Iowa
Iowa may have accomplished the unthinkable: Spencer Petras, offense might have gotten worse
Let’s get the “yeah, buts” out of the way in which proper off the highest. Iowa opened with the No. 3 workforce within the FCS in South Dakota State. The Hawkeyes did so minus their high working again and two of their high three broad receivers with each Gavin Williams and Keagan Johnson sidelined and broad receiver Nico Ragaini introduced as out to begin the week.
These accidents are along with broad receiver Jackson Ritter and offensive lineman Justin Britt each being misplaced for the season. Plus, broad receiver Diante Vines isn’t anticipated again from his harm earlier than a minimum of the halfway level of this season it doesn’t sound like.
It’s an offensive line that’s younger in spots and seeking to substitute a first-round 2022 NFL draft decide in former heart Tyler Linderbaum. Simply to reiterate, South Dakota State is admittedly good on the FCS stage and has overwhelmed FBS competitors as lately as final season in Colorado State and hung with Minnesota in a 28-21 loss to begin 2019.
All of that is true. It doesn’t change or excuse the truth that this regarded and felt like all-time low for Hawkeye quarterback Spencer Petras and the Iowa offense.
This was a flat-out embarrassing offensive efficiency for a program that spent all offseason seeking to tackle a gaggle that completed No. 121 nationally in whole offense a season in the past, averaging 303.7 yards per recreation.
Iowa ranked a hundred and first within the nation in dashing yards per recreation with 123.6 and 109th in passing yards per recreation with 180.1 final 12 months. In 2021, Iowa registered a median of 16.5 first downs per recreation. In scoring offense, the Hawkeyes completed ranked No. 99, averaging 23.4 factors per recreation.
Up to now, not so good within the enchancment division. Iowa managed to do worse than every of these averages from final season. The Hawkeyes completed with a measly 166 yards of whole offense, 109 passing yards and 57 dashing yards. Despite the fact that the rating appears just like the Hawkeyes tossed a traditional landing and PAT on the board, Iowa scored its seven factors by advantage of 1 discipline aim and a pair of safeties. Oh, by the way in which, Iowa completed with 10 first downs and was 4-of-17 on third-down conversion tries.
In reality, Iowa’s seven factors had been the fewest by a successful Massive Ten workforce since Iowa’s 6-4 overcome Penn State in 2004. The Hawkeyes are additionally the primary Massive Ten workforce to win a recreation with out scoring a landing since Nebraska beat Michigan State 9-6 in 2018.
At halftime, Petras was 6-of-15 passing for 41 yards with an interception. He completed 11-of-25 for 109 yards. The entire speak about this being a new-look offense positive didn’t maintain up over the course of recreation one.
It might be so simple as Iowa really doesn’t have a greater choice than Petras at quarterback. That’s what Ferentz mentioned to begin this season.
“It’s a protracted analysis, and we consider every part, we inform our guys beginning in January. Clearly we’re not doing soccer stuff, and each Spencer and Alex are each high quality guys, however simply the time on the sector, I believe Spencer has outperformed Alex a little bit bit at this level. He’s additional forward and provides us a greater likelihood to achieve success. That’s to not diminish what Alex has accomplished. Each have improved.
“Now the factor is can we put this complete factor collectively and be a little bit bit extra productive offensively. Each guys have accomplished an excellent job. Spencer has continued to climb,” Ferentz mentioned earlier this week when requested why Petras was capable of safe Iowa’s beginning quarterback job.
If that’s the case, then so be it, nevertheless it’s tough for followers to reconcile not seeing different quarterbacks like Padilla or Labas get their likelihood outdoors of observe and in a recreation to attempt to ship higher for Iowa.
In any case, as many within the Iowa echo chamber would cross alongside, proper now, it doesn’t really feel like it might get any worse. So, why not give these different two an opportunity and see if it might present a spark?
It is going to get bought and painted as a constructive that Iowa received the sport 7-3 over South Dakota State regardless of offensive struggles. It’s not. It’s a detrimental that Iowa head soccer coach Kirk Ferentz and offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz had been capable of persist with Petras for the sport’s entirety and win.
It units up for the Hawkeyes to stick with a quarterback which means this workforce’s ceiling isn’t a Massive Ten championship or possibly even a return look within the Massive Ten Championship recreation. At present was the day to check out and see what it regarded like as soon as once more with backup quarterback Alex Padilla or redshirt freshman Joe Labas.
As an alternative, the second got here and handed and now it’s on to Iowa State the place tinkering on the quarterback place in-game may imply dropping to your greatest rival for the primary time up to now seven conferences. Clearly, the Iowa teaching workers hopes it doesn’t come to that.
