Friday, October 26, 2012 Iowa vs. Northwestern Ryan Field, Evanston, IL
The Playmaker Micah Hyde helps the Hawkeyes in more ways than one.
PLUS: Nolan MacMillan’s career comes full circle
2B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012
REMEMBER WHEN...
STAFF
Then-Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi suffers an ankle injury against Northwestern on Nov. 7, 2009. Without Stanzi, the Hawkeyes suffered their first loss of the season, and he missed the team’s final two regular-season games. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
HAWKS IN THE NFL
4
COVER STORY Micah Hyde makes plays on the field. But that’s not all he does for the Hawkeyes
8
FEATURED MATCHUP James Morris and Iowa’s linebackers have a tough assignment in Kain Colter
10
Follow Daily Iowan Pregame @DIPregame and like Daily Iowan Sports on Facebook.
16
18
GAME ROSTER Complete rosters for both the Hawkeyes and Wildcats. Keep it with you while you watch the game
Want to win a free pizza? Go to www.dailyiowan.com/ontheline and place your college football predictions.
Social Media
18
BIG TEN POWER RANKINGS See where we ranked the Hawkeyes and the rest of the conference
On The Line Contest
Catch the most extensive weekly Iowa football preview show in the state at www.dailyiowan.com.
14
INSIDE FEATURE After two years of injuries, Nolan MacMillan is back in the spotlight
WEB EXTRAS DITV Program
Green Bay Packer left tackle Bryan Bulaga played what the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel called his “best game of the season” against the St. Louis Rams on Oct. 21. Bulaga was matched up against the Rams’ star defensive end Chris Long and kept him from getting any pressure against Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It was a bounce-back performance for Bulaga. The former Hawkeye tackle had struggled at times early this season, getting beat on three sacks in a game against Seattle last month. But Green Bay has started to find its form as the season has gone on, and Bulaga is a big reason behind that. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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
POINT-COUNTERPOINT Can Iowa still win the Legends Division?
ON THE LINE Check out which teams our football staff picked in some of this weekend’s biggest games
CONTACT US
Got a question for the Pregame staff or a story idea for a future issue? Email us at dipregame@ gmail.com.
Go to
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for a photo slideshow after the game
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012 - 3B
4B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012
Iowa cornerback Micah Hyde leaves the field after the Iowa/Nebraska football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Nov. 25, 2011. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
Big plays, big responsibilities
By Ben Ross benjamin-d-ross@uiowa.edu
On his wrist, you can usually see a bracelet. A wide, white wristband that reads “make plays or die” in thick, black letters. It’s a testament to the playing style of cornerback Micah Hyde and his mindset when it comes to football. “You gotta make plays,” he said. “It’s the final go-round. Senior year. I love football to death, I just want to make plays and hopefully not die.”
Player
Hyde is in his third year as a starting cornerback for the Hawkeye football team. A career that can be defined by interceptions returned for touchdowns, laterals, and knockdowns. Thirty-three career starts now, all in consecutive games. His stats reflect that playmaker’s mentality. His 46 tackles this season
rank second among Big Ten cornerbacks. He is one of two defensive backs in the conference who has forced two fumbles. He is also second in passes broken up with 9. Hyde has yet to record an interception this year, though. Which may say more about quarterbacks not throwing the ball in his direction more than his skills. Because Hyde does have skills. “I honestly think he can play anyone in the Big Ten man-to-man,” linebacker Anthony Hitchens said. Hyde started at quarterback all four years at Fostoria High in Fostoria, Ohio. His stats and honors read like a Superman comic book. He started at quarterback, cornerback, and kicker for his high-school team. He earned six total all-conference honors at the positions: quarterback all three years, defensive back junior and senior years, and as a kicker his junior year. In four seasons, he accounted for 111 touchdowns on offense See Hyde, 6B
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012 - 5B
6B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012
hyde
Continued from 4B — passing for 7,864 yards and rushing for 3,443. He was named the Ohio Division-IV offensive player of the year and first team all-state at quarterback after his senior season. Hyde’s playmaking ability wasn’t a surprise to everyone, though. His high-school coach, Tom Grine — who lettered as a tight end at Iowa from 1974-76 — said he first heard about Hyde and his athletic talent at a young age. “I had heard about him in fifth grade, that there was a tremendous athlete in the elementary school,” Grine said. “He was just a tremendous athlete. At the junior-high level, I just saw a natural ability; it’s hard to describe that innate ability to see the field … He had that ‘it’ factor.”
