PREGAME Friday, September 21, 2012 Iowa vs. Central Michigan University Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City
‘The Perfect Iowa Safety’
Tom Donatell learned early on the importance of film study. He’s creating a highlight reel of his own this season. PAGE 4B
INSIDE
Featured Matchup: Page 8B
Around the Big Ten: Page 16B
Experts’ Picks: Page 22B
2B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012
REMEMBER WHEN…
Iowa tight end Allen Reisner carries the ball during the game against Ball State on Sept. 25, 2010, in Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes defeated the Cardinals, 45-0. This weekend’s game against Central Michigan marks the first time since then that Iowa has hosted a Mid-American Conference team. (The Daily Iowan/Rachel Jessen)
Chandler, who played for the Hawkeyes at tight end from 2003-2006, has become one of the NFL’s top players at the position. He has scored touchdowns in each of the Buffalo Bills’ first two games this season — catching 4 passes for 38 yards in Week 1 and 2 for 53 yards in Week 2. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
4
COVER STORY As the son of an NFL coach, Tom Donatell knows how important film study is. And it’s paying off for the Hawkeye safety
8
FEATURED MATCHUP Go-to receiver Keenan Davis faces a talented CMU safety
10
POINT-COUNTERPOINT
Who has been Iowa’s best defensive player this season?
12
GAME ROSTER Full rosters for both the Hawkeyes and Chippewas. Take it with you to Kinnick.
16
AROUND THE BIG TEN Check out our conference power rankings and players to watch
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.
HAWKS IN THE NFL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
STAFF
DITV Program Catch the most extensive weekly Iowa football preview show in the state at www.dailyiowan.com. Social Media Follow Daily Iowan Pregame @DIPregame and like Daily Iowan Sports on Facebook.
CONTACT US
18
LEADERBOARD See where the Hawkeyes stack up with the rest of the Big Ten
22
ON THE LINE Daily Iowan football staffers make their picks in some of the NCAA’s biggest games this weekend
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
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 - 3B
4B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21,
2012
Iowa safety Tom Donatell (13) dives to make a tackle against Northern Illinois in Soldier Field on Sept. 1. The Hawkeyes won the game, 18-17. (The Daily Iowan/Adam Wesley)
Film time makes the difference By Sam Louwagie
A
samuel-louwagie@uiowa.edu
fter a long day at the Hayden Fry Football Complex, full of weightlifting, team meetings, and video sessions, Tom Donatell finally gets to go home. He’s tired. He’s a senior student with a light class load. Like so many other college kids in that situation, he sits down on his couch and turns on his TV or pulls out his laptop. And then he begins two more hours of studying game film on the next weekend’s opponent.
“I’m not taking as many classes as before, which means I can spend a lot more time on that stuff,” the Hawkeye safety said excitedly. “With the team, we watch about an hour and a half of film per day. But on my own, I probably watch two more.”
A coach’s kid
High-school football players from Georgia don’t usually decide to walk on at Iowa. That’s the sort of thing that only the son of a well-traveled coach would do. Now the secondary coach of the San Francisco
49ers, Ed Donatell had stints as a defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons. He said this week that many of his favorite players to coach, such as former Packer defensive lineman Aaron Kampman, came from the Hawkeye program. “Being in the field of coaching, you always have your eye on great programs,” Ed Donatell said. “And with all these Iowa guys, I could see there was a great culture.” Tom Donatell had been an all-conference quarterback in Duluth, Ga. But he suffered two ACL tears See donatell, 6B
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 - 5B
6B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012
DONATELL
Continued from 4B near the end of his highschool days. That, as he said, “put a damper on a lot of recruiting interest.” One day, while Tom Donatell visited his dad at the Falcon football office, he met Kirk Ferentz. The Iowa head coach was there to see son Brian, who was an injured player for Atlanta. Ferentz knew Ed Donatell through the coaching grapevine, so he offered Tom Donatell a visit in Iowa City. To the delight of his father, Tom Donatell decided to walk on at Iowa after just one visit. Ferentz said players such as Kampman played a big role. “Up in Green Bay, that’s where it all got started,” Ferentz said on Aug. 28. “Interesting
that a guy from Atlanta would choose to walk on [here]. Those guys made an impression on his dad and also on Tommy.”
