Iowa TE Tradition Excites Zach Ortwerth

St. Louis Product Joining Talented Hawkeye Room

Zach Ortwerth still is relatively new to football. The incoming Iowa Football freshman tight end is just scratching the surface of his potential. 

Ortwerth arrives on campus Sunday. The St. Louis (MO) University High product joins an experienced, talented room. 

"I'm just going to work as hard as I can and see if that makes me make the travel team," Ortwerth said. "If it has me playing special teams, then I'm on special teams. I'm just going to show what I do best and hopefully that can help the team this year." 

Ortwerth (6-4.5, 230) comes to town with four seasons of organized football on his resume, all of them in high school. 

"Growing up, my dad (Craig Ortwerth), didn't want me to play football until high school. That's what his dad said to him, so he just kept that going. He thinks that's one of the later sports that you can pick up and still end up succeeding," Zach said. 

Father knew best. 

"In varsity basketball, I started as a freshman. I thought I was going to be a hooper all throughout high school," Zach said. 

Ortwerth started as a tight end and defensive end for the junior varsity as a ninth-grader and loved it. He missed his sophomore season with a broken collarbone. He played for a loaded SLUH varsity squad as a junior. 

"I was like fifth on the receiving chart with the great guys that were above me. It was just a ton of fun. Junior year was when I fell in love with the game," he said. 

Notre Dame, Kansas and Miami (Ohio) played host to Ortwerth on campus visits during his junior season. 

"Those were me trying to get my foot in the door. I was invited, so I might as well go," he said. 

In late January of his 11th-grade year, Ortwerth was playing in a high school basketball tournament in Quincy, Ill. The next day he drove to Iowa for a football junior day. Nebraska offered him a scholarship the day after that. 

Indiana followed with an offer on Jan. 27, 2022. The Hawkeyes did the same two days later. Illinois, Purdue, West Virginia, Pitt, Minnesota, Wisconsin and others jumped in after that. 

Ortwerth officially visited Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Pitt. 

"It got to be pretty hard," Ortwerth said of making a final decision. "You get to know the coaches over a couple of months, and you start to feel like I could succeed at most of these places. When it really came down to it, it was just a feeling. 

"You just get a feeling of where you think you belong. That's what me and my parents listened to." 

Iowa's proud tight end tradition was icing on the cake. Ortwerth is getting in line to join it. The top two spots in '23 are held by veterans Luke Lachey and Erick All. True sophomore Addison Ostrenga heads into camp as the No. 3. 

"I'm going to be learning from those guys at practice. I'm excited. I'm going to give it my all and see where that takes me," Ortwerth said. 

You can see the starter-kit for college success when watching Ortwerth's senior film. It oozes athleticism on both sides of the ball. His blocking is especially impressive for a high schooler. 

He will be rooming with fellow incoming tight end, Jalyn Thompson, a preferred walk-on from West Des Moines (IA) Dowling Catholic. They're getting to know each other through text. 

"It's kind of funny, we were joking, we don't want to be complete strangers when we move in with each other in a couple of weeks," Ortwerth said. 

Ortwerth leaves St. Louis having converted family and friends into being Hawkeye fans. He's still working on his brother, a sophomore at South Carolina. 

He might be making process with his sibling. The Iowa women's basketball team upset the Gamecocks in the Final Four this past winter. 

"It was a little heated in the house, but the Hawks came out on top. So, I had to tell him who to start rooting for," Zach said.