COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: #50 IOWA

OFFENSE

For the first time since the 1998 season, somebody other than Ken O’Keefe will be calling plays for the Iowa offense. Former Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis was hired to replace O’Keefe for the same job at Iowa. Davis takes over an offense that returns a 3,000-yard passer from last season in senior James Vandenberg, but also one that has to replace the school’s all-time leading receiver in Marvin McNutt, as well as leading rusher Marcus Coker.


Keenan Davis is coming off a junior season in which he caught 50 passes for 713 yards and four touchdowns. He becomes the featured receiver, and sophomore Kevonte Martin-Manley will be the other starter.

Expect to see a lot of junior tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz, who late last season started living up to the enormous hype that followed him from high school, with 12 of his 16 catches coming in the final four games. “I’ve never had a tight end like C.J. with his size and his ability to play at the line of scrimmage and stretch the field,” Davis says.

Three starters have to be replaced on the offensive line, including All-Big Ten left tackle Riley Reiff. The anchor is senior center James Ferentz, the head coach’s son.

READ MORE: http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25/iowa-2012