By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – For the Iowa football team, the names change at tight end, but the level of performance never seems to change with fourth-year junior Luke Lachey the latest example.

Lachey stepped out of Sam LaPorta’s shadow in Saturday’s 24-14 victory over Utah State at Kinnick Stadium by catching seven passes for 73 yards. No other player for Iowa had over three catches.

Lachey had two critical catches on third down in the second half to keep drives alive when the offense was sputtering.

“At the end of the day, I’m going to go out there and do whatever I can to help the team win, whether that’s blocking or running routes and catching on third down,” Lachey said. “Whatever works.”

Lachey has stepped into the lead role at tight end after having been LaPorta’s sidekick in each of the past two seasons, while LaPorta has moved on to the NFL where he plays for the Detroit Lions.

LaPorta led Iowa in receptions in each of the past three seasons and he finished his career with 1,786 receiving yards on 153 receptions. He ranks first among Iowa tight ends all-time in receptions and second in receiving yards.

So, his loss is significant, and yet, the position still should be a strength for Iowa again this season.

In addition to Lachey, Iowa also has Michigan transfer Erick All playing tight end. All complemented Lachey on Saturday by scoring his first touchdown as a Hawkeye on a 3-yard pass from his former Michigan teammate, Cade McNamara, on Iowa’s second possession of the game.

Iowa has a long-standing tradition of developing star tight ends that dates back to the Hayden Fry coaching era.

From Marv Cook to Dallas Clark to Tony Moeaki to George Kittle to LaPorta, and now Lachey, the tight end position has been a strength for Iowa for over four decades.

Kirk Ferentz saw first-hand how valuable the tight end position could be during his nine seasons as the Iowa offensive line coach under Fry from 1981 to 1989, and Ferentz has taken it to a higher level.

“We have some experience, which is good, and certainly Luke and Erick have shown that they’re pretty good college football players,” Kirk Ferentz said after Saturday’s game.

Iowa, which has earned the title of Tight End U, demands a lot from its tight ends as blockers and receivers.

Lachey was more accomplished as a receiver when he came to Iowa, despite his father, Jim Lachey, having been a former NFL offensive lineman who played for Ohio State.

The younger Lachey, who’s listed at 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds, has worked hard to improve as a blocker since becoming a Hawkeye and it’s starting show on the field.

And while he played second fiddle to LaPorta last season, Lachey still led Iowa with four of the team’s seven touchdown catches.

Lachey didn’t score a touchdown in Saturday’s game, but he and McNamara already seem to have a strong connection.

McNamara also has a strong connection with All from their days at Michigan.

Lachey and All, both of whom are from Ohio, combined for 10 of Iowa’s 17 receptions in Saturday’s game.

“That tight end room is extremely elite,” McNamara said. “We have some of the best players in the country in my opinion. The more that we can have those guys involved, the better position this offense is going to be in.”