The list goes on and on when talking about successful tight ends at the University of Iowa. Sam LaPorta, T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, George Kittle, Tony Moeaki, Dallas Clark... the list seems to be never-ending. The Hawkeyes earned the nickname "Tight End U" for a reason. After an injury set Addison Ostrenga's promising career back last season, a new tight end stepped up into the spotlight. Quickly D.J. Vonnahme went from a practice standout for the reserves, to heavy expectations rolling into the 2026 season. Since those practice squad days, all it ever took was one spark to send Vonnahme's confidence - and his game - up the charts. "I was on the scout team and then I just had one good play and that one good play turned into another good play and then so on," said Vonnahme, in his third year with the Hawkeyes.
After small flashes of elite potential during the second half of the season, Vonnahme put on one of the best performances by a Hawkeye tight end during the 2026 ReliaQuest Bowl vs Vanderbilt. Vonnahme snagged seven receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown. That's the second most receiving yards in a game for a tight end in program history. Only behind Scott Slutzker in 1995 when he had 167 yards vs Penn State. "Clearly he really climbed the ladder a little bit last year, the second part of the season he came on. I thought he really got comfortable," said Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz. "That's what you're hoping for is players each year, each opportunity they get a little bit better, more comfortable. Then their skillset really starts to take over a little bit." Increasing the comfort level during live play will make the game slow down for Vonnahme. Which he hopes can allow him to find another gear during those big moments. "Last year, I was a little hesitant and just kind of out there to be out there," said Vonnahme. "But now this year, that I'm starting to conceptualize a little bit better, I've really tried to take that step forward and just playing faster." For a guy who already showed he can be an elite threat on offense, taking away the hesitation could boost a Hawkeye offense that averaged 29.8 points per game last year. They're now looking to average more than 30 points per game for the first time since 2020 - 2018 for a full season. With an inexperienced team, the Hawkeye are going to rely on the players like Vonnahme who have already experienced success at the Big Ten level, if they want to see a strong start to the season. "Our best guys have to play their best and they've got to play better than they did previously," said Ferentz. "Or else we're not going to have a good football team." The Hawkeyes open the season on Sep 5, when Northern Illinois travels into Iowa City. That game kicks off at 3:15 pm. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.