The Daily Iowan
Friday, September 7, 2012 Iowa vs. Iowa State University Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City
KEENAN’S LAST CHANCE PAGE 4
IOWA PASSING ATTACK STAYS GROUNDED PAGE 18
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REMEMBER WHEN...
Then-Iowa cornerback Shaun Prater breaks up a pass from Iowa State quarterback Steele Jantz to receiver Darius Darks on Sept. 10, 2011, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. The Cyclones beat Iowa, 44-41, in triple-overtime. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
HAWKS IN THE NFL
4
COVER STORY Keenan Davis has one more season to live up to his recruiting hype and honor his roots
8
FEATURED MATCHUP Running back Damon Bullock will face a stiff challenge from Cyclone linebacker Jake Knott
14
GAME ROSTER The complete rosters for both the Hawkeyes and Cyclones; bring it with you to Kinnick Stadium
18
INSIDE FEATURE The Hawkeyes’ refusal to throw the deep ball hurt them against NIU
20
BEHIND ENEMY LINES See what an Iowa State Daily football reporter had to say about the Cyclones
22
ON THE LINE Check out DI football staffers’ predictions on some of the week’s biggest games in college football
Bill Casey Publisher Emily Busse Editor-in-Chief Sam Lane Managing Editor Sam Louwagie Pregame Editor Allie Wright Design Editor Adam Wesley and Rachel Jessen Photo Editors
WEB EXTRAS
On The Line Contest Want to win a free pizza? Go to www.dailyiowan.com/ontheline and place your college football predictions. DITV Program Catch the most extensive weekly Iowa football preview show in the state at www.dailyiowan.com. This week, see a panel of experts including ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg.
After a slow NFL start, Jordan Bernstine burst onto the scene for the Washington Redskins in the team’s fourth and final preseason game. The former Hawkeye safety recorded four tackles in Washington’s 30-3 victory. He also defended two passes and came up with an interception. That performance earned the seventh-round draft pick a spot on the Redskins’ season-opening roster (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
STAFF
Social Media Follow Daily Iowan Pregame @DIPregame and like Daily Iowan Sports on Facebook.
CONTACT US
22
LEADERBOARD Find out where James Vandenberg, Damon Bullock, and Mike Meyer stack up after Week 1
24
POINT-COUNTERPOINT
What aspect of the game needs the most fixing for the Hawkeyes?
26
AROUND THE BIG TEN Check out our conference power rankings and players to watch this week
Got a question for the Pregame staff or a story idea for a future issue? Email us at dipregame@ gmail.com.
Go to
dailyiowan.com
for a photo slideshow after the game
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Davis’ turn comes
Iowa wide receiver Keenan Davis evades Iowa State defenders after a catch on Sept. 10, 2011, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. Davis had 95 receiving yards and scored a touchdown in the game. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
Keenan Davis plays for the people who made him who he is today. He now has one act left.
K
By Tork Mason tork-mason@uiowa.edu
eenan Davis has one more chance. One more year to perform at the level many expected from him earlier in his career, one more year to represent where he comes from and those who shaped him into the man he is today. The Cedar Rapids native came to Iowa in 2009 with high expectations placed upon him as a four-star recruit. He had garnered scholarship offers from the likes of Oklahoma and Nebraska before choosing to stay in-state. But those close to him say he’s never let all the hype that surrounded his recruitment change him. “Keenan’s a roots person,” said Davis’ mother, Caryn. “Where he came from is where he’ll constantly stand by.”
Leaning on family
Keenan said his family has always had a big role in his life, and he stays very close with his siblings — especially his older brothers, Cedric and Ceth Davis. Keenan was always the runt of the family and said the beatings he took at the hands of his brothers toughened him and prepared him for the rigors of football. “It was kind of nerve-racking, at first,” he said. “They never used to let me play basketball with them because they said I was too little to play. So they used to
always just send me inside. I used to go in crying. “Then I got too big for them.” Caryn said her elder sons made sure they let Keenan know what it would take to compete at a higher level and taught him to get back up whenever he fell because that was how a smaller player has to play. “I never complained about it, because it was what an older brother does for his little brother,” she said. “Teach him, ‘You want to play? Come on, you can play, but you’ve got to be strong. You’ve got to be tough.’ ” Caryn said Cedric and Ceth “laid the carpet” for Keenan to go on to do better and accomplish more than they did. The sibling rivalry continued in high school for the brothers. Keenan recalled a game against Iowa City West in which Ceth caught a touchdown pass and he didn’t and said his brother talked it up and thinks it’s the “coolest thing he’s ever done.” But the support is always there for Keenan. His family goes to every game he plays. He said that is the most important thing for him. See davis, 6B
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davis
continued from 4B “I need [my brothers] there; I don’t feel right when they’re not at the game,” he said. “I need those guys there and to have their support is the biggest thing ever.” His brothers often spend time around the team on weekends and said they are close with other Hawkeyes, too. Keenan said other players make fun of Ceth when they see him in the stands with his shirt off. “It’s little things like that that really keep me going,” Keenan said. “Just knowing that my family has my back and that they’re going to be there through thick and thin.”
