SATURDAy, NOVEMBER 14 | Iowa vs. MINNESOTA | KINNICK Stadium | 7 p.m. ESPN
ITS OWN TEAM
The Daily Iowan
PREGAME
Inside: George kittle, stopgap no more
22 -- The The Daily Daily Iowan Iowan -- PREGAME PREGAME -- Iowa Iowa City, City, Iowa Iowa -- Friday, Friday, November September13,19,2015 2014
GUIDE
STAFF Publisher: 335-5788 William Casey Editor: 335-6030 Stacey Murray Pregame Editor: 335-5848 Danny Payne Sports Editor : 335-5848 Ian Murphy Jordan Hansen Copy Chief: 335-5855 Beau Elliot Design Editor: 335-5855 Patrick Pat LyneLyne, Taylor Laufersweiler Photo Editor: 335-5852 Joshua Housing Josh Housing
REMEMBERWhen WHEN... ... Remember
Minnesota defensive tackle Brandon Kirksey returns a fumble by Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg in TCF Bank Stadium on October 29, 2011. Kirksey gained 23 yards on the play, and Minnesota beat Iowa, 22-21. (The Daily Iowan/File Photo)
TABLE of OF Contents CONTENTS Table
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Cover Story In a superstar-driven college football world, Iowa’s offense has done enough to win nine games without a superstar.
Inside Feature Once seen as a stopgap until Jake Duzey returned, George Kittle has been fantastic for the Hawkeyes this season.
By the Numbers Take a look at the numbers to see how different 2014 Minnesota is from 2015 Minnesota.
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Web Editor : 335-5829 Tony Phan Business Manager: 335-5786 Debra Plath : 335-5784 Juli Krause Circulation Manager: 335-5794 Juli Krause Advertising Manager: 335-5193 Renee Manders
: Bev Mrstik: 335-5792 Cathy Witt: 335-5794 Production Manager: 335-5789 Heidi Owen BREAKING NEWS Phone: (319) 335-6063 E-mail: daily-iowan@uiowa.edu Fax: 335-6297 CORRECTIONS Call: 335-6030 Policy: The Daily Iowan strives for accuracy and fairness in all reporting of news. If a report is wrong or misleading, a request for PUBLISHING INFO The Daily Iowan (USPS 143.360) is published by Student Publications Inc., E131 Adler Journalism Building, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-2004, daily except Saturdays, Sundays, legal and university holidays, and university vacations. Periodicials postage paid at the Iowa City Post Office under the Act of Congress of March 2, 1879.
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Our weekly conference power rankings, plus some players and this week’s big game to watch.
PCP / Roundtable An excerpt from our Pregame Podcast, as well as a debate regarding Desmond King’s potential interception record.
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Iowa running back Akrum Wadley runs with the ball during the Iowa-Maryland game in Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 31. The Hawkeyes defeated the Terrapins, 31-15. (The Daily Iowan/Margaret Kispert)
No superstar, no problem
By Danny Payne daniel-payne-1@uiowa.edu
Before the season began, had someone said the nation’s No. 5 team would feature the NCAA’s 33rd-leading rusher and 63rd-leading passer, that person would have been looked at as crazy. If the person said that team wouldn’t have any receiver in
the nation’s top 100, he or she would have been looked at as down right insane. But entering its 10th game of the year, that team has won nine games without a superstar, arguably without even a star, on offense. Even more, that offense is finally expected to have almost all of its playmakers available for the first time this year
as it heads into its final three games of the regular season. That team is, of course, undefeated Iowa. “The collection of the parts is probably more impressive than any one individual,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “That’s the beauty of football.” No. 5 Iowa is in a position to control its own destiny in terms of the College Football Playoffs. Unlike
the majority of teams in the top 10, however, Ferentz’s crew has relied on a wide group of players — each of whom seem to star for a one- to three-week stretch before another takes the spotlight. In the early going, quarterback C.J. Beathard and running LeShun See COVER, 8
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A Kittle, a kettle, a whole lot of mettle Tight end George Kittle has played a significant, and perhaps unexpected, role for Iowa this season. By Ryan Rodriguez ryan-rodriguez@uiowa.edu
2015 has been a season chock-full of surprises for the Iowa football team. Success despite a whole slew of injuries has kept the roster fluid throughout the season. Oddly enough, injuries have also opened the doors to one of the biggest developments of the season — the emergence of tight end George Kittle. Once seen as a stopgap until senior Jake Duzey got back to fighting strength, Kittle has developed into one of the most dynamic offensive threats on the team in his time as a starter. “It just seems like every time he touches the ball, good things happen,” quarterback C.J. Beathard said. “That’s a good thing to have, and he’s really done a great job of stepping up for us this year.” Kittle, a junior, has seen action in almost every game of his Iowa career up to this point, but his role on the team has increased dramatically. In eight games, he’s had 9 catches for 136 yards and 4 touchdowns while Duzey continues to rehab after off-season knee surgery. He and fellow tight end Henry Krieger Coble have shouldered the load well in his absence; however, the speedier, more athletic Kittle has emerged as a legitimate downfield threat who has helped to catalyze the Iowa offense the last three weeks. A converted receiver, Kittle’s speed and athleticism has given the Iowa offense another dimension and one few outside the team saw coming six weeks ago. “They throw me some gadget plays every once in a while, and luckily, C.J. found me on a few of them,” Kittle said. “I’m just trying to make the most of the opportunity, and I’ve had the good fortune of being able to catch a few of them.” Kittle’s athleticism was on display last week against Indiana, catching a 1-yard out from Beathard before going airborne to hurdle a defender at the goal line in the second quarter. After going 31-straight appearances without a touchdown, Kittle now has one in two-straight games, and he is tied for the team’s lead in touchdown catches. “It’s exciting,” he said. “Pretty
