Iowa wrapped up its much-need bye week and now all eyes are on the Floyd of Rosedale.
The Hawkeyes finished the first half of the regular season 5-1 (2-1 Big Ten) and exceeded expectations. With a loss to Ohio State as their only blemish, the Hawkeyes are primed to make a run, and it all starts with a week eight road game in Minneapolis. As Iowa begins the second half of the schedule, we look at three players who have exceeded early expectations, and three who have fallen short.
3 players who have exceeded expectations
Iowa faltered only once in the first half of the schedule, and it was against one of college football's best teams. Ohio State is an extremely talented team that just knocked off No. 5 Indiana on the road in week seven and is ready to recapture a National Championship. The Hawkeyes also have CFP aspirations, and three players have stood out from the first half of the season.
Cam Buffington, middle linebacker
Linebacker Cam Buffington's name continually surfaced at the end of last season, and he has lived up to expectations through the first half of the season. Buffington was primarily a reserve last season, but started to earn playing time late in the year and in the bowl game against Vanderbilt. The coaching staff and people surrounding the program kept telling us to watch out for Buffington, and now we know why.
Buffington and fifth-year linebacker Jayden Montgomery have formed a lethal duo in the middle of Iowa's defense, giving opponents nightmares. Buffington leads the team in total tackles (52) and is tied for second in sacks (2.0) as he continues to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. Buffington had a breakout game against Iowa State, racking up 15 total tackles, helping Iowa knock off Iowa State at home. He has become a critical part of the Iowa defense and could lead the Big Ten in tackles at the end of the season.
Kamari Moulton, running back
Iowa's running game has been stagnant at times this season, but when it succeeds, it REALLY succeeds. Iowa's rushing attack struggled against Iowa State, Michigan, and Ohio State, totaling 190 rushing yards. Iowa had a season-low 39 rushing yards against the Buckeyes, which is atypical of Iowa's offense under Kirk Ferentz. Iowa's rushing attack has been hampered by inconsistent offensive line play, but after a stellar game against Washington, the offensive line may have turned a corner. Iowa has rushed for over 250 yards in three games this season, including a massive 422 yards against Northern Iowa. A major reason for Iowa's success in the run game: Kamari Moulton.
Moulton leads the backfield with 519 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, and continues to be a workhorse for Iowa's offense. His totals would be even bigger if an injury hadn't kept him out of the Northern Iowa game, but he is still leading the backfield by a wide margin. His 519 yards are 349 more than the next-closest rusher (Xavier Williams,170), and he exploded for 208 rushing yards against Washington before the bye week.
Moulton was projected to lead the backfield, but the way he has produced with such a talented and deep group has been impressive.
Reece Vander Zee, wide receiver
Transfer wide receiver Tony Diaz got all the offseason hype, but Reece Vander Zee quickly reminded people not to forget about him. As teams continue to take Diaz away, Vander Zee has become a go-to option in the Iowa passing attack, and he's delivered. Vander Zee is second on the team in receiving yards (247) and yards per catch (15.4), and is first in receiving touchdowns (3). Diaz has been quiet since the start of the Big Ten schedule, and Vander Zee has stepped up to fill the void.
He has made difficult catches look easy, and his two touchdown receptions were the biggest reason Iowa upset Michigan in Ann Arbor. Vander Zee is finally healthy and has shown what he can do after a slow start. If teams keep taking Diaz away, the offense can rest assured that Vander Zee will pick up the slack.
3 players who have fallen short of expectations
Iowa has played well, but it isn't always pretty. The running game has struggled, and the defense has been gashed at times, leading to some big offensive outputs. Iowa is 5-1, but three players need to step up in the second half of the season.
Jaylen Watson, defensive back
With Deshaun Lee as Iowa's clear No. 1 cornerback, opposing defenses have picked on Jaylen Watson on the other side. Teams have thrown at Watson early and often, with mixed results. Watson leads the defense in passes defended (5), but that is more a product of how often he's been picked on. We consistently hear Watson's name being called, and it hasn't been very positive. He's been burned a lot early on, leading Jacob Wallace and Zach Lutmer to rack up tackles from their safety spots.
The eye test hasn't been kind to Watson, and teams keep attacking him in the passing game. He is still a young, developing player, but the secondary is clearly going through some growing pains after losing Koen Entringer and TJ Hall. No one is asking Watson to suddenly become a shutdown corner, but he needs to start making opponents think twice before throwing his way, or he will keep getting picked on in pass coverage.
Kenneth Merriweather, defensive end
Iowa completely rebuilt its defensive line after three players left for the NFL and one transferred, and the unit has experienced some growing pains. Bryce Hawthorne has been Iowa's top defensive lineman by a wide margin, but the unit as a whole hasn't met expectations. A player everyone had high hopes for in the offseason was Kenneth Merriweather, who has been in the system for four years. Merriweather earned an expanded role, and he hasn't quite lived up to expectations.
He has only six total tackles through six games and no sacks, and has failed to get pressure off the edge. Joseph Anderson has outshone him, coming in for blitzes or in critical situations. Iowa's defense functions best when the line gets pressure, and it hasn't done that consistently this season. Phil Parker has blitzed more than he has in the past to make up for it, and if the defense wants to return to its usual domination, Merrieweather has to step up and start getting more pressure on the quarterback.
Iose Epenesa, defensive end
Continuing the trend of defensive players who missed the mark in the first half of the season, Iose Epenesa has not lived up to his lofty expectations coming into the season. Epenesa is the younger brother of former Iowa star AJ Epenesa, and he is still finding his footing. Iose was a highly touted prospect from Illinois and the latest Epenesa to play for Iowa. He is still only a sophomore, but he hasn't quite lived up to the immense hype.
Iose still hasn't recorded a sack and has 9 total tackles through six games, which everyone expected to be higher. Beyond the stats, Iowa hasn't generated enough pressure on the quarterback, allowing opponents to put up big numbers in the passing game. Iowa has been strong against the run, but teams have often abandoned the run early. If not for Iowa's lack of pressure and lofty expectations for Epenesa, he wouldn't be on this list, but Iowa needs to step up in the second half of the season.
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