Teacher
The experience that Hyde has gained in all those starts and plays made has proved invaluable for the Hawkeyes this season. Hyde and senior corner Greg Castillo have had to step up their play at a position that has seen an injury to starter B.J. Lowery and had two true freshmen see time. Other defensive backs notice his attention to detail. They say it has much to do with his success on the field. “He knows the ins and outs of a defense. And as a corner, that’s rare,” starting safety Tom Donatell said. “Half the time, when I’m giving him the call or check, he already knows or is already lined up. His skill set is one of the best in the league. He and I bounce ideas off each other. We try to get each other in the best situation when the offense comes out; we can get in different defenses.” Hyde has been called on to shut down the top pass-catchers on opposing teams. He has performed admirably in that role, often seen swatting deep passes to the ground just before it appears a receiver is about to make a big play on the ball. He said that he can only recall one time this season in which he got beat for a touchdown — when he tripped on himself to let Central Michigan score late in the game. And even then, he came back and swatted a pass on the ensuing 2-point conversion. He had to be reminded of his slip-ups, though; he says he likes to
Iowa’s Micah Hyde runs for the end zone during the football game against Michigan State in Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 30, 2010. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo) maintain a short memory. “To be honest, I put it past me,” Hyde said. “I just try to move on and really don’t remember the plays I get beat. … You just said that play and sort of brought it back up, so thanks. Other than that, I can’t think of anything, because I try to put them past me.”
Leader
Hyde’s work ethic was something that he carried over from high school to college. He was a captain during his sophomore, junior, and senior years for the Redmen. “If I told Micah something once, I never would never have to tell him again,” Grine said. “It’s hard to describe. He could never watch enough film or lift enough weights. He just loved football.” Hyde served as a captain through Iowa’s first five games, but following a public-intoxication arrest on Oct. 6 during Iowa’s bye week, head coach Kirk Ferentz removed the title. It hasn’t returned. Hyde wasn’t suspended, Ferentz citing his spot-
less record prior to the incident. Despite the run-in, Ferentz describes Hyde as one who encompasses the virtues of Hawkeye football. “He stands for what you hope a player would stand for,” Ferentz said. “He embodies the characteristics that you like to see in a football player. First of all, he loves playing, loves practicing, loves everything about it. So those are all positives. That’s something that tends to have a good effect on his teammates.” Hyde, like many other players, is often called on to contribute to his team off the field. He has been chosen to host recruits visiting Iowa. Hyde once played host to Hitchens. Even though he had committed to the Hawkeyes before his visit, Hitchens said Hyde helped him realize he made the right choice. “It was a good experience. He was from my area; I kind of knew about him,” Hitchens said. “He showed me around Iowa City, I went to his dorm room, his roommate was [fullback] Brad Rogers … There weren’t many cons he could tell me about Iowa
City.” The person who can perhaps best assess Hyde and his abilities likely isn’t on his side of the ball. Quarterback James Vandenberg, who has had to throw against Hyde in practice for years, said Hyde’s football intelligence is almost harder to compensate for than his athletic talent. Still, Vandenberg claims he has yet to be made a fool of by his talented teammate. “I think on the field, he’s one of the smartest football players I can remember,” Vandenberg said. “There’s a handful of guys who are really smart defensive players, and he’s a part of that group. He’s one of those guys who can play the defense that’s called and knows exactly where he can help at. He makes a lot of plays on defense in practice on us that he’s maybe not assigned to do, but he’s smart enough to know he can range free over there. He’s never made me look silly … “But he’s made other people look silly.”
