Arland Bruce, Keagan Johnson ready for expanded roles in Iowa football’s wide receiver room
Both sophomore wideouts appeared on the Hawkeyes’ preseason two-deep depth chart. Johnson is listed as a starter, and Bruce is currently a backup.
Iowa wide receiver Arland Bruce IV celebrates after a successful play during a football game between No. 17 Iowa and Illinois at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. The Hawkeyes defeated the Illini 33-23 at the last home game of the season.
August 21, 2022
The Iowa wide receiver room will look a lot different this season than it did in 2021.
The Hawkeyes lost seniors Tyrone Tracy and Charlie Jones during the offseason. The pass-catchers transferred to Purdue in December and May, respectively.
Sophomores Keagan Johnson and Arland Bruce seem primed to fill the holes left by Tracy and Jones. Both Johnson and Bruce appeared on the two-deep depth chart Iowa released in July.
Bruce and Johnson established themselves as viable options in the passing game in 2021. Bruce, who is from Olathe, Kansas, caught the fourth-most passes of any Hawkeye last season with 25. Johnson, who is from Bellevue, Nebraska, registered 18 catches across the 13 contests he participated in. Bruce and Johnson accounted for three of Iowa’s 12 passing touchdowns last year.
“Even without Tyrone and Charlie leaving, I think that’s what a lot of people don’t understand,” Bruce said at Iowa Football Media Day on Aug. 12. “We knew that our role was going to be elevated and that we really had to step up and be ready … So, I think we’ve been ready to step up ever since last year was over.”
Counting Bruce and Johnson, only three receivers on the Hawkeyes’ active roster have ever caught a collegiate touchdown pass. Senior Nico Ragaini has three career touchdown receptions to his name.
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The Hawkeyes’ passing offense was ranked 109th in the country in the last season. For that rating to improve in 2022, Iowa will need more production from Bruce and Johnson
“I think it really just depends on how big of a jump you want to make,” Bruce said. “How much are you in the film room? Are you watching film from last year? Are you understanding coverages? I think I’ve really taken advantage of the opportunity that I’ve had to get [on the field] my freshman year and really watch film and hone in on those mistakes I made last year and not make the same ones this year.”
Similar to Bruce, Johnson said the improvements he’s made to his game during the offseason might not be noticed by casual fans. Still, Johnson thinks he can do a lot to help improve the Hawkeyes’ passing attack.
“Just understanding open spaces and how coverage is going to shift before the snap and after the snap,” Johnson said. “Just little things like that that make our job easier to understand, so there’s not like 1,000 thoughts running through your brain.”
Ragaini, who has affectionately been dubbed “gramps” by his fellow receivers, said he expects Johnson and Bruce to make a big jump in 2022.
“Last year, they’re just trying to learn the system,” Ragaini said. “When you first get here, you’re drilling this college playbook that’s extremely difficult to understand. And now, once you finally understand it, you’re able to play at your full speed. You’re playing faster out there, and seeing defenses quicker, and catching balls, and finding the hole to go through faster.”
Johnson is listed as a starting wide receiver on the Hawkeyes’ preseason depth chart. Bruce is slated to back up Ragaini.
Iowa will open its 2022 season with a game against South Dakota State at Kinnick Stadium on Sept 3.