The outcomes versus the Jackrabbits point out that it’s most likely a matter of time earlier than it does. Just like the irritating play that has outlined Petras’ profession at Iowa up to now, the San Rafael, Calif., native overthrew targets with regularity, struggled in opposition to strain to determine the place his open receivers had been, he was intercepted on a cross behind his meant goal in tight finish Sam LaPorta, and missed a deep shot to broad receiver Alec Wick that might have helped sealed the sport.
To be truthful, Petras deserves a cross on this regard: just like the subpar play that outlined the again half of final season, it really isn’t and wasn’t all his fault. The offensive line confirmed some severe weaknesses in recreation one.
Petras was beneath common duress and the offensive line by no means may set up the Hawkeyes’ patented run recreation. Leshon Williams ended his day with 24 carries for a hard-earned 72 dashing yards, although he even had a pricey fumble on Iowa’s lone offensive drive that appeared destined for the tip zone. As a workforce, Iowa averaged simply 1.6 yards per carry.
It’s week one, so overreactions are a harmful recreation, however this was wildly uninspiring offensively from a program that wants enchancment on that aspect of the soccer within the worst method.
Record
Each Iowa soccer opponents’ gamers on the 2022 Senior Bowl watch checklist
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Story initially appeared on Hawkeyes Wire
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Iowa men’s golf team finished two rounds of play at the Fighting Irish Classic on Sunday. The Hawkeyes currently sit in sixth place out of 15 teams.
Sophomore Noah Kent and junior Gage Messingham are both leading the Hawkeyes, tied for 8th place overall. Kent shot 1-over (71) in the first round and 1-under (69) in the second round, finishing with a total score of 140. Messingham join Kent as the only other Hawkeye to go under-par today in a round.
Sophomore Max Tjoa is tied for 37th place, shooting rounds of 74 and 72, with a total score of 146. Senior Chance Rinkol posted scores of 71 and 77 in the first and second rounds, respectively, and sits tied for 51st place with a score of 148. Senior Josh Lundmark recorded rounds of 79 and 71, finishing tied for 64th place with a total score of 150.
HAWKEYE SCORECARD
| 6/15 | Team | +5 | +3 | 148 |
| T8 | Gage Messingham | -1 | +1 | 140 |
| T8 | Noah Kent | +1 | -1 | 140 |
| T37 | Max Tjoa | +4 | +2 | 146 |
| T51 | Chance Rinkol | +1 | +7 | 148 |
| T64 | Josh Lundmark | +9 | +1 | 150 |
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH TYLER STITH
“Today was a very strong team performance with Noah and Gage leading the way. We showed a lot of grit all day but especially down the stretch. We’re in a great position heading into the final round.”
UP NEXT
The final round of the Fighting Irish Classic is set to tee off on Monday morning.
Nebraska volleyball entered October a perfect 38-0 against Iowa all-time. That number is now 39-0.
The No. 2 Huskers (14-1, 4-0 Big Ten) swept the Hawkeyes (8-8, 2-2 Big Ten), 25-17, 25-11, 25-13. This is the eighth-straight sweep for Nebraska over Iowa and 11th-straight win since falling at SMU.
Nebraska’s offense hit a blistering .404, led by 10 kills on .400 hitting from Merritt Beason.
The story of the day was the middles, though. With Andi Jackson out again, Leyla Blackwell earned the start alongside Rebekah Allick. The pair notched nine kills each, with Blackwell hitting .692 and Allick hitting .583. They also combined for five blocks.
Bergen Reilly dished out 35 assists.
Iowa managed to hit just .155, but did have the player with a match-high for kills: Michel Urquahart at 11.
Nebraska is back in action Friday, hosting No. 10 Purdue.
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Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
Video: Jay Higgins on Iowa’s defensive performance in loss to Ohio State
Jay Higgins discusses a variety of topics after Iowa’s 35-7 loss to Ohio State.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz made his view of the quarterback position pretty clear after Saturday’s 35-7 loss at Ohio State.
No, the Hawkeyes are not headed for a change at quarterback, Ferentz said.
“We’re not ready, I think, to have a controversy at that position,” the longtime head coach said.
The loss to Ohio State again illustrated the gap between Iowa and national powerhouses. The Hawkeyes haven’t beaten one of the three giants of the Big Ten — Penn State, Michigan or Ohio State — since a 2021 win over the Nittany Lions. Against ranked opponents last season, Iowa was beaten a combined 92-0.
Perhaps you could point to the fact that Iowa at least scored on Saturday as progress. But in reality, Saturday’s margin was similar to those three games last season.