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012 - 7B
8B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012
FEATURED MATCHUP
OFFENSE Name: Kain Colter
Position: Northwestern quarterback Year: Junior
How could Colter hurt the Hawkeyes this weekend? Let’s count the ways. He’s exactly the sort of quarterback who tends to give Iowa problems: One who is constantly looking to get out of the pocket and break a big run. But he’s also completed 70 percent of his passes this season for 437 yards. But Colter isn’t even a full-time quarterback. The Wildcats like to move him all around the field. He lines up at running back and has carried the ball 88 times for 456 yards and 8 touchdowns this season. He also splits out as a wide receiver and has 16 catches for 169 yards. “Every time you play him, there is a different set of challenges it seems,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Colter can hurt you playing quarterback, he can hurt you playing receiver, and you’re not quite sure where he’s going to be.”
DEFENSE Name: James Morris
Position: Iowa linebacker Year: Junior
Against Iowa State quarterback Steele Jantz this year, the Hawkeyes used Morris as a “quarterback spy” at times, meaning Morris’ assignment was to shadow Jantz and make sure he didn’t break free. Iowa might need to use Morris or his fellow linebackers that way again against Northwestern. The linebackers have been the strength of Iowa’s defense so far this year. But keeping track of Colter might be the most difficult task they’ve faced yet. Last year, Colter threw a touchdown pass, ran for 76 yards, and gained 71 through the air against Iowa. The Hawkeye offense isn’t likely to put up 41 points this time, though, so Iowa can’t afford to allow that much production from Colter.
SAM LOUWAGIE samuel-louwagie@uiowa.edu
10B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa
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 65 66 67 68 69
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, October 26, 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. NORTHWESTERN • S 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
Nick VanHoose CB #23 Quentin Williams DE #88 Ibraheim Campbell S #24
Brett Van Sloten RT #70
Chi Chi Ariguzo LB #44
Sean McEvilly DT #67
Austin Blythe James Vandenberg RG #63 QB #16
Mark Weisma RB #45
Brian Arnfelt DT #91
Damien Proby LB #46
James Ferentz C #53
David Nwabuisi LB #33 Tyler Scott DE #97
Jared Carpenter S #27
Brad Rogers FB #38
Matt Tobin LG #60
Nolan MacMillan LT #76
Zach Derby TE #85
Daniel Jones CB #15 Kevonte Martin-Manley WR #11
STER
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012 - 11B
NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2012 Bo Cisek 6-2/290 Kain Colter 6-0/190 Dwight White 5-10/178 Tyris Jones 6-0/220 Sean Oliver 5-11/175 Jarrell Williams 5-11/190 Venric Mark 5-8/175 Tony Jones 6-0/185 Hunter Bates 5-10/180 Demetrius Fields 6-0/210 Jack Mitchell 6-3/205 Jimmy Hall 6-2/205 Traveon Henry 6-1/200 Zack Oliver 6-4/235 Pierre Youngblood-Ary 6-3/185 Cermak Bland 5-11/170 C.J. Bryant 5-11/175 Trevor Siemian 6-3/210 Christian Jones 6-3/225 P.J. Carollo 6-1/180 Daniel Jones 5-11/170 Davion Fleming 5-10/200 Rashad Lawrence 6-2/185 Ifeadi Odenigbo 6-3/220 Christian Salem 6-3/190 Cameron Dickerson 6-3/200 Malin Jones 6-0/205 Kyle Prater 6-5/215 Demetrius Dugar 5-11/175 Treyvon Green 5-10/215 Nick VanHoose 6-0/185 Ibraheim Campbell 5-11/205 Jordan Perkins 6-0/180 Terrance Brown 6-1/195
1 2 2 3 3 4 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 13 14 15 15 16 17 18 18 19 20 21 22 22 23 24 25 26
Demetrius Fields WR #8
DL QB CB RB DB DB RB WR S WR WR DB S QB WR WR CB QB WR QB DB DB WR LB QB WR RB WR CB RB DB DB RB S
SR JR FR SR FR RS FR JR SO SR SR FR SO FR RS FR RS FR RS FR SO SO SO RS FR SO JR JR FR FR RS FR FR SO SR SO RS FR SO RS FR FR
Chicago, Ill. Denver, Colo. Cypress, Texas Fort Wayne, Ind. Plano, Texas Robbins, Ill. Tomball, Texas Flint, Mich. Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Dallas, Texas San Diego, Calif. Toledo, Ohio Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. Baton Rouge, La. Orlando, Fla. West Linn, Ore. Gahanna, Ohio Windermere, Fla. Houston, Texas Lake Bluff, Ill. Monticello, Fla. Upland, Calif. Orlando, Fla. Centerville, Ohio Santa Monica, Calif. Englewood, N.J. Naperville, Ill. Maywood, Ill. Houston, Texas Mesquite, Texas Urbana, Ohio Philadelphia, Pa. Lodi, Calif. Los Alamitos, Calif.
Micah Hyde CB #18
Christian Jones WR #6
Anthony Hitchens WLB #31 Tanner Miller FS #5
Patrick Ward LT #70
an
Joe Gaglione DE #99
Brian Mulore LG #72 Venric Mark RB #5
Steve Bigach DT #54
Kain Colter QB #2
Brandon Vitabile C #66
James Morris MLB #44
Christian Kirksey OLB #20 Louis Trinca-Pasat DT #90
Neal Deiters RG #79 Dan Vitale TE #40 Jack Konopka RT #75
Tony Jones WR #6
Dominic Alvis DE #79
Greg Castillo CB #2
Tom Donatell SS #13
27 27 28 29 31 31 32 33 33 34 34 35 36 37 38 39 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 59 61 62 63 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 79 80 81 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
Jared Carpenter 6-0/205 Mike Panico 5-8/175 Tim Hanrahan 6-0/195 Stephen Buckley 6-0/170 Quinn Evans 5-10/177 Chris Gradone 6-2/190 Mike Trumpy 6-1/210 Matt Micucci 5-11/190 David Nwabuisi 6-1/240 Steve Flaherty 6-1/180 Michael Odom 6-0/195 Eric Wilson 6-2/205 Mike Eshun 5-8/170 Jeff Budzien 5-11/165 Arthur Omilian 5-11/160 Joe Cannon 6-0/175 Zak Kucera 6-2/205 Dan Vitale 6-2/220 Doug Diedrick 5-10/215 Joseph Jones 6-1/200 Tim Riley 6-3/220 Chi Chi Ariguzo 6-3/220 Collin Ellis 6-2/225 Damien Proby 6-0/235 Troy Sheppard 5-10/170 Roderick Goodlow 6-2/220 Brandon Williams 6-2/185 Timmy Vernon 6-3/225 Jaylen Prater 6-0/215 Chris Fitzpatrick 