Hawkeyes Release 2-Deep for Iowa State

Several Changes for Iowa After Opener

Aug 31, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Reece Vander Zee (15) and tight end Luke Lachey (85) react after a touchdown by Vander Zee during the fourth quarter against the Illinois State Redbirds at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Reece Vander Zee’s impressive debut has earned him a top spot on Iowa’s depth chart at one of the wide receiver positions for Saturday’s game against Iowa State at Kinnick Stadium.

The true freshman had five catches for a team-high 66 yards and two touchdowns in last Saturday’s 40-0 win over Illinois State.

Vander Zee was the first Hawkeye true freshman with a receiving touchdown in the season opener since Dominique Douglas had one against Montana in 2006. Vander Zee was the first Hawkeye freshman wide receiver to have two receiving touchdowns in a game since Ihmir Smith-Marsette at Iowa State in 2017.

Asked if he was nervous in his debut, Vander Zee said, “Not really. I kind of never really been a guy to get nervous. Just kind of trust my preparation, and go out there and have fun.”

Assistant head coach Seth Wallace, who was interim head coach for the opener as Kirk Ferentz was serving a one-game suspension, said he wasn’t surprised how Vander Zee played.

“Reece, probably for the first two weeks of camp, was in a freshman role, and then I think our offensive guys started to see some things that he was doing that gave them the confidence that let's put him in there and see how he swims with some of these other guys,” Wallace said. “So they put him in there, and there were plays that were made, plays very similar to the ones that you guys saw today.”

“The first week, I was kind of limited, just working my way back from an injury,” Vander Zee said. “And then after that, it kind of clicked. I was running my routes, and they were coaching me up. And then it kind of clicked.”

There were only two other changes to the depth chart.

Wide receiver Kaleb Brown is back on the depth chart after being suspended for last week’s game. Brown is No. 2 behind Kaden Wetjen at one of the receiver spots.

Kaleb Johnson, who had 11 carries for 119 yards and two touchdowns in the second half of Saturday’s game, has moved up to No. 2 behind Kamari Moulton at running back. Johnson was suspended for the first half of last Saturday’s game.

A look at the top spots on the depth chart for the 2:30 p.m. game against the Cyclones:

OFFENSE

WR — Reece Vander Zee (Fr, 6-4, 207), Kaden Wetjen (Sr., 5-10, 196); Jacob Gill (Jr., 6-0, 185)

TE — Luke Lachey (Sr., 6-6, 247)

LT — Mason Richman (Sr., 6-6, 312)

LG — Beau Stephens (Jr., 6-6, 322)

C — Logan Jones (Sr., 6-3, 293)

RG — Connor Colby (Sr., 6-6, 310)

RT — Gennings Dunker (Jr., 6-5, 316)

WR — Kaden Wetjen (Sr., 5-10, 196)

WR — Jacob Gill (Jr., 6-0, 185)

QB — Cade McNamara (Gr., 6-1, 210)

RB — Kamari Moulton (R-Fr., 5-9, 197)

FB — Hayden Large (Gr., 6-5, 250)

DEFENSE

LE — Deontae Craig (Sr., 6-3, 266)

LT — Aaron Graves (Jr., 6-4, 300)

RT — Yahya Black (Sr., 6-5, 317)

RE — Ethan Hurkett (Sr., 6-3, 260)

CASH — Sebastian Castro (Gr., 5-11, 205)

LEO — Kyler Fisher (Gr., 5-11, 231)

MLB — Jay Higgins (Sr., 6-2, 232)

WLB — Nick Jackson (Gr., 6-0, 235)

LCB — T.J. Hall (Jr., 6-1, 187)

SS — Xavier Nwankpa (Jr., 6-2, 215)

FS — Quinn Schulte (Gr, 6-1, 209)

RCB — Jermari Harris (Gr, 6-1, 189)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K — Drew Stevens (Jr., 6-0, 205)

P — Rhys Dakin (Fr., 6-4, 225)

Snaps — Luke Elkin (Sr., 6-1, 228)

Holder — Ty Nissen (Sr., 5-11, 192)

PR — Wetjen

KR — Wetjen and Kaleb Johnson (Jr., 6-0, 225)