The position shuffle
Tom’s dad spent his whole career coaching defensive backs. So when Hawkeye coaches asked Donatell to switch from quarterback to safety early in his Iowa career, Ed Donatell was excited. “Yeah, we had always talked offense together, but that wasn’t his specialty,” Tom Donatell said. “We had some good times working through his drills once I switched over.” Tom Donatell soaked up knowledge as a backup safety for a few years. But then coaches asked him to switch positions again — this time to linebacker after injuries had thinned Iowa there. He stepped in after an injury to senior Tyler Nielsen. And then it was back to safety before this season.
Donatell, who hopes to follow in his dad’s footsteps as a coach, said the switching never frustrated him. And teammate Tanner Miller said it was — like Donatell’s growing appetite for film study — just a chance to learn more. “Anytime you can take away pieces of a position or another aspect of the game, that helps,” Miller said. “That’s what this game is about. The more knowledge you can accumulate, the better player you’re going to be. He’s a real smart football player, and he knows everything that’s happening on the field.”
‘He’s the perfect Iowa safety’
“The mental aspect of football is huge,” Donatell said. “It’s almost everything. There’s a reason the fastest and biggest guys don’t always play.” For proof, you don’t
have to look any further than the position battle that Donatell won this fall. Sophomore Nico Law was the widely presumed starter at strong safety for the Hawkeyes and seen by many as a rising star of the defense. Donatell was a fifthyear senior who hadn’t seen much playing time and had originally walked on to the team. How did he become the starter? Film study popped up again. “I think the first thing that comes to mind for me would be consistency,” Ferentz said. “That’s the first word I think of with him. First of all, he’s the perfect Iowa safety. He’s a walk-on that nobody knew about … I think the plays he has made are the result of him practicing and watching tape, just playing smart football.” What does Tanner Miller think drives Do-
natell’s success? “He’s been in the right place at the right time, and that comes from being well-prepared during the week,” he said. “He’s in the film room all the time, and that’s what I attribute it to. Playing smart.”
‘We had definitely seen it before’
Early in the third quarter on Sept. 15 against Northern Iowa, the Hawkeyes had forced the Panthers into a third-and-10 situation. Donatell saw the formation UNI lined up in and knew what to expect. “They were running a seam route with their No. 2 receiver,” he said. “And then they were going to try to slip the No. 1 inside, underneath that route. We had definitely seen it before.” Donatell jumped in front of the underneath route, dove, and intercepted the pass. It was his second-straight game
with an interception. Iowa went on to win, 2716. Ed Donatell said he gets to watch all of his son’s games. And seeing him pick off passes is as proud a moment as you would expect for a veteran defensive-back coach. “It’s kind of a culmination of a lot of hard work,” he said. “And there’s a tradition at Iowa of walk-on kids who persevere and make productive plays. That’s a pretty special thing.” But something was still bothering Donatell. After the game Iowa once again allowed an easy touchdown on the first drive. Just as Iowa State had a week earlier, the Panthers had no problem marching down the field to score. Donatell didn’t know the answer. But he knew where to find it. “We’ve just got to get in the film room and figure it out,” he said.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 - 7B
8B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21,
2012
FEATURED MATCHUP
TORK MASON tork-mason@uiowa.edu
OFFENSE Name: Keenan Davis
DEFENSE Name: Jahleel Addae
Keenan Davis has been asked to fill the role of go-to receiver for the Iowa offense, and the senior from Cedar Rapids has responded. He leads the Hawkeyes with 14 receptions and 174 yards, but he has yet to reach the end zone. That’s something that will need to change if the Hawkeyes want to get on track offensively before the Big Ten schedule starts. The passing game has begun taking more shots downfield as the offensive line has improved, and Davis is the team’s best deep threat. He should have numerous opportunities for big plays against the Chippewas. But it won’t necessarily be easy with a talented safety lurking in the secondary for Central Michigan.