Slow starter
Iowa’s go-to receiver is a Big Ten-caliber athlete now, but that wasn’t the case in the fall of 2003. Keenan was a seventh-grader then, and that’s when he first started playing football. Ceth said the early results weren’t too promising. “He was just the slowest thing ever,” Ceth said with a laugh. “Just God-awful slow.” It wasn’t long before Keenan began making strides. Ceth said each year he could see an athlete taking shape. But even then, Keenan wasn’t an elite athlete in his sophomore year at Washington High. That was Warriors head coach Tony Lombardi’s first year at the helm, and he said Keenan was about 160 pounds and ran a 4.7-second 40-yard dash, at best. But Ceth said Lombardi could see something special in the sophomore right away. “Coach Lombardi — the first day he got hired — walked up to Keenan and said: ‘I’m going to make you a Division-I athlete,’ ” Ceth said. “Ever since then, [Keenan] just started to transform.” Lombardi said that Keenan had talent, but he just wasn’t a fast kid as a sophomore. That all changed in 2007, when he dedicated himself to getting better every day. That involved running track — Davis ran for Washington’s state championship team in 2009 — hitting the weights, and studying hours of film. Lombardi said it was a little unusual for a high-school player to spend as much time watching film as Keenan did, but his star receiver wanted to learn all he could about coverages and making sight adjustments. “He was really somebody who was exceptional in that area,” Lombardi said. Keenan credited Lombardi for help-
Iowa wide receiver Keenan Davis is tackled after hauling in a pass from quarterback James Vandenberg against Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., on Nov. 25, 2011. Davis had 4 receptions for 41 yards in the Hawkeyes’ 20-7 loss to the Huskers. (The Daily Iowan/Adam Wesley) ing him become a Division-I player and said they nearly started from scratch. “I actually thought I was a hooper before [Lombardi] came,” Keenan said. “That guy was really important for shaping me into a receiver. I couldn’t really run that good of routes; the only thing I could do was jump. That guy really taught me how to run routes and put us in an offense that got me ready to go against people from across the nation.”
Playing for more than himself
Keenan is fiercely loyal to Washington High and always keeps tabs on how the Warriors are doing. Lombardi said there are some nights when he’s on the sideline, and he turns around to find Keenan standing behind him. He said Keenan doesn’t make it a big deal or announce when he’s coming to a game; he just wants to be there to support his former coach and his alma mater. “He has so much love for Wash, so much respect for Coach Lombardi and everybody at that high school,” Ceth
said. “When he comes back, he makes a visit to the school and says hi to the teachers, thank a few teachers. His loyalty to Wash is unbeatable. You can never pour the Red, White, and Blue out of Keenan, that’s for sure.” His mother said that kind of loyalty was also the key in his decision to sign with Iowa. “When he came to me and he told me he wanted to choose Iowa, I said, ‘Why did you choose Iowa?’ ” she said. “He said: ‘Mom, I want to be home. I like the family, the friends. I’m not out there playing for myself, I don’t want to be by myself — I want to play for the people that helped me get where I am today.’ ”
Last chance
Keenan’s career in Black and Gold hasn’t been what many fans thought it would be thus far. He had just 15 receptions in his first two years before snagging 50 passes for 713 yards in 2011. Even then, one of his most memorable plays from last year was a dropped pass on a critical third-down play in an
overtime loss against Iowa State. Keenan said he put the play behind him and didn’t get too upset about it, but his quarterback saw things differently. “I think he probably took it a little too personally at that time,” James Vandenberg said. “But we all knew that wasn’t the play that lost us the game. That gets highlighted because it was the last offensive snap we had, but that certainly wasn’t a play that dictated that game.” Ceth said his younger brother never felt pressure to be a key contributor as a freshman and that it was difficult to crack the lineup when players such as Marvin McNutt, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, and Trey Stross were on the team. He said Keenan never felt entitled to playing time based on his recruit ranking. “He never got big-headed,” Ceth said. “He just said: ‘My turn’s going to come, and when my time comes, I’m going to take advantage of it.’ ” It’s now Keenan’s turn.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 7, 2012 - 7B
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FEATURED MATCHUP Defense Name: Jake Knott
Position: Linebacker Year: Senior He has 169 solo tackles. He has 110 assisted tackles. He has 1 sack and 6 interceptions. Knott is the Cyclones’ most experienced linebacker coming into the season, having played in every game since his true freshman year in 2009. The Waukee, Iowa, native measures in at 6-3, 250 pounds — a big body on the field but one who has enough speed to pose a threat to Iowa’s still-developing running game. Knott was responsible for more than 11 percent of the Cyclones’ total tackles last season. He and fellow senior A.J. Klein, who registered just 1 more total tackle than Knott, bring tremendous leadership and presence on the field. Knott can command the entire Iowa State defense and keep the defensive line on the same page throughout four quarters. The Cyclone recorded 4 solo and 3 assisted tackles in the squad’s triple-overtime victory over Iowa last season, and he recovered a fumble. Knott has 9 career forced fumbles to his name, which could pose a significant problem for a young crop of Iowa running backs.
MOLLY OLMSTEAD MOLLY-OLMSTEAD@UIOWA.EDU
Offense
Name: Damon Bullock Position: Running back Year: Sophomore
The young running back had only 10 carries for 20 yards before entering the 2012 season. But Bullock tripled last year’s carry total against Northern Illinois on Sept. 1. Bullock rushed for 150 yards — seven-and-a-half times more than he did his entire true freshman season. And in the process, he emerged as, hands down, the team’s best option to run the ball. Period. The sophomore’s biggest test, however, will be whether he can manage to carry the entire running game. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said on Tuesday that he was pleasantly surprised by Bullock’s success and impressed that the young runner could carry such a heavy load. But the sophomore back didn’t face Knott and the Cyclones last week.
