Part III: 7 Maulers on the Offensive Line in Iowa’s C/O 2022

It’s one thing to be able to execute at the line of scrimmage with great mechanics and technique as an offensive linemen. It’s a whole different story when you can do so with unparalleled nastiness and brutality. Check out seven of Iowa’s best and most physical blockers who maul their opponents. [player_tooltip player_id="99933" first="Luke" last="Vonderhaar"], Pleasant Valley, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2EuJFu">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/LukeVonderhaar">Twitter</a> OT, 6’4, 245 The velocity with which Vonderhaar moves out of his stance is elite: his speed, coordination, and motor skills are superb. Vonderhaar has a huge frame and it is easy to tell that, over time, he will fill out into an absolute monster. What impresses most are his lateral steps and the angles he takes on down, kickout, and arc blocks. He rapidly and remarkably covers ground to the second level. Vonderhaar beats his opponents to the point of attack with ease and then removes them from the equation with explosive strikes. He maintains his biomechanics, posture and leverage, as he lands inside hand placement making it nearly impossible for a defender to recover. Vonderhaar matches the athleticism of defensive skill and pummels them. [player_tooltip player_id="23959" first="Trace" last="Hackaday"], Keokuk, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2EUqms">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/TraceH2117">Twitter</a> OT, 6’5, 255 The biomechanics of Hackaday’s stance and step are excellent. He engages the core, posterior chain, and adductors as he gets set to be able to move explosively with a lot of velocity at the snap. Out of his stance Hackaday does an excellent job of covering defensive linemen, preventing them from separating, and keeping them out of gaps. He maintains his biomechanical strengths through the point of attack, which allows him to drive and wash opponents with ease. Hackaday is a terrific puller from the tackle position; he gets to his assignment with precision on plays like GT Power. In pass pro Hackaday lands punishing body blows that wear opponents down and keep them at bay. Hackaday is technical and mean. [player_tooltip player_id="99894" first="Avery" last="Goodrich"], Iowa City, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Ecn1J">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/goodrich_avery">Twitter</a> OT, 6’6, 275 Goodrich engages on run blocks with tremendous leverage; he squares up his opponent keeping them out of gaps, places hands inside with a big thud, and sinks his hips to bring his eyes to hand level. When Goodrich gets to this position, and he does so often, it is all over. What makes his understanding of leverage that much more impressive is his size; he has an enormous frame. To be able to adjust the depth he plays at, at his size, and do so without sacrificing any mechanics or technique puts his ceiling for development over the moon. He is physical at the point of attack driving force into the ground with his insteps and takes away a defenders ability to work technique. Goodrich is stout and skilled at the line of scrimmage. [player_tooltip player_id="99899" first="Tanner" last="Buol"], Dubuque, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/11272817/5fa9ddd28cd5641540f834b7">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/tanner_buol">Twitter</a> OT, 6’1, 260 Time and again Buol shows a top notch understanding of the playbook and scheme as he takes a great angle to his assignment, squares his opponent up, and keeps his feet moving to position a defender away from where the ball carrier will hit. Buol rattles his opponents at the point of attack, bullying them with superior strength, and washes them away to create a lot of space for ball carriers behind him to operate. Buol works his technique with such tenacity that the pad level of a defender often rises completely taking away their leverage. Once he gets his opponent to this point he drives them into the turf picking up lots of pancakes. Buol is opportunistic, plays with a high motor, and inflicts pain when run blocking or in pass pro. Victor Gonzalez, ACGC, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Et7uu">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/victorgonm12">Twitter</a> C, 6’0, 277 Gonzalez is a model of consistency in the way he destroys defensive tackles in the A gaps from the center position. When going against a true nose tackle Gonzalez delivers a quick snap and places hands beating his opponent to the punch. Then, simultaneously using his feet, hips, and meathooks, he gets under the pads of his opponent and stands them up. At this point Gonzalez is in complete control. Gonzalez is just as effective when lining up against a 1 or 2i technique. He shows off those fast hands as he steps laterally, gets underneath the pads, and washes them down. Gonzalez is a wrecking ball clearing space regardless of the defense’s front. Gonzalez is explosive, swift, and rough in his approach as he resets the line of scrimmage. Easton Fleshman, West Lyon, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Ehxk8">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/EastonFleshman">Twitter</a> G, 6’3, 260 Fleshman is locked and loaded in his stance with proper mechanics, strong posture, and a powerful base. One of two things happen when he launches out of his stance from the guard position: his opponent is sent flying backwards in that first punch or he locks onto his opponent and takes away their center of gravity. Fleshman is as physical and nasty as they come, which is exactly what you want in a guard. He opens up gaping holes for ball carriers to run through as he jars his opponents and steers them away from their gap. Fleshman has quick feet and can dominate lateral blocking schemes that require sudden movement. He also pulls really well and can savagely trap an undisciplined tackle or get to the next level and demolish a linebacker. Cody Felt, ADM, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/video/3/8187952/5fd40343dfd88804248dfed8">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/cody_felt">Twitter</a> G, 6’1, 240 Felt plays with a seek and destroy mentality; it doesn’t take long to realize that he absolutely loves contact and aims to punish his opponents. Felt is relentless in the way he tracks and stalks defenders across from him. He is in a controlled launch out of his stance when his responsibility is in the trenches and can climb right to linebackers the same way. Felt does not let up; he persists in attacking his opponents through the whistle. He will pancake them, taking them right off their feet and to the ground. He doesn’t let them back up. Felt is sound in his technique, especially when pulling on the run or short setting in pass pro. Regardless of what play is called it’s safe to expect that felt is going to make his presence known.