SATURDAy, NOVEMBER 21 | Iowa vs. PURDUE | KINNICK Stadium | 11 a.m., ESPN 2
LET IT DRIVE Inside: TEVAUN SMITH, PLAYMAKER
The Daily Iowan
PREGAME
22 -- The The Daily Daily Iowan Iowan -- PREGAME PREGAME -- Iowa Iowa City, City, Iowa Iowa -- Friday, Friday, November September20, 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
Iowa wide receiver Jacob Hillyer attempts to catch the ball for a touchdown in Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana on Saturday, November 9, 2013. The pass was incomplete. Iowa defeated Purdue, 38-14. (The Daily Iowan/Alyssa Hitchcock)
TABLE of OF Contents CONTENTS Table
4 6
8
Cover Story Fifth-ranked Iowa has had a plethora of long, sustained scoring drives this season, which has played a large part in making the Hawkeyes 10-0.
Inside Feature Iowa wideout Tevaun Smith is a human highlight machine.
By the Numbers Purdue’s defense isn’t awful, kind of.
12 16 18 22
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.
WEB EXTRAS Roster
On The Line Contest Want to win a free pizza? Go to dailyiowan.com/ontheline and place your college football predictions
Full rosters for both the Hawkeyes and Boilermakers. Plus, a boiling poster!
DITV Program Catch the most extensive weekly Iowa football preview show in the state at dailyiowan.com
Around the Big Ten
Social Media Follow Daily Iowan Pregame @DIPregame, Daily Iowan Sports @DI_Sports_Desk and on our Sports online Blog at www.dailyiowansports.com. at daily-iowan.com.
Our weekly conference power rankings, plus some players and this week’s big game to watch.
PCP / Roundtable An excerpt from our Pregame Podcast, plus a debate between three DI staffers over which non-conference team Iowa should schedule.
On the Line Our weekly picks. There is a three-way tie for first!
CONTACT US Got a question for the pregame staff or a story idea for a future issue? Email us at daily.iowan.newsroom@gmail.com
GO TO DAILYIOWAN.COM FOR A PHOTO SLIDE SHOW AFTER THE GAME
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 3
4 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
Iowa and Minnesota line up on the line of scrimmage during the Iowa-Minnesota game at Kinnick on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. The Hawkeyes defeated the Golden Gophers, 40-35 to stay perfect on the season. (The Daily Iowan/Margaret Kispert)
Drive, they said
The Iowa football team has had a double-digit number of scoring drives of more than 80 yards this season. By Ryan Rodriguez |
ryan-rodriguez@uiowa.edu
People have been racking their brains all season trying to put a finger on just what makes the this season’s Iowa football team so good. How has a team besieged by injuries and without a truly dominant offensive
or defensive unit managed to not lose a game? How can a team that looks underwhelming on paper, by some standards, be perfect through 10 games? The answer is in the drive. The Hawkeyes’ ability to stretch the field and string together long touchdown drives on a consistent basis has
been a major factor behind Iowa’s incredible run of offensive success. “We’ve proven this year that we can finish those long drives a bunch of times this year, so I think the confidence kind of builds,” running back Jordan Canzeri said. “We have the confidence in each other that we can get it done, so there’s
never much doubt.” The numbers are staggering. Iowa has 13 separate scoring drives that have gone for at least 80-plus yards, including five that have gone for at least 90 yards. See COVER, 10
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 5
6 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
Excitement is spelled T-E-V-A-U-N Iowa wide receiver Tevaun Smith keeps adding highlight-reel plays to his impressive résumé as his time with the Hawkeyes winds down. By Danny Payne daniel-payne-1@uiowa.edu
It’s fitting that Tevaun Smith’s favorite NFL player is Carolina Panther quarterback Cam Newton. The Iowa wide receiver enjoys the highlight-reel plays and the thrill the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner performs on the field on a weekly basis. Yes, he enjoys Newton’s end-zone dance moves after touchdowns, too. “It’s cool to have fun on the field,” Smith said. “He’s an emotional guy, he makes a lot of plays. They’re undefeated right now, so that’s exciting.” Someone could say the same thing about Smith and the 10-0 Hawkeyes. Of course, Smith isn’t the caliber of player Newton was or is — he is, however, the flashiest player on head coach Kirk Ferentz’s roster. When thinking of the senior’s performance since he moved to a substantial role in Iowa’s offense his true sophomore season, 2013, a litany of “SportsCenter” Top-10-worthy plays come to mind. In 2013 against Michigan, Smith’s first touchdown at Iowa came in the form of a 55-yard, one-handed grab on a post route. Last season, he opened with a bang against Northern Iowa, reversing the field twice on a 35-yard run before stepping out of bounds around the 