More: Leistikow: Rating concern levels for Iowa football at quarterback, offensive line, defense
The quarterback position wasn’t good enough on Saturday. Cade McNamara finished the game 14-of-20 passing for 98 yards and three turnovers — two fumbles and one interception. Just like the game itself, the quarterback play fit an old, tired narrative.
When, if ever, will Iowa’s quarterback woes finally be solved?
To be clear, quarterback production was not the only deficient area on Saturday. The Hawkeyes were beaten in the trenches — on both sides of the ball — and outgained 203-116 on the ground. Iowa’s defense also gave up four touchdowns through the air.
After Iowa trailed just 7-0 at the break, it got ugly in the second half. Ohio State is a legitimate national championship threat, and the Hawkeyes didn’t do much in the third and fourth quarters to show they could compete at that level.
“The bottom line is, you’ve got to play clean football against a team like this,” Ferentz said. “We weren’t able to do that. They get some credit on that, too.”
Kirk Ferentz on Cade McNamara after loss to Ohio State: ‘Cade will be fine’
Kirk Ferentz discusses a variety of topics after Iowa’s 35-7 loss to Ohio State.
Since the 2019 departure of Nate Stanley, Iowa’s quarterback struggles have been no secret. Whether it be Spencer Petras or Alex Padilla or Deacon Hill, Iowa hasn’t gotten necessary production from that position. There was optimism that McNamara, once a prized transfer from Michigan, would be the solution.
Through the first 10 games of his Iowa career, McNamara has fallen short of that.
The lowest bar for McNamara to clear as Iowa’s quarterback — taking care of the ball — is something he was unable to do on Saturday.
McNamara’s turnovers came on three consecutive possessions to open the second half, all but erasing any first-half hope that Iowa had managed to build.
Because Iowa lives in such thin margins, avoiding turnovers is paramount, even more so against a team like Ohio State. The lack of ball security was a reason the quarterback position was such a disaster at Iowa last season. Hill finished the season with a ratio of eight interceptions to five passing touchdowns.
McNamara’s touchdown pass-to-interception ratio this season is now 3-to-3. He was without a turnover against Illinois State, Troy and Minnesota, but coughing up the ball proved costly against Iowa State and Ohio State. An early second-half turnover against Iowa State this season gave the Cyclones life. Three against Ohio State on Saturday shut the door on a possible upset.
“We evaluate every position week to week,” Ferentz said about quarterback. “But we’re comfortable. I think Cade’s improving. I really do. It sounds funny with the turnovers today, I think he seems more comfortable. His timing seems better. And he was getting the ball out really well in the first half. We have to improve as a collective offense.”
It might go against popular opinion but to Ferentz’s point, McNamara started Saturday’s contest well, completing 10 of his first 12 passes. There is, however, a gaping hole in that argument.
Completion efficiency is not McNamara’s biggest issue. In fact, in the last two games — against Minnesota and Ohio State — he was a combined 25-of-39, marking major improvement from a putrid 13-of-29 outing against Iowa State.
But that extremely efficient stretch against Ohio State matters less if it amounts to zero points and also means turning the ball over three times later on.
In his Iowa career, McNamara has not yet thrown a touchdown against a power conference opponent (granted, a redzone package with backup Brendan Sullivan was implemented earlier this season, making it more difficult for McNamara to do so). But more troubling than the lack of touchdowns are the fact that all three of his interceptions this season have come against power conference opponents (one was a last ditch heave against Iowa State). You can also add the two fumbles against Ohio State to that turnover tally.
Iowa didn’t get McNamara just to beat up on lower level programs. When the competition level rises, he needs to do so with it.
“We just can’t turn the ball over,” McNamara said Saturday. “We had three drives in a row with turnovers. That just can’t happen. They just came out in the second half and they played well. They’re are a good defense and they’re a good team.”
You can argue ad nauseam against Ferentz’s assertion that McNamara is improving. But bottom line is, the fact that this is even a discussion is a problem. It was reasonable to think that McNamara would’ve been better than this through five games.
Iowa doesn’t need its quarterback to be prolific. Running back Kaleb Johnson solves a lot for the offense with the way he’s been playing. Iowa just needs McNamara to take care of the ball and make defenses pay on occasion when the chance presents itself.
In critical moments, that hasn’t been the case.
Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson reacts to 35-7 loss at Ohio State
The Hawkeyes junior wound up rushing 15 times for 86 yards, but most of those came after the game was decided.
Through the first 10 games of his Iowa career — split between 2023 and 2024 due to injury — McNamara hasn’t done much to validate the excitement that once surrounded him. Ferentz has preached patience for someone who has been out for an extended period — on multiple occasions. That faith in him could still bear results.
But time is becoming of the essence for McNamara to change the narrative.
Said Ferentz: “Cade will be fine.”
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
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