And then there were two (OL talk)

The real surprise was Dace Richardson. He seemed to leave the door open for a possible sixth year. Then, after the Orange Bowl, he went on the radio and said bye to the University of Iowa.

You could see Bryan Bulaga's exit coming. He played it down, not wanting to be a distraction, but his Orange Bowl was a past tense week. He announced for the NFL the next day.

So, Iowa is down to two returning offensive linemen for 2010. Senior Julian Vandervelde is the veteran with 24 career starts. Sophomore Riley Reiff had a promising first season, starting 11 games, including four at tackle.

Reiff, a 6-foot-6, 290-pounder, was a little bit of everything this season. When Bulaga was held out with a thyroid condition, the Parkston, S.D., native  made his first career start at left tackle at Iowa State. He took on Arizona's best pass rusher in Ricky Elmore and stood up. Then, he did just fine at Penn State.

When Bulaga came back, Reiff started the final seven games of the season at left guard. For the Orange Bowl, he was switched to right tackle, with Kyle Calloway, a 36-game starter at tackle, sliding inside (the same Kyle Calloway who's having a good East-West Shrine practice week).

He came out of Christmas break in the 290-range and trusts whatever weight range strength coach Chris Doyle has in mind for him.

Left tackle is a big deal. It's a money position in the NFL, as Bulaga is about to find out. Is that what Reiff wants?

“You know me,” Reiff said, “I'll play wherever they want me to. Just help out the team.”

It was a tough year for Vandervelde. He tore a pectoral muscle and had surgery in early summer. He missed all of fall camp and the UNI game while recovering. He came back and started four games at right guard. After Arkansas State, he was demoted into a rotation with Richardson. After Richardson broke an ankle against Michigan State, Vandervelde started the final five games.

Last spring, the 6-3, 300-pounder toyed with center, but he'll likely be needed at guard in '10.

So, Iowa goes into 2010 needing a center, guard and right tackle:

TACKLE

What Iowa will be missing here, more than anything else, is the five years Calloway spent in Iowa's weightroom and the accidental and essential genetics that made Bulaga a first-round NFL prospect.

Calloway was 320 pounds, or in that neighborhood, and Bulaga said he was 312 even after sitting three weeks with the thyroid.

Going into the winter workout sessions -- when Iowa players generally put on weight -- there is no 300-pounder at tackle. Now, that's not a dealbreaker by any means, but the strength factor could loom here. Five years in the weightroom is five years in the weightroom.

Reiff is one tackle, probably left.

Woody Orne (jr.) -- Orne sat out 2009 after transferring from South Dakota State. After redshirting in 2007, Orne

 was SDSU's lone representative on the 2008 Missouri Valley Conference all-newcomer team. He played in nine games with seven starts, playing right tackle the last five games of the season. He set strenght and conditioning records at SDSU with a 32-inch vertical jump and a 9-1 broad jump. He's listed 6-5, 295 on Iowa's website. Originally from Fairfield, he seemed to grow into his own and take off at SDSU. He should be a junior with two to play two this fall.

Markus Zusevics (jr.) -- This will be Zusevics first legit shot at the depth chart. He's seen light action in games the last two years. But this is the schedule he's been on. He came to Iowa a 6-5, 240-pounder who was a four-year winner as an outside hitter on the Prospect (Ill.) prep volleyball team. He also played for a state football champ in 2005. His latest weight (Orange Bowl media guide) is 278.

Nolan MacMillan (fr.) -- He was a good get for the 2009 recruiting class. Iowa beat out Michigan State among others for MacMillan, a Canadian who tuned up his game at The Hun School in New Jersey. The 6-6, 288-pounder nearly burned his redshirt this season, but was held back. He had an undisclosed injury during bowl practices and didn't participate.

Kyle Haganman (sr.) -- A walk-on senior from Osage, the 6-5, 285-pounder has quietly built his body. He's also been listed as a guard during his career, so he could be a possibility on the inside, too. During 2009, he was consistently in the mix with the No. 2 O-line.

Brett Van Sloten (fr.) -- The 6-7, 270-pounder did a little bit of everything at Decorah High School, earning all-state honors as a tight end/D-end. He was also an all-stater in basketball. He redshirted last season, his first as a full-fledged offensive lineman. He's probably a year away from challenging for a tackle spot, but who knows? His dad, Doug, was an O-lineman at Iowa State.

Matt Tobin (so.) -- The 6-6, 275-pound walk-on played a lot of scout team, I believe, during the Orange Bowl prep. In August, he ran with the No. 3 unit at right tackle. He's a second-team all-stater out of Dyersville Beckman. Might be able to challenge with a big winter in the weightroom.

Andrew Donnal (fr.) -- The 6-7, 285-pounder recently played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. From

 Whitehouse, Ohio, Donnal is rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com. He'll likely redshirt with a eye on tackle for 2011 or 2012.