25-yard line. A few plays later, the Toronto native grabbed another one-hander (he actually pinned the ball against his shoulder with his forearm) from 6 yards out for 6 points. His 31-yard touchdown catch against Northwestern in 2014 comes to mind, too. It doesn’t stop there. In January, Smith unofficially broke New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s world record for most one-handed catches in a minute. Beckham caught 33; Smith nabbed 41. “I just wanted to see if I could do it, and yeah, I ended up actually beating it,” Smith said. This year, his 81-yard touchdown grab and 29.75 average per catch against North Texas, along with his 21-yard pass to Matt VandeBerg last week against Minnesota top the highlight tape. “There isn’t anything specifically,” running back Jordan Canzeri said when asked if any of Smith’s plays stand out over another. “He’s made great plays … he’s a great athlete,
Iowa wide receiver Tevaun Smith tries to avoid a tackle by Minnesota defensive back Antonio Johnson during the Iowa-Minnesota game at Kinnick on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. The Hawkeyes defeated the Golden Gophers, 40-35 to stay perfect on the season. (The Daily Iowan/Margaret Kispert) great guy; it’s been awesome having him part of this team.” Part of that, of course, is chemistry with his quarterback, part of it is Smith simply making plays. Say what you will about Jake Rudock and say what you will about C.J. Beathard, but Smith has been a playmaker for the Hawkeyes, regardless of who is behind the center. “I know what he’s thinking, and he
knows what I’m thinking,” Beathard said earlier this season. It’s that ability that makes Smith so valuable and why he will be remembered as one of Iowa’s most exciting players in recent memory. Assuming Iowa takes care of business against Purdue and clinches the Big Ten West on Saturday, he’ll have at least four more games to add to his already impressive résumé, which
would be right up his alley. “Those are the plays that people remember you for,” Smith said. “It’s good to have plays like that rather than you catching a ball and running a regular touchdown. “To have a reverse pass or a one-handed catch, you’re remembered for stuff like that. That stuff is exciting for the fans, and it’s obviously exciting for you.”
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 7
8 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
By the Numbers: Iowa vs. Purdue By Jordan Hansen jordan-hansen@uiowa.edu
Purdue is, once again, having a bad season. That sentence describes the last few years of Boilermaker football, but instead of “mind-numbing, or pain-inducing, or eye-gouging,” they are just bad this year. Yes, Purdue has just two conference wins over the last three seasons, but head coach Darrell Hazell will still be the coach next year, so there’s a bit of something resembling a program. The Boilermakers have been competitive in most of their games this season, and they beat Nebraska by 10 points, while giving up 45. One of the few areas where Purdue has been — at least partially — competent is in pass coverage.
Purdue Interceptions — 12 (Tied for second in the Big Ten) Purdue has received huge amounts of production from senior defensive backs Anthony Brown and Frankie Williams. Brown has 4 picks on the season — tied for second most in the conference — while Williams has 3, which ties for fourth. Both players are also in the top-12 in passes defended and in the top 14 of passes broken up. Junior defensive back Leroy Clark has also broken up eight passes, which ranks sixth.
Purdue Passing yards allowed — 2,358 (Ninth in the Big Ten) One of Purdue’s biggest issues is its rushing defense, which translates into problems for the passing defense. The Boilermaker linebackers are not good, which causes defensive backs to be more susceptible to play-action passes. When those very same linebackers are in pass coverage they’re woefully bad. Of the 32 passes broken up this season, just six have come from a linebacker. As a point of comparison, Boilermaker defensive linemen have broken up six passes as well.
Purdue Sacks — 19.0 (11th in the Big Ten) Yet another issue plaguing the passing defense is sacks. Purdue has prob-
As Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard throws the ball Purdue defensive end Jake Replogle leaps to block the pass at Ross-Ade Stadium on Sept. 27, 2014 in West Laffeyette, Indiana. (The Daily Iowan/ Joshua Housing) lems getting to the quarterbacks and has registered only eight quarterback hurries this season. The team has been especially bad since conference play began and has just eight sacks in that time. Those have totaled just 45 yards lost for opposing teams, which hurts when trying to get opponents off the field. Not putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks also allows them to get in rhythm and short passes (usually
targeting linebackers) have been effective against Purdue this year.
