Four Downs — Iowa's 2016 offensive line

QUICK LOOK BACK: The big news nugget going into the 2015 season for Iowa's offensive line was two new tackles. Sophomores Ike Boettger and Boone Myers made their debuts. And during open practices in spring and summer, there were mixed reviews.

Across from them were senior defensive ends Drew Ott and Nate Meier. The senior duo was extremely disruptive against the sophomores, but head coach Kirk Ferentz didn't sweat it. Ott and Meier turned out to be that good (until Ott's season ended halfway through with a torn ACL), and Boettger and Myers turned out to be sturdy.

And then they got hurt — Myers with a shoulder/neck stinger in week 4 against North Texas and Boettger with a high-ankle sprain in week 6 against Illinois.

When Myers was hurt, Cole Croston jumped in. When all of the black rubber pellets (you know, that stuff FieldTurf is made of) cleared, Croston, a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship in August, started 10 games and earned No. 1 left tackle going into 2016. Then there was the Northwestern game. Without Boettger, guard Sean Welsh moved to right tackle and true freshman James Daniels took Welsh's spot. With No. 1 running back Jordan Canzeri and LeShun Daniels out, Iowa put up a season-high 294 yards against the Wildcats, who finished 10-3 and sixth in the league with 126.2 rushing yards allowed per game.

Myers returned for the Maryland game and the Hawkeyes settled in with (from left to right) Myers, Welsh, Austin Blythe, Jordan Walsh and Croston.

— Iowa had 35 rushing touchdowns, the most in Ferentz's 17 seasons as a head coach, second most in the Big Ten and 12th nationally last season.

— Iowa rushed for 2,544 yards last season, second most in the Ferentz era (Iowa rushed for 2,784 in 2002).

— Iowa's O-line was one of six finalists for the Joe Moore Award, which honors offensive lines that display 'a high level of toughness, effort, teamwork, physicality, tone-setting and finishing.'

— The Hawkeye offense had six touchdown drives over 90 yards and 19 touchdown drives over 75 yards.

— Iowa's 568 rushes were the second most in Ferentz's 17 seasons.

Iowa's offensive line had an undeniably fantastic season. The postseason was, however, a trudge. In the Big Ten championship game against Michigan State, Iowa rushed for 52 yards on 24 carries and allowed three sacks. In the Rose Bowl against Stanford, it was seven sacks, at least 10 QB hits/hurries and 48 yards on 38 carries (1.26 average yards per carry).

Iowa's O-line helped the Hawkeyes win the Big Ten West and was dominant at times doing so, but when the stakes were raised, Iowa didn't lay a glove on the opponent. That's probably the push for 2016.

4th Down — Critical Questions

There will be a new center. It probably will be sophomore James Daniels, but he's out this spring after a surgery for an undisclosed injury. So, it could be senior Steve Ferentz, who'll probably soak up a lot of No. 1 reps.

Center is a big deal. One thing I learned during last season was the center and the QB communicate at the line of scrimmage on protections. The center has the final say, but the QB has to be studied and aware. Austin Blythe was a second-team all-conference Big Ten pick. He performed at the NFL combine and likely will be a draft pick.

Four Downs: Iowa's 2016 quarterbacks

Iowa has had two centers (Blythe and James Ferentz) the last six seasons. So, no matter who it is, probably Daniels probably, expect a learning curve. I also think this is why Steve Ferentz has a shot. Daniels has shown he can play guard. Ferentz is a senior and probably knows all the moves.

— Boone Myers at guard is new. I think it'll probably work. I wrote a lot last season about how well he moves in space and that he hits his targets while on the move, be it defensive end or linebacker. I expect him to be a more nuanced player in his second year as a starter. There is a ton of technique and read that goes into what Iowa does (like when a technique or a step a D-linemen expects is suddenly something totally different).

Still, this is new. And I think the center position is kind of up for grabs. If Daniels were healthy for spring, no, I probably wouldn't be writing this, but I do think that's open. Daniels is going to play somewhere. I don't see anyone displacing right guard Sean Welsh, so Myers vs. Daniels maybe.

— I usually throw the ubiquitous term 'depth' in here. That's always the fallback. You can always argue that there's not enough.

With Iowa's O-line, I honestly can't do that. There's one senior in the bunch and a host of up-and-comers, including Brett Waechter, a probable future tackle at 6-5, 275. Waechter worked his way to the second unit at one point last season.

