As Iowa football prepares to embark upon its 2026 season, fourth-year offensive linemen Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper have both been named to the 2026 Lombardi Award Watch List.
The Lombardi Award is presented annually to the college football lineman or linebacker who best embodies the values and spirit of legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi: character, discipline, and excellence both on and off the field.
Pieper, a 6-foot-3, 298-pounder from Norfolk, Neb., is a 2026 Walter Camp, Sporting News, and Athlon preseason first-team All-American and started all 13 games at right guard last fall. Lauck, a 6-foot-5, 314-pounder from Indianapolis, started all 13 games for Iowa at left tackle in 2025.
Pieper is coming off a breakout 2025 campaign where he garnered first-team All-America honors from Pro Football Focus and third-team All-Big Ten accolades from the league’s media.
Lauck earned third-team All-Big Ten honors from the league’s coaches last season. Lauck is a preseason second-team All-American and a preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection by Athlon Sports.
Together, the duo helped Iowa win the 2025 Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the nation’s best offensive line. Iowa outrushed its opponents in nine of 13 contests and the Hawkeyes’ protection allowed an average time-to-pressure of 2.8 seconds, ranking fifth nationally.
The Lombardi Award winner will be announced in December following a vote by a national selection committee.
Iowa opens its 2026 season on Sept. 5 against Northern Illinois at Kinnick Stadium, with kickoff set for 3:15 p.m. CT and the game airing on the Big Ten Network.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football duo named to Lombardi Award watch list
Reporting by Scout Springgate, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
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By Scout Springgate, Hawkeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