Purdue Passes of 30-plus yards given up — 8 (tied-second least in the Big Ten) This is where the effectiveness of Purdue’s defensive backs becomes obvious. The Boilermakers have given up 98 passes of 10-plus yards (10th in
the Big Ten) and 31 passes of 20-plus yards (ninth in the Big Ten), but take a look at plays longer than that, and the better coverage is obvious. Again, this is because of poor play from Purdue’s linebackers and much better coverage from its defensive backs. It’s nearly impossible for one above-average position group to carry a unit on defense, and the Boilermakers’ struggles show just how true this is.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 9
10 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
COVER
Continued from 4
That includes the offensively dominant day last weekend against Minnesota that saw the Hawkeyes string together four separate touchdown drives of at least 75-plus yards. All told, those drives ate up almost a full quarter of the contest. Only Indiana (.214) leads Iowa (.175) in methodical drive rate, or OMe in the Big Ten. OMe is a stat used by FootballOutsiders.com to measure the percentage of offensive drives that last at least ten plays. “I think the biggest reason we’ve had so much success on those long drives is because when we get down there, no one panics,” Canzeri said. “Just knowing that, ‘Hey, we can do this; we can get this done right now.’ ” Iowa is sixth in all of Division I in time of possession and tied for third in the country in average time of possession at a staggering 33 minutes a game. In a certain sense, it’s almost fitting that Iowa’s offense is at its best when it’s clicking as a cohesive unit. With so much talk this season about the next man in and an attitude of team over self, coach Kirk Ferentz’s squad excels at playing as a unit out of necessity as much as anything else. The team has been injured so much that a reliance on one or two players to win games would have doomed Iowa’s season before it ever got off the ground. “There are so many guys on the team who can go in there and get it done that for the guys on the field it doesn’t really matter who is out there,” offensive guard Jordan Walsh said. “It just goes back to the way we prepare. We always just look at things one play at a time.” It’s been written before, but Iowa’s greatest strength is its ability to fit the situation to the player and not try to force something if it doesn’t feel right. That means using every player on the roster and getting the right matchup against the defense. Nov. 14, against the Gophers, that meant Iowa’s backfield duo of LeShun Daniels Jr. and Jordan Canzeri tag-teaming the Minnesota defense and keeping it off balance all game. By developing a pair of tailbacks that can play in all situations, Ferentz has forced opposing defenders to respect the run, even if they don’t know what to expect. For Iowa, this typically means feeding Daniels two or three times in a row before the defense has time to ad-
Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard looks down the field during the Iowa-Maryland game at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. The Hawkeyes are ranked fifth in the country and 10-0 on the year. (The Daily Iowan/Margaret Kispert) just and stop the physical, downhill runner from doing any more damage on the ground. By the time it adjusts, the defense has to worry about the speedier and shiftier Canzeri. If managed effectively, it can make the offensive attack look downright unstoppable, especially on third down, in which Iowa converts at a near league-best 47 percent. With that effectiveness, Daniels and Canzeri become worth their weight in gold. “None of the [Iowa running backs] really mind it because we want to see each other do well too,” Daniels said. “Obviously, you want to be the one making the plays, but for us it
doesn’t matter who is out there. We like seeing each other have success.” And much in the same way that Iowa’s running backs are best when fit to a specific situation, the same could be said of Iowa’s pass catchers. Matt VandeBerg was Iowa’s leading receiver against the Gophers with 74 yards on 6 catches, most of which came on his patented 10-yard crossing routes and the bubble screens that Iowa fans have grown so fond of this season. VandeBerg is sixth in the Big Ten in catches with 55 despite having the second-lowest average yards per catch of anyone in the top-ten with