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IOWA HAWKEYES
Marshall Koehn Greg Castillo Barkley Hill Greg Garmon Kyle Anderson Tanner Miller Keenan Davis Sean Draper Trent Mossbrucker Don Shumpert Blake Haluska Collin Sleeper Kevonte Martin-Manley Anthony Gair Tom Donatell Kevin Buford John Wienke Jonny Mullings Jake Rudock James Vandenberg C.J. Beathard Jacob Hillyer Micah Hyde B.J. Lowery Cody Sokol Christian Kirksey Nico Law Torrey Campbell Jordan Cotton Ruben Lile Jordan Lomax Maurice Fleming Nick Nielsen Andre Dawson Anthony Hitchens Damon Bullock Jordan Canzeri Adam Cox Nate Meier Gavin Smith Cole Fisher John Lowdermilk Brad Rogers Travis Perry Jack Swanson Jacob Reisen Macon Plewa Jim Poggi James Morris Mark Weisman George Krieger Kittle Melvin Spears Palmer Foster Drew Clark Laron Taylor Quinton Alston James Ferentz Steve Bigach Marcus Collins Faith Ekakitie Tommy Gaul Eric Simmons Conor Boffeli Matt Tobin Casey Kreiter Austin Blythe Jordan Walsh Casey McMillan Jaleel Johnson Brandon Scherff Ryan Kolka
ROS
- Friday, September 7, 2012
6-0/160 5-11/187 6-0/210 6-1/200 6-3/210 6-2/201 6-3/215 6-0/180 5-11/204 6-3/190 6-4/210 6-2/200 6-0/205 6-2/195 6-2/205 5-10/170 6-5/220 6-3/210 6-3/200 6-3/212 6-2/180 6-4/205 6-1/190 5-11/188 6-2/205 6-2/220 6-1/195 5-11/183 6-1/185 6-3/200 5-10/190 6-0/185 6-3/210 6-2/207 6-1/224 6-0/195 5-9/180 5-11/210 6-2/235 5-10/175 6-2/218 6-2/203 5-10/230 6-3/230 5-11/200 6-2/231 6-2/225 6-2/218 6-2/230 6-0/225 6-4/210 6-2/255 6-3/210 6-4/288 6-0/215 6-1/224 6-2/284 6-3/282 6-0/215 6-3/275 6-3/264 6-3/300 6-5/290 6-6/290 6-3/250 6-3/275 6-4/270 6-4/305 6-4/300 6-5/310 6-0/208
PK DB RB RB QB DB WR DB PK WR WR DB WR DB LB DB QB P QB QB QB WR CB DB QB LB DB DB WR DB DB WR WR RB LB RB RB FB RB/LB DB OLB DB FB DB DB FB LB LB LB FB ATH DE OLB OL LB LB OL DL LB DL OL OL OL OL LS OL OL OL DL OL LS
RS FR SR FR FR RS FR JR SR FR SR JR SO SR SO FR SR FR SR SO RS FR SR FR RS FR SR JR JR JR SO RS FR JR FR SO FR SR JR JR SO SO RS FR FR JR RS FR SO JR RS FR SR JR RS FR SO JR SO FR RS FR SO JR FR SO SR SR SO FR SO SO JR SR JR RS FR RS FR SR FR SO RS FR
IOWA VS. IOWA STATE • SAT Solon, Iowa Mount Laurel, N.J. Denver, Iowa Erie, Pa. Ames, Iowa Kalona, Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa Cleveland, Ohio Mooresville, Ind. St. Louis, Mo. Carroll, Iowa Solon, Iowa Pontiac, Mich. Plano, Texas Duluth, Ga. Canton, Mich. Tuscola, Ill. Canberra, Australia Weston, Fla. Keokuk, Iowa Franklin, Tenn. Somerset, Texas Fostoria, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Phoenix, Ariz. St. Louis, Mo. Clinton, Md. Naples, Fla. Mount Pleasant, Iowa Detroit, Mich. Upper Marlboro, Md. Chicago, Ill. Humboldt, Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa Lorain, Ohio Mansfield, Texas Troy, N.Y. Chana, Ill. Tabor, Iowa North Liberty, Iowa Omaha, Neb. Carrollton, Ohio Toledo, Ohio Urbandale, Iowa Naples, Fla. Iowa City, Iowa Franklin, Wis. Towson, Md. Solon, Iowa Buffalo Grove, Ill. Norman, Okla. Allen, Texas Davenport, Iowa Marion, Iowa Detroit, Mich. Sicklerville, N.J. Iowa City, Iowa Cleveland, Ohio Yeadon, Pa. Brampton, Ontario Des Moines, Iowa Madrid, Iowa West Des Moines, Iowa Worthington, Iowa DeWitt, Iowa Williamsburg, Iowa Glendale Heights, Ill. Billings, Mont. Westchester, Ill. Denison, Iowa St. Charles, Ill.
