Rusty Feth embraces ‘great opportunity’ on Iowa’s offensive line

IOWA CITY — Rusty Feth usually is “not much of a picture guy.”

Last week was different for the 6-foot-5 offensive lineman, though.

The Miami (Ohio) transfer finally adorned Iowa’s home football uniforms as an official member of the Hawkeyes during a preseason photo shoot.

“It was really cool putting that on, seeing myself in there for the first time,” Feth said.

It was one aspect of Feth’s acclimation to Iowa over the last month after committing to Iowa in the winter and graduating from Miami in May.

“It’s a great opportunity for me,” Feth told reporters Wednesday. “By being here at Iowa, I think that’s top tier — like one of the best places I could put myself in.”

Feth “wanted to be here for sure” in the spring, but the sports management student first needed to finish school at Miami (Ohio), a public university about 30 miles northwest of Cincinnati.

“I was like a normal student for a semester, so that was a little weird,” Feth said. “I like being busy, and I like playing football obviously.”

Taking a few months off from football had its perks, though.

“As much as I wanted to be here, it was a good break on my body,” Feth said. “I’ve played a lot of football, so it was good to get the rest, get the time that I wouldn’t have had.”

Feth stayed connected with his future school during that time. Along with attending Iowa’s open spring practice in April, he spent roughly a week in Iowa City “learning the playbook.”

“It’s not as much learning what the plays are,” Feth said. “It’s more so learning what it’s called, learning the terminology.”

He moved in on campus eight days after graduating from Miami with a sports management degree and business minor.

Feth’s first month in Iowa City has been a reunion between Feth and Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett, who recruited him to the RedHawks. Barnett was on the Miami staff from 2014-20.

“It’s cool getting back into the routine with him, getting back with the way he coaches,” Feth said. “Great, great guy. He cares about the person first versus the player first.”

While there are some differences in technique between Barnett’s RedHawks and Barnett’s Hawkeyes — aiming points are “more of a priority here,” for example — Feth’s familiarity with his position coach has been helpful.

“A lot of the stuff that we do at practice, I’ve done before,” Feth said.

Feth is expected to be in the mix at guard rather than center, where he has most recently played.

“We feel pretty good about our center right now,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said last month before a donor event in Cedar Rapids. “But I think (Feth) also gives us a safety valve at center, which is really nice.”

Barring a change between now and September, Feth will be returning to a position he has not played since 2020.

All 773 offensive snaps Feth took in 2022 with the RedHawks were at center, according to Pro Football Focus, along with all 866 offensive snaps in 2021. Feth was at guard in 2019 and 2020, taking 650 snaps at either left or right guard in the two seasons.

The Miami transfer is “comfortable anywhere” on the inside.

“It’s a harder adjustment going from guard to center than it is from going center to guard,” Feth said. “I’m comfortable playing center, but I really, really love playing guard.”

The veteran offensive lineman is using his extra COVID-19 year of eligibility this year.

“The one good thing that came from COVID is I got next year, and I’m trying to make the most of it.”

Feth has to wait a little longer before he’s wearing the Hawkeyes’ signature black-and-gold uniforms for more than just a photo shoot.

“Can’t wait for the first padded practices and stuff like that,” Feth said. “And the games obviously.”

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com