Iowa football: Know your 2019 opponents, Rutgers

We sat down with a College Football Editor at CBS Sports to find out a little bit more about what to expect from the 2019 football team.

Q: Artur Sitkowski had a rough go of it last season. I see he is penciled in as the starter on the early depth charts. What are your thoughts on him and do you see him taking a big leap in 2019?

A: One would assume when you throw 18 interceptions to just four touchdowns and complete merely 49 percent of your passes as a freshman, the only way to move is up in your sophomore season, and Sitkowski likely will show some sort of improvement in his second year. Still, seeing any sort of significant improvement is a responsibility that heavily falls on the coaching staff in terms of developing a young quarterback, and in that regard, I have very little faith in Chris Ash’s staff to rise to the occasion there. He’ll mature and improve slightly, but the fact of the matter is that he simply doesn’t have the overall support around him — coaching staff and teammates — to do a complete 180.

Q: What are your thoughts on having a B1G game scheduled so early in the season?

A: For a team such as Iowa football team, that returns some key starters this season, a conference game against a bottom-dweller the likes of Rutgers is not a bad thing at all. In the second week of the season, this will provide a chance for this Hawkeyes squad to solidify its rhythm coming in from the offseason against a Big Ten opponent that will at least provide some sort of worthy test with rival Iowa State — no slouch in the Big 12 anymore — looming ahead the very next week.

Q: What playmakers on offense should Iowa football fans be aware of coming into the 2019 season? What about defense?

A: On the offensive side of the ball, I’m fairly optimistic about sophomore wide receiver Daevon Robinson. A three-star prospect in the 2018 class, Robinson started four games last season — but at tight end. They made the decision in the offseason to move him to his more natural position of wide receiver, and throughout the spring, he’s been pretty impressive in a more comfortable role. He could be a playmaker with the ball in his hands and could contribute to the progression of Sitkowski we discussed earlier. On defense, the Scarlet Knights will see the return of redshirt sophomore defensive end Tijuan Mason, who suffered a devastating leg fracture in the opener last season. Mason proved to be a disruptive force in Rutgers’ spring game, and he certainly has the ability to be a thorn in the side of top-quality opponents.

Q: Do you expect any freshman to get significant time on the field this year?

A: The only “freshman” I could foresee making any sort of noticeable impact on this roster may not even have the opportunity to. Redshirt freshman Johnny Langan transferred back to his home state of New Jersey after Boston College proposed a position switch, but he’s still awaiting word on whether his NCAA hardship waiver will be granted. You mention that Sitkowski is penciled in as the starter, and what’s interesting is that Ash specifically mentioned Langan’s eligibility being up in the air as one of the reasons a starting QB has yet to be definitively named. Assuming Langan is granted his waiver — a ruling that’s becoming more and more common — then a move to him could be made quickly if the Sitkowski experiment goes off the rails early.

Q: What are your expectations for Rutgers football this season?

A: In my opinion, Ash should have been removed following last season, but silly of me to expect Rutgers football to make a sound decision. Looking up and down the schedule, it’s hard to imagine this team winning more than three games in 2019, then maybe they’ll finally see a complete overhaul is in order. Or not because it is Rutgers.

A special thank you to Jack Crosby over at the CbS Sports for taking the time to answer some questions for us. You can follow him on Twitter (@JackCrosby1423).