70 71 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 98 99
Brett Van Sloten Carl Davis Ryan Ward Mitch Keppy Dean Tsopanides Nolan MacMillan Reid Sealby Andrew Donnal Dominic Alvis Henry Krieger Coble Tevaun Smith Ray Hamilton Steven Staggs Zach Derby C.J. Fiedorowicz Jake Duzey Greg Mabin Cameron Wilson Louis Trinca-Pasat Daumantas Venckus-Cucchiara Jonathan Gimm Nathan Lyman Riley McMinn Drew Ott Mike Meyer Darian Cooper Connor Kornbrath Mike Hardy Joe Gaglione
6-7/292 6-5/310 6-5/275 6-5/290 6-2/240 6-6/290 6-4/250 6-7/302 6-4/265 6-4/235 6-2/190 6-5/248 6-3/195 6-3/240 6-7/265 6-4/235 6-2/190 6-1/195 6-3/270 6-5/230 6-3/240 6-3/280 6-7/245 6-4/245 6-2/185 6-2/280 6-6/240 6-5/270 6-4/264
OL DL OL OL DL OL OL OL DL TE WR TE WR TE TE TE WR WR DL DL FB DL DE DL K DL P DL DL
JR SO FR FR RS FR JR FR SO JR RS FR FR SO SR SR JR RS FR FR FR SO FR SR JR RS FR FR JR RS FR FR SO SR
Decorah, Iowa Detroit, Mich. New Lenox, Ill. Port Byron, Ill. Torrington, Conn. Toronto, Ontario Byron, Ill. Monclova, Ohio Logan, Iowa Mount Pleasant, Iowa Toronto, Ontario Strongsville, Ohio Oskaloosa, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Johnsburg, Ill. Troy, Mich. Plantation, Fla. Dublin, Ohio Chicago, Ill. Weston, Fla. Houston, Texas Grundy Center, Iowa Rochester, Ill. Trumbull, Neb. Dubuque, Iowa Elkridge, Md. Bridgeport, W.V. Appleton, Wis. Novelty, Ohio
Keenan Davis WR #6
Jeremy Reeves CB #5 Willie Scott DE #50 Durrell Givens SS #24
Brett Van Sloten RT #70
Jake Knott WLB #20
Austin Blythe RG #63
Jake McDonough NT #94
Damon Bullock RB #32 James Vandenberg QB #16
A.J. Klein MLB #47 Cleyon Laing DT #90 Deon Broomfield SLB #26
James Ferentz C #53
Roosevelt Maggitt DE #38
Matt Tobin LG #60
Brandon Scherff LT #68
Jacques Washington FS #10
Mark Weisman FB #45
C.J. Fiedorowicz TE #86
Jansen Watson CB #2 Kevonte Martin-Manley WR #11
STER
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IOWA STATE CYCLONES
TURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2012 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 21 22 23 24
Cole Netten Jarvis West Steele Jantz Jansen Watson Aaron Horne P.J. Harris Sam Richardson Ja’Quarius Daniels Jeremy Reeves Tad Ecby Kenneth Lynn Jared Barnett Cliff Stokes Brett Bueker Matthew Thomas James White Quenton Bundrage Rob Standard Jacques Washington Charlie Rogers Jerome Tiller Wes Boyer Sam Richardson Dondre Daley Kirby Van Der Kamp Jared Brackens Grant Rohach Ben Durbin Chris Young Ben Goaley Gage Shaeffer Bradley Hagerla Damein Lawry Collin Bevins Albert Gary Josh Lenz Jake Knott DeVondrick Nealy Shontrelle Johnson Luke Knott T.J. Mutcherson Darian Cotton Durrell Givens
Chris Young WR #15
6-1/217 5-7/170 6-3/225 5-9/185 5-9/177 6-0/162 5-7/186 6-3/230 5-7/176 6-0/198 5-10/161 6-1/198 6-1/176 6-4/229 5-10/167 5-8/190 6-2/187 5-10/191 6-1/208 6-1/198 6-3/204 6-0/192 6-2/207 6-1/187 6-4/203 6-1/204 6-1/208 6-2/275 5-11/197 5-11/187 5-11/196 6-2/208 5-10/168 6-5/269 5-10/195 6-0/200 6-3/252 5-10/185 5-9/190 6-0/205 5-11/192 5-11/180 6-0/210
FR SO SR JR SR FR RS FR RS FR SR RS FR RS FR SO JR SR SO JR RS FR RS FR JR FR SR JR RS FR FR JR SO FR SR SR FR SO RS FR FR FR JR SR SR RS FR JR FR FR RS FR SR
K WR QB DB WR WR DB WR DB WR DB QB DB QB DB RB WR RB DB DB WR DB QB WR P DB QB DL WR RB DB LB DB DL WR WR LB RB RB DB DB DB DB
Ankeny, Iowa St. Petersburg, Fla. Agoura Hills, Calif. Kissimmee, Fla. Oakland, Calif. Groveland, Fla. League City, Texas Austin, Texas Allen, Texas Houston, Texas Dallas, Texas Garland, Texas Tallahassee, Fla. Bettendorf, Iowa Lancaster, Texas Dallas, Texas Palmetto, Fla. St. Louis, Mo. Owasso, Okla. Iowa City, Iowa San Antonio, Texas Cedar Falls, Iowa Winter Park, Fla. Bridgeport, Fla. West Des Moines, Iowa Mesquite, Texas Moorpark, Calif. Gilbert, Iowa Austin, Texas Des Moines, Iowa Eden Prairie, Minn. Johnston, Iowa Dallas, Texas Creston, Iowa Ocala, Fla. Dubuque, Iowa Waukee, Iowa Monticello, Fla. DeLand, Fla. Lee’s Summit, Mo. Tampa, Fla. Mount Pleasant, Iowa Long Beach, Calif.
