ESPN has one clear ‘X Factor’ in 2024 for Iowa football

With the 2024 college football season approaching faster and faster each day, the Iowa Hawkeyes are eagerly awaiting their chance to unveil a new, and hopefully much-improved offense.

Everyone knows that the defense is going to be stout. The question for this team falls on the shoulders of the offense. Led by new offensive coordinator Tim Lester, Iowa has the potential to go from a team that should easily earn a solid bowl bid to a team that could make some noise nationally.

Lester’s arrival and the weight on his shoulders has him picked as ESPN’s biggest “X factor” for the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2024.

23. Iowa Hawkeyes

OC Tim Lester. The Hawkeyes have a new offensive coordinator in Lester, who spent last year as an analyst for the Green Bay Packers. Before that, he was Western Michigan’s head coach. Lester is charged with reviving an Iowa offense that ranked last in the Big Ten in 2023 in yards (235.4 per game), passing yards (118.6) and points (15.4). Finding a way to generate more chunk plays will be critical for Lester and the Hawkeyes. Iowa produced only 33 plays of 20 yards or more in 2023, last among Power 5 offenses. — Trotter

This comes on the heels of ESPN picking Kaden Wetjen as Iowa’s biggest sleeper for 2024 which could make a massive difference if given the chance.

The trend here is clear. ESPN and most of America know that Iowa is going to keep opposing offenses in check for the most part. The other end of that bargain is the offense which is largely unknown to most of America as to how they will perform.

If Lester can manufacture big plays with Wetjen and other receivers, an area Iowa has massively struggled in lately, it opens the run game up and clears out the middle for tight end Luke Lachey.

Kickoff is still a month away, but the anticipation to see Iowa’s new offensive scheme under Tim Lester has the anticipation of the first game already here.

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