RoWINg to Iowa – Opponent Preview
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The Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-2) return to action this week for a Homecoming matchup with the No. 15-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes (5-1) in the latest battle for the Floyd of Rosedale on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Can they score on offense?
The big news out of Iowa City this week was head coach Kirk Ferentz confirming on Monday that third-year quarterback and former Wake Forest transfer Jeremy Hecklinski will make his second start of the season on Saturday, even though previous starter Hank Brown is now healthy and cleared to play.
Brown injured his shoulder in the Hawkeyes’ 31-14 loss to Ohio State, setting up Hecklinski to start in his place against Washington the following week. His performance turned a lot of heads — 14-of-19 for 202 passing yards and three touchdowns — and clearly created a quarterback controversy for Ferentz and co.
I don’t want to take anything away from Hecklinski, but one of the keys to his success through the air against the Huskies was his offensive line and fourth-year running back Kamari Moulton. The Hawkeyes manhandled Washington up front, opening up running lanes for Moulton that allowed him to roll up 208 rushing yards on only 26 carries for an average of 8 yards per carry. As a result, the play-action pass proved deadly. Hecklinski was able to play pitch-and-catch with wide open pass catchers against a Huskies defense that put entirely too much emphasis on stopping the run, leaving their secondary vulnerable to explosive plays.
Playmakers at wide receiver have always been in short supply in Iowa City, but Iowa does have a couple this year, starting with University of Texas Rio Grande Valley transfer Tony Diaz and third-year wide receiver Reece Vander Zee. Diaz is a home run threat who can create separation with his route running, and Vander Zee is a sure-handed pass catcher who can make difficult catches in traffic. It also wouldn’t be an Iowa offense without a dynamic, pass-catching tight end, and D.J. Vonnahme fills that role well.
Please tell me the Gophers will be able to score
The Hawkeyes rank 7th nationally in run defense (84.7 rushing yards allowed per game), 68th in pass defense (208.7 passing yards allowed per game), and 8th in scoring defense (14.5 points allowed per game).
If you’re at all familiar with Iowa and their track record under defensive coordinator Phil Parker, that number that should jump out to you is the 68th-ranked pass defense. This is not the ball-hawking secondary of years past. Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey needs to look out for All-American safety Zach Lutmer and fifth-year cornerback Deshaun Lee, but there should be room to operate, assuming of course that the Gophers can gain some traction on the ground and keep their offense out of obvious passing downs.
The Hawkeyes are averaging at least three sacks per game, and the pressure can come from anywhere on the defense. Ten different players have each recorded at least one sack, led by third-year defensive end Joseph Anderson with three. Buffington leads the team with three quarterback hurries.
Finding running room against this Hawkeye defense will be easier said than done. Linebackers and leading tacklers Cam Buffington and Jayden Montgomery will be doing everything in their power to fill gaps at the line of scrimmage and stop running backs Darius Taylor and T.J. Thomas in their tracks.
To win this game, the Gophers need to do what they were unable to do in last year’s blowout loss: Run the ball, avoid turning the ball over, and play complementary football. The defense has to show up in the first quarter, otherwise the Minnesota offense will be on their heels early and that never works out well.
But who will score more points on Saturday?
Coming off a bye week during which the Gophers had plenty of time to stew over their putrid performance against Purdue, I do expect the Minnesota team we see on Saturday to more closely resemble the one we saw against Washington and Michigan. But as we all know, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz has had P.J. Fleck’s number since he arrived in the Twin Cities. When the Gophers have been able to go toe to toe with the Hawkeyes (even in losses), it has been because Minnesota was able to hold their own at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. I’m dubious about the Gophers’ chances of being able to do that this year. Ultimately, I think Minnesota keeps it close early before Iowa pulls away in the second half. Iowa 31, Minnesota 17.
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