Inside The Hawkeyes

Iowa Senior Named Outland Trophy Semifinalist

This Iowa Hawkeyes player has made it to the next step to win the Outland Trophy.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Oct 11, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Logan Jones (65) celebrates a touchdown in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ross Harried-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Logan Jones (65) celebrates a touchdown in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ross Harried-Imagn Images | Ross Harried-Imagn Images

In this story:

Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes have made it very clear they will do whatever it takes to run the ball. That's not to say fifth-year senior quarterback Mark Gronowski can't throw, but he loves to use his legs just as much as he uses his arm.

Without any protection, their run-game would go absolutely nowhere. That's where Logan Jones comes into the picture. The 6'3'' 302-pound offensive lineman is an Iowa native, one who has started 48 career games with the team.

Jones has been captain each week this season, and for good reason. The senior is a few steps away from winning the Outland Trophy, an award Iowa is no stranger to winning.

Logan Jones Eyes Outland Trophy

Should Jones go through to the finals, he would be in contention to be the fifth Hawkeye in history to win the award. Iowa has had plenty of players go deep in consideration, such as Tyler Linderbaum (2021) and Daviyon Nixon (2020) who were finalists in the past five years.

Currently, Jones is among names like Tristan Wirfs (2019) and Mike Devlin (1992) who were semi-finalists. He's looking to be among the best of the best which would put him among Iowa's five past winners: Brandon Scherff (2014), Robert Gallery (2003), Alex Karras (1957) and Calvin Jones (1955).

Moving forward, Hawkeyes fans need to keep an eye on November 25. That's the date when the three finalists will be announced before the trophy is presented on December 12. Jones is just a few days away from learning whether he'll make the finals or not, and he's set up perfectly with Iowa's opponent being Michigan State on November 22.

Iowa's Dominant Run-Game

Without Jones, this Hawkeyes offense would be nowhere near where it is today. Jones has been an unstoppable force and has yet to commit a single holding penalty. That alone speaks volumes as to how impactful he has been and why he's a frontrunner to win the award.

Iowa is currently averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 176.6 rushing yards per game. 22 of their 30 offensive touchdowns have been on the ground as they've ran the ball 382 times compared to the 226 times they've thrown it. If Jones wasn't on this team, they would've needed to flip the script.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jones is the top-rated center in the country. He's competing against: Spencer Fano (Utah), Iapani Laloulu (Oregon), Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) and Carter Smith (Indiana), and defensive tackles Kayden McDonald (Ohio State) and Landon Robinson (Navy).

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!

Published
Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

Home/Football