Micah Hyde CB #18
Josh Lenz WR #19
Anthony Hitchens WLB #31 Tanner Miller FS #5
Carter Bykowski LT #71 Steve Bigach DE #54
Ethan Tuftee LG #64 James White RB #8
Darian Cooper DT #97
Steele Jantz QB #2
Tom Farniok C #74
James Morris MLB #44
Christian Kirksey OLB #20 Louis Trinca-Pasat DT #90
Kyle Lichtenberg RG #69 Ricky Howard TE #81 Brayden Burris RT #79
Aaron Horne WR #3
Dominic Alvis DE #79 Tom Donatell SS #13
B.J. Lowery CB #19
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Kyle Hatton Deon Broomfield C.J. Morgan Kane Seeley Rony Nelson Cody Ahrendt Jeff Woody Josh Jahlas Drake Ferch Vince Ewald Levi Peters Jace Hawley Walker Lee Woods Roosevelt Maggitt Matt Morton Dalton Ferch Edwin Arceo Darius White Luke Sims Jordan Welch Luke Goodson Knute Severson Karl Nicholson A.J. Klein Cory Morrissey Spencer Thornton Willie Scott Tanner Tusha Jeremiah George Anthony Lazard Marcus Benton Jevohn Miller Ben Loth Nick Lande Jared Weaver Charley Forey Nick Beckman Nick Fett Patrick McCaffery Ethan Tuftee Jacob Gannon Jake Dunning Kody Sjoblom Sam Tautolo Nick Kron Kyle Lichtenberg Daniel Burton Drew Davis Carter Bykowski Brock Dagel Shaban Dika Tom Farniok Duaron Williams Jamison Lalk Oni Omoile Bob Graham Brayden Burris Justin Coleman Ricky Howard Quan West Derek Hammann Brett Medders Ernst Brun, Jr. Mitchell Harger Devin Lemke Kurt Hammerschmidt Chanse Creekmur David Irving Ben Dinkins Pierce Richardson Mitch Amundson Cleyon Laing Mitchell Meyers Pierre Aka Austin Krick Brandon Jensen Devlyn Cousin Jake McDonough Ben Boesen Walter Woods III Rob Staub Jorden Studer Henry Simon Quinton Pompey
5-9/170 6-0/196 6-3/212 6-1/221 6-1/252 6-0/223 6-1/239 6-1/190 5-11/200 6-6/231 5-10/200 5-10/205 5-11/192 6-3/244 6-1/209 5-10/186 5-9/191 6-1/233 5-10/215 6-1/225 6-3/230 6-2/210 6-3/205 6-2/248 6-4/248 6-1/240 6-2/242 6-0/185 5-11/225 6-0/188 6-2/239 6-1/245 6-6/310 5-11/170 6-1/220 6-0/195 6-3/275 6-7/275 6-2/252 6-4/310 6-7/290 6-5/275 6-1/253 6-3/300 6-2/240 6-6/301 6-5/290 6-9/340 6-8/304 6-8/290 6-5/315 6-4/290 6-3/298 6-6/280 6-3/284 6-5/285 6-6/298 5-11/190 6-4/263 6-4/216 5-8/155 6-2/211 6-3/247 5-10/190 6-4/230 6-6/272 6-5/229 6-7/280 6-1/189 6-5/248 6-0/193 6-4/290 6-4/259 6-3/277 6-2/263 6-5/287 6-2/289 6-5/280 6-6/216 6-0/308 6-3/240 6-3/280 6-3/290 6-3/310
DB DB LB LB DE LB RB DB DB TE DB DB DB DE LB RB K LB DS LB LB LB LB LB DE DS DE DS LB LB DE LB OL DS LB LB OL OL DL OL OL OL DL OL DE OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR TE WR WR WR TE WR DE TE TE DE WR TE PK DE DL DE DL DL DL DL TE DL DL DL DL DL
FR JR SO FR SR SO JR FR JR SR FR SR JR SR SR FR JR FR RS FR FR SR FR FR SR SO SO JR FR JR FR RS FR SO SO FR SO FR RS FR FR RS FR JR SO FR SO SR RS FR JR FR SR SR RS FR SO SO FR RS FR RS FR SO SR JR SR FR FR RS FR JR FR RS FR SR JR SO JR SO SO SR FR FR SO SO FR SR RS FR JR SO FR SR RS FR
Zionsville, Ind. Palm Bay, Fla. Lake Wales, Fla. Perry, Iowa Miami, Fla. Sioux City, Iowa Pleasant Hill, Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa State Center, Iowa Taylor Ridge, Ill. Gilmore City, Iowa Vail, Iowa Waukee, Iowa Riviera, Fla. Henderson, Texas State Center, Iowa Muscatine, Iowa Palmetto, Fla. Centennial, Colo. Lamoni, Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa Clarion, Iowa Gilbert, Iowa Kimberly, Wis. Ames, Iowa Marion, Iowa Orlando, Fla. Clear Lake, Iowa Clearwater, Fla. Urbandale, Iowa Van Meter, Iowa Brooklyn, Iowa Chatsworth, Calif. Granger, Iowa Moville, Iowa Sioux City, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Audubon, Iowa North Liberty, Iowa Davenport, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Leander, Texas State Center, Iowa Moreno Valley, Calif. Clive, Iowa Bettendorf, Iowa Oklahoma City, Okla. Dubuque, Iowa Eden Prairie, Minn. Cherokee, Iowa San Antonio, Texas Sioux Falls, S.D. Orlando, Fla. Council Bluffs, Iowa Coppell, Texas Jenks, Okla. Wichita, Kan. Beatrice, Neb. Hesperia, Calif. Willis, Texas Dyersville, Iowa Westlake Village, Calif. Stone Mountain, Ga. Alburnett, Iowa Alden, Iowa Chesterfield, Mo. Marshalltown, Iowa San Jacinto, California Hollywood, Fla. Newport Beach, Calif. Sioux City, Iowa Edmonton, Alberta The Woodlands, Texas Indianapolis, Ind. Clinton, Iowa Ankeny, Iowa St. Marys, Ga. Urbandale, Iowa Des Moines, Iowa Palmdale, Calif. Dracut, Mass. Ankeny, Iowa Chula Vista, Calif. Palmetto, Fla.
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Where’s the passing game?
Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg shouts instructions on the line of scrimmage during the game against Northern Illinois at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sept. 1. Vandenberg was sacked six times in the Hawkeyes’ 18-17 victory over the Huskies. (The Daily Iowan/Adam Wesley)
An inability — or refusal — to throw the deep ball could hurt Iowa’s new offense. By Sam Louwagie samuel-louwagie@uiowa.edu
It was only the first game, the Iowa football team insisted this week. Quarterback James Vandenberg said there were “a lot of nuances” to the team’s new playbook. Head coach Kirk Ferentz said the team’s passing game would improve as the players became more comfortable. Some turbulence seemed inevitable for Iowa on Sept. 1 in Soldier Field. But the Hawkeyes’ aerial attack never got off the ground. Vandenberg threw for fewer than 4 yards per pass attempt. Only five Division I quarterbacks in the nation were worse. The senior quarterback said an underrated Northern Illinois defense wouldn’t allow any deep balls. But Iowa didn’t seem to try to throw
any, either. “We weren’t really trying to force the ball down the field,” Vandenberg said. “We knew they were really not going to give us that. Obviously, those big plays stem from when you get the ball down the field. But you’ve kind of just got to take what they give you.” The Huskies didn’t give Iowa much. Vandenberg only tossed the ball more than 10 yards down the field two times all game. He completed three passes for more than a 10-yard gain, but two of them were runs after a short pass-and-catch. Vandenberg had talked animatedly in July about how new offensive coordinator Greg Davis would emphasize short and intermediate passing this season. That emphasis was clear against Northern Illinois, as Iowa repeatedly threw short screen passes to its receivers.
