By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – From a depth and experience standpoint, two positions have risen above all others on the Iowa football team as Kirk Ferentz said at Media Day last Friday.

“We’re most veteran at running back and most veteran at tight end, and I’d probably stop there,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz might stop there, but that doesn’t mean the fans or the media, or even some of his players will follow his lead.

Because there is this growing belief, or hope, that the wide receiver position might actually be a strength for Iowa this season for a change.

That belief probably has grown since the Iowa offense shredded the Iowa defense with a vertical passing attack of all things in the Kids Day practice last Saturday.

Third-year receivers Reece Vander Zee and Jarriett Buie are both healthy at the same time, while transfer portal additions Tony Diaz and Evan James have both shown they can make plays, prior to becoming a Hawkeye and since becoming one.

Diaz had 68 catches for 875 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns while playing for Texas Rio Grande Valley last season, while James led Furman last season with 65 receptions, 796 receiving yards and eight total touchdowns, including seven receiving.

And while Texas Rio Grande Valley and Furman are both a far cry from playing power-conference football, that’s still a lot of productivity from two receivers.

James also caught a touchdown pass from Jeremy Hecklinski in the Kids Day practice.

But it’s the 5-foot-11, 176-pound Diaz who has caught the imagination of fans and the media, both local and national, since arriving in Iowa City in January.

Diaz was the talk of spring practice, and is now the talk of preseason practice as his new Hawkeye teammates continue to rave about his ability to make plays.

Some even have gone as far as to call Diaz a “freak show,” which is high praise for somebody who has yet to play a game at the power-conference level.

Diaz is also popular on social media where hype seems to have no boundaries.

Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester was asked at Media Day last Friday if the hype surrounding Diaz makes him a little nervous.

“I think we have a ton of depth in the room right now, and I think he has the ability to make some big plays,” Lester said. “And he’s made tons in games. I don’t how many catches he had last year. You guys probably know that better then me, but I think if was like 68 or 70 catches. So he has some experience doing it.

“But he’s got to go out there and do it, and he’s got to stay healthy because he’s been banged up here and again. So if he’s able to do some of the stuff he’s done in practice on the game field; there’s been ton of guys in the years that look great in practice and then get out there and it’s a different ball game. So he’s going to have to make that transition and make some plays.”

With that answer, Lester seemed to be trying to temper the enthusiasm just a little bit, but while also acknowledging that Diaz has potential, and a proven track record.

Receiver rarely has been a strength for Iowa under Kirk Ferentz, so when there are signs that it could be, it’s easy to get carried away with the hype and the superlatives.

The risk, of course, is that it might create unrealistic expectations, and to no fault of Diaz because he isn’t the one posting how great he is on social media or pushing the hype train.

“I’ve heard teammates talk about it; they’ve mentioned it to me,” Diaz said of the hype. “I mean I see it. I love them (the fans) for that.”

So much goes into making a star receiver, not the least of which is the quarterback throwing the ball to him, and the play calling.

Hecklinski certainly performed well in the Kids Day practice, showing good accuracy, touch and anticipation.

If that were to carry to the season, Diaz and the other receivers should benefit from it.

Diaz isn’t the first Iowa receiver to fascinate fans and the media before making a significant contribution.

When Iowa City native Oliver Martin transferred from Michigan to Iowa in 2019, some described it as a potential program changer for the Iowa offense.

However, Martin played just one season for the Hawkeyes, finishing with five catches for 28 yards and one touchdown, which came in the 2019 season opener. He appeared in eight games overall, but only recorded a stat in three of them.

Martin then transferred to Nebraska as a walk-on and he would go to finish his career as a Cornhusker.

Getting caught up in the hype and hyperbole is fun until it isn’t.

There is certainly reason to be encouraged by what’s happening at the receiver positions.

The 6-4, 215-pound Vander Zee has shown that he can make plays, and difficult catches, when healthy. He now just has to stay healthy, as is the case with Jarriett Buie who missed all of last season due to a soft tissue injury.

Combine them with Dayton Howard, K.J Parker and the new additions at receiver and there does appear to be some quality depth at a position that has been lacking in that department.

So maybe in this case the hype is justified.

But until the hype turns into performance, it might be wise to temper your enthusiasm and expectations, maybe just a little.