10.6. The junior may be a niche receiver, but he’s been used effectively in his role. However, quarterback C.J. Beathard managed to find seven different receivers over the course of the game, including first-down strikes to tight ends George Kittle and Henry Krieger Coble, two players relatively unknown for catching passes before the season started who have developed into legitimate options for Beathard. Though they’ve lacked a truly elite-level deep-threat receiver for See COVER, 22
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 11
ROS
12 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
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. PURDUE • SATURDAY, NO 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, lll. 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
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 13
Purdue Boilermakers
OVEMBER 21, 2015 • 11 A.M. ESPN 2 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 13 14 15 15 16 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 23 24 25
D.J. Knox SO Brandon Roberts RS FR Jonathan Curry JR Da’Wan Hunte SO Elijah Sindelar FR Leroy Clark JR Bilal Marshall JR Ja’Whaun Bentley SO Keith Byars II SO Austin Logan JR Domonique Young JR Evyn Cooper FR Myles Norwood SO Robert Gregory JR DeAngelo Yancey JR Tim Cason RS FR Markell Jones FR Anthony Brown SR Dan Monteroso JR Matt Burke SO Mike Little FR David Blough RS FR Antoine Miles SO Austin Appleby JR Gelen Robinson SO Ra’Zahn Howard JR Andy Chelf FR Trae Hart SO Garrett Hudson SO Fred Brown FR Cameron Posey JR Eddy Wilson FR Aaron Banks FR Dezwan Polk-Campbell SO Gregory Phillips SO David Rose FR Markus Bailey FR Anthony Mahoungou SO Sawyer Dawson FR Keyante Green SO Frankie Williams SR Antonio Blackmon RS FR
RB S TE CB QB S WR LB RB S WR CB CB S WR S RB CB WR DE CB QB RE QB RE DT S WR LB DT WR DT QB LB WR CB LB WR LB RB CB CB
5-7 5-11 6-2 5-9 6-4 5-10 6-2 6-2 5-10 6-0 6-3 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-2 5-11 5-11 5-11 6-3 6-6 6-0 6-1 6-3 6-5 6-1 6-3 6-0 5-10 6-3 6-1 6-1 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-0 6-0 6-1 6-3 6-1 5-9 5-9 6-0
197 198 250 183 216 190 195 260 204 200 205 195 170 219 223 195 207 190 192 240 175 202 236 239 250 310 190 168 240 260 183 265 196 210 191 175 230 207 215 219 190 181
Fairburn, Ga. Naylor, Ga. Phenix City, Ala. Miami, Fla. Princeton, Ky. Miami,Florida Miami, Fla. Glenarden,Md. Boca Raton, Fla. Tallahassee, Fla. Los Angeles, Calif. Buford, Ga. Arlington,Texas Chicago, Ill. Atlanta, Ga. Clarkston, Mich. Columbus, Ind. Tampa, Fla. Saint Clairsville, Ohio West Palm Beach, Fla. Newhall, Calif. Carrollton, Texas Canton, Ohio North Canton, Ohio Schererville, Ind. Asbury Park, N.J. Southlake, Texas Mesquite, Texas Tallahassee, Fla. Boutte, La. Boca Raton, Fla. Pontiac, Mich. Indianapolis, Ind. Columbus, Ohio Lithonia, Ga. Temple Hills, Md. Columbus, Ohio Paris, France Lakeland, Fla. McDonough, Ga. Tampa, Fla. Fort Wayne, Ind.
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 36 37 38 40 41 42 43 45 46 47 47 48 49 49 50 50 51 52 53 54 55 55 56 57 59 60 65 66 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 77 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 87 88 89 90 91 92 94 95 96 97 98
Tario Fuller Stefan Certa Evan Feichter David Yancey Jimmy Herman Thomas Meadows Joe Schopper Evan Pulliam Danny Anthrop Austin Sullins Danny Ezechukwu Richie Worship Paul Griggs Brian Bravo Tim Faison Jacob Thieneman Andy James Garcia Myles Homan Lane Beeler Race Johnson Micah Budzinski Shayne Henley John Vargyas Wes Cook Tyler Duncan Keiwan Jones Bearooz Yacoobi John Strauser Johnny Daniels Kirk Barron Jake Replogle Ryan DeBusk Michael Mendez Wyatt Cook Robert Kugler Langston Newton Eric Swingler Ben Makowski Cameron Cermin Peyton Truitt John Bednar Jordan Roos Corey Clements Jason King J.J. Prince Martesse Patterson David Hedelin Joey Warburg Matt McCann Jarrett Burgess Keenan Schon Alex Hilger Malcolm Dotson Jess Trussell Jordan Jurasevich Shane Mikesky Cole Herdman Brycen Hopkins Will Colmery Chazmyn Turner Ryan Watson Grant Ellington Evan Panfil Jake Herr Michael Rouse III Will Schott
