Another get well game
Wasn’t it just a couple of weeks ago that the Iowa fans want to fire offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz?
The Hawkeye offense was last in the nation in almost every major category.
They also wanted Kirk to go and there was a big deal about nepotism.
I had at least three friends send me stories about nepotism running wild on the Iowa football team. I deleted all of those stories before I read them.
This was the team I saw coming into the first game.
I didn’t know that Iowa’s top receiver, Keagan Johnston, would only play in one game this year and have two receptions. As a freshman, Keagan played in 13 games with nine starts catching 18 passes for 352 yards and two touchdown passes.
Also, Nico Ragaini, who caught 26 passes last year, would miss the first two games
Alec Wick, a walk-on from Regina, started the first two games this season.
I also thought the offensive line would come around faster than it did.
It is starting to click now, and the Hawkeyes have Uncle Mo (momentum) going for them.
I was pretty sure the defense would be good…
Hawkeye Defense
You have to start with the Boilermakers converting only 2-16 third downs.
Purdue was averaging 32.8 points, 130.4 rushing yards and 314.3 passing yards.
Against the Hawks, they had 87 net yards rushing and 168 in the air.
“It was a total team win in all phases,” said head coach Kirk Ferentz. “Tough conditions certainly was a factor. There was wind, there was rain. I can’t say enough about the defense, start to finish. They gave up only one big play.”
Iowa had two interceptions with Kaevon Merriweather and Seth Benson.
They also had three sacks and six pass breakups.
Joe Evans, Lucas Van Ness and Deonte Craig got the sacks and Riley Moss had three pass breakups.
It is so much fun to watch the defense in action.
Take out the Ohio State game and the defense is going up 8.3 points per game.
Jack Campbell is the All-American leader in the middle. Jack leads the Big Ten with 88 tackles.
The 6-5, 245-pound senior from Cedar Falls also has three tackles for loss, one interception and a forced fumble.
Joe Evans leads the team in sacks with five and also had a forced fumble against Ohio State that he turned into an 11-yard score.
Iowa has 11 players that have recorded at least one sack.
Lucas Van Ness has 8.5 tackles for a loss which leads the Hawks.
Cooper DeJean and Kaevon Merriweather each have three interceptions.
Riley Moss and Cooper DeJean lead Iowa with seven pass breakups.
The Hawkeye D is giving up an average of 92 yards per game on the ground (2.6 per carry) and 171.7 per game through the air.
Aidan O’Connell came into the game completing over 65% of his passes.
Against the Hawks, he was 20-43 (46%) for 186 yards, two picks and three sacks.
Charlie Jones, who transferred to Purdue last summer, caught 11 passes for 104 yards.
Charlie has 83 receptions for the season, which is second in the nation, but Iowa won the game.
Hawkeye Offense
You start with Kaleb Johnson pounding out 200 yards (9.1 per carry) including a 75-yard TD run that pretty much put the game away in the start of the third quarter.
“He’s just been an impressive young guy to work with,” said Captain Kirk. “He’s still learning. I’m not sure if he always knows what he’s doing but he’s doing a lot of good things.”
I like Leshon and Gavin Williams as running backs but no sure about their breakaway speed.
With Tyler Goodson gone to the pros, Kaleb, who first committed to California, changed his mind after coming to the Iowa Penn State game last fall. The Hawks beat the 4th rated Nittany Lions 23-20 with Spencer Petras throwing two TD’s including one to Charlie Jones.
Spencer threw two more touchdown passes last Saturday against Purdue.
One was a 16-yard pass to All American Sam LaPorta and one a 29-yard throw to Nico Ragaini.
Spencer was sacked only twice and had a clean pocket for most of the game.
“I thought he played really well and was aware of what was going on,” said the head man.
Spencer’s numbers for the season are 127-228 (57%) for 1,400 yards, five TD’s and five picks.
In the last two games, Spencer is 34-53 (64%) for 412 yards three touchdown passes and one rushing TD.
Sam LaPorta has been his favorite target all year catching 44 passes for 458 yards and a score.
Can you imagine what the Hawkeyes would have done if Sam went pro?
Nico Ragaini continues to make plays and is second on the team with 21 catches
The senior from East Haven, Connecticut missed the first two games because of injury, and since has caught 114 passes in his career and scored four touchdowns.
Hawkeye Special Teams
Tory Taylor bounced back after have an off day against Northwestern.
Tory had eight punts and averaged 51.8 yards per punt including a 70-yard punt with the wind.
Drew Stevens made a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter and missed a 44-yard attempt in the fourth quarter that hit the goal post.
Wrap Up
On a sad note, longtime defensive coordinator Bill Brashier passed away Saturday morning before the Purdue game.
Bill was on Hayden Fry’s staff at North Texas State and followed Hayden to Iowa where he coached until he retired in 1997.
I feel grateful that I got to know Bill as I did a story about him and was friends with his son
Scott. Bill grew up in Eastland, Texas and actually went to kindergarten with Hayden.
Hayden always gave Bill credit for helping turn the Hawkeyes around.
His wife Ann was also a great person and taught at City High.
The Wisconsin Badgers come to Kinnick this Saturday and the Badgers have beat the Hawks five of the last six times.
It’s time for some Kinnick magic.
Flashback 1991, Iowa 31 Purdue 21
Iowa, ranked 11th at the time, fell behind early and trailed 15-7 at half as the Hawks fumbled twice and had a field goal blocked.
Mike Sanders had touchdown runs of 77 and 26 yards as the Hawkeyes outscored the Boilermakers 24-6 after the break. Mike finished with a career high 151 yards rushing.
Lew Montgomery also scored two touchdowns.
The Iowa defense came up with eight sacks and Iowa went to 6-1.
Eric Hunter, who set a Kinnick Stadium record the year before throwing 60 passes, was sacked seven times and has been sacked 20 times in the last three years against the Hawkeyes.
Iowa would finish 10-1-1 tying Brigham Young 13-13 in the Holiday Bowl.
