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

We began our countdown to kickoff on May 28, and it's hard to believe it, but we're quickly already down to 87 days until "Back in Black" is blasting over the Kinnick Stadium loudspeakers. 

READ MORE: 88 Days Until Iowa Football: Lance Beeghly and Emmanuel Olagbaju

Each daily article in this countdown has primarily featured a player wearing the jersey number for that respective day in the countdown. Iowa doesn't issue a number for every single day, but that's not a problem we have to navigate on No. 87. 

In honor of today being 87 days until kickoff, it's time to take a look at No. 87 - tight end Addison Ostrenga. 

Hometown: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin 

High School: Sun Prairie High School 

Year: Senior 

Height: 6-foot-4 

Weight: 248 pounds 

Other notable players to wear No. 87: He came from one of the least popular eras of Kirk Ferentz's tenure, but still earns a spot in this article because he was right in the middle of the tumultuous 2014 season. That player is former tight end Jake Duzey, who was a part-time starter in both 2013 and 2014. His 12-yard touchdown in the waning minutes helped Iowa survive a scare against Ball State in 2014. 

Out of all the players that have been featured on this countdown, Ostrenga has easily produced the best career so far. It hasn't always been easy, but whenever Ostrenga has been on the field, he's made contributions in the passing game. 

Ostrenga's first action as a starter came during his sophomore season in 2023, where Iowa boasted one of the worst offenses in college football history. Ostrenga started in six games that season, where he collected his first-career touchdown in an ugly 10-7 victory over Northwestern at Wrigley Field. 

Ostrenga fell into a similar situation in 2024, but Luke Lachey graduated after that season, which finally paved the way for Ostrenga to be the full-time starter in 2025 for offensive coordinator Tim Lester's improving offense. Ostrenga indeed was the starter, but his stint lasted just two games. 

After attempting to catch a pass from Mark Gronowski in a rivalry showdown against Iowa State, Ostrenga immediately showed discomfort and hobbled his way to the sidelines. That would be his last appearance in 2025, as further tests revealed Ostrenga suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. 

Ostrenga quickly revealed his intention to return for the 2026 season, and he's done just that. DJ Vonnahme's breakout near the end of the regular season and in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Vanderbilt will likely earn him the starting nod in 2026, but Ostrenga is too talented for Lester to keep off the field. 

Ostrenga will probably spilt No. 2 snaps with Zach Ortwerth, but expect him to still play a key role in this offense this season. 

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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]