What are the options for Iowa football at backup punter and kicker?

Last week during Big Ten Media Days, Kirk Ferentz once again expressed his admiration for punters. He went back to when he arrived in Iowa City and got one look at the legendary Reggie Roby and the impact he had on Iowa Football.

“I really kind of learned the importance of a great punter in 1981, my first year ever at Iowa,” Ferentz said Wednesday at B1G Media Days in Indianapolis. “We were fortunate enough to have Reggie Roby, who I think was a junior that year. Was as amazing a punter as I’ve ever seen. Reggie Roby’s leg was a big reason we were Big Ten champions that year, and played in the Rose Bowl. And then coaching in pro football, really developed an appreciation for how punters can affect and impact the game.”

Iowa had a potential All American punter this year in Tory Taylor and a terrific second year placekicker in Drew Stevens, but their backup at both positions, Aaron Blom, looks like will not be playing football for the Hawkeyes this year.

According to a story published earlier today at the Cedar Rapids Gazette and Des Moines Register, Blom has been swept up in the sports gambling investigation involving student-athletes at the University of Iowa and Iowa State.

According to the reports, Blom placed bets totaling $4,400, including wagers on Iowa athletics and one involving an Iowa football game, betting under the total.  It is worth noting that while Blom is still listed on the roster, he was not listed on the recently released two deeps.

The larger question for Iowa football is that if Blom is no longer able to play and that would seem to be the case based on current NCAA rules regarding wagering on games at your own school, then what does Iowa do for a backup punter and placekicker?

That is a good question because right now based on the current roster, Iowa will have to go off the board to find a backup option. One thing they could do is have Taylor work at kicking field goals and kickoffs, while Stevens could practice punting. Stevens didn’t handle punting at the high school level and it seems unlikely that Taylor was a field goal kicker as well in Australia.

Perhaps Iowa could find a late addition to the roster from the junior college ranks or someone who was in the transfer portal. But, let’s remember, Iowa is currently at their scholarship limit, so anyone that they add to the roster would have to as a walk-on.

One potential could be Iowa’s Mr. Do Everything, Cooper DeJean. He handled punting duties in high school. It should be noted that he only punted ten times all season in his senior year. Sophomore defensive tackle Aaron Graves also punted for his high school team and actually holds the school record for longest punt and highest average for a season.

With Iowa football media day just a bit over a week away, expect head coach Kirk Ferentz and special teams coordinator LeVar Woods to be asked about their backup plans at both positions.

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