Iowa tight end George Kittle dashes down field against Indiana in Memorial Stadium in Bloomington on Nov. 7. The Hawkeyes remained undefeated after beating the Hoosiers, 35-27. (The Daily Iowan/Margaret Kipsert) much all I did in high school was run go-balls, and now that I get a catch on 20-yard passes and get to catch and run, it’s been a lot of fun.” Kittle’s play has made fans notice, no doubt. It’s always been there, too. Talk to any Iowa football player about watching Kittle in practice, and the words “athletic freak” pop up pretty frequently. But there’s more than just natural ability at work here. Kittle’s commitment to better blocking and funda-
mentals on the line of scrimmage are as much to thank for his emergence this year as his vertical or 40-yard dash time. “I know in years past, he maybe wasn’t the best as a blocker, but I know this year he’s really worked on getting better at that,” running back LeShun Daniels Jr. said. “With his ability to be on the field and stretch it vertically as a tight end, I really think it helps open up our offense.” While it may have come about be-
cause of unfortunate circumstances for the Hawks, the development of Kittle at tight end has without a doubt been one of this season’s biggest bright spots. His progression has meant as much to the Iowa offense this year as anything. “It’s unfortunate that Jake got hurt, but I’m just trying to make the most of the opportunity,” Kittle said. “Someone always has to step up, and I’m happy I got that chance this season.”
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COVER Continued from 4 Daniels Jr. were the focus. When both of their performances tapered off because of injuries, running backs Jordan Canzeri and Akrum Wadley stepped up and carried the load. For the most part, the Hawkeye offensive line has been excellent; wide receivers Tevaun Smith and Matt VandeBerg, along with tight ends Henry Krieger Coble and George Kittle have done well, too. This offense isn’t one filled with the types of generational talents as there are at Ohio State; it’s rather a group of players playing roles to the highest degree, with a few having excellent performances here and there. Simply put, it’s Iowa. As the season progresses into a period in which superstar performances can make or break a season, questions need answering — can this type of play continue producing wins, and if so, what can we expect to see from the Hawkeye offense the remainder of the season to accomplish that? If last week’s win over Indiana is any indication, it could be a very dangerous unit and that style of play
could take the Hawks far. Beathard had his best game in Big Ten play — most of that was because of his health and ability to keep the defense honest with his legs. Couple that with running back Canzeri’s expected return from an ankle injury suffered against Northwestern, that gives Iowa four (or three) good available backs, along with a dynamic competitor at quarterback, and that’s one scary offense. Perhaps Wadley said it best. “[Opponents] just have to pick their poison.” Assuming all goes according to plan, Wadley is right. Yes, some sample sizes are bigger than others, but of Iowa’s four backs — Wadley, Daniels, Canzeri, and Derrick Mitchell Jr. — all but Daniels average more than 5 yards per carry. The junior’s mark of 4.14 isn’t half-bad, either. “Obviously, we know that people are better at certain things than others,” Daniels said. “We don’t have a problem with that — I really think it helps our offense flow better; it helps us open up our play-calling because we can expand on different things that our backs do well.” The key to this success is the backs’ talent, but it’s impossible to under-
Iowa wide receiver Matt VandeBerg catches a pass against Maryland in Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 31. The Hawkeyes remained undefeated after downing the Terrapins. (The Daily Iowan/Alyssa Hitchcock) state the importance of Beathard’s health to the success on the ground. If he’s hindered by an injury, he has to stay in the pocket, which makes him less valuable. It isn’t that Beathard is a bad pocket passer, but having a quarterback able to extend plays with his feet and throw on the
run is key. Against Maryland, Beathard was hobbled, so the Terps stacked the box in the second half and effectively took away much of Iowa’s running game. See COVER, 18
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By the Numbers: Iowa vs. Minnesota By Charlie Green charles-j-green@uiowa.edu
The Gophers are a far cry from the 8-4 players they were a year ago. Entering Saturday’s game with the No. 5 Hawkeyes, they stand at 4-5, just 1-4 in the Big Ten. The team has lost four of its last five and in that time has also seen its head coach Jerry Kill retire because of health problems. Needless to say, it’s been the wrong kind of a turnaround season in Minneapolis, and several statistics help tell the story of regression.
Rushing yards per game: 141.6 For starters, the Gophers’ run production is a shell of what it was last season. David Cobb and his 1,600 rushing yards left for the NFL, and the team has not been able to replicate his output. Last season, the group finished 30th in the country in rushing per game. As of this writing, it stands at 103rd. Freshman Rodney Smith leads the team with 550 yards on the ground; he and his colleagues average 3.9 yards per carry. The dropoff is forcing the Gophers to pass more this season. Although quarterback Mitch Leidner had more carries (126) than completions (122) in 2014, this year he has already attempted more throws than he did all of last season. Leidner is capable of making an impact on the ground, especially after gashing the Hawks for 77 yards in last year’s game. Now, however, he doesn’t have the luxury of a great back to capture a defense’s focus.