‘Obviously, those big plays stem from when you get the ball down the field. But you’ve kind of just got to take what they give you.’ — James Vandenberg, Hawkeye quarterback
But it was less effective than the Hawkeyes hoped. Two screens to receiver Don Shumpert went for 0 yards, and one to Kevonte Martin-Manley lost 2 yards. “We just didn’t look overall in-sync,” Ferentz said. “Our passing game wasn’t what we wanted it to be, so it’s a concern. But it’s going to improve. It has to improve.” Short passes work, of course, when the receivers can beat the defense after making the catch.
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PASSING
CONTINUED FROM 18B Shumpert, Martin-Manley, and senior receiver Keenan Davis couldn’t shake free after catching the ball. Vandenberg again credited the Huskies defense. “A big thing was they tackled us,” he said. “We didn’t get that many yards after we caught the ball. They didn’t really miss any open-field tackles … But all it takes is one missed tackle, and then we’re off running. The more completions the better, and that’s
something we’re going to strive for.” Vandenberg said the Hawkeyes would likely look to throw the ball down the field more in coming games as defenses made it available to them. Davis hesitated when asked if he would rather run more deep routes. “Coach is going to call what he sees, and we have to execute what he calls,” he said. “That’s what he called [on Sept. 1], and Vandenberg threw the ball where he thought was best, and nobody’s going to argue with that. Whatever happens, happens. If we go deep the whole game, or we run hitches the whole game, we’ve just got to execute.”
Passing game grounded Yards per attempt: 3.9 Vandenberg yards per attempt, 2011: 7.5 Passes completed for 10-yard gain or more: 3 Passes completed for 5-yard gain or fewer: 10
BEHIND ENEMY LINES For some perspective from the other side of the Cy-Hawk rivalry, The Daily Iowan got in touch with Iowa State Daily Sports Editor Jake Calhoun. Take a look at his thoughts on Steele Jantz, the Cyclone defense, and more. Steele Jantz basically rose up to smite the Hawkeyes last season and then disappeared. He’s back now. How does the ISU campus feel about Steele? What makes him dangerous to a defense? Calhoun: I can’t say I know exactly what the ISU fan base thinks about Jantz, but it seems like there isn’t any opposition to having him start ahead of Jared Barnett. Jantz’s biggest issue last season was his decision-making — he threw 11 interceptions — but he looked a lot smarter on the field last Saturday. He won’t be as much of a scrambler this year, but his passing has improved immensely. With more targets at receiver, he could be dangerous through the air as he was last year against the Hawkeyes. Some Iowa fans like to say (sometimes disparagingly) that Iowa State sees this game as a bowl game. Agree or disagree? How amped up does Ames get for this game? Calhoun: Absolutely disagree. Iowa State plays the entire Big 12 every season. That includes teams such as Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas, TCU, Kansas State, and others that stand in the Cyclones’ way of playing in an actual bowl game. So the initial assertion is blatant hyperbole. Iowa still provides a tough test, but this actually looks like a winnable game to many on campus. Excitement is still through the roof, nonetheless. What’s the Cyclone defense like? Iowa had an awful time trying to pass the ball last week. Will it get even worse against Iowa State? Calhoun: The defense as a whole is much more balanced, but it is still prone to giving up a big play or two. The ISU pass defense on paper doesn’t look as impressive as it did last season with the absences of Leonard Johnson and Ter’Ran Benton. Snagging two interceptions against a flustered Cody Green isn’t as much of a feat as picking off passes against James Vandenberg, so I can’t say with certainty that the ISU pass defense will be as dominant as it was in last year’s Cy-Hawk game. What’s the story behind running back Shontrelle Johnson’s return last week? Calhoun: Johnson notched a career high in rushing yards just 11 months after sustaining a neck injury that threatened his return to the game overall. Johnson said his work with the strength coaches in the off-season have made him a more complete running back, so the Iowa defense will most likely be keyed on stopping him.
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ON THE LINE
Matchups
Molly Olmstead
Sports Editor (4-1)
Iowa vs. Iowa State Purdue vs. Notre Dame
Illinois vs. Arizona State Penn State vs. Virginia
No. 23 Florida vs. Texas A&M
Iowa State Yeah, that’s right. I’m that guy (girl) who picks the rival school with a good scrambling QB.
2012
Asst. Sports Editor (5-0)
Iowa
Fooled once, shame on you Fooled two years in a row? Nope Hawks defense stops Jantz
Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Uhhh, do you really have to ask? Poor TerBush.
After Navy win Irish overcome jetlag Purdue keeps it close
Illinois Because what is a Sun Devil anyway? The other slightly offensive mascot will take the W here.
Texas A&M Just because they have fans who set up billboards. Bold move, anonymous Aggies.
Football Reporter (5-0)
Iowa James Vandenberg is at Kinnick. ’Nuff said.
Purdue I’m an Irish hater, and I make no apologies for that.
Arizona State Even if Scheelhaase does play, the Illini won’t be able to squeak out a win in Tempe
Arizona State The West Coast hasn’t been kind to the Big Ten lately.
Virginia
Virginia State College still weeps Game’s leading rusher will be Thomas Jefferson
Texas A&M
Iowa
The Hawkeyes won’t let Steele Jantz make the Iowa D look like Swiss cheese for the second year in a row.
