Video: Kirk Ferentz talks matchup with Missouri, switch portal
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz discusses a wide range of subjects after studying concerning the Hawkeyes’ Music Metropolis Bowl matchup with Missouri.
(This story was up to date to precisely replicate probably the most present info.)
After lastly making its long-teased Music Metropolis Bowl debut in 2022, the Iowa soccer crew is headed again to Broadway Road.
For the third time in 5 years, the Hawkeyes have been chosen for the TransPerfect Music Metropolis Bowl. However this may mark solely their second recreation in Nashville, as a result of their scheduled 2020 recreation towards Missouri was canceled as a consequence of optimistic COVID-19 exams within the Tigers’ program.
Now, the Music Metropolis will attempt Iowa-Mizzou once more. It is a “rematch” between Iowa (8-4) and Nineteenth-ranked Missouri (9-3) − Kirk Ferentz vs. Eli Drinkwitz − in a Dec. 30 kickoff at 1:30 p.m. CT at Nissan Stadium, outside house to the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
Iowa and Missouri have met 13 instances however solely as soon as since 1910, a memorable 27-24 Iowa win within the 2010 Perception Bowl on Micah Hyde’s late-game interception-return landing.
The Hawkeyes twice appeared ticketed for the Reliaquest Bowl in Tampa, Florida, however twice had that rug pulled from below them − first by Michigan, then by Clemson.
Had Ohio State crushed Michigan as a 19-point favourite on Nov. 30, Iowa would’ve been virtually a lock for a return to Tampa for the primary time since 2018.
After which as soon as it grew to become believable that Alabama would backdoor its method into the Faculty Soccer Playoff, Iowa-to-Tampa regarded possible once more. However after a Clemson win over a plucky SMU crew within the Atlantic Coast Convention championship recreation, Alabama was ignored.
With surging No. 15 South Carolina and its excited fan base turning into accessible, the Citrus grabbed the Gamecocks for a matchup towards 9-3 Illinois. After which the Reliaquest stumbled right into a matchup too inconceivable to move up: 9-3 Alabama vs. 7-5 Michigan.
So, Iowa bought shuffled to the Music Metropolis.
“We nonetheless contemplate going to a bowl recreation a extremely vital accomplishment for our soccer crew,” Ferentz stated of his twenty second bowl bid in 26 years as Iowa’s head coach.
Listed here are among the most notable early story traces for the Hawkeyes’ thirteenth and last recreation of the 2024 season.
Jackson Stratton on Kaleb Johnson TD: ‘Each play known as to attain’
The Iowa quarterback improved to 2-0 as a starter regardless of a rocky first half for the offense.
Quarterback curiosity as soon as once more
Iowa’s 21-0 win towards Kentucky in 2022 marked the one time Joey Labas ever took a snap at quarterback for the Hawkeyes. Labas began that recreation and was a stable 14-for-24 for 139 yards with a landing move to Luke Lachey with no turnovers. Iowa’s different two touchdowns in that recreation got here on interception-return touchdowns by Xavier Nwankpa (who was making his first profession begin) and Cooper DeJean.
Labas was within the highlight as a result of beginning quarterback Spencer Petras had suffered a severe shoulder harm in Iowa’s season finale vs. Nebraska, and backup Alex Padilla selected to switch. That left Iowa with solely Labas, a redshirt freshman who had by no means taken a school snap, and never-used Carson Might as the one scholarship quarterbacks. Labas by no means performed the next season regardless of the struggles of backup Deacon Hill, after which he transferred to Central Michigan.
This time, logic would recommend that Brendan Sullivan will return as the first sign caller in Nashville to make his third begin as a Hawkeye. However that’s removed from a certain factor. Any likelihood of a Cade McNamara return to the lineup was washed away when the sixth-year senior introduced he would enter the switch portal final week.
Sullivan severely injured his ankle Nov. 8 at UCLA and hasn’t performed since, whereas walk-on Jackson Stratton took the reins for back-to-back wins over Maryland (29-13) and Nebraska (13-10). Sullivan must be full velocity by Dec. 30, in response to Ferentz, however Iowa probably can have added a transfer-portal quarterback between from time to time. If the Hawkeyes had been to seize a quarterback who has an excellent likelihood to be the 2025 starter, it might probably’t be dominated out that Sullivan would enter the portal and discover a completely different house for his final 12 months of eligibility. In that case, Iowa probably would flip to Stratton as soon as once more with Marco Lainez (presumably good to go after left-thumb surgical procedure in mid-November) as a doable backup possibility.
It additionally cannot be dominated out that Stratton, who’s 21-for-35 for 219 yards with no interceptions in his 10 quarters of motion, beats out Sullivan for the beginning nod in Nashville.
“We’ll allow them to each observe and see what occurs,” Ferentz stated. “If I needed to guess proper now, I might say Brendan would be the starter, however we’ll see. We’ll allow them to each work.”
Both method, there nearly definitely shall be some Iowa quarterback developments within the coming three weeks with the portal formally opening Monday.
Video: Jaziun Patterson on his function in Iowa’s working again room
Jaziun Patterson discusses a spread fo topcis forward of Iowa’s matchup with UCLA.
A parting praise for Kaleb Johnson and a new-look RB room
Ferentz will not ever say it publicly, however it’s a fairly secure guess that the choice of cornerback Jermari Harris to not play in Iowa’s last two regular-season video games gnawed at him a bit. Harris has determined to arrange for the NFL Draft as an alternative. A part of the rationale Ferentz was frosty about that’s as a result of he is aware of that outdoors forces (aka brokers) are “actually aggressive” with gamers making stay-or-go NFL choices in-season.