Red-zone offense: 80.8 percent
Iowa defensive end Nate Meier tackles Maryland defensive end William Likely to stop a punt return in Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 31. (The Daily Iowan/Alyssa Hitchcock)
Minnesota has dropped from 34th last season in red-zone efficiency to 90th so far this season. The team has failed to get a touchdown or a field goal five times in its 26 trips inside the 20-yard line — including in the waning seconds of its 29-26 loss to Michigan Oct. 31. Again, not having Cobb, who rushed for 13 touchdowns last year, hurts the Gophers. As a team, its 11 red-zone touchdowns are penultimate in the Big Ten to Northwestern’s 9. It may also have something to do with the Gophers barely scoring 20 points per game. That mark ranks second to,
you guessed it, Northwestern.
Turnover margin per game: -0.22 Minnesota is losing the turnover battle in 2015. After finishing last season ranked 15th nationwide, it’s now 84th. The offense has turned the ball over eight times by fumble and seven by interception, while the defense has forced 13 takeaways. That’s the biggest difference for the Gophers: they haven’t created turnovers at the clip they did a season ago. In 2014, the team recovered 15 fumbles and nabbed 15 interceptions.
On the flipside, Iowa has been exceptional in the turnover game, posting a plus-1.22 margin to date. In physical games with evenly matched teams, that much can be the difference between a win and a loss. Overall, the Hawks have turned the ball over six fewer times than their rivals and have also seen their defense force seven more takeaways. In nine games, that’s a sizable difference.
Third down efficiency: 36.7 percent In addition to its other struggles,
Minnesota has trouble moving the chains. The change in third-down success isn’t drastic, but it’s worthy of a look. The Gophers rank 12th in the Big Ten with 17.4 per game, down from more than 18 a season ago. Leidner’s options in the passing game are few and far between. Receiver KJ Maye is really the team’s only difference maker in that department, making third and medium-to-long situations more difficult. As for third and short situations, a weak rushing offense doesn’t bode well for the Gophers, either.
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ROS
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Iowa Hawkeyes
1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 10 11 11 12 13 14 14 15 16 16 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 29 30 30 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 39 40 41 41 42 43 44 45 45 46 47 48 49 50 50 51 52 52 53 54 56 57 58 59 60 61 63 64
Marshall Koehn Mick Ellis Brandon Bishop Jay Scheel Jacob Black Tevaun Smith Ronald Nash Omar Truitt Emmanuel Ogwo Sean Draper Colten Rastetter Isaiah Kramme Tyler Wiegers Jerminic Smith Jonathan Parker Ryan Boyle Michael Ojemuida Anthony Gair Greg Mabin Desmond King Connor Keane Joshua Jackson Dillon Kidd C.J. Beathard Jacob Hillyer Ryan Schmidt Drew Cook Miles Taylor Andrew Stone Justin Jinning Angelo Garbutt John Milani Eric Graham Akrum Wadley Kevin Ward Jordan Lomax Maurice Fleming LeShun Daniels, Jr. Nick Wilson Jake Gervase Steve Manders Aaron Mends Derrick Mitchell, Jr. Jordan Canzeri Nate Meier Cole Fisher Brandon Snyder Adam Cox Travis Perry Parker Hesse Bo Bower Austin Kelly Macon Plewa Josey Jewell Ben Niemann Eric Grimm Drake Kulick George Kittle Lane Akre Jack Hockaday Melvin Spears Jacob Sobotka Jackson Subbert Drake Dunker Boone Myers Brady Ross Garret Jansen Steve Ferentz Faith Ekaktike Jake Newborg Eric Simmons Ross Reynolds Jacob Giese Kyle Terlouw Austin Blythe Cole Croston
6-0/200 5-10/180 6-9/170 6-1/195 6-0/205 6-0/200 6-2/210 5-11/180 6-0/170 6-0/190 6-2/205 6-3/205 6-4/222 6-1/180 5-8/185 6-2/215 6-2/190 6-2/200 6-2/200 5-11/200 6-1/195 6-1/185 6-2/215 6-2/209 6-4/212 6-5/220 6-5/220 6-0/195 5-11/175 6-2/210 6-2/210 6-1/185 5-9/195 5-11/180 6-1/205 5-10/205 6-0/205 6-0/230 6-2/206 6-2/200 6-1/235 6-0/200 6-1/212 5-9/192 6-2/252 6-2/236 6-1/210 5-11/234 6-3/234 6-3/240 6-1/228 5-11/245 6-2/234 6-2/230 6-3/205 6-2/200 6-1/228 6-4/235 6-0/220 6-1/215 6-2/268 6-3/225 6-3/205 6-2/225 6-5/300 6-1/220 6-2/255 6-2/278 6-3/290 6-3/280 6-2/295 6-4/300 6-3/270 6-4/288 6-3/290 6-5/295