6-2/230 Geoff Mogus 6-5/280 Eric Hauser 6-0/215 Drew Smith 6-1/205 Will Studlien 6-2/225 Matt Frazier 6-4/290 Pat Hickey 6-0/205 Alex Pietrzak 6-4/290 Taylor Paxton 6-4/295 Ian Park 6-4/295 Hayden Baker 6-2/280 Brandon Vitabile 6-3/300 Sean McEvilly 6-5/275 Connor Mahoney 6-4/260 Patrick Ward 6-7/310 Shane Mertz 6-8/295 Brian Mulroe 6-4/295 Adam DePietro 6-5/270 Chuck Porcelli 6-7/315 Jack Konopka 6-5/285 Eric Olson 6-6/285 Kenton Playko 6-5/270 Neal Deiters 6-8/315 Mike Jensen 6-0/180 Paul Jorgensen 6-6/295 Evan Watkins 6-6/245 Andrew Scanlan 6-2/200 Mike McHugh 6-3/185 Drew Moulton 5-11/180 Mark Szott 6-4/240 Jack Schwaba 6-4/225 Brian Smith 6-7/285 Quentin Williams 6-4/255 Austin Carr 6-1/195 Max Chapman 6-3/230 C.J. Robbins 6-5/275 Brian Arnfelt 6-5/300 Will Hampton 6-3/285 Greg Kuhar 6-3/275 Dean Lowry 6-6/230 Davon Custis 6-3/255 Anthony Battle 6-2/240 Tyler Scott 6-4/265 Deonte Gibson 6-3/240 Chance Carter 6-3/270
S RB RB RB CB P RB P/PK LB PK RB LB DB PK PK DB P SB SB S SB LB LB LB DB LB P LB LB LS OL LB LB LB OL LS OL OL OL OL OL DL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR OL SB WR WR WR SB SB SB DL WR DL DL DL DL DL DL DL DL DL DL DL
SR Bowling Green, Ky. FR Libertyville, Ill. SO Frankfort, Ill. FR Forney, Texas SR Chandler, Ariz. RS FR Cincinnati, Ohio JR Wheaton, Ill. FR Lake Zurich, Ill. SR Houston, Texas SR Chicago, Ill. FR Naperville, Ill. FR Redford, Mich. SO Madison, Wis. JR Hartland, Wis. RS FR Atlanta, Ga. SO Oconomowoc, Wis. FR Chesterland, Ohio FR Wheaton, Ill. RS FR Woodridge, Ill. FR Plano, Ill. JR Oswego, Ill. SO Gahanna, Ohio SO St. Gabriel, La. JR North Las Vegas, Nev. FR Joliet, Ill. SR Dallas, Texas JR Nappanee, Ind. JR Fort Washington, Pa. FR Hamden, Ohio FR Lawrenceburg, Ky. RS FR Lorain, Ohio FR Lake Barrington, Ill. RS FR Cincinnati, Ohio JR Sunbury, Ohio RS FR Bourbonnais, Ill. JR Chicago, Ill. RS FR Burr Ridge, Ill. JR Centennial, Colo. FR Pittsburgh, Pa. SO Trout Valley, Ill. SO Edison, N.J. SO Yorba Linda, Calif. FR Malvern, Pa. SR Homer Glen, Ill. RS FR Hazlet, N.J. SR Glenview, Ill. FR Lancaster, Pa. SR Oak Brook, Ill. SO Inverness, Ill. FR Sudbury, Mass. FR Lewis Center, Ohio SR Elmhurst, Ill. JR Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. SO DeWitt, Mich. JR Carol Stream, Ill. FR Royersford, Pa. FR Kirkwood, Mo. JR Freeland, Mich. RS FR Naperville, Ill. FR Upper St. Clair, Pa. JR Medina, Ohio SR Pittsburgh, Pa. FR Benicia, Calif. RS FR Ponte Vedra, Fla. RS FR Peru, Ill. SR Lake Elmo, Minn. JR Houston, Texas FR Concord Township, Ohio FR Rockford, Ill. JR Gahanna, Ohio JR Dolton, Ill. JR Warren, Ohio RS FR Lakewood, Ohio SO Evanston, Ill.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012 - 13B
14B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012
MacMillan fights his way back Injuries nearly derailed tackle Nolan MacMillan. Now, he’s back in the starting lineup.