FR SR JR SO JR SR FR JR SR FR SO FR SR FR FR RS FR JR FR RS FR SO SO JR FR SO RS FR RS FR RS FR SO SO RS FR JR JR FR FR SR JR RS FR FR JR FR SR JR SR JR JR RS FR SR JR FR FR JR RS FR FR FR SR SR RS FR FR RS FR FR SR SR JR FR SR JR
RB CB S RB LB K-P P LB WR CB LB RB K K LB S LB K RB CB TE DE LS S K DT OL DE DT OG-C DT RE OL LB C DE OL LS OT OL LS OG OL OG OT OL OT OL OL WR WR WR WR TE TE WR TE TE DT RE DT LS DE P DT DE
6-0 5-11 6-0 5-10 6-4 6-0 6-0 6-2 6-0 5-10 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-0 6-1 5-10 5-11 6-6 6-3 5-11 5-10 5-11 6-2 6-5 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-5 6-1 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-2 6-5 6-5 6-2 6-4 6-8 6-4 6-6 6-3 6-4 6-5 6-6 6-2 5-10 6-2 6-2 6-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-2 6-0 6-5 6-5 6-4 6-3
186 187 191 213 230 182 180 225 193 190 246 242 205 190 200 205 228 195 219 180 215 265 250 189 190 278 297 270 287 305 275 251 282 240 300 284 303 263 301 295 242 312 420 305 297 345 298 285 315 195 185 192 200 230 250 218 243 235 263 250 298 234 262 220 301 209
Sugar Hills, Ga. Crown Point, Ind. Fort Wayne, Ind. Schererville, Ind. Carmel, Ind. Maidens, Va Indianapolis, Ind. Indianapolis, Ind. WestLafayette, Ind. Casper, Wyo. Lithonia, Ga. Cleveland, Ohio Charlotte, N.C. North Aurora, Ill. Tallahassee, Fla. Noblesville, Ind. Miami, Fla. Cincinnati, Ohio Westpoint, Ind. Carmel, Ind. Knox, Ind. Simi Valley, Calif. Wheaton, Ill. Westminster, Md. Danville, Calif. Ocala, Fla. Dearborn, Mich. Champaign, Ill. Chicago, Ill. Mishawaka, Ind. Centerville, Ohio Atascadero, Calif. Los Fresnos, Texas Westminster, Md. Pittsburgh, Pa. Indianapolis, Ind. Munster, Ind. Osceola, Ind. College Station, Texas West Lafayette, Ind. Valparaiso, Ind. Celina, Texas Birmingham, Ala. Little Rock, Ark. Southlake, Texas Columbus, Ohio Stockhom, Sweden Louisville, Ky. Fishers, Ind. Miami, Fla. Fort Wayne, Ind. Natick, Mass. Indianapolis, Ind. Arlington, Texas Crown Point, Ind. Zionsville, Ind. Leesburg, Va. Nashville, Tenn. Western Spring, Ill. Mooresville, N.C. Ellicott City, Md. LaGrange, Ill. New Lenox, Ill. Carmel, Ind. Flossmoor, Ill. Greenwood, Ind.
14 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 15
16 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
AROUND THE BIG TEN By Charlie Green charles-j-green@uiowa.edu
power rankings
Offensive Impact
1) Ohio State (10-0) If only J.T. wasn’t facing a stiff punishment for drunk driving. Oh, what’s that? He’s not? Oh, then I guess the Buckeyes are pretty good.
8) Nebraska (5-6) It lost to Purdue, then beat Michigan State. So your guess is as good as mine.
2) Iowa (10-0) It won’t matter by how much the Hawkeyes beat Purdue in the eyes of the College Football Playoff committee, the Boilermakers are just that bad.
9) Indiana (4-6) Give the Hoosiers some credit for holding Jake“Michael Vick”Rudock to 64 yards rushing. The most Indiana football thing ever is to have one of its best teams of recent memory and start of 0-6 in the conference.
3) Michigan State (9-1) We’re finally at that part of the schedule in which the Big Ten East will take shape. It should be a hell of a few weeks of football.
10) Illinois (5-5) It rushed for a net of 20 yards against the Buckeyes and allowed a net of 283. I’m no expert, but that looks like a below-average margin.
4) Michigan (8-2) Jake Rudock didn’t throw for 6 touchdowns and 440 yards against Indiana. That was Jim Harbaugh in a Rudock mask.
11) Minnesota (4-6) Mitch Leidner is playing much better in the second half of 2015, but the three-game gauntlet of Michigan-Ohio State-Iowa proved too much for the Gophers to handle.
5) Wisconsin (8-2) The Badgers need Iowa to lose its final two games in order to stay alive in the Big Ten. Purdue is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen.
12) Rutgers (3-7) The Scarlet Knights did beat Indiana, but they have lost by an average of 32.5 points in four games since.
6) Northwestern (8-2) Beating Purdue 21-14 is about as cool as claiming to be “Chicago’s Big Ten team.” Nice try, Wildcats, but you’re not fooling anyone.
13) Maryland (2-8) Team motto: “Hey, at least we’re not Purdue.”