PK K DB WR DB WR WR DB WR DB P DB QB WR WR QB WR DB DB DB WR DB P QB WR QB QB DB WR LB LB DB RB RB DB DB DB RB LB DB LB FB RB RB DE OLB DB FB LB LB LB FB FB OLB LB LB LB TE FB LB DE LB LS LB OL LB DL OL DL OL OL OL DL DL OL OL
SR FR RS FR RS FR SO SR SO FR FR SR FR FR RS FR FR SO FR FR JR JR JR SO RS FR SR JR SR FR FR SO SR FR FR FR FR SO SO SR JR JR FR RS FR SO RS FR SO SR SR SR RS FR SR SR RS FR SO RS FR SR SO SO RS FR SO JR FR FR SR RS FR SO FR SO FR FR JR SO FR SR RS FR FR JR SR JR
Solon, Iowa Allen, Texas Sugar Grove, Ill. Mount Auburn, Iowa Solon, Iowa Toronto, Ontario Sioux City, Iowa Fort Washington, Md. Mesquite, Texas Cleveland, Ohio Guttenberg, Iowa Ankeny, Iowa Lake Orion, Mich. Garland, Texas St. Louis, Mo. West Des Moines, Iowa Farmington Hills, Mich. Plano, Texas Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Detroit, Mich. St. Paul, Minn. Cornith, Texas Deerfield Beach, Fla. Franklin, Tenn. Somerset, Texas Linn-Mar, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Silver Spring, Md. Cedar Falls, Iowa The Colony, Texas Carrollton, Texas Iowa City, Iowa Prattville, Ala. Newark, N.J. Homer Glen, Ill. Upper Marlboro, Md. Chicago, Ill. Warren, Ohio Granger, Iowa Davenport, Iowa Crofton, Md. Kansas City, Mo. St. Louis, Mo. Troy, N.Y. Tabor, Iowa Omaha, Neb. Larchwood, Iowa Chana, Ill. Urbandale, Iowa Waukon, Iowa West Branch, Iowa Hickory Hills, Ill. Franklin, Wisc. Decorah, Iowa Sycamore, Ill. Damascs, Md. Muscatine, Iowa Norman, Okla. Geneseo, Ill. Forsyth, Ill. Allen, Texas Clearfield, Iowa Williamsburg, Iowa St. Louis, Mo. Webster City, Iowa Humboldt, Iowa Pella, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Brampton, Ontario Inwood, Iowa Madrid, Iowa Waukee, Iowa West Branch, Iowa Sully, Iowa Williamsburg, Iowa Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
IOWA VS. MINNESOTA • SATURDAY, 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 97 98 98 99
Jordan Walsh Levi Paulsen Jaleel Johnson Landan Paulsen Keegan Render Lucas LeGrand Brett Waechter Brant Gressel Ryan Ward Mitch Keppy Ike Boettger Dalton Ferguson Daniel Gaffey James Daniels Sean Welsh Henry Krieger Coble Jon Wisnieski Adrian Falconer Riley McCarron Andre Harris Nate Vejvoda Peter Pekar Jake Duzey Jake Hulett Matt VandeBerg Sam Brincks Miguel Recinos Brady Reiff Jameer Outsey Terrence Harris Michael Slater Drew Ott Matt Nelson Tyler Kluver Darian Cooper Anthony Nelson Nate Wieting Nathan Bazata
6-4/290 6-5/290 6-4/310 6-5/290 6-4/305 6-5/280 6-5/275 6-2/280 6-5/290 6-5/300 6-6/300 6-4/307 6-2/260 6-4/285 6-3/288 6-4/250 6-5/247 6-1/180 5-9/186 6-0/185 6-5/215 6-4/245 6-4/248 6-3/265 6-1/185 6-5/260 6-1/173 6-3/226 6-3/235 6-3/252 6-2/265 6-4/272 6-8/270 6-0/220 6-2/282 6-7/220 6-4/225 6-2/284
OL OL DL OL OL OL OL DL DL OL OL OL DL OL OL TE TE WR WR WR TE TE TE DL WR DE K DL TE DE DE DL DE LS DL DE TE DL
SR FR JR FR RS FR RS FR FR SO JR JR SO RS FR RS FR FR SO SR RS SO FR JR SO FR FR SR SO SO RS FR RS FR FR RS FR RS FR FR SR RS FR SO SR FR FR SO
Glendale Heights, Iowa Moville, Iowa Lombard, Ill. Moville, Iowa Indianola, Iowa Dubuque, Iowa Hartley, Iowa Centerville, Ohio Homer Glen, Ill. Port Byron, Ill. Cedar Falls, Iowa Solon, Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Warren, Ohio Springboro, Ohio Mount Pleasant, Iowa West Des Moines, Iowa Leesburg, Fla. Dubuque, Iowa Kirkwood, Mo. Homer Glen, Ill. Greendale, Wis. Troy, Mich. Springville, Iowa Brandon, S.D. Carroll, Iowa Mason City, Iowa Parkston, S.D. Somerset, N.J. Englewood, N.J. St. Louis, Mo. Trumbull, Neb. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Marshalltown, Iowa Elkridge, Md. Urbandale, Iowa Rockford, Ill. Howells, Neb.
