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Hawkeyes flop in big game again

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2 weeks ago

October 7, 2024

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COLUMBUS, Ohio − The frustration degree for the Iowa soccer program will go down as a ten out of 10 on this one.

A loss to third-ranked Ohio State was anticipated as 19-point underdogs. However to as soon as once more look significantly overmatched within the nationwide highlight has turn into a broken-record prevalence.

The Hawkeyes couldn’t get star operating again Kaleb Johnson going. After they tried a area purpose, they missed. After they collected two first-half turnovers, they did not money in. After they despatched handsome punts towards the purpose line, the protection crew couldn’t capitalize. When the top coach confronted an vital fourth-and-inches determination, he bought too conservative.

And in the end, when these actions – each massive and small – go fallacious towards an elite crew, the avalanche is inevitable.

Ohio State is a extremely good crew. The Buckeyes demonstrated that in a 21-point third quarter that blew the doorways open for a 35-7 win Saturday earlier than 105,135 followers at Ohio Stadium.

Extra:Leistikow: Score concern ranges for Iowa soccer at quarterback, offensive line, protection

Extra:When, if ever, will the Hawkeyes’ quarterback woes get solved?

“Momentum is an enormous factor in soccer,” Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara mentioned. “And when you lose momentum, it is very troublesome, particularly towards a crew with offense and protection like that.”

Iowa, for now, is an efficient crew however far-off from cracking by to the extent that’s required to be a professional Faculty Soccer Playoff contender. This blowout loss, mixed with the sooner house disappointment towards Iowa State, leaves the Hawkeyes with a 3-2 document and properly wanting the 12-team Playoff desires that they had earlier than the season.

The schedule forward is actually manageable, and Iowa has the potential to go 7-0 the remainder of the common season. However Saturday was a harsh reminder that even when Iowa had been to succeed in a big-stage postseason recreation, it’s nonetheless not prepared for prime time.

Extra:Recap: No. 3 Ohio State throttles Iowa soccer in second half en path to 35-7 win

The Hawkeyes bought to the halftime locker room trailing solely 7-0. That was concurrently a notable accomplishment and a extreme disappointment.

“We had been extraordinarily assured (at halftime),” Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins mentioned. “We delight ourselves on profitable shut video games.”

Staying shut for 60 minutes would have been one thing to construct on, not that anybody who wears a Hawkeye helmet got here right here searching for an ethical victory. Getting blown out right here needs to be a dose of discouragement for not solely these gamers however all of the hopeful Hawkeye followers on the market.

Even when Iowa strings collectively seven straight wins, beginning Saturday at house towards Washington (11 a.m. CT), this last rating might be a damning outcome.

This may be added to the pile of disappointing Iowa outcomes towards ranked groups: 54-10 at Ohio State in 2022; 31-0 at Penn State, 26-0 vs. Michigan and 35-0 to Tennessee in 2023; and now this.

“I don’t care in regards to the playoffs, personally,” Iowa left deal with Mason Richman mentioned. “All I care about is the subsequent recreation. For us, it’s one other bump within the highway.”

What must be modified? Definitely quarterback play continues to be a difficulty. McNamara, after an honest first half towards the crew he beat whereas with Michigan in 2021, dedicated three second-half turnovers, together with a misplaced sack-fumble on Iowa’s first snap within the third quarter. McNamara had an early probability to hit an open Kaden Wetjen on a deep ball, on Iowa’s first drive, but it surely fluttered badly incomplete.

McNamara completed 14-for-20 for 98 yards with one ugly interception and two fumbles and was changed by Brendan Sullivan with 10:58 remaining. Till Iowa significantly upgrades the quarterback place, it will proceed to be pressured to attempt to win video games with particular groups and protection. However the issues on Saturday went properly past one participant.

“We consider each place week to week,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz mentioned. “However we’re snug. I believe Cade’s enhancing, I actually do. It’s form of humorous with the turnovers at this time, however he appears extra snug. His timing appears higher.”

The offensive line took a step again Saturday, producing little or no for Massive Ten speeding chief Johnson till the sport was properly out of attain. The junior had 9 carries for 17 yards till a 28-yard burst with Iowa trailing, 21-0. Johnson, with 8:07 left within the recreation, bought into the tip zone with a 28-yard run with Iowa trailing, 35-0. That was Iowa’s first offensive landing vs. a ranked crew since a 27-14 loss to Michigan in 2022, spanning 20 quarters.

Johnson, who got here in averaging 171.3 yards per recreation, wound up with 15 carries for 86 yards.

