We learned a lot about the Hawkeyes during this game, especially on offense. Things went wrong, so went right, but mostly confusion came out, with unnecessary costly penalties. The main sticking point that will be remembered from this game was the disappointing calls by the officials that cost the Hawkeyes two touchdowns.
First, Nick Easley caught a pass from Nate Stanley, only to fumble in the end zone. The call was quite controversial considering there was indisputable video evidence of the ball actually fumbling before crossing the goal line, turning it into a touchback. The refs must have flipped a coin, who knows, that was just a glimpse of the officiating in this game, which was the worst I’ve ever seen.
Now, this penalty was by far the worst penalty I’ve seen in a Iowa Hawkeye game in my lifetime, atleast in recent memory. The Akrum Wadley “high step” 75 yard touchdown.
The call was an “unsportsmanlike conduct” on Wadley for the high-step at the around the five yard line. Is this new? No. Does literally every running back-or anyone scoring a touchdown-do this? Yes.
Wadley has been doing this since he stepped foot onto the field turf as a Hawkeye. I can see both sides to this. T
he side of it actually being a unsportsmanlike conduct, which I am still not 100% convinced, and I also see the side, which I am on, that sees this as a celebration that he does EVERY game. This may be just me blowing this out of proportion, but this call alone made the entire rest of the game unbearable. It was flag after flag after flag, which in most of the cases, was actually a common penalty worth flagging.
How about we get into some positives? And well, some negatives, too, there were lots of those.
Akrum Wadley only accounted for 24 yards on 8 carries (which should have been 99 yards and a touchdown. Thanks, ref). James Butler ran for 74 yards on 16 attempts. He got hurt during the second half on a elbow injury, and left the game. This is a huge loss for the Hawkeye, considering Butler is a huge part of the Hawkeye offense.
Wadley sat most of the rest of the game after the unsportsmanlike penalty. This in which most of the time was because of a minor injury that occurred. No worries, he should be back for Penn State on September 23rd.
Nate Stanley was a big part of this win, but he still has areas to improve.
Nate Stanley accounted for 197 yards on offense with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He passed for a 16/27 completion rate. Stanley’s main focus, still, is the deep ball. Overthrowing Noah Fant for an easy TD seas a big drawback of his day.
Also, overthrowing Vandeberg which would’ve also been possibly a touchdown reception. Above all else, Stanley has a very good eye finding the open receiver down the field as young as he is in only his third career collegiate start.
With how fast Stanley looked to find a target, shows a very promising future for him as a Hawkeye, and in turn a promising future for the team. Less than 3 seconds to analyze three receivers and find the open man, scouts his main targets, and finds the third option for the great find.
Defensively, the Hawkeyes accounted for an interception by Josh Jackson (DB), and a fumble and sack, both by Parker Hesse (DL). The defense was up and down most of the game, quite like the Iowa State game on September 9th. In my eyes, it seems they have improved from that Cy-Hawk game we saw a week ago. The defense looks promising for the rest of the season with the way Phil Parker has been running it.
The overall game wasn’t bad, just an insane amount of unnecessary penalties and minor mistakes offensively, which with a few minor adjustments, can be the difference maker
Going into Penn State this weekend, September 23rd, is going to be very interesting based on our first free games. But hey, can’t complain about a solid 3-0 start for the Hawkeyes.