Iowa Football's Biggest Offensive Question in Week 3: A Complete Passing Game

The year is 2026, and the Iowa Hawkeyes have an elite wide receiver on the outside making big plays and taking the top off defenses. He goes by Tony Diaz. He is a new level to Iowa's passing attack.

But Iowa has another star position ready to return to its usual level of shine in the passing game in a different way. That is the tight end position, which has traditionally led Iowa in receiving yards.

Iowa's combination of size and speed at tight end can exploit defenses in multiple ways, but Iowa needs to get them going this year. Week 3 versus Northern Iowa could be that time.

The tight ends' slow start is no cause for concern

DJ Vonnahme, Iowa's top tight end, has six catches for 67 yards this year in two games. It's not that he hasn't been involved in the offense; it's just that the passing attack has gone through Tony Diaz early in the season.

He is likely going to miss the Northern Iowa game, which opens the door for Addison Ostrenga, Zach Ortwerth, and Thomas Meyer.

Together, Iowa's tight ends have 11 receptions for 98 yards. That's by design to get Diaz going in his first year with the Hawkeyes. The tight ends' presence in the interior passing game has to be respected, causing safeties to hesitate for one step, which is all Tony Diaz needs to win.

Even though Vonnahme's start feels sluggish after his explosive end to the 2025 season, he is still second on the Hawkeyes in yards (67) and receptions (6).

But Iowa does need to scheme plays to the tight ends and get that aspect of the offense going. The Big Ten slate is going to have games where Tony Diaz is going up against future NFL cornerbacks, who will win some plays. Ostrenga, Meyer, and Ortwerth need to be Iowa's answer to that, rather than forcing the ball to Diaz.

How Iowa gets the tight ends more involved

DJ Vonnahme can run well for a tight end. He has open-field speed that can put safeties and linebackers in a bind, and the size to shrug off cornerbacks to clear space with ease.

I would like to see Iowa get Vonnahme more involved in the play-action game when he returns from injury. We know he can split out in the slot and act as a wide receiver, but the play-action game is the sustainable work with big-play potential.

Iowa is going to run the ball a lot this year, to no one's surprise. Linebackers are going to be flowing downhill, and safeties will have their eyes caught in the backfield.

This is where the chunk plays to Ostrenga, Ortwerth, and Meyer can come in, using their size and speed. Iowa would be wise to get them flowing across the field on play-action plays for crossing routes they can catch in stride and turn into even bigger gains.

Putting this on film against Northern Iowa is of no concern. Every team in America runs play-action passes with tight ends flowing across the formation. This week versus Northern Iowa is the chance to perfect it.

The throw, as open as it can be if the defense bites on the fake, is often on the run. Throwing that behind, low, or high can still be a completion, but turn a 25-yard gain into 10 yards with the tight end being forced to slow down. This is the week to get Hank Brown and the tight ends on the same page during live reps.

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