IOWA CITY — One of the casualties of Iowa football’s lackluster passing game over the last few seasons has been tight end production.
Sam LaPorta had 657 receiving yards during the 2022 season. But since then, no Hawkeye tight end has even reached the 300-yard mark. That’s on pace to continue again in 2025.
That’s a damning trend for a program with such a superb reputation at the position.
Some of that is not the fault of the tight ends. Iowa’s quarterbacks have simply not been effective throwing the ball. Quarterback play has finally gotten pointed in the right direction thanks to Mark Gronowski, but even he has not been prolific through the air.
So how exactly does tight ends/fullbacks coach Abdul Hodge keep his players engaged and motivated when their effort isn’t reflected in catches and touchdowns?
“For one, you’ve got to get the right guys in the room,” Hodge said. “You’ve got to get guys in a room that love playing football. You have to get guys in a room that love Iowa football and want to be here. And you’ve got to put a bunch of guys in a room that are selfless. The name of the game is to win the football game.
“How we win games is going to be on the ground. It’s going to be through the offensive line. It’s going to be through the tight ends. So we’ve got to make sure we’re taking care of our business, and then when we get opportunities in the passing game, we’ve got to cash in and be ready to go.”
DJ Vonnahme took advantage of opportunities in Iowa’s loss to Oregon. The redshirt freshman had two receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown against the Ducks. He has been Iowa’s most productive tight end this season, recording 12 catches for 107 yards and one touchdown.
Still, those are paltry numbers.
Beyond the shortcomings of Iowa’s quarterbacks through the air, injuries have derailed the tight end room in recent years. Luke Lachey and Erick All both suffered season-ending injuries in 2023. All, who had 299 receiving yards before getting hurt in Iowa’s seventh game of the season, would’ve almost certainly gotten over that 300-yard mark had he remained healthy. Addison Ostrenga, Iowa’s top tight end to begin 2025, went down with a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in the Week 2 loss to Iowa State.
The tight ends aren’t totally free of blame. There have been drop issues among all the team’s pass catchers, including tight ends. Junior Zach Ortwerth has not broken through in Ostrenga’s absence as some had hoped. With three regular-season games remaining in 2025, there isn’t an overflow of confidence about what Iowa’s passing game can amount to.
But even though Iowa’s numbers at tight end have fallen short of expectations across multiple seasons, there are hints of optimism about the future (which also hinges on Iowa’s quarterbacks being more effective passing the ball).
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said earlier this season that he expects Ostrenga to return for the 2026 season. Ostrenga, who has 48 receptions for 320 yards and three touchdowns in his Hawkeye career, had not yet used his redshirt, so the injury this season will give him a chance to utilize it.
Assuming he eventually returns to full health, that would deliver a veteran and capable piece in the tight end room for Iowa next season.
“He’s kind of in a coach’s role right now,” Hodge said of Ostrenga, who is recovering from the Achilles tendon injury. “He helped me with some of the breakdowns and gives me information about guys on the field. But more importantly, he’s still a guy that’s continuously showing up early, continuously working to get better every day. Every time I see him, it seems like he’s progressing in terms of his rehab. But he’s still locked in. He’s a guy that just his presence alone, being in that room, is valuable. Not just to myself, but the guys that are on the field. He has a long road ahead of him, and he’s just taking it day by day.”
Beyond that, Vonnahme is just a redshirt freshman. There are also three true freshmen tight ends on Iowa’s current roster, including Clear Lake product Thomas Meyer. The former four-star recruit has been on Iowa’s traveling roster this season but has yet to record his first catch in college.
“I was close to putting in the game last week (vs. Oregon),” Hodge said of Meyer. “I just waited too late and I didn’t want to throw him in the second half. But hopefully we can see him this week (against Southern California). He’s a guy that I think is going to be really special in our program, if he, God willing, stays healthy, he continues to work.”
On top of that, there was a recent win on the recruiting trail. Norwalk tight end Luke Brewer committed to the Hawkeyes in the 2026 high school class over a long list of offers that included Iowa State, Tennessee and Miami (Fla.). The four-star prospect will add more talent to the future of Iowa’s tight end room.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa football remains optimistic about tight ends despite low receiving numbers in 2025
Reporting by Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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