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The expectations around Iowa heading into year two under Ben McCollum are all over the place. Fans seem extremely eager for the season but in the national media you’re not hearing a whole lot about the Hawkeyes coming off an Elite Eight run. There are still plenty of questions to answer, but there are also a lot of reasons to believe this team could outperform what many people are expecting. From elite size to a defense with the potential to be one of the best in the country, here are four reasons the Hawkeyes could surprise people this season.

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1. Size

Height was one of the biggest weaknesses on last season’s roster, however this year’s team is the complete opposite. Based on the current projected starting lineup, Iowa could roll out one of the tallest lineups in all of college basketball.

Projected Starting Lineup

C Andrew McKeever 7’3

PF Cam Manyawu 6’9

SF Cooper Koch 6’8

SG Tate Sage 6’7

PG Kael Combs 6’4

A starting lineup with an average height of 6’9, which is four inches taller than the average college basketball starting lineup at 6’5. Iowa also has plenty of size coming off the bench with Trey Thompson at 6’8, Trevin Jirak at 7’0, Ethan Harris at 6’9, and Jaidyn Coon at 6’7.

It is going to be fun to watch an Iowa team with this much size after seeing them struggle in that area over the last few seasons and beyond. The length will impact rebounding and rim protection more than anything. If they can take advantage of that size, it could end up being one of the biggest reasons Iowa has a successful season in year 2 under Ben McCollum.

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2. Returning Your Best Defensive Guys While Adding a High-End Rim Protector

Iowa’s defense has a chance to be ELITE this season.

We all know by now that Ben McCollum hangs his hat on that end of the floor, and last year’s team proved it. The Hawkeyes finished 22nd in the country in defensive rating while holding opponents under 30 percent from three. Even better, they’re only losing three rotational players, and Bennett Stirtz was probably the weakest defender of that group, although I do think he was a little underrated in that aspect.

Isaia Howard was an absolute lockdown on ball defender last season. He is one of the best defensive guards I have seen play for the Hawkeyes in a long time. Kael Combs and Tate Sage both showed they can really pressure the ball as well and make life tough on opposing guards.

The frontcourt is where this defense could really take another step. Cam Manyawu is back after proving he can guard the pick and roll very well and protect the rim at a high level. Now he gets to play next to 7’3 Andrew McKeever, who is already an elite shot blocker and should only get better under McCollum.

Add in all the length Iowa has across the roster, and this group has a chance to completely take teams out of what they want to run. Expect Iowa to blow up passing lanes, contest everything at the rim, and make every possession a grind.

Iowa’s defense is going to be a PROBLEM this season no matter what lineup McCollum rolls out.

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3. Balanced Yet Very Effective Offensive Attack

Iowa is probably going to have one of the most balanced offenses in the Big Ten this season, and that could end up being one of this team’s biggest strengths.

Last year’s national champs, Michigan, didn’t have one guy carrying the scoring load. They had eight players averaging between 7 and 15 points a game, which made them a nightmare to scout. Iowa could look a lot like that. Right now, it’s anybody’s guess who ends up leading the team in scoring, and honestly, that might not be a bad thing.

The biggest question is whether Iowa has that dude who can go get a bucket when the shot clock is winding down, especially in Ben McCollum’s slower half court offense. That’s a fair concern.

But there are still plenty of guys who can make plays. Sage, Coleman, and Combs have all flashed the ability to create their own shot. I could certainly see Trey Thompson with the ability to do so as well. Koch is going to get plenty of clean looks within the offense, and McKeever feels like a guy who’s going to live at the rim and the free throw line.

This offense isn’t going to be built around one star. It’s going to come at teams in waves, and that kind of balance could make Iowa really tough to guard all season.

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4. Three Key Additions

There are plenty of new faces to get excited about, but let’s start with Trey Thompson.

The 6’8 redshirt freshman was a four star coming out of high school and would’ve only been a senior last season before an illness forced him to redshirt. That extra year in the program could end up paying off big time.

Trey has all the tools to be a dude. He’s bouncy, can put it on the deck, knock down shots, and has the kind of athleticism that makes you jump out of your seat. He has a really high ceiling, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns some heads this season.

Ty’Reek Coleman

Ty’Reek Coleman is another guy that feels like a perfect fit for Ben McCollum’s system.

The 6’2 sophomore averaged 10 points per game as a freshman at Illinois State and has a little bit of everything in his bag. He can get downhill, create his own shot, finish through contact, and make plays for others.

McCollum has always had that one guard who makes the offense go dating back to Division II, and Coleman has a real shot to be that guy.

Andrew McKeever

Then there’s Andrew McKeever.

The 7’3 junior from Saint Mary’s is the tallest player in program history and looks like he was made for McCollum’s system.

McCollum has already raved about his passing, but that’s just scratching the surface. McKeever is going to learn to be a good screen setter, erase shots at the rim, clean up the glass, and give Iowa a legit back to the basket scorer when they need a bucket.

Pair him with Cam Manyawu, and Iowa suddenly has one of the biggest frontcourts in the Big Ten.

If McKeever is everything people think he can be, he’s going to be an absolute problem for opposing teams.

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Final Thoughts

There are still legitimate questions surrounding this team. Who becomes the go to scorer late in games? How quickly will the new pieces come together? Can this group generate enough offense against the best teams in the Big Ten?

Those questions are fair, but there are just as many reasons to be optimistic.

Iowa is bigger, deeper, and more experienced defensively than it has been in years. Ben McCollum has already shown he can build an elite defense, and this roster looks even better suited for his system. If the offense develops the way it has the potential to, this team has a chance to surprise a lot of people.

The national conversation around Iowa has been fairly quiet heading into the season, but don’t be surprised if that changes quickly in the season. Iowa has some tough non conference matchups early on this season which gives them a chance to prove themselves. Games are already lined up with Creighton, Alabama, Iowa State, and Virginia Tech all before the gauntlet of Big Ten play even kicks off. This roster has the talent, size, and defensive identity to exceed expectations and make some serious noise in the Big Ten.