The key to Iowa’s 2024 season starts at ground level
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – No disrespect to Cade McNamara, or to Brendan Sullivan if he happens to play in Saturday’s season opener against Illinois State, or to the vaunted Iowa defense, or to new Australian punter Rhys Dakin, but what I’m most interested in seeing is how Tim Lester uses the Iowa running backs, and how the Iowa offensive line performs.
While most of the focus has been on McNamara’s competition with Sullivan at quarterback, and understandably so, the Iowa running backs, which includes seven on scholarship, and the Iowa offensive line, which has 151 career starts amongst them, are the keys to Iowa’s season.
Because it won’t matter who plays quarterback if the running game fails to stay ahead of the chains.
The time is now for the Iowa offensive line to finally be a strength, and the guiding force on offense.
Of course, McNamara has to play well, but he wouldn’t have to play anywhere close to an All-Big Ten level if the running game produces on a game-day-by game basis.
And by producing, that would mean averaging at least 175 rushing yards per game, and surpassing 200 rushing yards in a few games, including Saturday’s game.
Nothing against Illinois State, but a Big Ten with Iowa’s experience on the offensive line, and with Iowa’s talent and depth at running back should have its way on the field against what appears to be a good, but not great FCS team.
My apologies to Iowa if this column becomes bulletin board material in Bloomington.
But that shouldn’t matter.
It shouldn’t matter if the Illinois State players are on a mission to pull off an upset, or if they play with a massive chip on their shoulder, or with something to prove.
It also shouldn’t matter if Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is there to lead things on the sideline.
His one-game suspension is more hype than bite. Even Ferentz has alluded to that.
“Really in all seriousness, and I don’t mean this to low key it, but it’s probably what you do during the week is more important, I think, and then certainly during camp and just year long, just trying to make sure everybody’s kind of keeping their eyes on the target, what we think is important,” Kirk Ferentz said. “Once you get to game day, I say this in all honesty, players do win the games. They’re the ones out there competing. We can’t do that. There are times when we maybe do something that’s helpful, but overall, it’s how the players play. It really is.
“They’ll do great. We have a good leadership group here, and they’ll do great. There’s going to be some challenges, there’s no question about that. And there are going to be some things that we don’t expect. We have to stay centered and stay on course here.”
Kirk Ferentz probably would never say this out of respect for Illinois State, but Iowa is clearly the better team on paper, and that should carry to the field.
The only way an upset seems possible would be if the Iowa running game sputters, and if Iowa loses the turnover battle.
Should the running game struggle on Saturday, that would fall almost exclusively on the offensive line, because if the Iowa running backs have some room to maneuver, they’ll get the job done.
Whether if be Kamari Moulton or Leshon Williams or Kaleb Johnson or Jaziun Patterson or Terrell Washington Jr., they all have shown the ability to make plays when given the opportunity to do so.
Moulton, a redshirt freshman from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been the talk of preseason camp as he has climbed to No. 1 on the depth chart.
An injury to Leshon Williams, who led Iowa in rushing last season with 821 yards, has certainly helped Moulton’s climb up the depth chart.
But Moulton also deserves credit for seizing the opportunity.
“He’s had a great attitude since he’s been here,” Kirk Ferentz said of Moulton. “He’s got good vision. He’s bigger and stronger physically than he was certainly a year ago, year plus ago when he got here. All that’s good, and that’s one of the benefits of experience. Happy about that. He’s got a tremendous attitude, but he’s got a real good vision, a good ability to see things that maybe other guys can’t see, and that’s been pretty consistent.
“Really started showing in December when we were doing more work with the guys. He’d been on the scout team most of the time last year. It seemed like he was maybe a guy who could pop through here a little bit. I think he’s certainly done that in August.”
Moulton can’t do it, alone, however, and he won’t have to with so much talent at the position.
“I envision us playing a lot of guys in the group,” Kirk Ferentz said. “I feel like it’s a good group that way.”
Iowa’s passing game would benefit greatly if the running game leads the way on Saturday.
Illinois State will almost certainly load the box and dare Iowa to pass as most opponents do against the Hawkeyes.
But in this case, that shouldn’t matter.
Contrary to what you might have heard, some teams still can run against a loaded box.
Wisconsin has been doing it for over three decades.
Iowa should be able to do it on Saturday, while also taking some shots down field with the passing game.
McNamara won’t have to be Patrick Mahomes on Saturday.
Heck, he won’t even have to be Nate Stanley.
McNamara just has to be better than he was last season, which would be average, or slightly above average.
If he completes at least 60 percent of his passes on Saturday and throws one or two touchdown passes without an interception, and Iowa wins convincingly, then his starting position would be solidified and Lester would be the second coming of Bill Snyder.
At least for one week.
Iowa will be without starting receiver Kaleb Brown, who is serving a one-game suspension after being charged with drunken driving in June.
With so many running backs to use, maybe Lester will play Terrell Washington more in the slot on Saturday since the Texas native has shown he can play both running back and receiver.
But it will all start with the veteran Iowa offensive line on Saturday.
No more excuses.
It’s time to own the trenches, and to help lead what fans are hoping is a long overdue resurgence on offense.
Former offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz isn’t around to blame anymore, and his father won’t even be around on Saturday.
But we can assume that Kirk Ferentz has instructed his new offensive coordinator, Tim Lester, and acting head coach Seth Wallace to establish the running game first and foremost.
“We have a lot of experience and senior leadership, so I think us just working together during camp, we were able to improve a lot and get tighter as a unit and just push each other each day,” said starting left guard Beau Stephens.
Now it’s time for Stephens and his cohorts on the offensive line to push the opponent, and to just keep pushing throughout the season.
If that were to happen and the defense and special teams play up to their high standard, and quarterback isn’t a weakness, Iowa could find itself fighting to make the 12-team playoff.
And doesn’t that sound fun.
Illinois State vs. Iowa
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
Where: Kinnick Stadium
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network
Series record: Iowa less 1-0
Last meeting: Iowa won 31-14 on Sept. 5, 2015.