Addae is an all-round threat at the back end of the defense. The senior has 10 career tackles for loss, including 2 this season, and he led the Mid-America Conference with 4 interceptions in 2011. He racked up 10 tackles — including 2 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks — against Southeast Missouri State on Aug. 30. His 6-tackle effort against Michigan State on Sept. 8 wasn’t enough to get a win, but the All-MAC selection could cause problems for the Iowa offense — both on the ground and through the air. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz called Addae the Central Michigan defense’s “energizer” and said the Hawkeyes will need to know where he is at all times. Addae could make Davis and the offense struggle to find big plays through the air.
Position: Wide receiver Year: Senior
Position: Safety Year: Senior
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 - 9B
10B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012
POINT/COUNTERPOINT
Who has been Iowa’s best defensive player this season?
Micah Hyde
This shouldn’t even be a debate: Micah Hyde is Iowa’s best defender. Let’s start with his history. The senior was voted second team All-Big Ten by league media last season and was honorable mention his sophomore year. Even though he hasn’t picked a ball in 2012, Hyde has a respectable 7 career interceptions — most notably a pick-6 that essentially won the game for Iowa against Missouri in the 2009 Insight Bowl. At present, Hyde is the leader of Iowa’s pass defense and a feared opponent. His lack of picks through three games is mostly due to few throws in his direction. Much like Amari Spievey before him, Hyde’s stats aren’t necessarily indicative of his talent because opposing quarterbacks respect his ability and plan around him, not against him. And we shouldn’t forget Hyde’s return ability when he does get an interception, or his punt returns, with two career touchdowns. Last, there’s Hyde’s future. He’s the consensus top prospect for the NFL on this season’s Iowa football team, with good reason. He’s following a long line of solid defensive backs when he likely goes pro, with Shaun Prater and Jordan Bernstine both having played with Hyde last season. Hyde is versatile, playing both free safety and cornerback in his career, and is probably a fourth-round pick at worst. Past, present, and future, Micah Hyde is and will be remembered as the best player on the 2012 Iowa defense. — Ian Martin
Anthony Hitchens
If we are going to praise any player in the Black and Gold not named Mark Weisman, he should be Anthony Hitchens. The junior has made his presence felt across the entire NCAA through the first three weeks of the season. Hitchens has done exactly what elite linebackers do: dominate the field of play. The native of Lorian, Ohio, has racked up 37 tackles this season, which ranks him fourth among college linebackers. His average of 12.33 wrapups per game places him sixth in the country. He ranks first in both categories in the Big Ten, by the way. Hitchens is a name you hear called out after almost every defensive play at Kinnick Stadium — his name was announced 19 times against the Cyclones. He continually attacks the ball, and his play is a strong reason Iowa’s defense has been outstanding in the early going. His breakout season is even more impressive when you take into account how much emphasis was placed on him in the preseason: next to none. But from now on, keep watching Hitchens. If he’s as elite as his numbers say, the next few weeks will certainly prove it. The Big Ten schedule is coming quickly, and play in the league will pick out the men from the boys. I expect that Hitchens will continue his superior play in the coming weeks. Butkus Award? Let’s not go that far. Yet. — by Cody Goodwin
12B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa
IOWA HAWKEYES 1 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 25 27 28 29 31 31 32 33 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 49 50 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 63
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
ROS
- Friday, September 21, 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
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
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
IOWA VS. CMU • SATURDA 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
65 Jordan Walsh 66 Casey McMillan 67 Jaleel Johnson 68 Brandon Scherff 69 Ryan Kolka 70 Brett Van Sloten 71 Carl Davis 73 Ryan Ward 74 Mitch Keppy 75 Dean Tsopanides 76 Nolan MacMillan 77 Reid Sealby 78 Andrew Donnal 79 Dominic Alvis 80 Henry Krieger Coble 81 Tevaun Smith 82 Ray Hamilton 83 Steven Staggs 85 Zach Derby 86 C.J. Fiedorowicz 87 Jake Duzey 88 Greg Mabin 89 Cameron Wilson 90 Louis Trinca-Pasat 91 Daumantas Venckus-Cucchiara 92 Jonathan Gimm 93 Nathan Lyman 94 Riley McMinn 95 Drew Ott 96 Mike Meyer 97 Darian Cooper 98 Connor Kornbrath 98 Mike Hardy 99 Joe Gaglione
6-4/270 OL RS FR 6-4/305 OL SR 6-4/300 DL FR 6-5/310 OL SO 6-0/208 LS RS FR 6-7/292 OL JR 6-5/310 DL SO 6-5/275 OL FR 6-5/290 OL FR 6-2/240 DL RS FR 6-6/290 OL JR 6-4/250 OL FR 6-7/302 OL SO JR 6-4/265 DL 6-4/235 TE RS FR 6-2/190 WR FR 6-5/248 TE SO 6-3/195 WR SR 6-3/240 TE SR 6-7/265 TE JR 6-4/235 TE RS FR 6-2/190 WR FR 6-1/195 WR FR 6-3/270 DL SO 6-5/230 DL FR 6-3/240 FB SR 6-3/280 DL JR 6-7/245 DE RS FR 6-4/245 DL FR 6-2/185 K JR 6-2/280 DL RS FR 6-6/240 P FR 6-5/270 DL SO 6-4/264 DL SR Jason Wilson CB #14
Glendale Heights, Ill. Billings, Mont. Westchester, Ill. Denison, Iowa St. Charles, Ill. 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
Joe Kinville DE #93 Jahleel Addae SS #4
Brett Van Sloten RT #70
Cody Lopez LB #51
Steve Winston DT #55
Austin Blythe RG #63
Mark Weisman RB #45 James Vandenberg QB #16
Leterrius Walton DT #58
Justin Cherocci LB #41
James Ferentz C #53
Shamari Benton LB #26 Alex Smith DE #32
Avery Cunningham SS#36
Brad Rogers FB #38
Matt Tobin LG #60
Brandon Scherff LT #77
C.J. Fiedorowicz TE #86
Dennis Nalor CB #28 Kevonte Martin-Manley WR #11
STER
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 -13B
CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS
AY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 Alex Niznak Lorenzo White Taylor Bradley Jahleel Addae Tim Phillips Saylor Lavallii Cody Kater Ryan Oruche Ryan Radcliff Winslow Chapman Andrew Flory Kevin King Cooper Rush Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore Cody Wilson A.J. Westendorp Richie Hogan Jason Wilson Deon Butler Stefon Armstead Ron Coluzzi Tony Annese Denzel Wimberly Cameron Davis Curtis Huge Anthony Young Jordan McConnell Ryan Petro Anthony Scarcelli Leron Eaddy Courtney Williams Shamari Benton Martez Walker Dennis Nalor
2 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Courtney Williams WR #25
6-3/225 6-0/180 6-0/198 5-11/195 5-5/166 5-9/210 6-3/230 5-11/188 6-3/215 5-11/190 6-0/180 5-10/190 6-3/220 5-11/205 5-10/189 6-1/229 6-2/203 6-0/172 6-3/211 5-11/169 5-11/180 6-2/205 5-10/201 6-0/168 6-1/186 5-8/177 5-11/191 6-0/218 6-0/185 5-10/195 6-1/205 6-0/220 5-9/195 6-0/178
RS FR SR SR SR JR FR SO RS FR SR FR RS FR SO FR FR SR JR JR SO SO RS FR FR FR RS FR SO SR SR JR SO FR JR SO JR FR SO
QB DB DB DB RB RB QB DB QB DB WR DB QB RB WR QB K DB WR DB K DB DB DB P DB WR LB WR DB WR LB RB DB
Ithaca, Mich. Fort Lauerdale, Fla. Cincinnati, Ohio Valrico, Fla. Louisville, Ky. Mason, Mich. Montague, Mich. Downers Grove, Ill. Sherwood, Ohio Port Huron, Mich. Miramar, Fla. Dearborn, Mich. Charlotte, Mich. Kankakee, Ill. Rochester Hills, Mich. Holland, Mich. Laguna Hills, Calif. Farmington Hills, Mich. Detroit, Mich. Southfield, Mich. Naperville, Ill. Hartland, Mich. Pompano Beach, Fla. Grand Blanc, Mich. Bakersfield, Calif. Ontario, CA Clare, Mich. Winter Springs, Fla. Marine City, Mich. Clarksville, Md. Melvindale, Mich. Detroit, Mich. Orland Park, Ill. Miami, Fla.
