College football season is almost here, and Iowa’s biggest offseason conversation is starting to sharpen around the defense.
The quarterback battle has drawn plenty of attention, but there’s another question hovering over the Hawkeyes: could the defense be headed for some regression in 2026? That’s a new kind of doubt for a program that has usually made life difficult on opponents on that side of the ball.
CBS Sports has pointed to the possibility of a step back, citing the amount of production Iowa has to replace. The biggest concern sits with the front seven, where the Hawkeyes are losing a lot of familiar pieces.
Three defensive line starters are gone, and linebacker Karson Sharar has left for the NFL. That leaves four of seven spots in the trenches and at linebacker needing new answers.
That kind of turnover could matter, especially against the run. If those replacements don’t settle in quickly, Iowa’s defense could look different than the groups fans have come to expect.
There’s also work to do in the secondary. Iowa needs three new starters back there, even though that unit is coached directly by Phil Parker, who also handles the secondary. The talent is there, but the communication has to come together fast or the group could be vulnerable.
Two of those new secondary pieces, Tyler Brown and Anthony Hawkins, arrive with starting experience, and they’ll join Zach Lutmer and Deshaun Lee. That gives Iowa a foundation that could still turn into a strength.
And if there’s any reason to trust the Hawkeyes to reload, it’s Parker’s track record. Iowa has been here before.
In 2022, the program lost linebackers Jack Campbell and Seth Benson, who combined for 223 tackles. Parker answered by plugging in Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson, and those two piled up 281 tackles in a huge season for the defense.
That history is why Parker gets the benefit of the doubt. He’s shown he can replace production and keep the unit rolling, even when the names change.
In Other News...
Iowa Just Got A Huge Recruiting Boost In The Post
Iowas push to rebuild its front line has taken on added urgency, and the Hawkeyes have landed in the thick of one of the more important recruitments in the 2027 class. Khalia Hartwell, a highly regarded center, has drawn serious interest from Iowa as the program looks to add size after recent roster departures, and she now has official visits lined up as the Hawkeyes continue to sell her on the fit and the opportunity.
For an Iowa staff trying to keep pace in the recruiting race, getting Hartwell on campus is a meaningful step. She has become one of the more watched post prospects in the class, and her upcoming visits will give Iowa a chance to make its case against two other prominent programs still in the mix. How that trip goes could go a long way toward showing just how far the Hawkeyes have come in this pursuit. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Special Teams Overhaul Puts New Kicker Under An Immediate Spotlight
Iowas special teams room is in the middle of a major reset, with LeVar Woods gone and several familiar roles suddenly open to competition. Chris Polizzi steps in as the new coordinator with a transfer-heavy plan to stabilize the unit, and the biggest immediate attention is at kicker, where Eli Ozick is positioned to take over for Drew Stevens.
Ozick arrives with some real college experience already on his resume after transferring from North Dakota State, and Iowa is clearly counting on him to help steady a group that lost key pieces all over the field. Even with several transfer additions lining up to fill other jobs, a few spots are still unsettled, which makes this overhaul feel less like a routine summer shuffle and more like an early test of how quickly the Hawkeyes can rebuild one of their most scrutinized units. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Lands In A Massive Recruiting Battle For Elite 2027 Guard
Iowa has put itself in the mix for one of the countrys top 2027 guards, as Jalen Davis trimmed his list to 10 schools and included the Hawkeyes among the finalists. The Bremerton High School standout from Washington has drawn national attention with his play and summer production, and Iowa now has a real chance to make an impression as the recruiting process moves into a more serious stage.
Davis is set to take several visits, with Iowa on the calendar for Oct. 3 after he already made a stop at Washington. For the Hawkeyes, landing a player of his caliber would mean holding their own in a crowded battle against some prominent programs, and this kind of early traction matters when a prospects profile is already rising so quickly. [Read more 🡒]