— This is a 'getting way ahead of things' kind of a question. I do think Iowa's O-line will be able to trade punches with any team on Iowa's schedule, but can it be a factor in the postseason? I'm not calling it for Iowa to make it back to the Big Ten title game (which actually counts as part of the regular season, I learned that from the Drew Ott fifth-year thing), but the Hawkeyes are going to be a favorite in the B1G West.

Iowa certainly will make it to a bowl game. The Hawkeyes have lost four straight bowls while scoring 14, 14, 28 (most of which came in junk time against Tennessee in the TaxSlayer Bowl) and 16. Bowls aren't the be-all end-all, but the Hawkeyes are going to want to do more damage than that.

3rd Down — Additions/Subtractions

Blythe was a three-year starter. Losing his talent and experience is going to leave a mark, no doubt. It's kind of a double whammy at center with Eric Simmons also being a departing senior. He mostly played center. He did get a look at guard last spring when Welsh left the team for personal reasons. I thought Simmons might break into some playing time as a senior, but the Hawkeyes do lose their Nos. 1 and 2 centers, which probably explains why Daniels, a true sophomore, had such a clear shot to the job. (OK, as we discussed above, it's not totally clear.) That and Daniels was a 4-star recruit who showed signs of being a thumper as a true freshman. He's good. It somewhat softens the blow of losing Blythe, who'll take a Google of knowledge with him to the NFL.

Jordan Walsh played his best football as a senior, earning first-team all-Big Ten at the guard spot. He developed finishing power and mentality (though talking to him, you won't find a more laid-back personality). He wasn't invited to the combine, but I still think he'll be a draft pick and, if things break right, he could have a career in the NFL.

Redshirt freshmen who'll be in the mix: G/C Jake Newborg, T Levi Paulsen, T Landan Paulsen, T Waechter. Will any of them be in the mix? Going off what was said during the Rose Bowl, Waechter might earn a spot on the two deep. I think the other three still might be in development. None of the four are listed on the spring two deep.

Let's put it this way, if any of the four earns a spot, they will have displaced a standing starter. I don't see that happening.

Iowa signed three O-linemen in the 2016 class: G Spencer Williams, G Cole Banwart, T Alaric Jackson. I don't see any of them playing in 2016. Jackson is an important recruit. He's a 3-star who stands 6-7 and weighs 280. He's played just two years of football, so a lot of development is going to have to happen. The starter's kit, though, is what you're looking for at tackle.

Spring depth chart

Left tackle: Cole Croston, Boone Myers

Left guard: Myers, Ryan Ward

Center: James Daniels, Steve Ferentz

Right guard: Sean Welsh, Keagan Render

Right tackle: Ike Boettger, Dalton Ferguson

2nd Down — Battles Brewing

Let's start with this question: Has Myers seen his last days as a tackle? Probably not. He is listed as the No. 2 behind Croston, the only senior starter. If any tackle is injured this year, Myers is probably next tackle in. Also, he could take over for Croston at left tackle in 2017, which would be Myers' senior year.

The fact that Myers, who only played guard in the Rose Bowl, is listed No. 1 left guard says he's one of Iowa's five best. There will be some adjustment from guard to tackle, but he's a good athlete. It'll work.

Myers' move is another train car on the railroad at guard. Going into spring senior Ryan Ward is listed No. 2. Sophomore Keagan Render is listed No. 2 on the other side, behind Welsh. I also wouldn't be surprised if any one of the four redshirt freshmen make an appearance here and then, of course, there's the aforementioned center scenario that would push Daniels to the guard pool. He would win a spot.

I expect little to no competition at tackle. Croston rounded out to become a top three OL for Iowa last season (Blythe is my 1 with Walsh/Welsh at 2, so, I guess, technically, that makes Croston No. 4). Yes, Croston and Myers gave up sacks against the Big Ten's top pass rushers. Wisconsin's Joe Schobert and Michigan State's Shilique Calhoun will get paid to play next year. And Stanford happened. It happened to everyone, though, not just the tackles. In my opinion, Croston was maybe the biggest surprise on the team last season. OK, he's my No. 1 surprise, with RB Akrum Wadley a close No. 2 and . . . maybe George Kittle No. 3? That one is up for debate.

Boettger anchored in at right tackle until a high-ankle sprain sidelined him for most of the final eight games. He did return for the Rose Bowl. I expect him to again anchor in at right tackle. He's got great size and is a competitor. He'll pick up where he left off, so that's why I don't see any competition at tackle.

