Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa football team will be relying on junior wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette to take a big step forward in 2019.
The Big Ten Media Days have concluded and Kirk Ferentz provided some clarity for his 2019 Iowa football team, specifically, junior wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette.
The Newark, NJ native showed his potential as a true freshman hauling in 18 receptions for 187 yards and 2 touchdowns in the 2017 season.
That year, Smith-Marsette played in 11 games and caught the game-winning touchdown to complete the comeback over in-state rival Iowa State. In fact, both of his touchdowns came in that game and was expected to take a big leap in 2018. However, his production improved marginally as a starter.
Kirk Ferentz says Ihmir Smith-Marsette wasn't necessarily in a "doghouse" but coaches were trying to get him on the right track. Sounds like he's taken a big jump lately.
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) July 19, 2019
"I think we're seeing a different guy right now who's really being mindful and paying attention to details."
He only caught 5 more balls than his 2017 season but his yardage increased to 361 with 3 touchdowns. Perhaps the biggest leap Smith-Marsette took was in the return game, averaging 29.5 in such scenarios and being named the Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year.
With the offense losing both Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson, quarterback Nate Stanley will be looking for reliable targets this season. Smith-Marsette and fellow junior wideout Brandon Smith figure to be those guys but the former was expected to be that guy last season, per Kirk Ferentz.
Ferentz is hoping for consistency for Smith-Marsette in 2019 as he had stretches last season where he was essentially non-existent on the field. He played in 12 games last year and had 1 or fewer catches in 7 of those games. Now that’s not to say it was all bad.
He had a great showing in the Outback Bowl win over the number one ranked defense in Mississippi State hauling in 4 receptions for 29 yards and a score. Kirk Ferentz and the rest of the Iowa football team is hoping that momentum carries over into this season. If his production mirrors the 2018 season, the Hawkeyes offense could look stagnant at times.
His situation reminds me a lot of Akrum Wadley‘s who took a huge leap from 2015 to 2016 in terms of production because he became a more consistent runner. One also has to wonder if Smith-Marsette is more focused because of the arrival of Oliver Martin, who has recently hired a lawyer for his appeal process to play in 2019.