By Tork Mason
N
tork-mason@uiowa.edu
olan MacMillan’s career has come full circle. Once seemingly on the inside track to become the next great Hawkeye offensive lineman, the junior suffered a series of injuries over the last two years and was second-string as of last week. Now, after starting left tackle Brandon Scherff suffered a broken leg in Iowa’s Oct. 20 loss to Penn State, MacMillan is in a spot many once expected him to be: protecting quarterback James Vandenberg’s blind side. MacMillan started the first six games of his freshman season, which is unusual for a young Hawkeye lineman. But he hasn’t made a start since Oct. 16, 2010. Head coach Kirk Ferentz said he’s not worried, though, about his new left tackle being rusty. “He’s missed some time, but he’s practiced well when he’s been out there,” Ferentz said. “Now, hopefully, we can keep him healthy and keep him advancing, because we’re going to need everybody’s best effort now.” MacMillan’s journey back to the top of the depth chart wasn’t easy. It all started with a shoulder injury that knocked him out of the final seven games of the 2010 season. Then, a sports hernia held the Toronto native out for the 2011 season. And he suffered a broken hand during preseason camp this year. The time away from the field sent MacMillan from up-and-comer status to obscurity. He said his teammates were vital in keeping his spirits up and keeping his focus on getting back. Junior tackle Brett Van Sloten said that’s what teammates are for. “You’ve just got to rally behind [injured teammates] and support them,” Van Sloten said. “It’s difficult being on the sideline the whole time. So you just want to keep them involved as much as they can be, even if they’re not doing the physical aspect of the sport.” Van Sloten said the key is to treat injured players just as you would if they were healthy. They may not be on the field, he said, but they’re in the meeting rooms and in the weight room working to get back. He said sticking with them through the ups and downs is important for their recovery. MacMillan has had plenty of downs in his career. “He’s had a tough run of it,” Vandenberg said. “I felt every time we’d get him healthy, he was having another major surgery to fix something else. “That’s something I’m so glad I’ve never had to deal with. But that’s obviously tough on you — just thinking that maybe you’ll never get back. But he’s stuck with it and got himself in a position to play.” Defensive end Dominic Alvis knows something
Iowa lineman Nolan MacMillan (left) blocks for quarterback James Vandenberg in the game against Penn State in Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 20. (The Daily Iowan/Tessa Hursh)
‘But that’s obviously tough on you — just thinking that maybe you’ll never get back. But he’s stuck with it and got himself in a position to play.’ — James Vandenberg, Iowa quarterback about recovering from injuries. The junior — and MacMillan’s former roommate — tore his ACL in 2011. He said setbacks in the training room are always hard on a player mentally, and he stressed the importance of staying positive and focusing on taking things one step at a time rather than looking at the big picture. “There’s always those times of doubt — ‘Am I going to play again?’ ” Alvis said. “It just takes a strong, positive mentality. You just got to have faith that it’s going to get better.” MacMillan said all he was concerned about was
giving what he could to the team, and that helped get him through the adversity. “Just focusing on trying to get back out on the field and contributing to the team effort,” he said. “That’s really all you can focus on.” Now, Alvis said, things are better and MacMillan is ready to go. “He’s a big, strong Canadian,” Alvis said. “That’s probably the best way to put him … and he’s got his turn now to get back in the starting lineup. And he’s going to do good things.”
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012 - 15B
16B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012
AROUND THE BIG TEN
Molly Irene Olmstead molly-olmstead@uiowa.edu
POWER RANKINGS
1. Ohio State The Buckeyes are still undefeated after squeaking out 29-22 overtime win against Purdue last week. But Urban Meyer and his crew now face a much tougher test this week when they challenge Penn State in State College, Pa., on Saturday.
7. Michigan State The Spartans are slowly falling apart, having lost two straight against Iowa and Michigan to make them 1-3 in the conference. Narrow victories have doomed Michigan State; three of the squad’s four losses have been by 2 points or fewer. And it’s probable that the Spartans’ battle with the Badgers will be a close one, too.
2. Penn State The Nittany Lions dominated Iowa in an extremely hostile Kinnick Stadium environment. Penn State was able to score by run, pass, field goal, sommelier, and janitor, and the Lions threw a shutout until the fourth quarter. Ohio State is undefeated, but the Buckeyes step into dangerous Nittany Lion territory this week.
