Dillon Doyle Departs Iowa Football Program

We’re seeing the first real reaction to the recent... happenings around the Iowa football program right now, as projected starting middle linebacker Dillon Doyle announced his departure from the football team Tuesday evening.

Doyle, a redshirt sophomore, saw action in all of Iowa’s 13 games last year, recording 23 total tackles and forcing a fumble. With the graduation of Kristian Welch in the offseason, it was all but assured that in Doyle, Iowa had its starting middle linebacker for the next three years.

Alas, excrement collided with air conditioning in the Iowa football complex, and it’s likely that the Doyle’s were a package deal.

When all the players started sharing their stories on Twitter over the weekend, the first thing I thought was what it means for Dillon Doyle. In the back of my mind, I knew it would have to come to this. It’s hard to punish someone for the sins of their father, but we all know the situation is much more nuanced than that.

You have to feel bad for Dillon. He was about to start what I’d be willing to bet would turn out to be a very decorated career for the football program he’d been watching for quite literally his entire life. Say nothing of the fact he’d get to play alongside friends he grew up with.

And, of course, play for his father.

With this departure, Nick Niemann probably slides over and covers the middle as Iowa embraces ca$h defense mostly out of necessity at this point. Jack Campbell and Jestin Jacobs are other candidates at the position, while Barrington Wade probably has the most experience at MLB on the roster.

I truly wish Dillon the best of luck moving forward. He’ll get the opportunity to play somewhere. And I bet he’ll make an impact wherever he goes.