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Iowa football: Top five QB-WR duos in the Kirk Ferentz era

By Andrew Wade

LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 25: Quarterback James Vandenberg #16 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs from defensive end Cameron Meredith #34 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers during their game at Memorial Stadium November 25, 2011 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska defeated Iowa 20-7. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 25: Quarterback James Vandenberg #16 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs from defensive end Cameron Meredith #34 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers during their game at Memorial Stadium November 25, 2011 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nebraska defeated Iowa 20-7. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 8: Marvin McNutt #7 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs after the catch against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the game on October 8, 2011 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions defeated the Hawkeyes 13-3. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 8: Marvin McNutt #7 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs after the catch against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the game on October 8, 2011 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions defeated the Hawkeyes 13-3. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

James Vandenberg/Marvin McNutt

I had to get Marvin McNutt in there somewhere, and despite what you may think of the James Vandenberg era, he wasn’t that bad of a quarterback. The 2012 roster was just depleted of talent, and they couldn’t win the close games, hence the 4-8 record. The passing attack was also anemic, but after looking good in his junior season, what went wrong during Vandeberg’s senior year?

Well, one big glaring absence from the 2012 roster is Marvin McNutt.

In one season as starters together, Vandenberg and McNutt developed great chemistry as McNutt became the go-to receiver in the Iowa football team’s passing attack. McNutt caught 82 passes for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns, all single-season records, during that season while Vandenberg threw for 3,022 yards (4th best single-season mark) and 22 touchdowns.

That is honestly probably enough to justify putting them on this list, but the drop-off in Vandenberg’s senior season gives even more reason. He threw for 800 fewer yards and 15 fewer touchdowns without McNutt’s presence in the lineup.

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