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Iowa football: What can Iowa improve on from the Wisconsin loss?

By Andrew Wade

IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 22: Quarterback Alex Hornibrook #12 of the Wisconsin Badgers scrambles on a keeper in the second half in front of linebacker Djimon Colbert #32 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, on September 22, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 22: Quarterback Alex Hornibrook #12 of the Wisconsin Badgers scrambles on a keeper in the second half in front of linebacker Djimon Colbert #32 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, on September 22, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – NOVEMBER 24: Quarterback Nathan Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks to pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE – NOVEMBER 24: Quarterback Nathan Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks to pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

Nate Stanley

Before you get all upset, I think Nate Stanley generally played outstanding against Wisconsin. Had Iowa been able to pull of this win, it would have been one of Stanley’s finest as a Hawkeye. For the first three quarters of the game (aside from a dumb delay of game penalty in the first), Stanley looked like the quarterback we all thought he would be after his breakout season last year.

The reason why Stanley is on this list though is because in the fourth quarter when the Hawkeyes needed to make a play to either build on their lead or to come back, Stanley couldn’t get it done.

There were a few missed throws, throws lacking touch, and the game-ending interception, all in the fourth quarter that caused Stanley to make this list. I’ll admit that Wisconsin was starting to bring some heat in the fourth, but in that situation, it was an opportunity for Nate Stanley to make a statement, and he didn’t.

The two biggest mistakes came on the final two drives. The first of which, Stanley overthrew a wide-open TJ Hockenson for what would have been an easy first down. The second came in the final minute where Stanley unnecessarily fired a ball into Ihmir Smith-Marsette and it bounced out of his hands. In that moment, a touch throw could have been the difference for an Iowa football team continuing it’s drive down the field and ultimately what did happen, a Wisconsin interception.

Like I said, Nate Stanley had a heck of a game, but there are still some big areas for improvement in his game.

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