Micah Hyde CB #18
Anthony HItchens WLB #20
Eric Fisher LT #79
Tanner Miller FS #5 Zurlon Tipton RB #34
Andy Phillips LG #66 Dominic Alvis DE #79
Tyler Lombardo FB #42
Louis Trinca-Pasat DT #87
Ryan Radcliff QB #8
Nick Beamish C #54 Darren Keyton RG #64
James Morris MLB #44
Christian Kirksey OLB #20 Steve Bigach DT #54
Jarrett Fleming TE #85 Jake Olson RT #73
Cody Wilson WR #11
Joe Gaglione DE #99
B.J. Lowery CB #19
Tom Donatell SS #13
29 30 31 32 33 34 34 35 36 37 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 44 45 46 47 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 71 72 73 74 75 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
Jarret Chapman Ben Masztak Kenny McClendon Alex Smith Mike Kinville Colton Odykirk Zurlon Tipton Brandon Greer Avery Cunningham Christian Conley Connor Gagnon Kavon Frazier Jadon Cook Joe Bacci Justin Cherocci Tyler Lombardo Tim Hamilton Alex Fine Anthony Garland Jordan Fields Blake Serpa Mark Lathers Caleb Southworth Ben Randle Adam Fenton Matt Losiniecki Cody Lopez Jabari Dean Aaron McCord Nick Beamish Steve Winston Louis Palmer Austin Gray Leterrius Walton Nathan Ricketts Kevin Henry Nick Adams Connor Collins Andrew Nowak Darren Keyton Andy Phillips Mike Repovz Dylan Anderson Nate Williams Kevin D’Arcy Cody Pettit Jake Olson Jeff Fantuzzi Kenny Rogers Ramadan Ahmeti Colin Goetz Eric Fisher Anthony Rice Jerry Harris Defarrel Davis Ben McCord Titus Davis Jarrett Fleming Ryan Hansen Connor Howard Jesse Kroll Connor Odykirk Chris Reeves Matt Russo Mike Zenk Joe Kinville Lance Sanders Shafer Johnson David Harman Mike Jorde Kelby Latta Caesar Rodriguez
5-11/182 6-1/213 6-2/250 6-3/236 6-2/236 6-2/200 6-1/222 6-1/205 6-0/201 5-10/226 6-1/191 6-2/205 6-0/194 6-2/230 6-1/232 6-1/245 6-1/241 6-0/185 6-0/220 6-0/180 6-3/238 6-0/180 6-5/228 6-5/257 6-2/240 6-1/267 6-1/218 6-2/290 6-4/304 6-2/304 6-1/260 6-2/225 6-2/210 6-6/308 6-2/220 6-5/300 5-10/230 6-4/285 6-3/265 6-3/300 6-3/302 6-5/290 6-4/275 6-2/275 6-4/300 6-3/290 6-8/300 6-4/295 6-5/278 6-6/302 6-6/265 6-8/305 6-0/175 6-3/185 6-4/190 6-3/224 6-2/185 6-5/248 6-3/180 5-11/190 6-3/201 6-4/237 6-0/279 6-5/212 6-3/260 6-4/260 6-4/270 6-0/322 6-0/182 6-5/250 6-4/305 6-2/241
DB FB DE LB LB WR RB DB DB FB K DB FB LB LB FB LB DB RB DB DE DB TE DL FB DL LB DL OL OL DL DE LB DL LB OL LS OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR WR WR TE WR TE WR WR WR TE DL DE LS DL DL DL K DL DL DE
SO JR JR SR SO FR JR FR JR RS FR JR FR RS FR FR SO JR RS FR FR SO FR RS FR SO SO RS FR JR SO SO FR JR RS FR SR RS FR FR SO FR SO FR FR SO SR SO SR FR SR FR JR SR JR RS FR RS FR FR SR FR SR SO RS FR SO SO FR FR RS FR JR SR SO RS FR SR FR RS FR SR FR FR SR
Port Huron, Mich. Paw Paw, Mich. St. Louis, Mo. Barrington, Ill. Northville, Mich. Mount Pleasant, Mich. Detroit, Mich. Dolton, Ill. Cincinnati, Ohio Troy, Mich. Midland, Mich. Grand Rapids, Mich. Harper Woods, Mich. Romeo, Mich. Rochester Hills, Mich. Harrison Township, Mich. Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Lake Orion, Mich. Ferndale, Mich. Grand Blanc, Mich. Sugar Grove, Ill. Grass Lake, Mich. Piketon, Ohio Rodney, Mich. Birmingham, Mich. Waukesha, Wis. Plainfield, Ill. Detroit, Mich. Warren, Mich. Riverview, Mich. Muskegon Heights, Mich. Detroit, Mich. Warren, Mich. Clinton Township, Mich. Hollan, Mich. Morris, Ill. Crystal Lake, Ill. Millington, Mich. Saint Joseph, Mich. Traverse City, Mich. Lansing, Mich. Lansing, Mich. West Bloomfield, Mich. New Haven, Mich. Livonia, Mich. Deshler, Ohio Hartford, Wis. Macomb, Mich. Dimondale, Mich. Lansing, Mich. Oxford, Mich. Rochester, Mich. Mishawaka, Ind. Delray Beach, Fla. Melvindale, Mich. Warren, Mich. Wheaton, Ill. South Bend, Ind. Dearborn, Mich. Carmel, Ind. Algoma, Wis. Mount Pleasant, Mich. Oak Park, Mich. Caledonia, Mich. Toledo, Ohio Northville, Mich. Chicago, Ill. Southfield, Mich. Traverse City, Mich. Croswell, Mich. Battle Creek, Mich. Miami, Fla.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 - 15B
16B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012
AROUND THE BIG TEN
OFFENSIVE IMPACT
POWER RANKINGS
1. Ohio State Even though the Buckeyes aren’t eligible to play in this year’s Big Ten championship game, first-year head coach Urban Meyer has his squad running a tight ship. The Buckeyes might just look good by comparison with the rest of the Big Ten, though. 2. Michigan The Wolverines did only lose to No. 1-ranked Alabama, but a shellacking is a shellacking in my book. Denard Robinson might not even be an NFL quarterback the way he looks. Don’t expect the Maize and Blue to be so lucky this year when it plays Notre Dame under the lights. 3. Michigan State Andrew Maxwell showed he is no Kirk Cousins last week when Notre Dame wacked the Spartans, 203, in East Lansing. Michigan State should rebound this week against Eastern Michigan, but Ohio State awaits. 4. Purdue Purdue’s schedule so far is awfully similar to Michigan State’s, having played Notre Dame and Eastern Michigan. The Boilermakers did put up a much tougher fight against the Irish, though. I’ve said for a while this Purdue squad is underrated, but a win against Marshall this week won’t prove that. 5. Nebraska The Huskers get punishing runner Rex Burkhead back this week, and it appears head coach Bo Pelini has been given a clean bill of health. All of that should make for a big win over Idaho State, even though the Bengals may have the coolest logo in college sports. Seriously, look it up. 6. Northwestern Stat of the day: The Big Ten has only four wins over automatic-qualifying conference teams this season, and the Wildcats have three of them: Syracuse, Vanderbilt, and Boston College. Northwestern does get a break against South Dakota this week, but this is a squad that could very well be 7-0 when Nebraska visits Evanston for the first time on Oct. 20
7. Iowa Even with all three able running backs out, the Hawkeyes found a way to win against Northern Iowa. Now, fullback Mark Weisman will get the bulk of the carries against Central Michigan. This is the last chance Iowa has to get its ducks in a row before the Big Ten schedule. 8. Wisconsin The Badgers started the season much higher on this list, but they have done very little to back that up. They should have lost last week, but Utah State’s kicker couldn’t connect on a 27-yarder. Starting quarterback Danny O’Brien might not be as good as the cheese heads thought. 9. Minnesota Max Shortell played extremely well at quarterback in relief duty for MarQueis Gray. Still, without the dynamic Gray, I don’t see the gilded rodents coming out with a win against Syracuse. Next week? Floyd awaits. 