With the gap between being good and great in college football more razor-thin than ever, the slightest bit of an advantage can prove to be the difference between winning and losing.
Good special teams play is a staple of the Iowa Hawkeyes under Kirk Ferentz, and it has arguably been at its peak over the last handful of years with game-changing plays. The 2026 version, which is looking quite different, aims to keep the standard just as high.
Iowa’s special teams face questions in 2026
Gone from Iowa’s successful special teams unit are kicker Drew Stevens, punter Rhys Dakin, return man extraordinaire Kaden Wetjen, and long-time special teams coach LeVar Woods.
Entering this new era, Iowa needs to find the right pieces that keep this unit on track.
Iowa will score AND give up at least one return touchdown
The last time Iowa’s special teams failed to produce at least one touchdown via a punt or kick return was in 2022. The last three years have been a renaissance in the return game.
The punt returns will likely be manned by Zach Lutmer, who has shown a natural ability to find the end zone when he gets the ball in his hands. Give him enough tries, and he can pop a punt return for six.
In the kickoff game, Nathan McNeil or Brevin Doll should get the responsibility, each of whom is explosive and has pure, natural, straight-line speed.
On the contrary, that same thing could punch Iowa in the face. A new coach and some scheme changes could create early-season gaps.
If I had to bet, I would even say they let Northern Illinois, Iowa State, or Northern Iowa pop one in the first three weeks, playing as a team with nothing to lose, looking for the upset.
Eli Ozick wins the job AND converts 85% of his field goals
Iowa dipped into the transfer portal for a kicking replacement, and they snagged Eli Ozick, a former North Dakota State Bison, who knows big games. NDSU, which is now an FBS program, was as big as it gets in the FCS.
Last year, Ozick went 16-18 (88.9%) on field goals and 62-62 on extra points. He has the experience and should slot in nicely to Iowa’s special teams unit.
With some drives likely to stall out early in the year, look for Ozick to be called upon in the first few weeks for some stress-free kicks that build confidence ahead of Big Ten play.
Iowa’s punting game sees a revival
Iowa’s punting game was just a tad below its normal expectations at times last year. Rhys Dakin, who left for Michigan State, was respectable, with a 43.6-yard average, but just 18 of his 42 (42.8%) punts were downed inside the 20-yard line.
With the offense likely to sputter at times in 2026, flipping field position is going to be paramount for Iowa to set up the defense in good spots.
Chris Polizzi, the new special teams coordinator, knows how important this is, and I think we will see Boston Everitt win the starting job with his Aussie background.
The revival I expect is in limiting returns and cutting back on touchbacks, with an emphasis on pinning teams inside their own 20-yard line.
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