Kirk Ferentz on whether or not he’ll return to Iowa in 2025: ‘That is my plan’
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz discusses quite a lot of matters on early signing day.
IOWA CITY — It isn’t straightforward to make a right away affect as a real freshman in faculty soccer.
The sheer pace and physicality of the sport make the transition alone a steep problem, a lot much less carving out a significant position.
However that isn’t to say it by no means occurs.
An intersection of preparation and alternative can enable for a real freshman to supply an on the spot increase.
In latest historical past, a main instance of that at Iowa is Kaleb Johnson.
Two seasons in the past, Johnson set this system’s single-season freshman dashing report with 779 yards. The remainder of Johnson’s story at Iowa isn’t linear. He had a down sophomore season earlier than breaking out as one of many nation’s finest operating backs in 2024. However the level is, there are occasions when true freshmen could make vital contributions.
Early signing day was on Wednesday. A number of prospects formally signed to be Hawkeyes. It’s not truthful to carry them to the bar of a record-breaking participant like Johnson. However listed here are some prospects in Iowa’s 2025 class who’ve an opportunity to make an on the spot affect.
Video: Tyler Barnes on legacy Hawkeyes Iose Epenesa, Mason Woods
Iowa soccer’s chief of employees and common supervisor Tyler Barnes discusses quite a lot of matters on early signing day.
Iose Epenesa
Epenesa is a headliner in Iowa’s 2025 class for a number of causes.
For one, he’s a legacy Hawkeye. His father, Eppy Epenesa, performed for the Hawkeyes himself and is now set to ship his third son to this system. AJ turned a second-round decide within the 2020 NFL Draft. Eric is a linebacker on Iowa’s present roster.
Nevertheless it’s not simply the Iowa roots, it is also the expertise of Epenesa. He’s the highest-ranked member of Iowa’s 2025 class, based on the 247Sports Composite, checking in at forty sixth nationally. Iowa beat out some heavy hitters, together with Penn State and Miami (Fla.), for Epenesa.
“Generally you are worried about, does this child wish to go do his personal factor?” Iowa soccer chief of employees and common supervisor Tyler Barnes stated Wednesday. “Is that this the one which’s going to forge their very own path? However they had been nice by means of the entire course of and that is the one the place we kinda let it play out. And we knew we had been going to be in it till the top. Whether or not we received out or not, there have been typically we apprehensive slightly bit greater than different instances.”
A few of Iowa’s defensive manufacturing from 2024 is anticipated to depart. The Hawkeyes will lose not less than two starters in Yahya Black and Deontae Craig, which means there may be room for somebody like Epenesa to emerge.
“Simply the expertise that AJ has that he can trickle all the way down to Iose and see it in a highschool participant that you just usually see on Sundays or on Saturdays taking part in,” Edwardsville (Unwell.) soccer coach Kelsey Pickering informed the Register in August. “That’s the neat half as a coach. He’s simply very technically sound. …
“The half I take into consideration proper now could be, what if AJ had an older brother educating all of the issues that he’s educating Iose? The place would AJ’s growth be when he graduated highschool?”
Terrence Smith
The 2024 season proved a real freshman vast receiver can are available and instantly make his presence felt.
Reece Vander Zee burst onto the scene in his faculty debut, catching two landing passes within the Hawkeyes’ season-opening win over Illinois State. The again finish of his common season was derailed by harm. However when wholesome, Vander Zee could possibly be a game-changer.
Iowa’s struggles within the passing sport have been well-documented. Quarterback play is a part of that. However these on the receiving finish may also assist the trigger.
The Hawkeyes’ vast receivers room was younger in 2024 however confirmed some flashes of potential beneath first-year place coach Jon Budmayr. That group gained some significant expertise and needs to be extra mature in 2025.
That stated, Iowa can use no matter assist it could actually get to spark the passing sport.
Out of West Aurora (Unwell.), Smith was a notable recruiting win for the Hawkeyes. He’s the fifth-best prospect in Iowa’s 2025 class, based on the 247Sports Composite. He possesses good measurement at 6-foot-4. However listed at 190 kilos, including measurement to his body can be vital in his path to the sector.
“Elite basketball participant,” Barnes stated of Smith. “Actually good hooper. Had some lower-level DI curiosity in basketball, as effectively. If you see Terrence, he is obtained massive fingers. 50-50 balls aren’t 50-50 balls for Terrence. These are 75-25 balls. He is actually nice at going up and excessive pointing the ball. And once more, on the similar level, he is nonetheless uncooked, too. There’s nonetheless numerous development that you will see out of him.”
Thomas Meyer
Like Vander Zee, you don’t have to return far to discover a true freshman tight finish who discovered his manner onto the sector.
In 2023, the Hawkeyes’ tight finish room was decimated by well being points, most notably season-ending accidents to Luke Lachey and Erick All. That opened the door for Zach Ortwerth to search out substantial taking part in time as a real freshman.
As is the case at many positions, Iowa’s tight ends room could have some turnover. Lachey and Johnny Pascuzzi are set to be on their manner out. The Hawkeyes are anticipated to deliver again Addison Ostrenga, who battled by means of harm in 2024, and Ortwerth, who has proven flashes of his capabilities.
Meyer is an intriguing addition to a place with a lot custom in this system. A homegrown prospect from Clear Lake Excessive Faculty, Meyer is the top-ranked participant within the state of Iowa within the 2025 class, based on the 247Sports Composite.
“He simply has distinctive hand-eye coordination,” Clear Lake coach Aaron Stensland informed the Register earlier this yr. “Distinctive imaginative and prescient. His catch radius is unbelievable. He is so lengthy and strikes like a large receiver. Runs routes — hits the highest of his routes — like a large receiver. However on the similar time, he’s 6-5, (220 kilos). He’s only a nightmare matchup for highschool groups.”
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact by way of e-mail at [email protected]