Four Downs — Iowa's 2016 Wide receivers/tight ends

Let's check out the 2016 Hawkeyes right here, right now in the dead cold of January. We'll cover all the positions. Probably one a day for the next week or so. We'll get to recruiting, but let's check and see what the Hawkeyes will be working with in 2016, as the team attempts to follow-up the winningest season in school history.

QUICK LOOK BACK: To say wide receiver Matt VandeBerg emerged in 2015 would be a massive understatement. The senior from Brandon, S.D., nearly tripled his career receptions last season, finishing with 65 for 703 yards and four TDs. The 65 catches were third on Iowa's season receptions list behind 82 from Marvin McNutt in 2011 and Kevin Kasper in 2000. The 703 yards are tied for 29th for a season (Scott Helverson 703 in 1985).

VandeBerg was a big reason why Iowa's short-passing game had success in 2015. The idea behind the short passes is using those instead of running the ball. VandeBerg showed a knack for catching that pass (the blocking worked, too, and the ball was almost always delivered on time and where it needed to be placed by QB C.J. Beathard).

2015 senior Tevaun Smith gave Iowa a deep threat, averaging 17.59 yards on 32 receptions (second in the B1G).

Iowa lost 2015 senior tight end Jake Duzey with a torn patellar tendon on the second-to-last practice in spring. 2015 senior Henry Krieger Coble and senior George Kittle combined to make for one supremely productive tight end, catching 55 passes for 695 yards and seven TDs.

Sophomore Jerminic Smith wasn't asked to do a ton during his true freshman season, but the one time he really was counted on, he came through with four catches for 118 yards against Illinois. It was one of Iowa's four 100-yard receiving efforts in 2015 (Tevaun Smith had two and VandeBerg had the other).

4th Down — Critical Questions

With Tevaun Smith's graduation, who'll provide the explosion?

It was one of the nagging questions (OK, maybe 'nagging question' isn't the term, maybe 'obvious conclusion') you had coming out of the Rose Bowl. It also was kind of chicken-egg. QB C.J. Beathard was sacked seven times (a lot) and was hit many more, but Iowa receivers not getting open contributed to a frustrating day for Iowa's offense.

In the run-heavy Big Ten West, you can get away with this. Iowa's offense produced less than 300 yards in five games last season. It won the first three (Wisconsin, Maryland and Nebraska — yes, Maryland isn't Big Ten West, but at 3-9 it wasn't much of anything). When Iowa reached what we'll call 'tournament-level football,' the offense failed to produce 300 yards (268 vs. Michigan State; 287 vs. Stanford) and the Hawkeyes lost.

A huge point here is Iowa rushed for just 51 vs. MSU and 71 vs. Stanford and we'll get to that. The receiving group needs explosion. That's a bottom line every year for Iowa and that leads us to Jerminic Smith, who, yes, caught only six passes but also, yes, averaged 23.5 yards a catch. That's pretty good. That's something you can build on.

Beyond Jerminic Smith, there's redshirt freshman Emmanuel Ogwo. 'He's fast, he has national speed. In terms of track, there's some stuff he did nationally last summer. We were nervous some bigger schools track-wise would come after him. He's fast. There's an upside there that we're excited about,' Iowa assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Seth Wallace said last winter.

On the tight end side of things, the big question is replacing Krieger Coble's clutch. During one stretch in '15, Krieger Coble, a Senior Bowl invitee (that's the really good NFL prospects bowl game, BTW), caught nine consecutive passes for first downs.

Kittle is a given. His blocking has climbed the charts, matching his top skillset, which is that of an excellent 'move' TE. He'll be there, who else will be? Sophomore Jameer Outsey has the inside track right now. He'll have to hold off juniors Jon Wisnieski and Peter Pekar.

3rd Down — Additions/Subtractions

Obviously, a lot went right in 2015 for the Hawkeyes. 12-0 and all, you know. There is little to regret across the board. The Hawkeyes maximized.

If there are any pangs offensively (beyond Beathard and the hip/groin and RB Jordan Canzeri being robbed of maybe five games with ankle injuries), it might be the lost season of Duzey and the lost few games of Tevaun Smith. Duzey's story is crappy. Really, there's no other way to put it. (For the record, he wanted to try to come back for his senior year, he didn't want to attempt a medical hardship waiver. He said it was time to give it a try and move on.) The patellar injury changed everything about his game. He went into 2015 with 58 career receptions. He might've been targeted once and was relegated to third TE on goal line. Unfortunately, he suffered another major knee injury during Rose Bowl prep.