Scholarship players

Seniors: T Cole Croston (6-5, 295), G Mitch Keppy (6-5, 300), G Ryan Ward (6-5, 290)

Juniors: T Ike Boettger (6-6, 300), G Boone Myers (6-5, 300), G Sean Welsh (6-3, 288)

Sophomores: G/C Lucas LeGrand (6-5, 280), G Keagan Render (6-4, 305), G Ross Reynolds (6-4, 300), C James Daniels (6-4, 285)

Redshirt freshmen: G/C Jake Newborg (6-3, 280), T Levi Paulsen (6-5, 290), T Landan Paulsen (6-5, 290), T Brett Waechter (6-5, 275)

True freshmen: G Spencer Williams (6-3, 275), G Cole Banwart (6-4, 280), T Alaric Jackson (6-7, 285)

Prominent walk-ons

Senior: Steve Ferentz (6-2, 278)

Sophomore: Dalton Ferguson (6-4, 307)

1st Down — In Summary

Five finishing thoughts on what needs to happen for the best-case scenario.

1 Develop.

You saw a lot of writer-type people call Iowa a 'maxed out' football team as far as squeezing every ounce of talent it could get out of players. And, to a certain extent, that was true. That was true last year.

Offensive lines and the people who play on offensive lines are dynamic. College football bodies have the opportunity to change every winter/offseason. That will be where this group gains.

Or let's put it this way, James Daniels was 6-4, 285 walking in the doors from high school last season. He might still be 6-4, 285, but the 285 might be a different 285 (depending how much he's able to train after the January surgery).

Guys do plateau. It happens. It doesn't happen to depth charters, not usually.

2 Protect C.J. Beathard.

Of course. Elementary. There's also that point where Beathard went from thrower to runner. It was a massive factor at Iowa State and it ebbed and flowed with his sports hernia injury. Can O-lines really set the table for something like that? Yes, sure, but it all relies on doing the job in front of them. This comes at the QB's discretion. CJB had an eye for this and, if healthy, I expect him to pull this lever a lot in 2016.

And then there's the sacks allowed stat from 2015. No, all sacks aren't the same (kind of like all drops aren't the same), but Iowa had 30.0 hung on it last season, 13th in the Big Ten.

3 Get Daniels healthy and engaged.

He's going to be the center. This is a big deal. Daniels and sophomore cornerback Joshua Jackson were the two players Kirk Ferentz said would miss spring because of surgery. It's spring, it's not the end of the world, but you want the new center totally engaged and Iowa probably is going to be short of corners for spring practice.

4 Experimentation.

You hear Iowa O-linemen say time again that the ability to switch between guard and tackle isn't a huge deal, but, at the same time, it's important. This showed up last season with Welsh sliding out to tackle for the Northwestern game (because of injuries). There was a lot of experimenting for the Rose Bowl. The timing probably wasn't great on that. Still, it's a healthy exercise.

5 Hit the pedal on aggression.

As far as attitude and statement, Iowa's OL is the tip of the Hawkeyes' spear. You've seen the signs from the O-line room in the Hansen Performance Center.

'We are: Tough, Smart, Physical'

'We will be: Feared, Respected, Hated'

Ranking Ferentz era rushing results

1. 2002 — 553 carries for 2,784 yards, 214.2 per game, 5.03

per carry

2. 2015 — 568

for 2,544 yards, 181.7, 4.48

3. 2008 — 515 for 2,453 yards, 188.7, 4.76

4. 2013 — 557 for 2,339 yards, 179.9, 4.19

5. 2003 — 535 for 2,241 yards, 172.4, 4.18

6. 2014 — 514 for 2,120 yards, 163.1, 4.12

7. 2001 — 488 for 2,104 yards, 175.3, 4.31

8. 2005 — 436 for 2,093 yards, 174.7, 4.80

9. 2010 — 449 for 1,929 yards, 148.4, 4.29

10. 2006 — 432 for 1,865 yards, 143.5, 4.31

11. 2011 — 454 for 1,790 yards, 137.7, 3.94

12. 2007 — 438 for 1,515 yards, 126.2, 3.45

13. 2009 — 454 for 1,485 yards, 114.2, 3.27

14. 2012 — 404 for 1,476 yards, 123.0, 3.65

15. 2000 — 403 for 1,090 yards, 90.8, 2.70

16. 1999 — 339 for 1,028 yards, 93.5, 3.03

17. 2006 — 428 for 871 yards, 72.6, 2.03

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com