10. Illinois With starting quarterback Nate Scheelhaase back from an ankle injury, I don’t see Louisiana Tech upsetting the Illini. Still, head coach Todd Beckman has some bad karma his way that has yet to be cashed in on. 11. Penn State The Nittany Lions got their first win Sept. 15 against Navy. I don’t know if I should feel sorry yet, though. I think I will in two years, when it hits full SMU mode. 12. Indiana Oh my stars, things are looking bad in Bloomington. The Hoosiers do have a bye this week, but because the only playmaker on the squad — quarterback Tre Roberson — is out for the season, things will only get worse for the Cream and Crimson once conference play begins.
GAMES TO WATCH Michigan vs. Notre Dame
Time: 6:30 p.m. Saturday Location: South Bend, Ind. Where to watch: NBC
Key Highlights This is a big game for the Wolverines, who still want to show the world that they deserved their ranking after being spanked by Alabama on national TV. At the same time, Notre Dame is ready to show that it once again is a force to be reckoned with in college football after years of dormancy. This is a juicy one, folks.
BEN ROSS BENJAMIN-D-ROSS@UIOWA.EDU
Syracuse vs. Minnesota
Time: 7 p.m. Saturday Location: Minneapolis Where to Watch: Big Ten Network Key Highlights Earlier this week, head coach Jerry Kill said he was considering only suiting up two quarterbacks in order to preserve a redshirt, even if that would mean suiting up MarQueis Gray with a high ankle sprain. Still, backup Max Shortell played admirably in Gray’s absence. A win would mean the first time Minnesota started off 4-0 since the 2008 season.
Wisconsin vs. UTEP
Time: 11 p.m. Saturday Location: Madison, Wis. Where to Watch: ESPN2
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.
Name: Fitzgerald Toussaint Position: Running Back Year: Senior Toussaint was sidelined for the first game of the season; barred by a traffic violation (chug, chug). Toussaint is a very talented back and will be asked to take the pressure off star Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, who seems to have his best games against Notre Dame. He did well in his first start last week, when he carried the rock 15 times for 85 yards and a touchdown, but expect his role to be bigger this week against a tough opponent — especially because head coach Brady Hoke has been unhappy with the play of his squad so far. “If we want to win a Big Ten championship, we have to improve on a lot of things,” Hoke told the Detroit News. “They have high expectations. It’s our job to be honest and be real and push them to where they can meet those expectations.”
DEFENSIVE IMPACT Name: Jordan Kovacs Position: Safety Year: Senior Kovacs is the leader of the Michigan D, and he has been the last line of defense all season. Brady Hoke has shown confidence in his fifth senior — he gave him a nod as captain at the beginning of this season. Kovacs will need to look like a linebacker at times, too, because the Irish have been incredibly successful at running the ball with numerous tailbacks. His attitude can perhaps be best summed up with his thoughts after Michigan’s loss to Alabama. “I think that’s why this game stings so much, because we take pride in stopping the run,” Kovacs told the Michigan Daily. “That’s what Michigan football is all about. But they had us today.”