“They only keyed me the entire recreation,” mentioned Johnson, a local of Hamilton, Ohio. “I simply tried my greatest and gave my all. The result’s the result.”

The protection, apart from perhaps three nice particular person performs from Yahya Black (on a fourth-and-2 cease), Higgins (on a pressured fumble) and Sebastian Castro (on a late-second quarter interception), wasn’t as much as the duty of slowing a loaded Ohio State offense. Emeka Egbuka had three landing catches − one within the first quarter, one within the third and one within the fourth − and Jeremiah Smith added a magical one-handed TD seize from Will Howard, who additionally produced the primary speeding landing Iowa has allowed all season.

And as talked about, the particular groups had been simply common at greatest. Drew Stevens wanted to attach on a 51-yard area purpose within the second quarter with the rating nonetheless 7-0, and it drifted vast left. Rhys Dakin had one punt rolling to the tip zone that hit protection man Zach Lutmer on the 12; and had one other that rolled into the tip zone that ought to have been collected contained in the 5.

All in all, a irritating and disappointing day for these in black and gold.

A extremely questionable punt determination by Kirk Ferentz

The Twenty sixth-year Iowa head coach added to his listing of timid choices at Ohio Stadium and it warranted quick second-guessing.

After all, Hawkeye followers nonetheless keep in mind his determination of 15 years in the past right here to take a seat on the ball from their very own 33-yard line in a 24-24 recreation with 52 seconds to play. That call to simply accept additional time with out an try for a profitable drive haunted Ferentz in a 27-24 loss that gave the 2009 Massive Ten title to the Buckeyes.

Extra:Iowa soccer vs Ohio State: Kirk Ferentz calls timeout, negating profitable faux punt

On Saturday, along with his crew going through fourth down and fewer than a yard from midfield, Ferentz twice determined to place his punt crew on the sphere. Each choices had been regrettable, however the second bought bailed out.

Earlier than moving into what occurred, isn’t this the precise sort of scenario that makes Iowa’s determination to make Brendan Sullivan its goal-to-go quarterback a bonus? The Hawkeyes have a quantity of performs they will use in short-yardage with Sullivan, a extra cellular quarterback than McNamara (as he confirmed with a 30-yard scramble in fourth-quarter rubbish time).

Anyway, Iowa despatched the punt crew on the market with 7:32 left within the second quarter, trailing 7-0, and had a faux referred to as. Nice concept in that scenario. Upback Hayden Massive took the direct snap and, with all 22 gamers going full pace, lunged forward for a 2-yard achieve and a primary down. Besides whereas these gamers had been going at it, whistles had been blowing as a result of Ferentz had referred to as timeout.

“We had been clearly fascinated with a faux punt, and we felt good about that till I referred to as a timeout,” Ferentz mentioned. “Noticed their linebackers nudging as much as the road. … We had been nonetheless going to offer it a shot till we noticed these guys coming in the direction of the road.”

However after the timeout, Ferentz nonetheless determined to punt relatively than use a Sullivan package deal or attempt to make an aggressive play on offense. Why not go for it?

“Discipline place was what I used to be pondering. It was a good ballgame,” Ferentz mentioned. “Perhaps that’s too conservative. However at that time, our thought was let’s pin them in, which we’ve accomplished a reasonably good job of this yr. At the moment wasn’t an incredible instance of punting the way in which we need to. I assumed, pin them in and pressure a turnover and get the ball again in good area place.”

Naturally, Dakin shanked the kick, 22 yards and out of bounds at Ohio State’s 28. On the very subsequent play, Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins rushed 21 yards to get the ball inside 24 inches of the place Iowa punted from.

Nevertheless, on the very subsequent play, a display move to Smith opened up for giant yardage. Higgins jarred the ball free at Iowa’s 33, bought up off the bottom and lunged right into a pile to get well the fumble on the Iowa 28. An unbelievable effort by the All-American to allow Ferentz’s punt determination to not turn into clearly pricey.

Extra:WATCH: Iowa soccer LB Jay Higgins forces and recovers fumble vs Ohio State

My thought earlier than the choice was the identical after it, even with the Higgins turnover: You’re right here to win the sport. You want factors to win the sport. You’ve a speeding offense that averages 250 yards a recreation and a short-yardage package deal. Go get 24 inches and make an announcement with a primary down. Whereas the Ferentz timeout to wipe out the faux punt bought extra consideration, the most important purple flag was not going for the primary down to start with.

