Iowa looking for ways to use Daniels and Wadley together
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football team is using the week off to get healthy and to possibly get running backs LeShun Daniels and Akrum Wadley on the field at the same time.
Iowa offensive coordinator Greg Davis shared that little nugget with reporters during a press conference on Wednesday.
“We’re looking at some things,” Davis said. “Can we get LeShun and Akrum on the field at the same time? That’s one of the things that we’re looking at.”
Daniels and Wadley have alternated throughout the season, combining for 1,360 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Wadley leads the team with 636 rushing yards on 90 carries, while Daniels is close behind with 624 yards on 119 carries.
Davis also is working on ways to get true freshman tight end Noah Fant more involved with the offense. Fant has appeared in five games this season and has five catches for 35 yards and one touchdown.
The Omaha, Neb., native gives Iowa another receiving threat at tight end to complement senior tight end George Kittle, who has been hobbled by a foot injury, barely playing in this past Saturday’s 17-9 loss to Wisconsin at Kinnick Stadium.
“Where can we do more with Noah Fant, especially if we get George back healthy,” Davis said. “Noah played a bunch for us at the wide position the other day.
“Where is the best combination of getting guys on the field that can come up with plays? And whether or not that’s Akrum, a package with Akrum and LeShun in the back field at the same time. Or Noah and George on the field at the same time, even in third-down situations.
“That’s what this week is all about.”
Iowa needs playmakers to emerge for an offense that is ranked 11th in the Big Ten in total offense and 10th in passing offense. The 5-3 Hawkeyes have an extra week to prepare for its Nov. 5 game at Penn State with this being Iowa’s bye week.
Senior quarterback C.J. Beathard isn’t ranked in the top 10 in the conference in passing efficiency and is only ranked 10th in the conference in passing yards per game with a 172.3 average.
Davis was asked Wednesday to explain why the passing attack has sputtered. He attributed part of it to losing key players from last season’s team that finished 12-2, namely tight end Henry Krieger Coble and deep receiving threat Tevaun Smith, both of whom are now on NFL rosters.
Iowa also has been without senior receiver Matt VandeBerg for the last four games after he broke his foot in practice on Sept. 26.
“He had great chemistry with those guys,” Davis said. “He had thrown the ball to those guys for three or four years, and everything they did, C.J. knew exactly what they were fixing to do. And so right now we don’t have that same chemistry. Especially when it gets to pushing the ball down the field.”
As for Desmond King helping some on offense, Davis didn’t rule that out, either, nor did Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz when asked about it two weeks ago.
“That’s a possibility,” Davis said Wednesday. “I think coach has addressed that at some point with all that he does with kickoff returns and all that kind of stuff.”
Davis also was asked Wednesday if Beathard’s mobility has been adversely affected by offseason surgery to repair a sports hernia and by the pounding he has taken this season.
“I’ve seen a bunch of motions, and I do a lot of studying on that,” Davis said. “His motion is good. His motion is good. He has taken some hits, and there’s no question there’s a cumulative affect that goes along with that. But he’s made plays with his feet and he’ll continue to make plays. He’s not shied away from leaving the pocket at all. And so I don’t see any problem there.”