Coming off a 10-4 season may lead many Iowa fans to have high expectations for 2024 but there are doubters that the Hawkeyes will be able to make an impact when they have the ball, and now its new offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s job to turn those skeptics into believers. For years, Iowa has held the reputation of being tough on defense and “hold your breath ” on offense, and last year did nothing to disprove that, as the Hawkeyes were ranked 132nd out of 133 teams in total offense. Yet, Lester may be the right individual to make Iowa every bit as intimidating on offense as they are on defense.
Will Things Change Under Coach Ferentz?
Coaches are notorious for maintaining a stubborn loyalty to their philosophy, and with Kirk Ferentz entering his 26th season at the helm of the Hawkeyes’ program, there is no indication that his will change. However, after a year that saw their defense dominate under Phil Parker as was reported by Andrew Kusleika of Grid Iron Heroics, the chasm between that and his offense motivated Ferentz to make a concerted effort to get it moving in the right direction. This culminated with the hiring of Tim Lester, who represents a distinct break from the offensive philosophy of the past. It also led to Coach Ferentz stating emphatically that the offense will look different in 2024.
Lester Brings A New Dynamic to Iowa
Tim Lester, unlike many Iowa offensive coordinators before him, comes to the Hawkeyes with a “run first” philosophy. While it is common for former quarterbacks such as Lester to focus on the pass option, the new Iowa OC is approaching his game planning in the reverse. At his introductory Hawkeye press conference covered by the Associated Press, he stated that his NFL experience demonstrated to him that to have a successful passing game, you must first be able to gain yards on the ground. This is an important point given that Iowa did not have a single running back crack the top 140 in the rushing rankings.
There Have Been Challenges
Spring practice is the first time for a new offensive coordinator to assess what he will be working within the coming year. However, projected starting quarterback Cade McNamara is still recovering from his season-ending knee injury he sustained the previous year, limiting his ability to fully participate in spring drills. Ferentz stated that for the time being, his doctors “don’t want him running around or doing any sudden movements.” This means that Lester will have only a limited window to see what McNamara can do before the opening kickoff.
The One That Got Away
One of the areas that Iowa definitely wanted to focus on was its offensive line, as being able to run the ball successfully is largely dependent on the big guys up front opening up holes. So you can imagine the buzz on campus when Alabama star Kadyn Proctor enrolled at Iowa after entering the transfer portal. The former five-star recruit started all 14 of the Crimson Tide’s games in 2023. But that hope soon turned to disappointment for Lester and the Hawkeye faithful when Proctor suddenly changed his mind and re-enrolled at Alabama only two months after first arriving at Iowa. This means Lester will have to find new solutions for both their running game and pass protection.
New Recruits Could Make A Difference
The Hawkeyes did make true efforts to better their offensive options. One of their solid signings from the 2024 recruiting cycle was 6’5″ tight end Gavin Hoffman. The four-star recruit has exceptional speed for that position and should provide McNamara with an excellent target. In addition, to better their front, the Hawkeyes were able to acquire 6’6″, 275-pound offensive tackle, Will Nolan. The four-star recruit according to Rivals.com has excellent footwork and surprising quickness for someone his size. Nolan should be able to start to build a foundation for a strong offensive line.
A Favorable Schedule Will Help
The Hawkeyes have one of the more forgiving schedules in the Big 10. Though their first test will be against the pesky Minnesota Gophers in game four, they will have a bye week before having to face their toughest opponent, Ohio State in Week 6. As their season continues, they will face the rebuilding Washington Huskies in the second half of the season, with their next possible top-15 opponent being Wisconsin on November 2nd. The Hawkeyes will open their season on August 31st against Illinois State.