Iowa protection’s 400-yard streak involves an finish

Coming into Saturday, the Hawkeyes had gone 32 video games over the course of 34 months with out permitting any opponent to succeed in 400 yards of whole offense, the longest energetic streak within the nation. That was going to be put to the take a look at towards the Buckeyes, who had been averaging 534.8 yards per contest and had reached 400-plus in 57 of 68 video games with Ryan Day as head coach.

On Saturday, the 400 mark was lastly toppled within the last minutes. The Buckeyes completed the day with 412 yards, with a median of 6.3 per play. Iowa completed the sport with a season-low 226 yards of offense, by the way in which.

Higgins was happy with the crew for not giving up any lengthy runs. Nevertheless it’s onerous to disregard giving up 5 touchdowns in any recreation. Plus, the tip of a streak is notable.

The final time an Iowa opponent topped 400 was within the 2021 Massive Ten title recreation, with Michigan going for 461 yards in a 42-3 win. Apparently, Ohio State had “solely” 360 yards within the 54-10 win over Iowa in 2022. Penn State had 397 within the 31-0 “White Out” win over Iowa final yr, and Tennessee bought to 383 within the 35-0 blanking within the latest Citrus Bowl.

“Anytime you assess something, you’ve bought to take a look at who you’re taking part in,” Ferentz mentioned to a query in regards to the protection. “It’s fairly apparent they’ve gifted gamers at each offensive place. These receivers are about nearly as good as you’re going to see wherever, most likely like Washington a yr in the past.”

How did the day go for Luke Lachey?

It started with hugs from his wave of Columbus-based members of the family because the Hawkeyes’ tight finish bought off the bus. Inside Ohio Stadium, Lachey bought to briefly chat along with his father, Ohio State broadcaster Jim Lachey, on the sidelines.

The “Lacheygate” was hopping exterior the stadium earlier Saturday morning, with mother Ann, brother James and sisters Paige, Emily and Ali past excited to see the youngest of 5 Lacheys play within the Horseshoe one last time. They felt like Luke was a lot much less nervous than the 2022 journey right here, which noticed him get one catch for six yards.

Lachey, as soon as once more, wasn’t a featured a part of Iowa’s offense out of the gate. It’s been stunning how little the Hawkeyes have focused him this yr regardless of the 6-foot-6, 247-pound senior being the definitive greatest receiver on the crew and a future NFL Draft decide. Lachey entered the sport with 12 catches for 97 yards in 4 video games.

On Saturday, he completed with a team-high 5 receptions for 39 yards. However there was one play that Lachey followers, particularly these in his household, can recognize. On a third-and-8 within the third quarter, with Iowa down 21-0, Lachey caught a bailout move within the flat. He was going to be tackled wanting the primary down, however a gritty second effort allowed him to lunge ahead for a 9-yard achieve.

One play later, Kaleb Johnson ran for 28 yards. Lachey then caught a move for 13 yards. Then McNamara was intercepted alongside the left sideline. A becoming method to halt constructive momentum for a really detrimental day for the Hawkeyes.

Afterward, Lachey assessed his return expertise.

“It was cool to be again and be a captain; stroll on the market and every part. It was a cool second,” Lachey mentioned. “However on the finish of the day, it’s nonetheless upsetting. Clearly as a crew we had been attempting to win a recreation.”

Some notable personnel updates from the day

Huge receiver Kaleb Brown, a former Buckeye, did not make the journey after struggling what Ferentz referred to as a “soft-tissue” harm on Wednesday.

Defensive finish Ethan Hurkett went out within the fourth quarter, however Ferentz indicated the senior could be OK.

Backup tight finish Addison Ostrenga wasn’t in a position to return and had his arm wrapped after the sport. Ferentz didn’t appear to suppose it was a extreme harm however did not supply particulars.

Moreover, Iowa notably introduced freshman cornerback Jaylen Watson on the journey crew and had him on the sphere as a second-team cornerback (together with John Nestor) late within the recreation. Jermari Harris and Deshaun Lee began at nook. TJ Corridor, who began Iowa’s first three video games, didn’t see motion at nook. Koen Entringer was the second-team money defender, with Xavier Nwankpa and Zach Lutmer at security.

Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has served for 30 years with The Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Sports activities Community. Chad is the 2023 INA Iowa Sports activities Columnist of the 12 months and NSMA Co-Sportswriter of the 12 months in Iowa. Be part of Chad’s text-message group (free for subscribers) at HawkCentral.com/HawkeyesTexts. Comply with @ChadLeistikow on X.