Brandon Scherff (fr.) -- Midway through his junior year, Scherff played QB for Denison-Schleswig. He grew. He'll come to Iowa listed at 6-6, 295. He's also told HawkeyeReport.com that he wants to play O-line, so there are no tight end pains lingering here. That's a good thing. Probably a redshirt, but a definite tackle prospect.

Michael Stoeker (fr.) -- He's a 6-5, 300-pounder from Johnston who's walking on this fall. He could also end up inside, but 6-5 puts him in tackle range.

Cole Heissel (fr.) -- He's a 6-6, 240-pounder from LeMars Gehlen Catholic who'll walk-on this fall. With his size, he's a good get as a walk-on. He could develop to play just about anywhere on the OL and maybe even DL.  

GUARD

Vandervelde is probably one of the guards, unless he finds himself at center. I think that window shut last spring, but he might want to give it a try. It might be his best path to the NFL, where guards clock in at 320.

For the '10 Hawkeyes, though, Vandervelde is needed at guard.

Also, keep in mind that future tackles have been "broken in" on the inside the last few seasons. Bulaga started his true freshman season in 2007 as a guard. Reiff played seven games at guard last season. That could open the door.

Orne -- See above.

MacMillan -- See above. (Future tackle breaking in at guard?)

Haganman -- See above.

Adam Gettis (jr.) -- He started catching the eyes of the coaching staff late in '08. He started at guard during the

season opener and had some struggles. He didn't see meaningful minutes again the rest of the season. The 6-4, 280-pounder's body has been a bit of a project. He came in from Lincoln Way East (Ill.) listed at 235. He's listed 280 now, but that might be on the big side. If his game takes another step this season, he might give the Hawkeyes options on the inside, as in Vandervelde at C.

Casey McMillan (so.) -- The 6-4, 305-pounder hasn't seen the depth chart in his career, at least not yet. From Billings, Mont., this was a giant step up in competition. One thing we learned last season, the light turns on a different times for players. Where is his game now? Hard to tell. He wore a white No. 90 jersey during Orange Bowl practices, but that was likely for scout team. He still went through O-line drills.

Cody Hundertmark (jr.) -- After three seasons on defense (including a redshirt in '08 while undergoing shoulder surgery), Hundertmark made the switch to O-line sometime in December. He was a D-end in '09, so you know he's got some athleticism to him. What is he on the O-line? He's listed at 6-4, 280. That might cut it at guard. He could also be a center. If he grabs PT, he'll have climbed a lot of bodies on the depth chart in a very short period of time.

Drew Clark (fr.) -- Clark redshirted this season. I'm putting him at guard because he seems like one at 6-4, 270, but I'm sure I would've written the same about Marshal Yanda, who was about 6-4 and guard-like. I would've been wrong. Smart kid, an engineering major. Possible center candidate, maybe.

Tyrel Detweiler (jr.) -- A junior walk-0n. He's got size at 6-4, 312. Hasn't hit the depth chart yet.

Tommy Gaul (fr.) -- A walk-on from West Des Moines Dowling, he will need some time to build up his body, which is 6-3, 225. That makes me think, perhaps, that he could be a long snapper? I don't know, though.

CENTER

Josh Koeppel (sr.) -- The former walk-on from City High has steadily climbed the ladder and this should be his time. He was No. 3 in 2008 and No. 2 last season. In 2008, he was used as a third tight end on goal line situations, so he has a degree of trust from the coaching staff. The knock? Well, it remains to be seen if it's a knock, but Koeppel is 6-2(ish) and listed at 267. He'll have his hands full with bigger Big Ten tackles. That said, it's worked before, just last year, in fact, with Rafael Eubanks (6-2ish and 280-ish).

James Ferentz (so.) -- Career probably stalled some last season with the off-the-field. It cost him some spring practice and a game suspension. With a clean slate, the 6-2, 265-pounder should be a hungry player this spring. It's his third season, I imagine that's when the "I should be playing alarm" really kicks in. With a big winter (read positive weight gain), he could also be a candidate at guard, but center seems to be his home this year or next.

Conor Boffeli (fr.) -- Listed at 6-4, 250 going into his redshirt freshman season, the West Des Moines Valley grad could be positioned as the center of the future. Probably a couple years away body-wise. Played tight end at Valley.

 Hundertmark -- See above.

Vandervelde -- You never know. He might've made the switch if it weren't for the torn pec last summer.

What it might look like:

LT -- Reiff (This seems logical)

LG -- MacMillan (The guard-to-tackle model)

C -- Koeppel (Seniority)

RG -- Vandervelde (Spreads out the experience)

RT -- Orne/Zusevics (Close call here. Maybe one moves inside)

Let me know what you think. No ideas are too crazy. I think at this time last year I had James Ferentz in at center. (But, I did have Reiff starting at guard, so yeah.)