8. Purdue The Boilermakers have had it tough the past few games, losing to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio State three weeks in a row. They get a break this week, however, when they travel to Minneapolis and take on the 0-3 Gophers, who have lost to Iowa, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.
3. Michigan Michigan’s only two losses on the season have come from now top-five teams, and the Wolverines beat in-state rival Michigan State last week, 12-10. Michigan, however, didn’t score a single touchdown. This week, the Wolverines will travel to Lincoln to take on Nebraska.
9. Iowa The Hawkeyes looked strong two weeks ago but fell apart against Penn State. They couldn’t get in the game until the fourth quarter and now face the Wildcats, who have scored in the first quarter in seven of their eight games. And two strong Iowa offensive lineman — left tackle Brandon Scherff and guard Andrew Donnal — are injured and out for the season.
4. Nebraska Unlike Michigan, Nebraska scored four touchdowns against Northwestern, all coming from QB Taylor Martinez on three passes and a run. The Huskers’ weakest moment, however, was allowing an 80-yard Wildcat touchdown run the week before hosting a run-heavy Wolverine team.
10. Minnesota The Gophers haven’t had a lot of luck this season. They have only scored 13 points in conference games and have missed a PAT and failed a 2-point conversion. Those little mistakes could add up fast against Purdue.
5. Wisconsin The Badgers struggled against weak teams early in the season, but they have stepped up in conference play. For three weeks in a row, Wisconsin has scored 30-plus points against Illinois, Purdue, and Minnesota. The Badgers host a crumbling Michigan State this week and have a decent chance to score many touchdowns again. 6. Northwestern The Wildcats are 2-2 in the Big Ten, suffering losses to Penn State and Nebraska. Northwestern’s schedule gets significantly easier from this week on — first the ’Cats face a limping Iowa team, and they also have Michigan State and Illinois left.
11. Indiana Indiana, a struggling team that just can’t seem to catch a break, will finally get one when the Hoosiers face another struggling team in Illinois. Indiana has been in the game against most of their opponents this season, but they can’t seem to finish the game with a win. This week might be their chance. 12. Illinois The Illini have been blown out in most of their games this season, most recently a 45-0 loss to Michigan. Indiana might be the only team left on its schedule that Illinois can actually compete with — both side of this week’s matchup are 2-5 overall, 0-3 in the Big Ten.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012 - 17B
18B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012
ON THE LINE
Ben Ross
Matchups
Molly Olmstead
Ian Martin
Sports Editor (21-14)
Asst. Sports Editor (21-14) Football Reporter (23-12)
Iowa at Northwestern
Iowa is so inconsistent that the Hawkeyes can’t even be consistently bad.
Ohio State at Penn State
Michigan at Nebraska
No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 9 Oklahoma
No. 2 Florida at No. 11 Georgia
Iowa
Penn State
But even if I’m wrong, this is going to be a great game. I can’t wait to watch it.
Michigan In run game vs. pass game, I pick rush
Oklahoma
The Irish have to lose eventually, right?
Florida I’ve picked them every week, am I becoming a Gator fan?!
Iowa
Inconsistency Also means you’ll have good games On Weisman’s shoulders
Ohio State McGloin trounced Hawkeyes But OSU much better Buckeyes win close one
Michigan Denard last year Against Huskers: 4 TDs Pelini angry
Oklahoma Landry Jones goes off Pause not. But in tight contest, Smart to take home team
Florida Gators against ‘Dawgs Real animals: Gators win On field: Same result
Iowa
Northwestern is allowing like 400 yards a game, or something like that.
Tork Mason
Football Reporter (24-11)
Northwestern
I can’t make heads nor tails of this Iowa team. So I’ll let a coin decide the rest of the season. Heads Iowa, tails opponent.
Ohio State
Braxton Miller.
