Even with Kaleb Johnson emerging as star, Iowa’s lack of vertical passing attack could prove costly
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – After four games, including one Big Ten game, we’ve learned that the Iowa football team is, obviously, built to run behind a vastly improved and veteran offensive line, and with a star-in the-making at running back.
Kaleb Johnson says what he is doing is what Kaleb Johnson does, and so far, the Hamilton, Ohio native has backed up his words in spectacular fashion.
What Johnson is doing is what legends do as the nation starts to take notice, and rightfully so.
Johnson shredded Minnesota for a career-high 206 rushing yards and three touchdowns in Saturdays’ 31-14 come-from-behind victory at a sold-out Huntington Bank Stadium, and with Gopher fans enjoying a Maroon-out, at least for the first half.
Johnson has rushed for 685 yards and scored nine touchdowns in three and-a-half games, because remember, he missed the first half of the season opener against Illinois State for an undisclosed reason.
Johnson is second nationally in average rushing yards per game (171.3) and he leads the nation with 12 runs of 20-plus yards.
Iowa rushed for 272 yards against the Gophers and is now averaging 250.3 rushing yards per game and 33.10 minutes in time of possession.
That’s the definition of Kirk Ferentz football; stay ahead of the chains, and control both tempo and the line of scrimmage.
So yes, there is so much to feel good about entering the first of two bye weeks this season, especially when you consider how poorly the offense performed in each of the past two seasons.
New offensive coordinator Tim Lester certainly deserves credit for bringing energy, hope and some creativity to the offense.
But that doesn’t mean that Iowa’s previous offensive coordinator, Brian Ferentz, was solely to blame for all the problems on offense.
He was certainly part of the problem, and some will say a big part, and that’s why Brian Ferentz was ultimately fired despite being Kirk Ferentz’s son.
But in Brian Ferentz’s defense, Kaleb Johnson was hobbled by injuries last season, rushing for only 463 yards on 117 carries.
He only had 18 rushing yards on six carries in a 12-10 loss to Minnesota last season at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa only had 11 rushing yards as a team in that loss, which cost them the pleasure of having Floyd of Rosedale in the Iowa trophy display for the past 11 months.
Floyd is the statue of a bronze pig that goes to the winner of this annual border rivalry, which dates back to 1891.
“It feels great, man, because last season I was injured, and I didn’t really perform,” Johnson said of getting Floyd back in Iowa City. “I was hurt because we lost, and I took it very personal. Everybody took it very personally, especially me because I wanted to win.
“Now I just put the team on my back and my o-line helped me with opening them holes up.”
Johnson didn’t overstate it by saying he put the team on his back, and he was right to praise his offensive line, as he has repeatedly this season.
Johnson has always been confident in his ability, and he apparently isn’t afraid to let the opposition know about it.
It’s hard to know if a football player talks trash during the heat of the moment because faces are hidden behind helmets.
But Johnson apparently likes to dish it out according to four-year starting left tackle Mason Richman when asked how fun it is to block for someone in a zone like Johnson is in right now.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Richman said. “You’ve got to reel him back sometimes. He starts talking a little more trash than he needs to. You know what I mean? Just get him back to the huddle and get ready for the next play.
“But he’s awesome. He’s awesome. He’s an energy bunny in there. He’s just been on a heck of run right now and we’ve just got to keep it going, up front especially.”
Some might raise an eyebrow at what Richman said about less trash talking from Johnson, but that’s just a veteran player showing some leadership.
But on the other hand, if talking a little trash helps to motivate Johnson to perform at an exceptionally high level, then perhaps he and Richman could reach a compromise.
Even though it was Big Ten opener the season felt as if it was slipping away when Iowa trailed the Gophers by seven at halftime. But then Johnson and his cohorts rose to the challenge, and now there is hope again – as long as Iowa defeats every remaining opponent except the Buckeyes.
The belief is that Iowa would have to finish at least 10-2 to have a realistic chance of making the 12-team playoff.
Very few believe that Iowa will defeat Ohio State, so if Iowa were to lose to the Buckeyes, that would leave the seven remaining Big Ten games as must-wins for Iowa.
If ever there was a time for Hawkeye fans to cheer for Iowa State, that time is now because the more success Iowa State has this season, the less damage its 20-19 victory over Iowa will have on Iowa’s postseason chances.
As for what we’ve learned about this Iowa team, besides its ability to run the football, it’s sort of a mixed bag.
The defense has been hurt by some big plays, as was the case against the Gophers on Saturday, especially in the second quarter.
But Iowa’s veteran defense also dominated the second half against Minnesota and forced two turnovers in the game.
If you want to worry about anything related to this current Iowa team, don’t waste your time with the defense, or with special teams, given how well junior kicker Drew Stevens and freshman punter Rhys Dakin have performed so far this season.
Iowa’s biggest problem right now is, of course, its passing game, and more specially its vertical passing game.
It was easy to overlook, or to ignore that Cade McNamara only passed for 62 yards against the Gophers, including just two yards in the second quarter, because Iowa still had enough offensive firepower to win the game.
However, it’s hard seeing that same scenario play out in Iowa’s next game against Ohio State, which will almost certainly load the box and dare Iowa to throw downfield against its immensely talented defensive backs.
As fun as it is to watch Johnson break off long runs and gain yards at a record-breaking pace, it’ll probably take more than that for Iowa to beat Ohio State on Oct. 5 in Columbus, Ohio, and for Iowa to have a special season.
With Kirk Ferentz in his 26th season as the Iowa head coach, and with the win over Minnesota having moved him in to a second-place tie with Amos Alonzo Stagg for most Big Ten wins (199), all that’s really left for Kirk Ferentz is to prove that he can make Iowa elite again.
To be elite would mean winning a Big Ten title, or at least making the 12-team playoff.
Kirk Ferentz has been around so long, and the game has changed so much where, fair or not, having a nine-win season, or even a 10-win season in some cases, isn’t what it used to be.
What hasn’t changed, however, is the need to be balanced on offense, and right now, Iowa is far from achieving that goal.
Iowa also has yet to play well for four quarters, and the inability to throw downfield is mostly to blame for that.
Cade McNamara simply has to play better.
It’s not all on him, of course, but he is the quarterback and with that comes a lot of responsibility and expectations.
McNamara hasn’t come close to playing at the same level he did for Michigan in 2021 when he led the Wolverines to the Big Ten title, and to the college playoff.
Injuries have certainly been a factor, and it could be argued that he had a better supporting cast at Michigan.
But at some point, McNamara will have to deliver because Johnson and the running game can’t carry the load by themselves.
Some fans are clamoring for Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan to be used more than just in goal-line packages, and the only way the calls for Sullivan will stop is if McNamara starts having more success as a passer.
Iowa’s reluctance to throw downfield is a problem that has festered for years, and with four different offensive coordinators calling the plays.
“We’re going to need everybody as we go forward,” Kirk Ferentz said after win at Minnesota “And just for the record, I’m all for balanced offense, too.
“And that’s the next challenge. We need to do a little better job in the passing game.”
Iowa has an extra week to prepare for the mighty Buckeyes, while Johnson has an extra week to rest and recover before facing his home-state school.
Johnson is fortunate that Iowa has some quality depth at running back, because barring injuries, he never should have to run tired.
But the best way to help Kaleb Johnson, and the team overall, would be to improve the downfield passing game, ASAP.