Iowa Receivers Lacking Involvement

Nico Ragaini is in his sixth year at Iowa, and he always says that he’s seen everything in his time.

So the wide receiver was introspective when breaking down the woes of the Hawkeyes’ offense.

The finger-pointing that came after Iowa’s 31-0 loss to Penn State last Saturday, Ragaini said, wasn’t going to be productive unless it went in a certain direction.

“On Twitter, they say point the finger at (offensive coordinator) Brian (Ferentz), or at the quarterback, or at the line,” Ragaini said on Tuesday. “And that’s what you want to do. But you can’t do that. You’ve got to focus on yourself. What did I do wrong, or what can I do to get better to make this team more effective and better as a whole? That’s obviously not the easiest thing to do, because no one wants to say it’s their fault. But it truly is, and it’s the only way to grow as a team and I think we all realize that, and I think we’re all doing that.”

It would be easy for Ragaini, and any of the wide receivers, to be frustrated. The wide receiver group accounts for just 14 of Iowa’s 47 receptions in the first four games of the season, and an offense that ranks near the bottom of the Football Bowl Subdivision in almost every major category again needs to spread the ball around to be more efficient.

Tight ends Erick All and Luke Lachey lead the Hawkeyes with 10 catches each, but Lachey likely is out for the season with an ankle injury. That could lead for more touches for the wide receivers in the coming weeks, starting with Saturday’s night game against Michigan State at Kinnick Stadium.

“I think part of that is the ball does go where it goes,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We've had two pretty good tight ends. Obviously, down one there (with Lachey’s injury). That changes.

“As a staff, that's something we're doing weekly is trying to figure out what's the best way we can do to help improve production offensively and getting receivers involved probably makes some sense here as we move forward.”

Ragaini, for his part, isn’t counting the numbers.

“I mean, I’m just a player,” said Ragaini, who had six catches for 52 yards this season. “I go out there and give my all every single practice, just like all of the other receivers do. If the opportunity comes to make plays, we’ll be ready for it. If it means we have to continue to block on most plays, then whatever it takes to win is what I’m all about. The main thing is winning, so it’s continuing to make the main thing the main thing.”

Ragaini said there have been opportunities for the receivers that have been squandered.

“There were some plays where I was the first read, and I made a mistake, and I didn’t get the ball,” he said. “That’s just how it goes. We all have to look in the mirror, rather than point our fingers at everybody else. And that’s what everybody in the receiver room is doing, and the entire offense is doing.”

Ragaini doesn’t think there is any discouragement among the receivers.

“I think the receivers have the right mindset. We keep pushing to get better every day,” he said. “We prepare every game as if we’re part of the game plan. Last week it happened we weren’t and that’s OK. It would really be OK if we won the game, and that’s why we feel so bad.”