To that time, on Sunday he was extraordinarily understanding of Kaleb Johnson’s resolution to enter the NFL Draft however grateful that he first completed the common season. Johnson final week grew to become Iowa’s first Huge Ten working again of the 12 months (an award that began in 2011) and sure shall be a first-team all-American.
“I actually wish to praise Kaleb and the way he’s completed issues,” Ferentz stated. “I don’t thoughts telling you if someplace within the final month he walked in and stated he’s completed, I’d have been upset and I’d have felt unhealthy for him. As a result of it will have been a horrible resolution. However on the identical time, I’d have understood due to the world we’re residing in. The folks on the skin are actually being aggressive proper now.
“The truth that he did end out the season the best way he did and principally – I’m not saying he received the sport for us final Friday evening (vs. Nebraska), however (his 72-yard landing) was an enormous part. I feel he’s dealt with it rather well, completed an excellent job along with his teammates. And to me, if you happen to’re not going to complete it out, and on this case he’s not, he did it in a method that’s actually admirable.”
And now with out Johnson, the main focus of Iowa’s working recreation goes to the place the season began: Kamari Moulton.
Moulton, if you happen to’ll recall, was the Hawkeyes’ No. 1 again within the opener towards Illinois State and Johnson was No. 3 as he served a first-half suspension for a crew violation. However Johnson roared to the lead job within the second half of that recreation (11 carries, 119 yards, two touchdowns) and by no means regarded again, assembling 1,725 scrimmage yards and a school-record 23 TDs in a season.
Moulton, a redshirt freshman, exploded for a career-high 114 yards on 12 carries Nov. 23 at Maryland, taking among the workload off Johnson (35 carries, 164 yards) in that recreation. However count on a time-share with Jaziun Patterson in Nashville, with this recreation additionally giving Iowa an opportunity to combine in a real freshman like Brevin Doll or Xavier Williams.
“Each these guys have completed a very nice job in observe. They’ve grown immensely since August,” Ferentz stated of the freshmen. “A pair weeks in the past, I (requested), ‘How do you suppose these guys would do if we put them in a recreation?’ Everyone gave the identical reply. We’re all seeing it the identical method. It will be a committee. I do not know if it’s going to be two guys or 4 guys, however we … actually like the blokes we now have.”
Video: Jay Higgins on how pregame disrespect fueled win over Nebraska
Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson discusses Iowa’s win over Nebraska.
The protection can ship a ending assertion
Regardless of among the struggles that Iowa skilled this season on that facet of the ball, the Hawkeyes have an opportunity to as soon as once more have a top-10 nationwide protection.
As of Sunday morning, Iowa had climbed to No. 9 nationally in scoring protection, at 17.1 factors per recreation. The Hawkeyes went 4-1 over their last 5 video games, permitting in succession 14, 10, 20, 13 and 10 factors. And that first 14 was off defensive and special-teams touchdowns by Northwestern, so the Hawkeyes protection has allowed solely six offensive touchdowns in its final 5 video games.
Iowa ranked fourth in scoring protection in 2023 (14.8 factors per recreation), second in 2022 (13.3), thirteenth in 2021 (19.2), sixth in 2020 (16.0), fifth in 2019 (14.0) and eleventh in 2018 (17.8).
The Hawkeyes rank No. 16 in whole protection coming into the bowl recreation, at 313.6 yards per recreation. By the best way, Missouri has the No. 22 whole protection in faculty soccer (319.3 common).
Video: Drew Stevens talks kick that delivered victory vs. Nebraska
Drew Stevens discusses Iowa’s win over Nebraska on Black Friday.
90-win decade, Ferentz-Hayes report nonetheless in play
It’s not the Faculty Soccer Playoff or perhaps a 10-win season, however Ferentz will steer his crew’s give attention to a nine-win season. From 2005 via 2014, Iowa managed simply two of these – in 2008 and 2009. However because the begin of the 2015 season, Iowa has received at the very least 9 video games 5 instances – with a shortened COVID-19 pandemic season of 6-2 blended in there, too. This may be an opportunity for six nine-win seasons within the final decade below Ferentz (2015, ’18, ’19, ’21, ’23), who with a Nashville victory can tie Woody Hayes’ Huge Ten profession report of 205 teaching wins.
Ferentz owns a 204-123 report at Iowa (.624 successful proportion), with an 89-36 report (.712) prior to now decade. A 90-win decade could be fairly vital for the Hawkeye program.
Missouri will definitely be a difficult however beatable opponent. Choose-outs are at all times a bowl-game curiosity. Already Missouri standout extensive receiver Luther Burden Jr. has stated he’ll skip the bowl recreation to arrange for the NFL Draft.
The Tigers’ solely three losses this season had been at Texas A&M (41-10), at Alabama (34-0) and at South Carolina (34-30). 4 of their 5 Southeastern Convention wins had been by a landing or much less. All in all, the Hawkeyes ought to get a formidable however winnable problem of their return to Nashville.
Missouri was an early 2½-point favourite as of Sunday evening, with an over/below factors whole set at 43½.
Johnson, McNamara and Harris are Iowa’s solely opt-outs anticipated at this level.
“Something can occur right here in these subsequent couple weeks,” Ferentz stated. “However I feel our roster is fairly well-settled proper now. Hopefully, no surprises right here. … I anticipate the crew staying collectively, preparing for an excellent ballgame.”
Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has served for 30 years with The Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Sports activities Community. Chad is the 2023 INA Iowa Sports activities Columnist of the 12 months and NSMA Co-Sportswriter of the 12 months in Iowa. Be part of Chad’s text-message group (free for subscribers) at HawkCentral.com/HawkeyesTexts. Comply with @ChadLeistikow on X.
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