Welcome back to our countdown to the 2026 Iowa football season! 

Since May 28, we've been counting down the final 100 days until the Hawkeyes storm out of the tunnel to "Back in Black" for their season-opener against Northern Illinois on Sept. 5 with a daily article primarily featuring a member of the Hawkeye football team that wears the jersey number of the respective day of the countdown. 

READ MORE: 82 Days Until Iowa Football: Dylan Stecker 

Today marks 81 days until kickoff, so we're going to take a look at No. 81 - tight end DJ Vonnahme. Vonnahme is a man who doesn't need much of an introduction, so this one will probably help you pass the time. 

Hometown: Breda, Iowa 

High School: Kuemper Catholic High School

Year: Redshirt Sophomore 

Height: 6-foot-4 

Weight: 240 pounds 

Other notable players to wear No. 81: Another notable name Hawkeye fans will definitely know that wore No. 81 is former wide receiver Tevaun Smith. Smith tallied 1,500 receiving yards during his strong career, but he is probably best-remembered for his 85-yard touchdown reception in the 2015 Big Ten Championship Game against Michigan State. That play gave Iowa a 13-9 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Hawkeyes eventually lost the game and a chance at the College Football Playoff. 

To say Vonnahme was Iowa's 2025 breakout player would be an understatement. Few, if any, Hawkeye fans had heard of the Breda native before the season, and that sentiment still rang true near the end of the season. 

Vonnahme's breakout didn't arrive until November, but once it came, Hawkeye fans couldn't get enough of him. Vonnahme's first big game came against No. 9 Oregon on Nov. 8, where he tallied 43 yards and his first career touchdown reception in the 18-16 loss. 

Vonnahme followed that up with strong performances against USC and Michigan State, but his true breakout occurred in the final two games of the season - at rival Nebraska on Nov. 28 and the 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl against No. 14 Vanderbilt on New Year's Eve. 

Vonnahme totaled three catches for 91 yards and one score against the Huskers, but no one could've prepared themselves for what happened in the bowl game. Iowa probably doesn't upset the Commodores without Vonnahme, as he recorded 146 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions. The 146 yards were the second-most by an Iowa tight end in a single game (Marv Cook, 1987) and placed Vonnahme firmly on everyone's radar. 

Addison Ostrenga and Zach Ortwerth join Vonnahme in a loaded tight end room this season, but barring injury, Vonnahme can likely be chalked into the starting role for 2026. 

Expect big things from the Kuemper Catholic product this year. 

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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]