STER
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Y, NOVEMBER 14, 2015 • 7 P.M. BIG TEN NETWORK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 9 9 11 12 12 13 14 14 15 15 15 16 17 18 19 19 19 20 20 21 22 22 23 24 25 26 26 27 27 28 28 29 29 30
Maye, KJ WR Gentry, Isaiah WR Hardin, KiAnte DB Ayinde, Adekunle DB Myrick, Jalen DB Rogers, Ace DB Leidner, Mitch QB Travis, Damarius DB Keith, Alex DL Carter, Eric WR Johnson, Antonio it DB Register, Hunter it WR Poock, Cody LB Celestin, Jonathan LB Streveler, Chris WR Craighton, Zo DB Gant, Desmond WR Rhoda, Conor QB Williams, Everett LB Jones, Jeff WR Huff, Jacob DB Santoso, Ryan K Moore, Gary DT Conway, Michael WR Dicke, Cedric LB Huff, Julian LB Mayer, Adam WR Holland Jr., Melvin WR Borchardt, Jeff WR James, Craig DB Sardinha, EJ WR Smith, Rodney RB Jordahl, Payton LS Campbell, De’Vondre LB Smith, Brian WR Brooks, Shannon RB Johannesson, James RB Gibson, Jerry TE Femi-Cole, Jonathan RB Boddy-Calhoun, Briean DB Tuszynski, Louis WR Wipson, Chris LB
5-10 6-4 5-10 6-0 5-10 6-1 6-4 6-2 6-3 5-11 6-0 6-5 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-1 6-3 6-3 6-1 6-0 5-10 6-6 6-4 6-5 6-3 5-11 6-1 6-3 6-0 5-10 6-1 5-11 6-2 6-5 6-4 6-0 6-1 6-3 6-0 5-11 5-11 6-2
194 206 170 203 205 211 237 208 254 189 206 209 230 224 223 199 214 219 231 209 205 250 283 218 210 220 214 196 204 189 194 200 230 239 209 206 220 238 212 190 187 216
SR RS FR FR RS SO JR RS JR RS JR SR SR RS SO SR FR RS SO SO RS SO FR RS FR RS SO SO RS FR FR RS SO SO RS SO RS JR FR FR RS FR RS SO SO RS JR RS FR RS FR RS SR RS SO FR FR RS FR FR RS SR RS JR RS SO
Mobile, Ala. Cincinnati, Ohio Webb City, Mo. Blaine, Minn. Bloomingdale, Ga. Iowa City, Iowa Lakeville, Minn. Pensacola, Fla. Columbia, Mo. Lakeland, Fla. Cleveland, Ohio Lafayette, La. Okoboji, Iowa Jonesboro, Ga. Crystal Lake, Ill. Geismar, La. Aurora, Ill. Eagan, Minn. Mansfield, Texas Minneapolis, Minn. Bolingbrook, Ill. Pace, Fla. Mobile, Ala. La Crescent, Minn. Cannon Falls, Minn. Bolingbrook, Ill. Walnut Creek, Calif. Ashburn, Va. Medina, Minn. Edwardsville, Ill. Wellington, Fla. Jonesboro, Ga. Perham, Minn. Fort Myers, Fla. Milwaukee, Wis. Atlanta, Ga. Fargo, N.D. Theodore, Ala. Vaughan, Ontario Wilmington, Del. Germantown, Wisc. Plymouth, Minn.
31 32 33 33 34 34 35 35 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 52 53 55 55 56 57 58 59 60 62 63 64 65 67 68 69 70 71 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 87 88 89 90 91 95 96 97 99
Minnesota Gophers Murray, Eric DB Edwards, Berkley RB Harte, Andrew K McKelvey, John DB Shenault, Antonio DB McElfresh, Logan P Williams Jr., Rodrick RB Waters, Jaylen LB Mortell, Peter P Carpenter, Emmit K Hansen, Trey LS Starks, Alexander DB Thomas, Miles FB Juenemann, Justin K Hartmann, Tyler FB Kirsch, Jacob RB Beebe, Colton TE Hart, Nickt TE DeLattiboudere, Winston DL Herbers, Jacob P Weber, Blake LB Witham, Bryce TE Lynn, Jack LB Timms, Yoshoub DL Rasmussen, Luke OL Cockran, Theiren DL Mayes, Connor OL Rallis, Nick LB Mydra, Joey LB Oseland, Quinn OL Dixon, Ray LB Leidner, Matt OL Weyler, Jared OL Christenson, Jon OL Oldenkamp, Matt OL Campion, Josh OL Bobek, Brian OL Hayes, Isaac OL Carr, Justin DL Fahning, Chad OL Moore, Tyler OL Bjorklund, Joe OL Connelly, Nick OL Kuehn, Noah OL Mayes, Alex OL Bush, Foster OL Lauer, Ben OL Pirsig, Jonah OL Wozniak, Nate TE Anyanwu, Duke TE Wolitarsky, Drew WR Scarver, Noah TE Reger, Will WR Plsek, Lincoln TE Lingen, Brandon TE Elmore, Gaelin DL Johnson, Cavonte DB Still, Rashad WR Morse, Matt WR Renner, Samt DL Kafo, Julien DE Ekpe, Hendrick DL Richardson, Steven DT Ekpe, Scott DL Stelter, Andrew DE
6-0 5-9 6-0 6-0 5-11 6-1 5-11 6-3 6-2 6-0 6-2 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-3 5-11 6-3 6-5 6-3 6-2 6-1 6-4 6-3 6-2 6-7 6-6 6-5 5-11 6-3 6-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-6 6-5 6-2 6-2 6-2 6-6 6-4 6-5 6-7 6-6 6-6 6-5 6-7 6-9 6-10 6-4 6-3 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-5 6-6 5-11 6-5 6-1 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-0 6-4 6-4
