Troy in transition might be just what Iowa needs coming off ISU collapse
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – If ever there were a college football team that symbolizes the current times of roster fluidity and uncertainty, it’s the Troy Trojans from Troy, Alabama
Iowa’s opponent on Saturday doesn’t have one single player who began their career at Troy who are now in their final year of eligibility.
Not one.
Colorado and San Diego State are tied for second nationally with one.
Troy also has just 12 seniors on its 2024 roster, which is tied with Illinois for the fewest in the country.
Iowa, on the other hand, has four graduate students starting on defense, and two on offense. Four of the six graduate starters have played their entire career for Iowa.
Troy has 46 scholarship newcomers, including 31 transfers, and a new coaching staff led by head coach Gerad Parker, who was Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator last season.
Troy had been on a roll prior to this season, compiling a 22-5 record since losing on a Hail Mary pass to Appalachian State in 2022 to the start of this season.
But with all the roster changes that have occurred since the end of last season, Troy is showing early signs of rebuilding.
“They were an 11-win team last year said Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz. “Had a really good football team. And now they’re a team in transition, if you will. They have a new coaching staff. Previous staff moved on. And a lot of new players, too.
Troy lost its first two games to Nevada at home and at Memphis by scores of 28-26 and 38-17, respectively.
Those two games on tape are about all that Kirk Ferentz and his staff have to learn about this new-look Troy squad, which will be paid a hefty sum of $1.6 million for playing the Hawkeyes.
“Now we’re piecing those things together a little bit and just, trying to figure out what to expect, what to match up against; and then secondly, you always have to project a little bit because they’re in the middle of installing new systems,” Kirk Ferentz said. “So, I’m not sure what their players are capable of taking or not taking, so what kind of changes we’ll see from the first two games as part of the game that goes on.
Kirk Ferentz would never say this, but Troy is an opponent that Iowa should defeat under any circumstance.
Even Troy at its best shouldn’t be able to win on Iowa’s home field, or anywhere for that matter.
Kirk Ferentz is the longest tenured college head coach in the country, in year 26 at Iowa, and third all-time in wins amongst Big Ten head coaches. Kirk Ferentz also coached the Iowa offensive line for nine seasons from 1981 to 1989 under Hayden Fry, so Kirk has spent 35 years overall coaching the Hawkeyes in some capacity.
Gerad Parker since 2005 has coached at 10 different schools, including Purdue, Penn State, West Virginia and Marshall.
These teams couldn’t be more different in how their current rosters were built, and how they look on paper from a talent and experience standpoint as Troy is a 22.5-point underdog
Iowa’s status took a hit from the Iowa State loss, but the Cyclones could prove to be the second-best team on Iowa’s schedule behind Ohio State.
The matchup with Troy is one of those games that Iowa will have to win convincingly or the storyline will focus on why Iowa didn’t win convincingly.
Should Iowa lose, then just stay off social media and avoid any place where people might be.
Stranger things have happened, but it’s still hard to envision Iowa losing this game.
The problem with this game is that Iowa will have to win by enough points to meet the cosmetic challenge.
That would also include covering the spread.
So, there isn’t much margin for error, or for mediocrity in this case.
Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara will try to bounce back from a miserable performance in the second half against Iowa State when he passed for just 19 yards.
McNamara also has little margin for error, because even if he plays well against Troy, his critics will say that it was due to the overmatched opponent.
McNamara will have to avoid playing poorly, because if that were to happen in this game, it would send a terrible message to fans and would have some fans clamoring for backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan to play even more than they are right now.
This game against Troy seems a good spot to give Sullivan a series or two or three just to see what he can do, maybe even meaningful snaps in the first half.
Look for Iowa to establish the run because that’s what Kirk Ferentz always wants to do, even when his teams are incapable.
The current Iowa team is averaging 222.5 rushing yards per game, while opponents are averaging 212.5 rushing yards per game against Troy.
Of course, it’s only two games, but Troy appears suspect against the run.
The Troy offense will face an Iowa defense that had a few rare breakdowns that led to some costly big plays in the loss to Iowa State.
Look for Phil Parker’s unit to be at its best fundamentally on Saturday and look for Iowa to be 2-1 heading into the Sept. 21 Big Ten opener at Minnesota.
Prediction: Iowa 34, Troy 11
Troy (0-2) vs. Iowa (1-1)
When: Saturday, 3:05 p.m.
Where: Kinnick Stadium
TV: FS1
Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network
Honorary captain: Former Iowa receiver Jordan Cotton will serve as honorary captain for the Troy game.