Iowa football’s offensive line continues to impress ahead of rivalry matchup against Minnesota

IOWA CITY — Head coach Kirk Ferentz said confidence isn’t handed to any players. It takes time for a player to gain confidence and for them to gel together as a unit in-game, too.

That’s where he leans on offensive line coach George Barnett. Ferentz knows Barnett’s guiding the room to significant on- and off-field success.

“It's done with getting the right people together and helping empower those people,” Barnett said. “And build layers up in an offensive line room to where one group can learn from the next group that learns from the next group, and they can mature at the proper pace.”

Iowa football’s offensive line is comprised of three veterans this season — center Logan Jones, right tackle Gennings Dunker and left guard Beau Stephens — and two sophomores, left tackle Trevor Lauck and right guard Kade Pieper. The blend of mature players and the two new lineman was part of the development Iowa had heading into the season.

But any concern about the offensive line was wiped away almost instantly.

“They're great, hard working and every drive they want to finish somebody,” running back Kamari Moulton said after Iowa’s 25-24 win over Penn State. “And just that intensity, it feeds into the whole offense. So knowing that the whole line got our back just really boosts us.”

Since the start of the season, Iowa’s line has helped provide nearly 1,350 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns this season. While there aren’t many offensive-line specific statistics, the Hawkeyes also haven’t allowed a sack on quarterback Mark Gronowski in back-to-back games.

It’s a tangible number showing how the line continues gelling together. More importantly for Barnett, though, he’d studied how the entire line has worked together throughout the season — beyond just statistics.

“It's about improvement,” Barnett said. “I'm just very fortunate to be around three seniors that are as hungry as anybody in the room right now and probably improving as much as anybody in the room. ”

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Iowa’s linemen have a new task against Minnesota. The Golden Gophers’ defensive lineman had a program-record nine sacks against then-No. 25 Nebraska in a 24-6 win in Minnesota, bringing their season total to 23 sacks.

“They're trying to confuse us and do different looks, just get us to not set together,” Jones said. “They'll try and take us away from that. It's just about being together as a unit and just communicating to seeing the fronts, and just all being on the same page. Because if you get off the same page, that's when they have success.”

Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes have allowed nine sacks all season — the last one against Indiana on Sept. 27.

Though the record-setting performance highlights the line of scrimmage in Saturday afternoon’s battle for Floyd of Rosedale, there is some advantage to seeing those sacks in the film room. The entire offense - from the line to the running backs, receivers and tight ends and the quarterback - can see what the Golden Gophers can do, and how to adjust.

“They bring in a lot of great defensive ends that are all playing up there,” quarterback Mark Gronowski said. “They're bringing a ton of blitzes, playing a bunch of games. Their coordinator had them dialed up that game. But as long as we're getting the ball out quick and our offensive line is playing to the capabilities that they've been playing, I think we'll be good to go on Saturday.”

The Hawkeyes were just 4-for-10 on third down conversions against Penn State, with some of those plays needing a 5-yard-or-more gain for the fresh set of downs. This week, Iowa’s offense wants to start faster with the ball and complete those conversions at a higher rate.

The confidence, however, within the offensive line and around the rest of the offense is high.

“Anytime you can start fast and, you know, play with the lead, it makes things a little bit easier,” Jones said. “It always helps us mentally ... just get the team going.”

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