Tork Mason
Notre Dame
Illinois
Vegas likes Gators But, Aggies only get one SEC début
Football Reporter (5-0)
It’s tempting to pick Purdue in an upset here, but the Notre Dame defense has too much talent to let the Boilermakers win in South Bend
Scheelhasse’s ankle Won’t be a factor for orange Where’s Jake Plummer at?
Penn State
Maybe they’ll go into Hulk mode from all the terrible heckling that’s bound to come from those Wa-hoos. O’Brien has a calming effect.
Ben Ross
Ian Martin
It’s looking as though the Nittany Lions are going to have a tougher time to bounce back than previously expected
Texas A&M Gig em, Aggies. Whatever that means.
Virginia It’s going to be a long year for the Nits.
Florida Welcome to the SEC. The only ones getting gigged will be the Aggies.
Sam Louwagie Pregame Editor (4-1)
Iowa It’s just a different team at home.
Purdue CaLeB TerBuSh guides the Boilermakers to an upset win.
Arizona State Illinois is bad.
Virginia This is not sad.
Florida Gators are better than they looked last week.
Sam Lane
Managing Editor (5-0)
Iowa But we all win because the trophy isn’t disgustingly ugly.
Notre Dame The Irish impressed last week. Although they had an unfair advantage.
Illinois This will be a heated battle.
Virginia This Nittany Lion team is just too shaky.
Texas A&M The Gators struggled with Bowling Green. C’mon.
LEADERBOARD Fewest yards per pass attempt, NCAA
1. Nick Lamaison, UTEP: 1.7 2. Austin Dantin, Toledo: 2.5 3. Mike Wegzyn, Mass.: 2.5 4. Nick Sherry, UNLV: 3.3 5. Jordan Lynch, NIU: 3.4 6. James Vandenberg, Iowa: 3.9 7. Cody Green, Tulsa: 4.0 8. Matt Schilz, Bowling Green: 4.2 9. Spencer Keith, Kent St.: 4.3 10. Jordan Webb, Colorado: 4.6
Field goals made, NCAA
T1. Brett Baer, ULL: 4/4 T1. Chandler Catanzaro, Clemson: 4/4 T1. Cody Parkey, Auburn: 4/4 T1. Mike Meyer, Iowa: 4/5 T5. Jared Roberts, Colorado St.: 3/3 T5. Nate Freese, Boston College: 3/3 T5. Anthony Cantele, Kansas St.: 3/3 T5. Chad Christen, Connecticut: 3/3 T5. Ryan Bustin, Texas Tech: 3/3 T5. Riley Stephenson, BYU: 3/4
Rushing yards, Big Ten
1. Le’Veon Bell, Michigan St.: 210 2. Braxton Miller, Ohio St.: 161 3. Damon Bullock, Iowa: 150 4. Montee Bal, Wisconsin: 120 5. Carlos Hyde, Ohio St.: 82 6. Venric Mark, Northwestern: 82 7. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska: 81 8. Donnell Kirkwood, Minnesota: 81 9. Akeem Shavers, Purdue: 74 10. MarQueis Gray, Minnesota: 68
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POINT/COUNTERPOINT What does Iowa need to improve upon most?
Passing Game Quarterback Containment Iowa desperately needs to improve the passing game if it wants If Iowa’s going to improve off of its Week 1 scare, it has to improve its quarterback containment. This is extremely important for the matchup with Iowa State. Steele Jantz will come into Iowa City looking to take back-toback Cy-Hawk Series wins. If you remember a year ago, Jantz was the quarterback who tallied 321 offensive yards against Iowa last year in Ames. He had 279 through the air, along with 4 touchdowns. He also scampered for 42 yards — many of which came on drive-extending runs. It’s that kind of versatility that kills Iowa. It was evident last week against Northern Illinois. Quarterback Jordan Lynch may have only tossed for 54 yards, but he ran for 119, the bulk of which came on a 73-yard touchdown sprint that nearly put Iowa away in the middle of the third quarter. The schedule doesn’t show any sign of these opponents slowing down. Northwestern has Kain Colter. Michigan has Denard Robinson. Nebraska has Taylor Martinez. Each of those quarterbacks is better than Jantz and Lynch. Yikes. How might Iowa fix this problem? There’s always the idea of outscoring the opponent. A good defense can double as a great offense. But instead of relying on the chance of a potent offense, why not work on being able to sit at home and force the quarterback to pass? It worked against Michigan last year for the first half. Then Denard woke up and decided to play football in the second half. Iowa’s secondary is good enough to cover some of the better receivers in the Big Ten. But without being able to contain the quarterback, it will all go for naught. —Cody Goodwin
to have any success against Iowa State and the rest of the schedule. Coming into the season, James Vandenberg was supposed to lead the offense as one of the only unchanged factors from last year’s squad. Questions swirled around the Hawkeyes in the preseason, with gaping holes left in key offensive positions such as wide receiver and running back. Vandenberg was supposed to be the sure thing. As it turns out, he was the one who didn’t live up to expectations. He threw for a measly 129 yards, and on 33 attempts. That comes out to just 3.9 yards per pass attempt. That isn’t going to cut it after the Keokuk native threw for 3,022 last season. Vandenberg and the offense need to air it out more. The quarterback threw only two of 31 passes more than 10 yards down the field. That’s simply not acceptable when Iowa has three targets over 6-3 to throw the ball to in wide receiver Keenan Davis and tight ends Zach Derby and C.J. Fiedorowicz. Vandenberg has to sit back in the pocket and let plays develop before rushing a throw or checking down to the running back. The big bodies will be plenty visible down the field. He just needs to get the ball there. That said, the receivers weren’t helping their senior quarterback much on Saturday. Davis, Martin-Manley, Fiedorowicz and the rest of the Hawkeye pass-catchers couldn’t gain any separation from defenders all afternoon. That’s part of the reason Vandenberg had to check down and throw short passes so often. And the offensive line need to improve quickly, as well. Northern Illinois sacked Vandenberg six times, the most by any Football Bowl Subdivision school last weekend. And when they weren’t sacking Vandenberg, they were forcing him to throw early or on the run. It will be a long season if that isn’t fixed quickly. There are all sorts of problems Iowa needs to sort out before playing Iowa State. Surprisingly, the Hawkeyes’ lack of ability to throw and catch the ball is the biggest one. And the blame doesn’t lie with the team’s quarterback, receivers, or offensive line. They were all problems on Sept. 1. — by Kevin Glueck