199 195 181 203 175 193 234 225 200 190 223 200 250 165 257 201 263 250 230 220 225 230 238 290 284 258 328 228 215 291 225 283 293 303 273 307 289 316 280 290 306 300 286 297 310 306 317 316 271 236 218 274 191 278 247 266 198 202 191 250 256 243 291 290 277
SR RS SO RS SO RS JR FR RS FR SR FR RS SR RS FR FR RS SO SR RS SO RS JR RS JR FR RS SO FR FR SO FR RS JR RS JR RS FR RS SR SO RS JR FR FR RS SO RS SO RS FR RS SR RS FR RS SR RS SR RS JR RS JR RS SO FR RS SR FR FR RS SO RS SR RS JR RS JR RS SO RS SO JR RS SO RS FR SR SO SO RS JR FR FR FR RS FR JR SO RS JR SO
Milwaukee, Wis. Chelsea, Mich. Downers Grove, Ill. Hunting Valley, Ohio Roselle, Ill. Brainerd, Minn. Lewisville, Texas Copperas Cove, Texas Green Bay, Wis. Green Bay, Wis. Cedar Falls, Iowa Plainfield, Ill. Downs, Kan. Phillipsburg, Kan. Andover, Minn. Rochester, Minn. Kansas City, Kan. Prior Lake, Minn. Baltimore, Md. Battle Creek, Mich. Prior Lake, Minn. Grand Rapids, Mich. Lake Zurich, Ill. Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Brookfield, Wis. Homestead, Fla. Van Alstyne, Texas Edina, Minn. Hopkins, Minn. Springfield, Ill. Loxahatchee, Fla. Lakeville, Minn. Dayton, Ohio Minnetonka, Minn. Eagle River, Alaska Fergus Falls, Minn. Inverness, Ill. Brooklyn Park, Minn. Rochester, Minn. St. Paul, Minn. Galena Park, Texas Rosemount, Minn. Red Wing, Minn. Eagan, Minn. Van Alstyne, Texas Menasha, Wis. Plymouth, Minn. Blue Earth, Minn. Greenwood, Ind. Blaine, Minn. Santa Clarita, Calif. Minneapolis, Minn. Burnsville, Minn. West, Texas Wayzata, Minn. Somerset, Wis. Edina, Minn. El Paso, Texas Apple Valley, Minn. Maple Grove, Minn. Mont-Tremblant,Quebec Lewisville, Texas Chicago, Ill. Lewisville, Texas Owatonna, Minn.
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AROUND THE BIG TEN By Jordan Hansen jordan-hansen@uiowa.edu
power rankings
Offensive Impact
1) Ohio State (9-0) I have all sorts of stuff I’d like to say about Barrett and Ohio State, but I won’t. Don’t drive drunk, people.
8) Illinois (5-4) Tim Beckman is, quite simply, a terrible person.
2) Iowa (9-0) This weekend is setting up to be one of the biggest Hawkeye sports weekends in recent memory. Buckle up, guys.
9) Nebraska (4-6) Credit to the Huskers, they outplayed the Spartans for a good portion of the game.
3) Michigan State (8-1) Yes, a bad call screwed Michigan State, but this was not a game it should have kept close in the first place.
10) Indiana (4-5) Losing five-straight Big Ten games is not an easy pill to swallow. They certainly didn’t go away against Iowa, however.
4) Michigan (7-2) “Jake (Rudock) played his best game and he looked an NFL-type quarterback, somebody that would have a future playing in that league,” — Jim Harbaugh, during Michigan’s Monday press conference.
11) Minnesota (4-5) The Gophers had Ohio State on the ropes for a lot of this game, but couldn’t finish. Get ready for a tough game, Iowa fans — this is one they desperately want to win.
5) Wisconsin (8-2) The Badgers are a bye this week and I’m just shocked they haven’t had one yet.
12) Rutgers (3-6) Jake Rudock threw for 337 yards against the Scarlet Knights. That is all.
6) Northwestern (7-2) Did you know Pitt uses the exactly same terrible cat noise as the Wildcats? #funfacts
13) Maryland (2-7) The gauntlet continues as the Terps head to East Lansing this weekend. Ouch.
7) Penn State (7-3) Games against Michigan and Michigan State are all that’s left for the Nittany Lions. Man, life sounds difficult in the East Division.
14) Purdue (2-7) Just when the Boilermakers were maaaaybe turning the corner, Illinois destroyed them. Yikes.
Name: Aaron Burbridge, Michigan State Position: Wide receiver Year: Senior Poor Maryland. One of the worst passing defenses in the nation gets a pissed off Michigan State team. Connor Cook might pass for 600 yards and Burbridge will definitely get some looks.
defensive Impact Name: Desmond King Position: Cornerback Year: Junior Yes, this is a bit of a cop-out, but come on — King needs one interception to break the Iowa record. He’s also all alone at the top of the national standings. The man can play.
