20 Hawkeyes For 2020: Coy Cronk
One in a series of stories on the 20 Hawkeyes to watch for the 2020 football season.
Iowa needed an experienced offensive tackle after losing Tristan Wirfs to the NFL.
Enter Coy Cronk.
Cronk, a graduate transfer from Indiana, joined the Hawkeyes during the spring semester, but didn't get any on-field work since spring practices were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It's been a while since Cronk has played. He started the first four games in 2019 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
"He was making good progress before spring break," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said in April. "We were really happy with the way things were going."
Cronk started 36 games at left tackle in his first three seasons, including 13 as a true freshman, setting an Indiana record.
"We did anticipate him practicing pretty much full-speed this spring," Ferentz said. "That would have been very valuable for him, as it would any newcomer. So he's missing out on that opportunity to learn our offense."
The key for Iowa, though, is his experience. With Alaric Jackson on the left side of the line, the Hawkeyes would have quality bookends to protect Spencer Petras, who is expected to be the quarterback who will be replacing three-year starter Nate Stanley.
"He's played three-plus years, so he knows his way around the Big Ten field, if you will," Ferentz said. "He's played against Big Ten schools. So it's, I don't think, as big of an adjustment for him as it would be a true freshman coming in here."
