Offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz said on Tuesday during Iowa’s coordinator availability that running back Ivory Kelly-Martin will be Iowa’s starter when the Hawkeyes kick things off against Northern Illinois on Sept. 1.

“If we opened the season, he’s going to be behind center carrying the football,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz added that he, as well as the rest of the Hawkeye coaching staff, are comfortable with Iowa’s depth at the position behind Kelly-Martin. Toren Young, who was listed as the starter in the preseason depth charts, will likely be close in carries, and new Hawkeye Mekhi Sargent will be fighting for a chunk of the rotation as well.

Ferentz also compared the current running-back situation to 2015, when Iowa had Jordan Canzeri (183 carries for 984 yards), LeShun Daniels Jr. (145 carries for 646 yards), and Akrum Wadley (83 carries for 494 yards) combining to create a three-headed monster in the backfield.