7) Penn State (7-3) By losing to every ranked team they have faced this year and beating all the unranked teams, the Nittany Lions are the most predictable team in the conference. They play Michigan this week, so put your money down.
14) Purdue (2-8) I’m sure there’s something nice I can say about the Boilermakers. Oh yeah, Darrell Hazell is 2-19 in the Big Ten and is coming back for his fourth season as head coach. Now, that is a true American underdog story.
Name: LeShun Daniels Jr., Iowa Position: Running back Year: Junior After rushing for 195 yards against Minnesota, imagine what he can do against the Big Ten’s worst rushing defense.
defensive Impact Name: Malik McDowell, Michigan State Position: Defensive line Year: Sophomore McDowell had 4.5 tackles for loss for the Spartans against Maryland. Michigan’s State’s defensive front will need to have a big game to knock off No. 3 Ohio State.
GAME TO WATCH NO. 9 MICHIGAN STATE AT NO. 3 OHIO STATE When: 2:30 p.m. Where: Ohio Stadium Watch: ABC
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 17
18 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
Point/Counterpoint
Which nonconference team should Iowa add?
Oklahoma
Iowa should add Oklahoma to its nonconference schedule. On paper it looks like a great game. Oklahoma’s offense is explosive. The Sooners rank seventh in total yards this season, and they’re third in points per game. Seems like this matchup would be very one-sided in Oklahoma’s favor? Guess again. Oklahoma has put up points this year, there’s no doubting that. However, defensively, Iowa has allowed 18.4 points a game, good for 16th in the nation. Put Iowa on Oklahoma’s schedule this season, and statistically, the Hawks would be the best defense for the Sooners to face. Iowa has also allowed the fewest yards compared with any team on Oklahoma’s schedule this season. Iowa’s offense could hang with the Oklahoma, too. With an offense that relies heavily on the ground game, the Hawkeyes (who average 211.7 rushing yards a game) could attack the Sooners’ 45th-ranked run defense, which has allowed an average of 149.7 rushing yards a game. But just because the teams match up well on paper does not solidify this as a viable game. Something else does. Two words: Bob Stoops. Stoops played for Iowa from 1979-1982, then coached at Iowa under Hayden Fry from 1983-1987. He was one of the many assistants under Fry’s wing to eventually become a head coach himself. Stoops shares a close connection with the Iowa program, because it was his first coaching job. He said, in an interview with
USA Today, that Kirk Ferentz and his wife are two of his closest friends. Both Stoops and Ferentz interviewed for the head-coaching gig at Iowa on the same day. We all know who got the job. Ferentz has led this year’s Hawkeyes to their best start in program history. Stoops’ Sooners just toppled previously unbeaten Baylor and are red hot, riding a five-game winning streak in which they’ve averaged 55 points a game. Iowa sits at sixth in the AP Poll, while Oklahoma is right behind at seventh. Two teams in the top 10 led by coaches who are connected to each other, it’s the recipe for a high-stakes, prime-time, nonconference showdown between two evenly matched teams. Schedule Bobby’s boys, Iowa. — by Adam Hensley
Arkansas When it comes to choosing Iowa’s next nonconference opponent, the most logical response would have to be Arkansas for a couple of reasons that most Hawk fans can agree on. First, we have good old Bret Bielema, or “Bert,” as some Hawkeye fans affectionately know him. The Razorback head coach has Iowa ties going back to his playing days, where he played nose guard for the legendary Hayden Fry. He then served as a graduate assistant for the Hawks. Bielema eventually made his way to head coach at Wisconsin, where his Badgers played several competitive, heated games against Iowa. Now at Ar-
kansas, it seems logical that Bielema would like another shot at the Hawks. And I believe Iowa coach Krik Ferentz would gladly accept. Second, debunking the notorious “SEC myth” would be a sweet, sweet victory. The myth runs rampant through the college football world, and it needs to be contained. Sure, there are a few great teams in the SEC. But the conference is far from flawless, as we’ve seen time and time again. So it would be much to the delight of the conference’s haters to see a team from the mighty SEC fall in a nonconference game, and it would be even sweeter for Hawk fans if that loss came at the hands of “New Kirk” and the Hawkeyes. — by Jake Mosbach
