Four Iowa Linemen Rank Among Nation's Best

The Iowa Hawkeyes seem to have hit the offensive line jackpot. Out of 459 qualified lineman, Iowa has four of the top eight in the country. Beau Stephens, Kade Pieper, Gennings Dunker and Logan Jones all have not gotten nearly enough credit for the Hawkeyes' 3-1 start.

Iowa's showdown with Indiana is going to be won in the trenches, something HC Kirk Ferentz knows a thing or two about. Having come to the team as an offensive line coach in 1981, Ferentz does not undervalue the importance of these players. They may not get the respect they deserve, but they are crucial players who can decide the outcome of games.

The Hawkeyes would not have any type of run game without those four up front. Iowa's quarterback Mark Gronowski would never have a chance to run and put his name in the record books without them. Simply put, Iowa's QB is in good hands.

Iowa offensive lineman Beau Stephens (70) celebrates with running back Kaleb Johnson in the second quarter against Nebraska during a NCAA football game on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Iowavsneb 20221125 Bh | Bryon Houlgrave/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Entering Week 4, Beau Stephens was the top-ranked guard in the nation. Now, that honor goes to Duke's Brian Parker II. Nonetheless, Stephens still carries an 89.3 PFF grade as Parker's increased to 90.3. Whether he's in first or second, Stephens' results on the field have been the same.

Of Iowa's four named in the nation's top eight, they all have a perfect 100% block rate. Each player has an overall PFF grade of 84.5 or higher, truly an incredible number for not just one, but four guards and tackles to have.

That said, Gronowski has still been sacked eight times. There's still work to be done, but Gronowski has looked extremely comfortable in the pocket so far this season. When it comes to the rest of the top eight, Duke, Washington, Missouri and Boise State all have players featured.

Even though Gronowski said this Hawkeyes offense is 50/50, it's still a team led by Ferentz. The run game is always going to take priority. No matter how much the fifth-year senior likes to sling the ball down the field, Iowa is going to run games on the ground. So far, they've done just that. This Hawkeyes team has 802 rushing yards with five running backs having 80+. No one has yet to cross the 200 mark, but three are over 100.

Indiana comes to Kinnick Stadium for their first road game of the season. It's a game that Iowa can win, but they're going to have to earn it. If those four players are able to protect Gronowski and let the run game do its thing, the Hawkeyes may enter Week 6 in the AP Top 25.

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