By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Sixth-year senior receiver Nico Ragaini has sort of become the spokesperson for the much-maligned Iowa offense.

He didn’t necessarily seek out this title, but his ability to express himself, and his willingness to face the media on a regular basis has caused it to happen.

Ragaini faced the glare of the media spotlight again this past Tuesday and he handled a tough situation as best he could.

He didn’t dodge any questions, but he also avoided blaming any specific coach or player for the problems on offense.

And he refused multiple times to question the play calling.

“It sucks to be in a position where I’ve got to answer these questions,” Ragaini said. “But you can’t focus on the outside noise.  You’ve just got to continue to get better, and that’s all I’m focused on.”

Ragaini is part of an Iowa offense that was held to just 76 yards in last Saturday’s 31-0 loss at Penn State.

He is also part of a receiver group that has combined for just 14 catches on 35 targets in the first four games.

Iowa is ranked 131^st out of 133 FBS teams in total offense heading into Saturday’s game against Michigan State at Kinnick Stadium.

And not surprisingly, Hawkeye fans are upset to see this happening again in the wake of last season when the offense also performed at a historically low level.

The hope was that the addition of Michigan transfer Cade McNamara at quarterback, along with some other additions from the transfer portal, would help to jumpstart the offense.

But that just hasn’t happened after four games.

McNamara only has 459 passing yards in four games and is completing just 50.6 percent of his passes.

To put that in perspective, former Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras had 524 passing yards after four games last season.

Ragaini leads all the Iowa receivers in receptions, but with just six catches for 52 yards.

Iowa’s receivers have combined for just two touchdown catches this season as Seth Anderson and Diante Vines have one each.

“I’m going to be 100 percent positive every single day because I truly believe in this offense, and I really think we can turn it around from last week,” Ragaini said. “So, I’m excited. I’m not down at all. I don’t think the other receivers are down. I don’t think the line and the quarterback and everyone else on our offense is down. I think the defense has faith in us this year. I don’t think it’s divided. So, I’m proud to be a part of this Hawkeye team. And I’m excited for us moving forward.”

That was spoken as a true team leader, and leadership is what Iowa needs to help fight through this rough stretch.

Ragaini was asked multiple times on Tuesday why the receivers haven’t been targeted more this season, and if there has been any discussion about getting the receivers more involved.

“I’m just a player, so I go out there give my all every single practice just like the other receivers do,” Ragaini said. “And if the opportunity comes to make plays, we’re going to be ready for it.

“But if it means we have to continue to block on most plays, then whatever it takes for us to get the win is what I’m all about. The main thing is winning, so continue to keep the main thing the main thing.”

Ragaini was also asked what the offense can do to get the receivers more involved.

But again, he didn’t take the bait.

“I don’t know. That’s not a question for me,” Ragaini said. “It’s a question for the coaches. I’m just going to continue to do what I have to do to make the team the best it can possibly be.”

McNamara also refused to question or comment on the play calling, or on ways to get the receivers more involved when he met with the media on Tuesday.

“I’m just a quarterback, I’m not calling the plays or doing any of that,” McNamara said. “That’s not my decision. I’m jut going to run the play and I’m going to throw it to the open guy.”

Some have apparently interpreted that comment as McNamara throwing Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz under the bus, but it seems more that McNamara was just acknowledging his place in the pecking order, and his role in the offense.

Because when asked if the Iowa coaches are open for suggestions on what plays to run, McNamara said:

“They’re very open to my voice and I appreciate how much they care about my influence. It makes me play more freely.”

Those hardly seem the words of a quarterback throwing his coach under the bus.

It might seem unfair that McNamara and Ragaini speak for the offense on a weekly basis during tough times, while the Iowa assistant coaches, including the three coordinators, are made available to the media just once during the regular season.

But that’s how it is at most schools, and once is better than not making the assistant coaches available at all.

At some point this season, Brian Ferentz will be made available to the media, and he will face some tough questions.

Ragaini probably doesn’t have to make himself available to the media as often as he does.

But he must figure if the media keeps requesting him for the weekly press conferences, then it’s his responsibility as a team leader to show up and answer their questions.

Ragaini should be admired for making himself available because it isn’t easy answering questions about why the Iowa offense is performing so poorly.

Of course, he wants to be targeted more in the passing game as does every receiver.

But he also understands that complaining about not being targeted enough would just make a bad situation worse.

Ragaini came to Iowa as a teenager from Connecticut, but now he’s a mature, 24-year old adult that understands how to deal with the media, and how to conduct public relations.

It would be easy to point fingers during tough times, but Ragaini knows that would be counter-productive and would possibly cause the roster to splinter.

“It’s definitely difficult,” Ragaini said. “Our nature as human beings when something isn’t going right is immediately to point the finger at somebody else. So, on twitter, they say point the finger at Brian or the quarterback or the line. And that’s what you want to do. But you can’t do that. You’ve got to focus on yourself. What did I do wrong? And what I can do better to make this team more effective and better as a whole?

“It’s obviously not the easiest thing to do because no one wants to say it’s their fault. But it truly is, and that’s the only way we’re going to grow as a team and I think we all realize that, and I think we’re all doing that.”

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz was asked at his weekly press conference on Tuesday why the receivers haven’t been more involved in the passing game.

“I think part of that is the ball does go where it goes,” Kirk Ferentz said. “We’ve had two pretty good tight ends. Obviously, down one there. That changes.

“As a staff, that’s something we’re doing weekly is trying to figure out what’s the best way we can do to help improve production offensively and getting receivers involved probably makes some sense here as we move forward.”

Kirk Ferentz seemed to suggest that the receivers will be more involved in the passing game moving forward due partly to Luke Lachey’s injury at tight end.

“I think the receivers have the right mindset,” Ragaini said. “I think we all keep pushing to get better every single day and when the opportunity comes, I know that myself, and the rest of the receivers will be ready for it.”

Ragaini’s message on Tuesday was mostly that each player has to be accountable.

When asked if he thinks that the Iowa coaches have lost faith in the receivers, Ragaini said to even wonder about that would hurt his mindset and preparation.

Ragaini didn’t offer any hot takes or throw anybody under the bus.

It might not have been what some wanted to hear, but that isn’t Ragaini’s concern.