Missouri Contrary to popular belief, suggesting playing the Tigers is not taboo. In 1896, Missouri tried to refuse to let Iowa play Frank Holbrook, a black player on the Hawkeye roster. Iowa played him anyway in a contentious 120 Hawk victory (Holbrook scored one of the two Hawkeye touchdowns). In 1910, Missouri again demanded that the Hawkeyes not play Archie Alexander, who was black. Iowa canceled the game and refused to play Missouri again. The unwillingness to play each other has stemmed from that football history, and football can fix it. Iowa got over it in the ’90s. The Hawkeyes scheduled nonconfer-
ence games with the Tigers to be played from 2005-08. Once the time neared, Missouri backed out because it wanted a weaker schedule. Clearly, sports officials have decided that the two teams can play each other. (Iowa and Missouri did play each other in the 2010 Insight Bowl; the Hawks beat the No. 14 Tigers, 27-24.) And playing a game Just. Makes. Sense. The Tigers play at Faurot Field, just 230 miles from Kinnick Stadium. Missouri is a border state. Geographically, it just makes sense. A football game between the Hawkeyes and Tigers would fill every seat in either team’s stadium. Revenue for a game against Missouri, which would certainly become an archrivalry game, would be far greater than for a game against an Division-2 school. Financially, it just makes sense. Not only would it be a great idea to schedule Missouri as a perennial game in football, but scheduling the Tigers in football would open the gate to scheduling in all sports. Other sports would benefit from scheduling Missouri for financial and competitive reasons. And if the football rivalry began, Iowa versus Mizzou would become a general athletics rivalry, leading to generating more fandom and revenue across the board in any sport’s games against the Tigers. It’s time to stop cautiously whispering about Iowa playing Missouri. A far cry from taboo, the game needs to happen. — Mason Clarke
DI Pregame Roundtable Danny Payne, Pregame Editor: So Purdue, obviously, isn’t having a great year. Jordan Hansen, football reporter: It beat Nebraska, though, 55-45. Payne: So it has that going. Hansen: That’s about it. Charlie Green, football reporter: It’s kind of just a rough era for Purdue right now. I think [head coach] Darrell Hazell, this is his third year, and he’s now 2-19 in the Big Ten. Hansen: That’s concerning. Green: I mean, I like Hazell a lot. But from a production standpoint, I think
Purdue, I don’t want to say the Boilermakers are content, but they’re bringing a coach back who’s 2-19 in the Big Ten. Hansen: But I mean, do you really want to restart the program again? There are a lot of issues with Purdue football, and I think the head coach is just one of them. Green: We were talking about [Iowa’s] rushing defense earlier, and Purdue ranks last in the Big Ten in rushing, so if Iowa can’t stop the run in this game … Payne: Then sound the alarms, if that’s the case.
Green: This is a bad team, and there’s really no way around it. Payne: Yeah, I mean it’s Senior Day, and the Big Ten West trophy will be in the building. Purdue’s the worst team in the Big Ten. Without watching Purdue in person, I’d still say Maryland is the worst team in the Big Ten. But I haven’t seen Purdue play in person, so we’ll see. Green: Well, Purdue’s won twice this year, and it beat Indiana State. And it beat Nebraska, which is a good win, but they still gave up 45 points in that game. Hansen: Looking at their wins and losses it’s just kind of strange. They kept
the Michigan State game close. They kept the Wisconsin game kind of respectable. They only lost by 7 points last week, but Northwestern has issues with its offense. Payne: I don’t have much to say on this game. There’s no reason Iowa should have lost to Minnesota over the weekend. I said that all week, and I wrote that before the game. I think there’s even less of a reason that Iowa should lose to Purdue. Green: They’re throwing the ball a lot, more than anyone in the Big Ten, presumably because they’re getting behind. And they just don’t have a lot of pieces offensively.
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 19
20 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 21
22 --The TheDaily DailyIowan Iowan--PREGAME PREGAME--Iowa IowaCity, City,Iowa Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015
- The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa
ON THE LINE Danny Payne
Jordan Hansen
IOWA Is Iowa ELITE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
No. 20 Northwestern at No. 25 Wisconsin
Ryan Rodriguez
IOWA Surprised the frustration with Hazell hasn’t BOILED over. Heh.
IOWA Purdue ranks last in the Big Ten in rush defense, LeShun Daniels Jr. runs over them on Saturday.
IOWA Big Ten West Champs barring an epic collapse.
IOWA Purdue can’t handle the offense.
IOWA Off to Indy.
IOWA (90%) One step closer to 12-0!
wisconsin You guys think Patty Fitz votes for Northwestern as No. 1 every week in the Coaches Poll?
WISCONSIN Paul Chryst is looking like a good hire after year one. Badgers might get 10 wins.
