDAK (Sr) | AARON BLOM (RS Fr) | P | TORY TAYLOR (So) | RYAN GERSONDE (Sr) |
| KR | CHARLIE JONES (Sr) | GAVIN WILLIAMS (RS Fr) | PR | CHARLIE JONES (Jr) | MAX COOPER (Sr) |
A few thoughts:
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Petras remains the starter over Padilla. This is what we saw in the Big Ten Championship Game as well. Time will tell how long Petras plays in the Citrus Bowl if he again struggles.
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The biggest change on offense is at RB, where Tyler Goodson is gone from the RB1 role after his decision to forgo the Citrus Bowl and enter the NFL Draft process. Somewhat surprisingly, the new name atop the RB depth chart isn't Gavin Williams (who played a lot of snaps alongside Goodson at the end of the regular season), but Ivory Kelly-Martin. IKM hasn't played since the Wisconsin game; injury and a fumbling issue have kept him on the bench since then. Williams should still a lot of work in the Citrus Bowl even if he's technically the RB2 on the depth chart, but it's still a bit of a shock to not see him at RB1.
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The other notable absence on the offensive two-deeps is at WR, where Tyrone Tracy, Jr. is no longer listed after his decision to transfer out of Iowa. Charlie Jones replaces him in the two-deeps. The two-deeps don't always mean a lot at WR -- Jones has played many more snaps than nominal WR starter Nico Ragaini in recent games -- but Jones, Ragaini, Keagan Johnson, and Arland Bruce IV are the clear top four guys at the position.
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No real changes at OL: the presumptive starting five there (from left to right) is Jack Plumb, Kyler Schott, Tyler Linderbaum, Connor Colby, and Nick DeJong. Mason Richman and Cody Ince look like the next men in if there are struggles among the starting five. Hopefully a few weeks off and some added time to work on fundamentals and continuity in practice will produce a better display from the offensive line against Kentucky.
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The two-deeps are unchanged at DL and LB, which seems like a good sign for the health of Iowa's front seven.
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The two-deeps are also unchanged at DB, which is less of a good sign for the health of Iowa's secondary because it means Matt Hankins and Terry Roberts are still unavailable. The starting corners on the depth chart are Riley Moss and Jermari Harris, backed up by Xavior Williams and Cooper DeJean. Jack Koerner and Kaevon Merriweather are your starters at safety, backed up by Quinn Schulte and Sebastian Castro.
- No changes at special teams, either: Caleb Shudak at PK, Tory Taylor at P, Charlie Jones as the main KR/PR.
Thoughts? Concerns? Let us know in the comments.
