5 observations from Iowa football’s 2024 Kids’ Day open practice

IOWA CITY — Iowa football’s showing during Saturday’s open practice was far from a finished work of art, nor is it expected to be with another three weeks to go until the season opener.

“We’re hardly game-ready,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said after Saturday’s practice. “First time we had officials out here, so I ran out of paper for penalties — a lot to clean up there. But I think overall, the effort was good.”

Saturday’s practice did show some encouraging signs, though, along with some possible reasons for concern. Here are five observations from the two-plus-hour practice:

Accuracy issues for Cade McNamara

Cade McNamara entered fall camp as the presumed first-team quarterback. Saturday’s practice did not do much to reaffirm that status, however.

McNamara had accuracy issues throughout the day, frequently failing to connect with receivers on short and medium-length routes that should be completed at a high percentage.

He did not have any completions on his first 11-on-11 drive, with his first 11-on-11 completion coming on a wide receiver screen during his second drive.

Cedar Rapids native Quinn Schulte picked off McNamara later during 11-on-11 drills as McNamara tried targeting tight end Addison Ostrenga on a quick in route. (Had the play not been blown dead, Schulte would have returned it for a touchdown with ease.)

McNamara went 4-of-8 during his drive in the two-minute drill, and all four completions were short of the first-down marker. (The drive only lasted as long as it did because of a rare defensive pass interference on Sebastian Castro on fourth-and-long.)

What fans and media alike saw on Saturday at quarterback was “probably a fair assessment” of what Ferentz has seen through nine practices.

“Like everything, not consistent enough at this point,” Ferentz said.

The one consolation from McNamara’s performance was his ability to scramble to extend plays (and even gain significant yardage). This was McNamara’s first open practice where he could participate in 11-on-11 drills after last year’s season-ending knee injury.

Asked if Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan — he looked better, but it was mostly with the second team — could see more first-team reps, Ferentz did not rule it out.

“We'll figure the numbers out, but we want to keep working him obviously,” Ferentz said.

Relatively mild injury situation

Iowa’s injury situation, while not perfect, appears to be better than usual at this point in fall camp.

Three first-team players — running back Leshon Williams, wide receiver Seth Anderson and safety Xavier Nwankpa — did not suit up for Saturday’s practice. Tight end Luke Lachey was in uniform, but did not participate in 11-on-11 drills.

Williams is among the “four or five guys that have been out with soft tissue injuries and stuff like that,” Ferentz said at Friday’s media day.

Nwankpa has “been nursing an injury” for part of fall camp, Ferentz said Saturday. Lachey “came up a little sore the other day” but is “fine” and “doing good.”

Others to not participate in Saturday’s practice include safety Koen Entringer, linebacker Jack Laughlin, wide receiver Dayton Howard and defensive back Kahlil Tate. Entringer was wearing a walking boot, and Laughlin was on crutches.

Playcalling creativity on display

In the public’s second chance to see Iowa’s new offensive scheme, Tim Lester showed more creativity in his playcalling than Iowa fans are used to seeing on that side of the ball.

Motion was a staple of the offense on Saturday, as it also was during the spring practice. But the creativity went beyond just instituting motion.

One example was a run where Sullivan faked a handoff to the running back and instead gave it to wide receiver Kaden Wetjen on an end-around for what turned into a gain of 13 yards to the 6-yard line. (Kaleb Johnson ran for a four-yard touchdown two plays later.)

Another example was a touch pass from Cade McNamara to Kamari Moulton. It only netted a gain of three yards against Iowa’s formidable defense, but it at least provided a different look during the practice.

Improvement evident on offensive line

When Iowa’s offense had success moving the ball during Saturday’s open practice, it was usually because of a rushing attack that benefited from an improved push from the offensive line.

Asked about the offensive line, Ferentz at times saw “some good things there.”

“We’re more mature than we’ve been, and that’s reason for optimism,” Ferentz said.

Four of the five starters from last year’s line were back at their usual positions during Saturday’s practice — left tackle Mason Richman, center Logan Jones, right guard Connor Colby and right tackle Gennings Dunker.

Beau Stephens was the first-team left guard on Saturday, as he has been throughout fall camp. Offensive line coach George Barnett said Stephens is “doing a tremendous job.”

“He’s consistent every day, way more consistent,” Barnett said at Iowa’s annual media day.

Sixth-year senior Nick DeJong has played guard before, but Barnett indicated the desire to keep DeJong on the outside after a “really good spring at tackle.”

“We can always move him inside, but we’re trying to keep him on the edge as much as possible right now,” Barnett said.

Rhys Dakin shows potential

Iowa’s punter position has remained in capable hands.

Rhys Dakin showcased his leg power — something both he and special teams coordinator LeVar Woods identified as a strength of his a day earlier at Iowa’s media day — during his Kids’ Day debut.

Along with some booming punts during warmups, he had a punt during the practice itself that went about 60 yards and landed inside the opposing 10-yard line. It also had a hang time that was near five seconds.

Other notes

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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