Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett went in-depth on Iowa’s offensive line room at media day last week. Here are some key quotes.
Last week, Iowa hosted its annual media day in preparation for the 2024 season.
During the event, Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett addressed the media, providing a thorough update on various aspects of the offensive line. He discussed the depth within the unit, his confidence in having more experienced players, promising young talents at tackle, and the high standards expected of the Iowa offensive line.
How important is it to have utility linemen with experience such as Nick DeJong and Tyler Elsbury?
“It’s huge. It takes away sleepless nights in the hotel the night before the game when you have guys that have that pedigree and understanding of the offense with the experience. You can’t really describe it, but very valuable.”
What have you seen with Kade Pieper in camp?
“During the middle of spring, he was playing as a guard, and continued in that position last year. Leighton Jones was at center, but halfway through spring, we switched their positions. Both are young linemen, and we’ve been impressed with their performance. Piep has been practicing center extensively with the second team and has been excelling. He improves rapidly with each day and is a very skilled player.”
Where are you at confidence wise with this group compared to last year?
“I have a lot of confidence, admiration, and respect for this group because we’ve been through a lot together since their early days. They were thrust into challenging roles early on—one as a walk-on sophomore starter, another as a redshirt freshman starter, and two others as redshirt freshmen in key positions. We always emphasized staying calm and committed, even when things got tough back in 2022. As someone who’s experienced similar rebuilds, I understand the process well and haven’t been swayed by external pressures. For these players, it was their first time facing such challenges, and I’ve gained great respect for how they’ve grown through it all. Back in 2022, I reassured them that while it might not be evident right away, eventually things would improve. We’re now starting to see the positive changes we talked about.”
How is this unit synced up with the new offense?
“During the spring, they were beginning to grasp Coach Lester’s expectations, including the pace of play and the angles involved, and they started to understand these aspects well. Over the summer, they used film evaluation to further their understanding. Recently, during fall camp—specifically around two or three practices ago—there was a noticeable improvement, with the pace of play accelerating. This increase in pace indicates a growing cohesion and alignment among them. We’re now beginning to see real progress, which is very encouraging.”
What are some of those signs where they’re showing improvement?
“Consistency means fewer fluctuations in performance. It’s impressive to see how the senior group—comprising the top five plus two key players—has developed a deeper understanding and increased physicality in their game. Issues that once troubled them no longer do. Meanwhile, we now have a promising new tier of players, such as Jack Dotzler, Leighton Jones, Trevor Lauck, and Kade Pieper. This group is experiencing some growing pains similar to the seniors but is advancing rapidly. Their daily behavior, professionalism in meetings, competitiveness in practice, and improved fundamentals reflect this progress. As they deepen their understanding of the offense and enhance their competitive edge, things are starting to fall into place.”
What is the expectation or standard for Iowa on the offensive line?
“When I arrived in 2021, I knew we faced a tough challenge. We were losing a few seniors and had gaps of two or three classes, so we had to rely heavily on freshmen. My first priority was to establish a clear standard, followed by creating a recruiting strategy since we couldn’t afford any mistakes. We needed to recruit, retain, and develop talent. Here, the standard is maturity, which we initially lacked but were striving to achieve. I’ve emphasized physicality and pride since day one, focusing on what KF and his program envision. When talking to recruits, I prioritize finding individuals who fit well with this program and align with our head coach’s vision, rather than focusing on stars and rankings. The standard here is palpable, and if you don’t sense it, it doesn’t exist.”
How do you feel about that tackle depth behind Gennings Dunker, Mason Richman, and Nick DeJong?
“One of our most improved players right now is Jack Dotzler. He had a standout spring and has been competing well at tackle early in camp. He’s making strides, and he and Trevor Lauck have been working with the second team tackles. Lauck, a redshirt freshman, is also progressing. Our current tackle group includes players with game experience and others who are being pushed hard to get close to game readiness. While they may not be ready for a full game, the goal is to have them prepared to step in when needed. Tackling depth is always a concern, and today we saw Tyler Elsbury, who has good footwork and smarts, getting some reps at tackle. Building both depth and emergency depth is crucial for this position, and that’s the direction we’re heading.”