Penn State No Braxton, and the Nits are the most well-rounded team in the Big Ten.
Nebraska This Wolverine squad is overrated.
Nebraska T-Magic can actually pass this year.
Oklahoma
The Irish have to lose some time.
Notre Dame As much as I hate to say it, I’m a believer. The Irish are for real this year.
Georgia SICK ‘EM, DAWGS
Florida Case could be made that the Gators are even better than ‘Bama.
Sam Louwagie Pregame Editor (18-17)
Northwestern
I’m not sure why you’d pick Iowa at this point.
Ohio State I thought we got at least one season before Urban Meyer went fully operational.
Michigan This one’s for all the arm-punts.
Notre Dame The Irish are good.
Florida Beat down.
Sam Lane
Fans’ Picks
Managing Editor (27-8)
Iowa The Hawks will rebound … won’t they?
Ohio State Last week was an anomaly for both teams.
Michigan A former Heisman candidate against a QB who doesn’t throw correctly. Hmmm...
Northwestern
Nebraska just barely squeaked by them last week plus it’s in Evanston on their Homecoming.
Ohio State I hope Penn State goes for it on fourth down every time and gets KILLED every time.
Michigan My wife has a better throwing motion than the Nebraska quarterback.
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Irish stay perfect.
I hope by 50. I hate Notre Dame.
Florida
Florida
Should be pretty easy for a solid Gator squad.
May be Alabama’s only competition.
POINT COUNTERPOINT
Can Iowa still win the Legends Division? Yes
I know it’s hard to be optimistic about this Iowa team. But the Hawkeyes are still very much in the race to represent the Legends Division in Indianapolis; the Hawkeyes are tied for second in the division. There’s only one postseason-eligible team that’s undefeated in the Big Ten, and that’s Michigan. Half the Legends division has numerous losses. If the Big Ten continues to beat itself up, as it always does, Iowa will be in contention for the division crown. Take a look at the rest of the schedule. The team has more games remaining on the road than at Kinnick, but that may not be such a bad thing; Iowa has lost three games at home this season. And while this team only won one road game last year, it has won two this season: one “road” game in Chicago against Northern Illinois and one against Michigan State. Iowa is capable of stealing wins on the road. I think Iowa has solved its woes against Northwestern, this week’s opponent. The Hawkeyes follow up that game with two-straight winnable games against Indiana and Purdue. The home stretch looks tough, with a trip to the Big House followed by a game against Nebraska on Black Friday. But there isn’t a single player on Michigan’s roster who has beaten Iowa. Take your hand off that panic button, Hawkeye fans. There’s plenty of hope for a trip to Indy in December. — by Kevin Glueck
No
You can look at the schedule and the standings all you want. You can offer any scenario you like about Iowa winning out and reaching the Big Ten title game. But the Hawkeyes cannot win the Legends Division. They’re not eliminated officially, but they are in practical terms. If you can’t pass the ball, you can’t win your division. It’s probably time to stop waiting for James Vandenberg and his receivers to get comfortable. The running game is suddenly a question mark, with a banged-up star running back and two starting linemen lost for the season. An overachieving defense might have been exposed by Penn State’s hurry-up offense. The Hawkeyes’ energizing win against Michigan State clearly doesn’t have predictive value. The offense stumbled for 55 minutes and then put together one good possession. Andrew Maxwell and the weak Spartan offense made that good enough. Iowa almost definitely would need to win out in order to make it to Indianapolis. That means beating Northwestern and Michigan on the road, and it means handling Nebraska at home. A more realistic question is whether the Hawkeyes can take advantage of their easiest games remaining, against Indiana and Purdue, and make themselves bowl-eligible. It’s no use dreaming of a magical run to a BCS game at this point. The 2012 Hawkeyes simply have a lower ceiling than that. But a bowl game — any bowl game — would be nice. — by Sam Louwagie
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012 - 19B
20B - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 26, 2012