Iowa Hawkeyes: Inside The January Depth Chart – Offense
By Ryan Milroy
The Iowa Hawkeyes finished 2015 ninth in the AP poll, the program’s best such mark since finishing seventh after 2009. The accomplishments of 2015 should never be diminished: undefeated regular season, Big Ten West Champions, first Rose Bowl appearance in 25 years. This was the most successful and more importantly the most fun Hawkeye Football has been in a long time.
Unfortunately, in the fast moving industry that is college football, the pages turn fast. Less than a week after the bitter Rose Bowl blowout, Kirk Ferentz got to stand in front of the media and release his depth chart heading into 2016 Spring practice. Ferentz made it clear that this was a January depth chart and nothing final until August. In the next week at Dear Old Gold, I will be breaking down the new depth chart position by position. Nothing is final until August, but that won’t stop us from talking about it. So today, the offense.
Quarterbacks
1st: C.J. Beathard (Sr.) 2nd: Tyler Wiegers (So.)
Quarterback was the talk of the inaugural January depth chart in 2015. It was the landmark day where the Hawkeyes committed to C.J. Beathard over Jake Rudock. Thankfully, there is not as much to talk about this year.
After a widely successful season as a starter, Beathard will take the offseason to heal nagging groin and hip injuries. Beathard remains the unquestioned starter and will be in contention for some preseason All-Big Ten recognition. Quarterback is as stable as it gets in Iowa City.
We saw very little from Wiegers this year, he was highly touted out of Detroit Country Day when the Hawks signed him and looks like a prototype at six foot four, two hundred twenty-two pounds. Rivals rated Wiegers as a four-star player when Iowa signed him. It’s hard to imagine Wiegers seeing the field while Beathard is around.
Next: Offensive Backfield