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Iowa has 2 great tight ends, and they should have been using them all along
By Tom Brew
Published:
Iowa redshirt sophomore tight end T.J. Hockenson was named a finalist for the Mackey Award on Tuesday. He’s one of three people still alive for the award, given to the best tight end in the country.
He’s that good. And he was happy to be named a finalist, the first Iowa player to be named a finalist for the Mackey Award since Dallas Clark won it in 2002.
“It’s really cool to be seen as that,” said Hockenson, who has emerged as a star this year and leads Iowa with 41 catches for 663 yards.
Fellow Hawkeye Noah Fant was also a semifinalist. He came into the season as the more decorated star in the Iowa offense, but it’s been Hockenson who’s been the star. The Mackey decision shows that, too.
But let’s make no mistake here, they’re both very good. They are a game-planning nightmare for most coaches.
“You have to look out for a lot of people’s quarterbacks, running backs and receivers. But there’s not too many teams you face where you’re game-planning for and having to worry so much about tight ends,” Nebraska coach Scott Frost said of Iowa. “The two guys they’ve got are as good as I’ve seen.”
Fant, the Nebraska native, is a potential first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He caught 11 touchdown passes last year. Hockenson wound up getting more playing time this year in one-tight end sets because he’s seen as the better blocker.
“I feel like I’m a totally different type of player. He does his thing. I do my thing. I’m happy for his successes as he’s happy for my successes,” Fant said of Hockenson. “We have two different jobs in the offense.”
That’s been a bit of a bone of contention lately, especially during the three-game losing streak against Penn State, Purdue and Northwestern. Fant was missing from the offense for long stretches of each game, and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz even called him a “specialist” when explaining why he wasn’t playing every down.
But then they both played a lot together against Illinois — 24 of the first 25 plays, for instance — in Iowa’s 63-0 win at Illinois. That’s when Iowa is at it’s best, when both are on the field together. They are matchup nightmares.
Both will have NFL decisions to make at the end of the year. Fant’s seems more obvious —he should go — but Hockenson’ stock has risen considerably as well.
“That’s something that you’ve got to think about at the end of the year. Obviously, I know the decision that needs to be made,” Hockenson said. “I’m projected to have two years (left at Iowa), so that’s the plan.”
Tom Brew has been a recognized reporter in Big Ten sports for decades. Among other projects, he writes about Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.