Iowa's annual Kids Day open practice gives fans one last glimpse into what the squad could look like in week one.
This year's open practice had multiple intriguing headlines heading into it, and it didn't disappoint. With under a month until Iowa kicks off its season against Northern Illinois, multiple players showed out, and one important position battle was all but decided. After an open practice that was chock-full of storylines, here are the biggest stories to come out of Kinnick Stadium in our last good look at the team before September 5.
Jeremy Hecklinski should easily be named QB1 after a stellar performance
One of the most intriguing position battles heading into fall camp is for the starting quarterback, and it played out in a very interesting way during the open practice. The battle has not only received national attention but has also captured the attention of Iowa fans and those surrounding the program. Kirk Ferentz has been unsurprisingly tight-lipped about the decision and has not revealed much about which way he is leaning. He has admitted that the decision could linger into the start of the season, but if Kids Day was any indication of who it should be, there is one obvious answer: Jeremy Hecklinski.
Hecklinski took full advantage of his opportunity, and he put on a passing clinic after a slow start. After a few early missed opportunities and overthrown passes, he settled in nicely and was easily the MVP of the day. He finished with 205 passing yards and five touchdowns on 17/25 passing, and looked extremely confident doing it. He spread the ball around, and was throwing dimes all over the field to DJ Vonnahme, Reece Vander Zee, and Tony Diaz. He was poised in the pocket and on the run, and made multiple eye-popping throws that the fans couldn't believe.
Hank Brown not only struggled, but was outplayed by projected third-string quarterback Jimmy Sullivan. Brown looked tentative, and was consistently underthrowing receivers, as he failed to find a rhythm. He finished his day with 42 passing yards and zero touchdowns on 9/21 passing, and whatever ground he gained on Hecklinski disappeared after a poor showing on Kids Day. Sullivan looked like what Iowa fans were hoping Brown would, and he was just missing something all practice.
DJ Vonnahme is going to be a big problem for opposing defenses
After bursting onto the scene late last season, tight end DJ Vonnahme made a lot of us go, "Where has this guy been all season?" Vonnahme was buried on the depth chart behind Addison Ostrenga, Zach Ortwerth, and Hayden Large, but injuries to the group thrust him into action. He played in all 13 games, earning five starts, and definitely made the most of his opportunity. He led the Hawkeyes in receiving yards (434) and receiving touchdowns (3), and is poised to lead the TE group this season.
Vonnahme has already shown that he is clearly the No. 1 tight end option throughout the offseason, and that continued on Kids Day. He had some amazing over-the-shoulder catches to go along with two touchdown receptions. He displayed great chemistry with Jeremy Hecklinski and looked in mid-season form. There is no question he is going to receive the bulk of the snap count this season, even with a deep TE room, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he finishes as a finalist for the Mackey Award when it's all said and done.
Vonnahme has the potential of being the next great Iowa tight end, and he showcased that and more during Kids Day.
LJ Phillips is going to be a great asset in the Iowa backfield
After injuries plagued the Iowa running back group last season, two first-year running backs were forced to step in. Injuries to Kamari Moulton, Terrell Washington Jr., and Brevin Doll forced Xavier Williams and Nathan McNeil into early playing time, and they made the most of their opportunities. Now with a fully healthy running back room heading into the season, the rushing attack should get back to where it's supposed to be, especially after the addition of transfer LJ Phillips. Phillips was dynamic for South Dakota last season, racking up nearly 200 yards, and it's easy to see why.
Phillips is an extremely strong downhill runner who has a very low center of gravity. When he gets a head of steam, he is hard to bring down, which is very reminiscent of former Hawkeye star Kaleb Johnson. Phillips is a powerful back who has excellent vision, and he displayed that during Kids Day. Despite Phillips being more of a power runner, he has sneaky quickness in the hole, and his agility is very underrated. It could be a classic thunder-and-lightning scenario with Phillips and Moluton, and they could be heavily relied upon in the early going.
Even though Hecklinski took a massive step forward during Kids Day, we still don't know who the starting quarterback will be, and regardless of who it is, the Hawkeye offense is predicated on the run. With the ability to go at least four deep in the backfield, the Hawkeye offense is primed for a breakout campaign, and Phillips is going to play a big role in that.
The defense was good, not great
While Hecklinski torched the defense through the air, the most important part of Saturday's open practice was the defense's ability to break up multiple passes and lay some "big" hits. Hecklinski put up 205 passing yards on an efficient 17/25, but the linebackers and safeties played fairly well. Cam Buffington was solid in coverage, breaking up several passes and laying some big hits on Iowa receivers. The safeties were also solid on the back end, knocking away some potential touchdown passes and forcing the Iowa quarterbacks into making some big-time throws to beat them.
The defensive line still has some things to figure out, but Iose Epenesa looked like he was ready to step into a starting role. He had multiple pass breakups and quarterback hurries, and while no one was allowed to hit the quarterback, he could've easily had a few sacks. Overall, the defense still has some things to figure out because the offense moved the ball easily on some possessions, much to Phil Parker's chagrin. Parker admitted he hates going up against the offense right now, which says a lot about their potential for a breakout season.
No one will ever doubt Parker or the guys he puts on the field, but if Iowa's offense can move the ball as easily as they did, that doesn't bode well for the regular season. Hopefully, it was just a case of Iowa's offense taking the next step and not Iowa's defense taking a step backward.
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