The Iowa offensive line returns some star power this season. But, they also have big question marks at some key positions.
That combination might have some Hawkeye fans skeptical about the line heading into the 2025 season. While Logan Jones, Gennings Dunker, and Beau Stephens are known commodities, Kade Pieper is still inexperienced at right guard, and the left tackle race is wide open.
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It’s never normally a good sign when you have a revolving door at left tackle, so the question marks around that position might be enough for some people to have big concerns about the offensive line. However, that’s not the case for one Big Ten Network analyst.
Jake Butt has been at the Big Ten Network since 2022, following a four-year career with the Michigan Wolverines and four years with the Denver Broncos in the NFL. With the Wolverines, Butt was a two-time Big Ten Tight End of the Year, a two-time All-American, and the winner of the 2016 Mackey Award.
Butt was part of the Big Ten Network crew’s Iowa preview show on Monday night and had high praise for the Hawkeyes’ offensive line.
What did Butt say about the Iowa OL?
Aug 9, 2025; Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett talks with players during the Hawkeyes Kids Day NCAA football open practice at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Cress for the Des Moines Register
At the Big Ten Network’s Iowa preview show on Monday, the conversation turned to the offensive line, where Butt had this to say about that unit.
“This offensive line has a chance to be the best that we’ve seen in a really, really long time,” Butt said.
This is high praise for an Iowa offensive line that many fans would be disappointed with over the past five years or so. Despite some of the names the Hawkeyes have put into the NFL, the overall unit has yet to show dominance in both the run and pass games at the same time.
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It’s clear from Butt’s statement that he believes Iowa has the chance to do both this season, which would be huge for an offense looking to take another step in the right direction.
Ultimately, we won’t have a clear illustration until the season kicks off and this offensive line gets to go out and prove it on the gridiron. But, there’s no doubt that the star power is in place for that to happen. And if it does, it could be a really fun year for the Hawkeyes.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Big Ten Network analyst praises Iowa football offensive line