GAME TO WATCH MINNESOTA AT NO. 5 IOWA When: 7:12 p.m., Saturday, BTN Where: Iowa City, Iowa Watch: BTN
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COVER Continued from 8 But when the junior was able to scramble against Indiana and keep the Hoosiers honest, the playbook opened up, which meant success for the Hawkeyes. “We’re at our best when we can run the ball,” tackle Cole Croston said. “We can make our play-action fakes, we can throw deep — we can do everything in our offense when we can run the ball.” Of course, it’s important to note the pivotal role the offensive line plays in this. Yes, Wadley’s shiftiness and speed was too much for the Wildcat defense to handle when he rushed for 204 yards, but center Austin Blythe and guard Jordan Walsh, among others, were mauling people in that contest. It was commonplace to see members of Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald’s front-seven on their backs or being pushed way downfield in dominating fashion. In its three remaining games, Iowa has a chance to excel as an offense in one phase or another. The Hawks have Minnesota on Saturday, followed by Purdue, and then they close
the regular season with Nebraska. Of those teams, only Minnesota’s pass defense (177.4 yards per game) and Nebraska’s rushing defense (111.9 yards per game) rank in the better half of the Big Ten. Iowa’s average of 205 rushing yards per game is greater than the Gophers’, Boilermakers’, and Huskers’ average given up on the ground, which should mean nothing but good things for the Hawkeyes. Although Ferentz and Company’s average of 207 through the air may not look great against Minnesota’s 177.4 or Purdue’s 247.3 average passing yards, Iowa’s statistical average on the ground against those teams should help open up the playbook, as Croston said. Those numbers aren’t the alpha and omega, but given that the Hawkeyes own the league’s second-best rushing attack without having a full stable available for any of their nine games this season, things look just fine for the Hawkeyes. Perhaps a breakout star will emerge on the offense, which Iowa would welcome. The more likely scenario, however, is that the Hawkeyes do exactly what they’ve done all year and focus on the run.
Iowa running back Derrick Mitchell Jr. tosses the ball to wide receiver Matt Vandeberg during the Iowa-North Texas game in Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 26. The Hawkeyes defeated the Mean Green, 62-16. (The Daily Iowan/Valerie Burke) The source of that production doesn’t matter — as long as it’s there, that’s just fine. “Anything can happen over these
next three games,” Beathard said. “We just have to make sure that we stay focused and don’t listen to the outside noise.”
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Point/Counterpoint
Will Desmond King break the interceptions record; if so, when?
Yes, against Minnesota To think that Desmond King will not break Iowa’s single-season interceptions record this weekend, which he has tied, is to not know Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner. I should be fair. It’s a combination of Leidner being a below average quarterback and King being an elite defender. The guy is a ball hawk. I should try to be fair again. Leidner has fewer interceptions (7) than King (8) does this year. I kid, I kid. The point is, I wouldn’t throw the ball near King if I were Leidner, unless the Minnesota quarterback wants to be etched into the Iowa record book alongside King. Leidner is dead last in the Big Ten in passing efficiency while also boasting the third-lowest completion percentage. Looking down Minnesota’s depth at receiver, there just isn’t anyone who looks like he can get separation from King and make throws easier on Leidner.
Maybe Minnesota goes the same route as Northwestern and completely ignores King’s side of the field. In that case, maybe King doesn’t get the record against Minnesota and Leidner. But I think he does. This isn’t a numbers argument from me this time, as it usually is. This is a gut feeling. Each remaining game for the Hawkeyes is one of the biggest in school history, and King is Iowa’s best player. This weekend is a chance to get to 10-0 for the first time in school history, against rival Minnesota, under the lights, wearing alternate uniforms, in a blackout, with a fresh top-5 ranking. Seems like the stage is set for King to have a special game. I wouldn’t bet against it. — by Blake Dowson
Yes, against Purdue Iowa’s Desmond King is tied for the all-time Hawkeye interception record with 8 in a season along with Lou King
in 1981 and Nile Kinnick in 1939. The question is, will he break his record and in what game will he do it? King is on a three-game streak of an interception a game that began with the Northwestern game. But this may change come this weekend against Minnesota. While Minnesota is on a three-game losing streak, it still has some life left. On the other hand, Iowa’s opponent after Minnesota, Purdue, sits at 2-7 and is out of contention for a bowl game, making it an easier and more likely opponent in which King will break the interception record. On the season, Leidner has thrown 7 interceptions, while Purdue has thrown 13, with David Blough throwing 7 and Austin Appleby flinging the other 6. Coupling the importance of the game with Minnesota with more interceptions thrown by Purdue, the statistics favor King’s breaking the record against Purdue. — by Rod Engblom
Yes, against Nebraska As everyone knows, Iowa will face Minnesota this weekend. Sure, the Gophers may not have the record to show it, but Leidner isn’t the worst. He’s ranked smack-dab in the middle of all the other quarterbacks in the Big Ten for interceptions thrown, with 7. Tommy Armstrong Jr., on the other hand, is tied for most interceptions in the Big Ten with 9. He’s tied for 18th in the nation. Nebraska is generally a more pass-heavy offense. Armstrong has thrown more passes this year than all three of Minnesota’s quarterbacks combined. Besides, how likely is it that King goes four or even five games in a row with an interception? Give the man a break; let him have a week or two off, and he’ll be raring to go against Nebraska. — by Courtney Baumann
DI Pregame Roundtable On takeaways from Iowa’s 35-27 victory over Indiana last week Charlie Green, football reporter: Really high entertainment value in that game, I thought. Lots of scoring, which is kind of what we all expected coming in against that [Indiana] offense. And they tried to hold it under 28 points. I think [Hawk coach Kirk Ferentz] after the game said this is the kind of team that would be hard to hold under 28 points. But the defense did what it has done all year. Ryan Rodriguez, football reporter: I would have loved to watch this game again and give Indiana even one semi-solid, competent receiver. I mean, how many balls did quarterback Nate Sudfeld put right on the money, catchable balls,
that didn’t get caught? Either they bounced right off their chests, they dropped them, or whatever. And obviously, I’m not saying that was the biggest difference-maker, but at least two of those were on third down? I think they gave up something like close to 80 yards just on drops. Danny Payne, Pregame editor: The stretch of the game, at least for me, that was the real difference-maker here was when Indiana had a real long drive, an Iowa-esque drive, and got all the way down to the 20, but only got a field goal out of it, didn’t come away with 7. Then Iowa gets the ball back, scores, and then the defense goes three-and out. Iowa gets it back, scores, same thing again with the defense. So that was key.