WISCONSIN Iowa beat Wisconsin by four and the Wildcats by 30. Going with the Badgers here.
WISCONSIN I could see this going either way.
WISCONSIN Northwestern fell off the wagon.
WISCONSIN I’ll stick with the other folks here.
wisconsin (75%) Badgers run all over Wildcats.
No. 18 TCU at No. 7 Oklahoma
Oklahoma Charlie, remember when Oklahoma played Texas? FACED!
OKLAHOMA Big Game Bob is back, it seems.
TCU Every team in the Big 12 will screw up at some point, and now its Oklahoma’s turn.
TCU Never bet against Vegas.
OKLAHOMA TCU can’t pull off the upset.
OKLAHOMA Only bet against Vegas when it’s the Big 12.
Oklahoma (70%) Oklahoma takes advantage of TCU’s injuries to pull out an easy win.
No. 10 Baylor at No. 6 Oklahoma St.
oklahoma state Bedlam will mean something. Until the Big 12 is (rightfully) left out, again.
OKLAHOMA STATE I hope both of these teams never make a College Football Playoff. Ever.
BAYLOR Brandon Weeden’s looking for work. He’s a little old to go back to college but that’s never stopped him before.
BAYLOR Biggest day in Texas since the invention of the cell phone holster.
OKLAHOMA STATE Control their own destiny.
OKLAHOMA STATE Seriously, I don’t think I’ve picked a single Big 12 game correctly.
Oklahoma state (72%) Cowboys had better bring their A game, not whatever they brought to Ames last week.
No. 9 Michigan St. at No. 3 Ohio St.
ohio state Let’s talk Heisman. Zeke’s consistency or Henry’s big finish? (Zeke, plz)
OHIO STATE Calling it now, this is the Ezekiel Elliott statement game.
OHIO STATE It certainly would make things interesting if Sparty came out on top, I just don’t see it.
OHIO STATE I like Ohio State in this one, which is painful to say.
OHIO STATE Both are overrated, but somehow Ohio State will win.
OHIO STATE It really would be great if Michigan State could find a way to win this one.
ohio state (55%) Amazing matchup, but Ohio State has too much talent. Buckeyes take a close one.
Purdue at No. 5 Iowa
PREGAME EDITOR (36-14)
COVER Continued from 10 parts of this year, the Hawkeyes have a group that can make opponents pay 10 or 15 yards at a time, which is exactly what they want to do. “I don’t think any of us get on the field and think, ‘Oh, we have to make a big play, or oh we have to score fast’; it’s nothing like that,” Canzeri said. “The next play is always the most important one, and if you keep going out and doing it, good things are going to happen.” The linchpin behind all of this, of course, is the quarterback. If much of the success on long touchdown drives comes from team confidence, then much of the team’s confidence comes from Beathard, Iowa’s laid-back playmaker behind the center. “He’s just a really calm, confident kind of guy,” Walsh said. “He makes it easier for all of us in the huddle to do our jobs, and especially for me as a lineman, that’s nice to have.” Of course, it helps when that easygoing nature comes inside a package capable of making head-turning runs that literally bring drives back to life when the offense
SPORTS EDITOR (34-16)
FOOTBALL REPORTER (33-17)
appears like it’s beginning to falter. Combine that athleticism with the toughness of guy who is seemingly always banged up and the respect and trust Beathard has with the offense and the team as a whole is unmatched. “I think it’s just his total control and command,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Part of playing quarterback here is getting us out of bad plays, plays that aren’t going to have a good outcome, and then if you can get us into a play that’s going to be good, that’s even better. He’s done a really nice job for us.” Every win this season has been a team effort for the Hawkeyes, and that’s reflected in the way the offense controls the play during its seemingly endless run of touchdown drives. For weeks now, Iowa’s best player has been all 11 guys on the field. Combine that focus with a calm and capable steady hand behind center, and the question of Iowa’s success becomes a lot easier to understand. “When you’re the quarterback of a football team, you have to be a leader out there and show that you’re tough,” Beathard said. “That’s what I try to do every time I go out there. Doesn’t matter if I’m banged up a little bit, I just want to go out and contribute.”
FOOTBALL REPORTER (36-14)
Taylor Brooks
Patrick Lyne
Charlie Green
MATCHUPS
DITV SPORTS DIRECTOR (32-18)
DESIGN EDITOR (36-14)
Fan Picks
Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard runs with the ball during the Iowa-Minnesota game at Kinnick Stadium on Nov. 14. (The Daily Iowan/Margaret Kispert)
The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015 - 23
24 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, November 20, 2015