Tony Diaz did not need long to show Iowa fans why so much excitement surrounded his arrival in Iowa City.
The transfer wide receiver made an immediate impact during Iowa’s season-opening victory over Northern Illinois, giving the Hawkeyes another dangerous option in an offense that has been searching for more consistency through the air. Now, with Iowa State waiting in Week 2, Diaz knows opposing defenders will be paying much closer attention to him.
That does not appear to bother him.
Instead of worrying about becoming the primary focus of an opponent’s defensive game plan, Diaz sees the increased attention as something that could benefit the entire Iowa offense.
“If they want to put two on me, that’s fine,” Diaz said when discussing the possibility of seeing more defensive attention.
The confidence comes after an impressive debut in which Diaz quickly established himself as one of Iowa’s most reliable receiving targets. He finished the opener with seven receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown, leading the Hawkeyes in each of those categories.
He was also heavily involved throughout the afternoon, seeing 13 targets from the Iowa quarterbacks.
Those numbers immediately put Diaz on the radar heading into the rivalry matchup against Iowa State.
But Diaz understands that Iowa has more than one player capable of making a defense pay.
Reece Vander Zee and DJ Vonnahme give Iowa additional options on the outside, while Kamari Moulton provides another threat in the running game. Evan James, Jarriett Buie and several other receivers can also become involved when defenses concentrate too heavily on one player.
That depth could become particularly important against Iowa State.
The Cyclones will have plenty of motivation to slow down Iowa’s offense, especially with the rivalry atmosphere surrounding the matchup. If Iowa State decides that Diaz deserves extra coverage, the Hawkeyes will have opportunities elsewhere on the field.
That is exactly what Diaz appears to be counting on.
The Northern Illinois game offered an encouraging glimpse of what Iowa could potentially accomplish offensively this season. Eleven different Iowa receivers caught at least one pass, showing that the offense does not necessarily have to depend on a single target.
Maintaining that balance, however, will be more difficult against Iowa State.
The Cyclones showed in their opening game that they can defend the run effectively. Against Southeast Missouri State, Iowa State surrendered only 67 rushing yards while giving up 142 yards through the air.
That could influence how the Cyclones approach Iowa.
The Hawkeyes have traditionally preferred establishing the running game, and Iowa State will almost certainly understand that stopping the ground attack is one of the biggest priorities. If the Cyclones commit additional defenders to the box, Iowa could have opportunities to attack outside.
That is where Diaz could become especially important.
The bigger question will be whether Iowa can consistently deliver the football to its receivers. Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski have been competing for the starting quarterback job, creating another storyline heading into the rivalry game.
Regardless of who ultimately takes the majority of the snaps, Iowa needs its passing game to remain productive.
Diaz has already demonstrated that he can handle a significant workload. The next challenge is doing it when defenders know exactly where he is on the field.
For Iowa, that attention could actually become an advantage.
If Iowa State doubles Diaz, another receiver may find himself in single coverage. If the Cyclones choose not to give him additional help, Diaz has already shown that he can make them pay.
That creates a difficult decision for the defense.
Iowa does not need Diaz to dominate every game for the passing attack to succeed. What matters most is forcing defenses to respect him and the other weapons around him.
After years of criticism surrounding Iowa’s passing offense, the emergence of Diaz and a deeper group of receivers has created genuine optimism.
The Iowa State game will provide a much tougher examination.
Under the lights at Kinnick Stadium, Diaz will have another opportunity to prove that his strong opening performance was more than a promising start. And if the Cyclones decide to make stopping him their top priority, he seems perfectly comfortable letting his teammates make them regret that decision.
