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Iowa football: With clean pocket, Nate Stanley is dangerous

By Andrew Wade

IOWA CITY, IOWA- NOVEMBER 10: Quarterback Nate Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes is tripped up on a keeper during the first half by defensive end Earnest Brown #98 of the Northwestern Wildcats on November 10, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- NOVEMBER 10: Quarterback Nate Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes is tripped up on a keeper during the first half by defensive end Earnest Brown #98 of the Northwestern Wildcats on November 10, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /
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The Iowa football team hopes to have an explosive passing offense this season, and if they keep Nate Stanley clean, they will.

Following in the footsteps of Ricky Stanzi and Drew Tate, Nate Stanley is about to become the third three-year starter in the Kirk Ferentz era for the Iowa football program.

With high expectations for the program entering their third seasons at the helm, the Iowa football program struggled both times.

Stanzi put up a great statistical senior season but the Iowa football team regressed from 11-2 to 8-5. Under Tate, the Iowa football team went from 10-2 to 7-5 to 6-7. Granted, Tate was struggling with an injury during his senior season, but the point still stands.

A lot is riding on Nate Stanley to help break this disturbing trend developing when the Iowa football team has an experienced signal caller.

According to Pro Football Focus, the answer is quite simple.

Just keep the pocket clean for Stanley, and he will do the rest. Last season, Nate Stanley had the second-highest passer rating (of returning QBs) when throwing from a clean pocket, right behind Michigan’s Shea Patterson.

Fortunately for Nate Stanley and the Iowa football team, that shouldn’t be a problem. While the Iowa football team is losing two interior offensive linemen (who just signed UDFA deals in the NFL) from last year’s squad (Ross Reynolds and Keegan Render), there are experienced or high-ceiling players stepping in. Moreover, protecting Stanley from the Big Ten’s slew of great edge rushers are two of the best pass protectors in the Big Ten.

Alaric Jackson and Tristan Wirfs are getting a lot of love from NFL scouts, and they are getting a lot of love from the analytical community as well. Pro Football Focus ranked Jackson first and Wirfs third in the entire Big Ten in pass-blocking grades for tackles.

If those juniors plus the shuffling interior offensive line can gel in time for the football season to begin, Nate Stanley will not only reverse the trend but he will flip the Iowa football record books on its side as he is in line to break a few Chuck Long records with a good season.

Next. Three Iowa football records that could be broken. dark

Good things come to those who wait, and we could be looking at a fun 2019 Iowa football season.

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