Can Kirk Ferentz work his usual offensive line magic?
Iowa’s teams have long fit a certain blue-collar mold under Ferentz, with the one constant being the position he once coached under Hayden Fry: offensive line. An assembly line of NFL-caliber blockers — many of whom started their careers with no acclaim — have at times helped compensate for deficiencies at the skill positions, allowing Iowa to maintain a functional, albeit hardly glamorous offense. On paper, then, the 2010 Hawkeyes are a bit of a reversal. They return quarterback Ricky Stanzi and a host of capable running backs (Adam Robinson, Brandon Wegher) and receivers (Marvin McNutt, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos) but must replace four starting offensive linemen, including likely NFL picks Bryan Bulaga and Kyle Calloway. Their top returnee is a sophomore, likely left tackle Riley Reiff, a projected all-conference performer, but beside senior guard Julian Vandervelde, the rest of the lineup may be younger than a usual Ferentz line. It seems fairly certain Iowa’s defense, so dominant
