 | 2010 FB Position Preview - Kicker |
 by Dr. Jay
Hawkeyes.Org Editor
Today continues with #3 in my 10-part preview of the 2010 Hawkeye Football team. In this
10-part series, I'll detail each position by pointing out who's gone, who's returning, and who's
new. Plus, I'll discuss where I feel the strengths of the team lie, and where the weak links are.
Today's installment: Kickers.
Movin' On: None
Movin' Up: SR Andrew Schulze, SR Ryan Donahue, JR Eric Guthrie, SR Daniel Murray, SO Trent Mossbrucker, RS FR Charlie Knipper
Movin' Over: None
Movin' In: FR Jonathan Mullings
Movin' Out: None
Another 2 positions with more experience and depth overall than most are the kicking jobs. Senior Ryan
Donahue returns for his 4th and final season as starting punter, and his steady play has given coach
Ferentz lots of confidence when it comes to the field position battle. Donahue was a Ray Guy award
semifinalist in 2008, was named to the preseason watchlist in 2009, and is likely to be on that list
going into this fall. He was 2nd team all-Big Ten in 2008, but hasn't earned any top awards, as he lived
in the shadow of Michigan's Zoltan Mesko all last year. His 2010 season should allow him to shine with
few other punters in the league in his class. Donahue has averaged 41.2 yards on 197 punts over his
career at Iowa, and his 82-yarder as a freshman is still his career long, and the 2nd longest in Hawkeye
Football history.
After sharing the job with Trent Mossbrucker in 2008, placekicking duties in 2009 were handled almost
exclusively by Daniel Murray, who also returns for his final year. Murray is 32/45 on career field goals
with a long of 48 yards, and 62 of 65 on PAT's, but we all recall his winning FG to knock off #3 and
then-unbeaten Penn State 24-23 in 2008. Other than that great moment, he's been decent, but no Nate
Kaeding. On the other hand, Trent Mossbrucker was 13 of 15 on FG attempts, and 31 of 33 on PAT's in 2008.
He redshirted in 2009, but is listed again as co-first team kicker with Murray for the upcoming season. Given
Trent's production and accuracy in 2008 as a true freshman, look for the two to share duties again this fall.
One may get kickoffs, and the other placekicks, or one field goals, and the other PAT's, but I'd be
surprised if they don't both see some action.
The other two kickers likely won't see the field unless the starters get injured in practice, during a
punt rush, or another trick play like Murray attempted late in the Orange Bowl. Eric Guthrie from Nevada,
IA, has been listed as second team punter since he arrived in 2007, but looks to get his shot in 2011
after Donahue is gone. That is unless freshman Jonathan Mullings develops quickly. Mullings, a former rugby
player from Canberra, Australia came to Iowa via Ottumwa High School where he set the state punting record
with an 85-yarder. Charlie Knipper will be the long snapper understudy to senior Andrew Schulze, coming
off his redshirt season.
Kicking will be a decent strength in 2010 with a Ray Guy award candidate who can change the complexion of
a game, especially in a field-position war, and two good placekickers with experience in close games. Long
snapper Andrew Schulze returns for his senior year, so there's experience on the line of scrimmage
during punting downs, and of course, Punter Ryan Donahue usually holds for the placekickers (remember
that nifty toss to Murray under the leg on the fake field goal in the Orange Bowl???). Good
special teams are always a hallmark of a Ferentz squad, and the Hawks will have that in spades in 2010.
We'll continue tomorrow with perhaps the strongest returning group on the team. Not only do they have
the experience, they have the chemistry playing together for several years, and the proven ability to
enforce their will on an opponent's offense, and the entire game. Next up: Defensive Line
Previous Installments:
Intro
Quarterbacks
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