On the rivalry with Minnesota Jordan Hansen, football reporter: There’s a lot of back and forth between these two fan bases that I think a lot of the people on the outside maybe aren’t as aware of. Minnesota has an edge in the alltime series by something like 60-40. And that Iowa has had a lot of success against [the Gophers recently, and that Minnesota was a powerhouse in the early 1900s and has kind of struggled for national prominence ever since while Iowa has been more successful. Then when you get into things like Iowa fans pulling down the goalpost in the Metrodome (2002), there’s a lot there.
On C.J. Beathard’s health Green: One of the big things for
me is that, I’ve noticed, C.J. looks leaps and bounds healthier right now than he has been the last few weeks. And that’s after landing on his back from a pretty high altitude after that touchdown run.
On the Iowa defense Payne: Defensively, I think they’re going to have to make adjustments to how they’ve played the last two weeks. Basically, Iowa needs to cover that second-half adjustment they made against Indiana over to the next week — because for the three halves before that, I was not super confident in it as a run defense. Perry Hills got around, Jordan Howard did, too, in the first half, and if you watched the Minnesota game last year, you know that’s what happened.
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ON THE LINE Danny Payne
Ryan Rodriguez
IOWA Can you smell the roses? I dunno, but I do smell some bacon.
IOWA No one’s picking the Gophers, right?
IOWA But what about the jersey’s?
IOWA Pink Floyd rules.
IOWA I’m enjoying this year.
IOWA (90%) Trap game? Not even close.
alabama That’s an auto-win.
ALABAMA Is Dak Prescott an elite quarterback?
ALABAMA Bama loses and I’ll buy everyone in OTL a juice box.
ALABAMA Bama fans have to be feeling pretty good going into the rest of the season.
ALABAMA Unstoppable right now.
ALABAMA Picked against them last week for some reason. Not doing that again.
alabama (80%) Tide will prove that the Ole Miss loss was a fluke.
oklahoma Oklahoma plays defense, so it doesn’t belong in the Big 12. Also, the Big 12 is a sham.
OKLAHOMA Unlike most overrated Big 12 teams, the Sooners don’t use scarecrows on defense.
BAYLOR The Big 12 is anyone’s guess as far as a I know.
BAYLOR The real loser of this game is the concept of defense.
BAYLOR Offensive game is looking sharp.
BAYLOR Big 12 stinks.
Baylor (71%) The Bears prove they belong in the CFP conversation with a quality win.
houston Houston is always kind of relevant, I suppose.
HOUSTON Dunno why ESPN’s been so high on Temple and Memphis this season, Houston is the best team in the AAC.
HOUSTON Home team stays unbeaten, and the CFP committee bats no eye.
MEMPHIS Look, I’m not going to stand here and pretend I know anything about either of these teams.
memphis QB is good.
HOUSTON Bovada has them as the favorite so I’ll go with that.
memphis (57%) This should be an entertaining one.
auburn I’m V curious to see how this race plays out as we hit the final turn.
AUBURN Neither team has their QB figured out, so this will probably be borderline unwatchable.
AUBURN I’m done with the Bulldogs. Forever.
AUBURN Fool me once, Georgia..
GEORGIA Run game can’t be stopped.
Auburn Hey remember when I picked Georgia to beat Alabama? lol
auburn (52%) Battle of the SEC disappointments.
PREGAME EDITOR (32-13)
Minnesota at No. 5 Iowa
IOWA Do Iowa fans hate Minnesota as much as Minnesota fans hate Iowa?
No. 2 Alabama at No. 17 Mississippi St. No. 12 Oklahoma at No. 6 Baylor No. 21 Memphis at No. 24 Houston Georgia at Auburn
Jordan Hansen SPORTS EDITOR (30-15)
FOOTBALL REPORTER (30-15)
FOOTBALL REPORTER (34-11)
Taylor Brooks
Patrick Lyne
Charlie Green
MATCHUPS
DITV SPORTS DIRECTOR (29-16)
DESIGN EDITOR (33-12)
Fan Picks
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