Iowa Football: Hawkeyes Release Week 6 Depth Chart vs. Nebraska

The Iowa Hawkeyes are officially rolling. We’re now a full 5 weeks into the season with just 3 games remaining and Iowa is leading the Big Ten West in scoring, third in the Big Ten behind Ohio State and Indiana. The defense is also third in the conference in points allowed. Together, that puts Iowa tops in the conference in point differential.

When you’re riding a heater like Iowa is right now and leading the conference in point differential, it’s best to not tinker too much with the guys that got you there. As we saw a week ago, there are few changes to this week’s depth chart as the Hawkeyes prepare to take on a Nebraska team that struggled mightily with Illinois a week ago.

Image via HawkeyeSports.com

Noted Changes

• Former starter Kyler Schott is back on the depth chart as the backup LG (he was listed at RG to start the year)
• Schott’s return has bumped true freshman Mason Richman off the depth chart
• True freshman Yahya Black makes his first appearance on the depth chart as the backup right defensive end
• Black has taken the spot of former backup John Waggoner, who has fallen off the depth chart

Takeaways

There are only really two changes here so not a ton to take away, but that’s what you expect when the team has looked as good as the Hawkeyes have the last several weeks. The first one is the return of Kyler Schott to the depth chart. He’s been out for several weeks now, but started the year as the starter at right guard. However, Schott emerges from the injury report as a backup on the other side of the ball.

Schott was a shot in the arm when he stepped in a season ago at guard and Iowa may see that again this year. The offensive line has looked very good during the last three games, but where there have been weaknesses it has seemed to be slip ups on the interior. Schott, if healthy, could help shore those up going forward.

The only other change of note this week is the emergence of true freshman Yahya Black as the #2 right defensive end. Black came in as a bit of an under the radar recruit who looked like an absolute monster on film. The offensive and defensive coaches fought over who would get him and Kelvin Bell and Phil Parker came out ahead. It’s taken little time for Black to show why the staff was fighting over his talents and it will be interesting to see if he gets any action the next couple weeks.

The flip side of that equation is John Waggoner falling off the depth chart. The redshirt sophomore came to Iowa with a ton of recruiting attention as a 4-star prospect who caused much consternation among Hawkeye fans when he didn’t jump at the opportunity to come to Iowa City. Now, three years into his time in town, he appears to have lost his job to a true freshman. We’ll see if he can work his way back onto the depth chart going forward.