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 - 17B
18B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012
LEADERBOARD Net yards per punt, Big Ten
1. Purdue 42.5 2. Illinois 40.3 3. Wisconsin 39.0 4. Michigan State 38.7 5. Ohio State 38.6 6. Michigan 37.0 7. Nebraska 36.6 8. Northwestern 36.5 9. Indiana 35.5 10. Iowa 34.5
Time of possession per Receiving yards per game, Big Ten game, Big Ten
1. Michigan State 34:36 2. Iowa 33:37 3. Illinois 33:36 4. Minnesota 33:20 5. Wisconsin 32:11 6. Indiana 31:13 7. Northwestern 31:10 8. Purdue 29:56 9. Ohio State 29:50 10. Nebraska 29:31
1. Allen Robinson Penn St. 107.3 2. Devin Smith, Ohio St. 77.7 3. A.J. Barker, Minnesota 77.0 4. Cody Latimer, Indiana 74.3 5. Kenny Bell, Nebraska 68.3 6. Ryan Lankford, Illinois 64.0 7. Antavian Edison, Purdue 62.0 8. Keenan Davis, Iowa 56.7 9. O.J. Ross, Purdue 55.7 10. Philly Brown, Ohio St. 55.3
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 - 19B
20B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21,
2012
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 - 21B
22B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21,
2012
ON THE LINE
Matchups Central Michigan at Iowa No. 18 Michigan at No. 11 Notre Dame Syracuse at Minnesota No. 10 Clemson at No. 4 Florida St. No. 15 Kansas St. at No. 6 Oklahoma
Molly Olmstead
Sports Editor (7-8)
Iowa
I’m looking forward to seeing all my high school classmates at CMU complain about the Hawkeyes on Facebook.
Ian Martin
Asst. Sports Editor (10-5)
Iowa
Hawkeyes win easy Directional Michigan Weisman for Heisman
Michigan
Notre Dame
I hate (hate!) Michigan, but I still think Denard will outrun Golson by at least 100 yards.
Denard Robinson And the Irish seem legit No down game for Dame
Minnesota
Syracuse
I hope the Gophers win so that they’ll lose next week.
Florida State
Seminole pass defense is outstanding, rush defense is outstanding... defense in general is just too good.
Oklahoma Those horse mascots are terrifying, though.
This is a great game Fifty years ago, at least No Grey for Gophers
Florida State
Ben Ross Iowa
Because Iowa has a player nicknamed “Juggernaut.”
Notre Dame
But I hate Notre Dame AND Michigan. I am Irish, though. Leprechauns it is.
Oklahoma
Sam Louwagie Pregame Editor (9-6)
Iowa
Iowa
Mark Weisman was sent to kill the AIRBHG.
Hawkeyes give everyone a false sense of security with a rout.
Michigan I think Notre Dame will win. But as I said last week, I’m an Irish hater.
Michigan The Big Ten really, really needs this one.
Syracuse
Syracuse
Just because I got denied admission to Minnesota. Jerks.
Marcus Coker managed just 59 yards against the Orange. You think the Gophers can do better?
I just don’t think the universe will allow Minnesota to be 4-0.
Florida State
Florida State
Florida State
It’s tempting to pick an upset About picked Tigers here, But I think the Seminoles Saw ’Noles give up point per game may just be the real deal JUST ONE POINT PER GAME this year.
Boomer and Sooner Landry Jones is still in school? Fun fact: He’s married
Tork Mason
Football Reporter (10-5) Football Reporter (10-5)
Kansas State Collin Klein is a poor man’s Tim Tebow. Or a rich man’s Collin Klein. Wait, what?
E.J. Manuel makes a Heisman statement in this one.
Kansas State I’m not buying the Sooners (especially Landry Jones) just yet.
Syracuse
One point allowed per game.
Oklahoma The Sooners have no problems here.
Sam Lane
Managing Editor (10-5)
Iowa Three words. Weisman for Heisman.
Notre Dame Irish impressed me last week.
Minnesota I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Florida State Noles take advantage of Clemson’s D.
Oklahoma Stoops and Company roll in Norman.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012 - 23B
24B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 21, 2012