One nickname the Iowa Hawkeyes football team has had over the years is "Tight End University." With the great success of players in the NFL today like George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, and Sam LaPorta, among others, there's no question that talent has come out at the position over the years.
Although the Hawkeyes will be without their top TE in Luke Lachey, they still bring back several experienced players who should be productive this season. Let's look at who fans should expect to see at TE this season.
Starter: Addison Ostrenga
Despite being the backup QB and missing five games last season, Addison Ostrenga is not an unfamiliar name for Hawkeye fans. He may not have been the star TE by any means, but when he did play, he was getting targets from the QBs.
Ostrenga missed five games last season due to injury but finished the season with 15 catches for 114 yards and a TD. He also had his career-long last season in the Music City Bowl against Missouri when he hauled in a 29-yard reception from Brendan Sullivan.
Ostrenga has waited a couple of years to get into the starting position, serving as a backup tight end and third-string over the past couple of seasons. Despite being lower on the depth chart, he still was getting some targets from the QBs and has taken advantage when thrown his direction.
He was also crucial on some long runs from Kaleb Johnson last year. With the reins being his, expect his name to be called a bunch this season.
Backup: Zach Ortwerth
Despite being a backup, Zach Ortwerth's name is likely going to be called a lot this season as well. The junior from St. Louis, Missouri, played in all 13 games last season, starting in four of them and recording a catch in seven of them for 133 yards.
Although the yardage may not impress some fans, when he got his starts, he impressed and turned a lot of heads. He had a 52-yard reception against Wisconsin and tied a career high with three receptions in the win against Northwestern.
If the ball his thrown his way and chances are given, he has shown numerous times that he will take advantage.
Ortwerth is a great compliment to Ostrenga, as he has the experience at the TE position and has shown that he is just as capable as Ostrenga at making catches.
He is a big body TE that will help in the run game as well, but expect him to have quite a few catches this season as well.
Third-String: Hayden Large
Although he may not get as many reps at TE, you better believe that if there's a dual RB formation, Hayden Large will be playing the Fullback. The former Dordt College transfer has really taken the "positionless" roster spot to heart and has made a big impact offensively.
The stats for Large do not show the full picture, as last season he had three catches for 18 yards. However, he makes his impact for his run blocking at FB and TE, as a number of the large runs that the backs on the team had last season were when Large was in the game.
His tenacity and passion have made him a fan and team favorite.
The junior has inspired many people, having transitioned from the NAIA level to Division I to play for the Hawkeyes. He will have one last season with the team. Although he may not get as many catches as Ostrenga or Ortwerth, fans will, without a doubt, hear his name a lot.
If there is a big gain offensively, don't be surprised if Large is in the game when that happens!
While the remainder of the TEs on the roster are freshmen, the top three TEs are all upperclassmen with experience. Historically, the Hawkeyes have loved throwing to their TEs, and the corps has the talent to make the same kind of impact that we have seen over the years.
Things are looking up for an offense with the depth that it has at that position, and we'll see if that can lead to offensive success this season.