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AROUND THE BIG TEN
POWER RANKINGS
1. Michigan State: The Spartans showed they are for real with a good win over a high-quality opponent in Week 1. Don’t expect an upset when Michigan State travels to Central Michigan this week. 2. Nebraska: Even if star running back Rex Burkhead is held out of this week’s game with a knee injury, the Huskers should have no problem changing time zones when they travel to the West Coast to take on UCLA. 3. Ohio State: The Buckeyes seem to have transitioned nicely into new head coach Urban Meyer’s spread offense. Central Florida is better than advertised, but the Knights don’t stand a chance of coming out with a win at the ’Shoe. 4. Wisconsin: The reigning Big Ten champion had its hands full against Northern Iowa, but I don’t see head coach Bret Bielema letting his squad travel to Oregon State unprepared. 5. Michigan: Denard Robinson struggled mightily against Alabama this past weekend, as predicted. But the Wolverines will rebound big when Air Force takes its trip to the Big House. 6. Purdue I’ve always said the Boilermakers were going to surprise people in the Big Ten this year. That campaign could start with a win over BCS daisy Notre Dame this weekend in South Bend.
GAMES TO WATCH
OFFENSIVE IMPACT 7. Iowa The Hawkeyes played tough against an underrated opponent in Northern Illinois; there will be no surprise this year when Steele Jantz and the Iowa State Cyclones come to Iowa City this weekend. 8. Illinois Though the Illini showed they could put up points in Week 1, the fate of the squad in Week 2 will rest on the defense. Illinois goes to Tempe, Ariz., to take on the high-flying Arizona State offense. 9. Northwestern Syracuse gave the Wildcats quite a scare in the opening game of the season; Northwestern’s defense will have to play much better for the team to stand any chance when SEC foe Vanderbilt travels to Evanston this weekend. 10. Penn State The Bill O’Brien era started off slowly when Ohio upset the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley. Traveling to Virginia certainly isn’t a guaranteed win, either. 11. Minnesota It took three overtimes for the gilded rodents to beat UNLV. But New Hampshire coming to town should only help the confidence of Minnesota and its quarterback, MarQueis Gray. 12. Indiana No game is a guaranteed win for the Hoosiers, if their hard-fought win over Indiana State is any indicator. Traveling to Massachusetts to take on the Minutemen looks a lot like a trap game to me.
Illinois vs. Arizona State
Notre Dame vs. Purdue
UCLA vs. Nebraska
Key Highlights Illinois will need to flex whatever muscle it has against Arizona State if it’s to be taken seriously in the Big Ten in 2012. Jonathan Brown and the Illini defense will have to be on their toes the entire game — the Sun Devils threw up 63 points last weekend. Arizona State will seek to avenge its 17-14 loss to Illinois in Champaign a year ago.
Key Highlights Purdue hasn’t taken the Shillelagh Trophy from the Fighting Irish since 2007, and even though Notre Dame still isn’t at full strength, getting Tommy Rees back at quarterback from a suspension should help. Having the best linebacker in the nation in Manti Te’o won’t hurt, either.
Key Highlights Even if all-world tailback Burkhead is too hurt to play, the Cornhuskers should have no problem asserting Big Ten dominance over their hosts. Look for Taylor Martinez to have a big game on national TV to show his “it factor” to NFL scouts.
Time: 9:30 p.m. Saturday Location: Tempe, Ariz. Where to watch: ESPN
BEN ROSS BENJAMIN-D-ROSS@UIOWA.EDU
Time: 2:30 p.m. Saturday Location: South Bend, Ind. Where to Watch: NBC
Time: 6:30 p.m. Saturday Location: Los Angeles Where to Watch: FOX
Name: Caleb TerBush, Purdue Position: Quarterback Year: Senior Purdue suspended TerBush for an undisclosed reason in the season-opener against Eastern Kentucky. But head coach Danny Hope said he hasn’t lost faith in his quarterback, who started all 13 games at the position last year. Hope has given him the nod to start at Notre Dame this weekend, and TerBush will have to be at his absolute best to keep backup quarterback Rob Marve on the bench. TerBush acknowledged his mistake after Purdue’s win on Saturday and said he would be ready if called upon to start against Notre Dame. “I apologized and let them know it wasn’t going to happen again,” TerBush told the Lafayette Journal and Courier. “We have a lot of potential this year. I’m still building on the confidence I had in the offseason.”
DEFENSIVE IMPACT Name: Jonathan Brown, Illinois Position: Linebacker Year: Junior Brown was named second team All-Big Ten at the end of last season as a sophomore, and he has been hyped heavily going into 2012. It will be up to Brown to lead the Illini defense against a potent Arizona State squad. Brown played well in Illinois’ opener against Syracuse, recording 6 tackles and half a sack. After the game Brown told “Fox Sports Next” about his play in the contest and said it was a positive thing to go into Arizona State, also saying that the Illini defense is a cornerstone of the whole team. “I was just doing my job,” Brown said. “We live up to any expectations; we’re going to come out and play our game. It’s a jump-start to a great season.”
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