Smith lost two games to a sprained knee. He still had a productive '15, with 32 catches for 563 yards and three TDs. Let the record show, Smith did the first 'dab' celebration in Iowa football history (maybe the only?).

Krieger Coble went into his final season as a Hawkeye with seven career receptions. He ended his senior year with 35 for 405 yards and a TD, which came in his final game at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa's 2016 recruiting class has the potential to restock the tight end position. Omaha, Neb., prep Noah Fant (6-5, 210) would be a great fit in a 'move' TE role. Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Shaun Beyer might end up starting out as a 'big' WR (kind of like Scott Chandler did), but at 6-5, 210 and with athleticism (can high jump 6-9), he might be a unique TE weapon. Chariton's T.J. Hockenson (6-5, 230) might be the most pure TE of the group. He's an Iowa prep record holder with 238 receptions for 3,560 yards and 49 touchdowns during his career. True freshmen TEs haven't done a lot historically, so let that be the brake pumping portion of this thought.

Incoming WRs Frank Darby (6-1, 180) and Devonte Young (6-0, 191) might have the size to contribute in their first seasons.

2nd Down — Battles Brewing

VandeBerg is locked in. He'll enter his senior season with 87 career receptions. If he clocks in with, let's say, 50 in 2016, he'll finish at the top for career receptions. The January depth chart also installed Jerminic Smith as a starter, with McCarron getting the nod over Falconer for No. 3 receiver.

● Can McCarron hold off Falconer? McCarron caught five passes for 56 yards and a TD. You remember the 25-yard game-winner against Iowa State in the final two minutes at Ames last year, right? This post is dotted with players whose profiles went from zero to 60 mph in a season. McCarron, who was put on scholarship last August, also held the somewhat thankless job of being the wide receiver in the 22 (two backs, two TEs) formation. No, this WR doesn't see a lot of footballs go his way, but it was a job that once was held by VandeBerg. We have no idea what Falconer can be. He earned more special teams duties late in the season (he was on kickoff, kick return and hands teams), but he had just one target. This definitely counts as a battle.

● We talked a little about No. 2 TE between Outsey, Wisnieski and Pekar. Outsey was No. 3 TE before suffering an undisclosed injury at some point around maybe Illinois. Will Iowa have to reach into the true freshmen?

● Sophomore WR Jay Scheel, hounded by a knee injury his first few seasons in IC, is a local (Mount Auburn) and everyone Iowa has expectations set pretty high. He cracked the two deep going into August, but lost ground to J. Smith and Falconer and didn't see significant action. It's a new year for him.

Returning wide receivers — Matt VandeBerg (6-1, 185, sr.), Riley McCarron (5-9, 186, sr.), Jonathan Parker (5-8, 185, jr.) Andre Harris (6-0, 185, jr.), Jerminic Smith (6-1, 180, so.), Adrian Falconer (6-1, 180, so.), Emmanuel Ogwo (6-0, 170, #fr.).

Returning walk-ons — Brandon Bishop (5-9, 170, so.), Connor Keane (6-1, 195, jr.), Ronald Nash (6-2, 210, jr.)

Incoming — Frank Darby (6-1, 180, fr.), Devonte Young (6-0, 191, fr.)

Returning tight ends — George Kittle (6-4, 235, sr.), Jon Wisnieski (6-5, 247, jr.), Jameer Outsey (6-3, 235, so.), Nate Vejvoda (6-5, 215, #fr.)

Returning walk-ons — Peter Pekar (6-4, 245, jr.), Nate Wieting (6-4, 225, #fr.) 

Incoming — Shaun Beyer (6-5, 210, fr.), Noah Fant (6-5, 210, fr.), T.J. Hockenson (6-5, 230, fr.)

1st Down — In Summary

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

● Jerminic Smith and Ogwo give Iowa a duo that throw some fear into outside coverage and blow the top off defenses. (Beathard has an arm opponents need to respect.)

● VandeBerg is in a lot of ways the perfect self-made sort of player. He continues his growth and punches in for another 60-plus reception season (moving chains, giving Iowa that quick-game option).

● The McCarron-Falconer competition builds a tough-minded winner (probably don't expect huge numbers).

● A TE develops the one-on-one ability that Krieger Coble mastered last season. (Iowa made a living off HKC in the final third of the season.)

● Kittle refines his game to the point where he reads and exploits coverages the way VandeBerg does. (Kittle was perhaps Iowa's most improved player in 2015, blocking, receiving, everything considered).

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