The Iowa Hawkeyes’ running back room entered the offseason with a sense of urgency after a series of departures that left the position group thin and untested.
Kamari Moulton emerged as the workhorse in 2025, pacing the team with 878 rushing yards and five touchdowns while also proving his worth as a receiver out of the backfield.
Xavier Williams, who topped the squad with a 5.8 yards‑per‑carry average, is expected to handle the early‑down power role, giving the Hawkeyes a balanced two‑back approach.
Nathan McNeil showed flashes of burst and shiftiness last season, and coaches anticipate a larger share of carries for him as the offense adjusts to new personnel.
The Portal Impact
The most talked‑about addition is L.J. Phillips Jr., the FCS rushing leader who posted 1,920 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2025 before entering the transfer portal and committing to Iowa.
Phillips’ journey to the Big Ten was not straightforward; a torn ACL in high school once deterred Power Five programs, but his breakout season in the FCS revived interest and ultimately landed him in Iowa.
Mark Gronowski’s 16 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback set a Big Ten record in 2025, and his absence creates a clear void that the new backfield must offset.
Jaziun Patterson’s move to Michigan State in January 2026 further reshapes the third‑down and pass‑game options, leaving the Hawkeyes to rely more heavily on the remaining backs.
Head coach Tim Lester has signaled that his offensive philosophy will stay run‑first, but the scheme will need to evolve without Gronowski’s dual‑threat presence, placing greater emphasis on the running back committee.
The first Big Ten test arrives in Week 4 when Iowa travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan, a matchup that will quickly reveal whether the Phillips‑Moulton platoon can produce explosive plays against top competition.
Depth charts also list developmental candidates such as O’Lontae Dean, a 6‑0, 210‑pound redshirt freshman, alongside walk‑on veterans Brevin Doll and Braeden Jackson, who are expected to contribute limited snaps.
If the combined effort of Phillips and Moulton exceeds 1,500 rushing yards this season, Iowa’s offense could reclaim its reputation as one of the most dynamic ground attacks in recent memory.