22Nov 2013
USA Today college football countdown: #70 Iowa
Paul Myerberg takes a look at the Iowa Hawkeyes for the upcoming season.
Hit the jump if you like cheerleaders.
Rush Offense vs. Iowa Rush Defense
Michigan’s rushing offense has dropped off as Denard Robinson has missed the last 2.5 games due to injury; now the Wolverines are #35 in rushing with 194 yards/game after rushing 32 times for 133 yards against Northwestern last week. Running back Fitzgerald Toussaint has had two of his most productive games the last couple weeks with 70 and 92 yards, respectively, along with a 28-yard TD reception against the Wildcats. Iowa, meanwhile, has the #60 rushing defense and gives up 155 yards/game. Last week the Hawkeyes gave up 211 yards on 44 carries to Purdue. Defensive end Joe Gaglione (9) and linebacker James Morris (7) lead the team in tackles for loss; linebacker Anthony Hitchens is a tackling machine with 114 total. (By comparison, Michigan’s leading tackler is Desmond Morgan with 69.) Michigan seems to be improving slightly at running the ball, but Iowa always seems to defend the run well; I also don’t expect Robinson to play on Saturday, so that’s a huge negative for Michigan’s hopes of running the ball.
Advantage: Iowa
Pass Offense vs. Iowa Pass Defense
The Wolverines have improved at passing the ball over the last couple weeks, as backup quarterback Devin Gardner has thrown for 234 and 286 yards, respectively. Wide receiver Roy Roundtree, in particular, has stepped it up with 7 receptions for 203 yards. Even so, Michigan is just tied for #98 nationally with 189 yards/game through the air. Iowa stands at #50 and gives up 226 yards/game and is #59 in pass efficiency defense, so they’re perfectly mediocre. They have just 11 sacks to rank #111 nationally, with the leading sacker being Gaglione. The Hawkeyes have 9 interceptions, none of which have come from their supposed best cornerback, Micah Hyde. Typically, they play a Cover Two defense, so Gardner’s ability to throw corner routes and hit short timing passes will be critical, but Iowa is a scary team to play for an inexperienced quarterback.
Advantage: Iowa
Rush Defense vs. Iowa Rush Offense
The Wolverines are #59 in rush defense, but they hold up fairly well against straight-ahead, power running teams like Iowa. Teams that give Michigan trouble are option teams like Air Force and Northwestern, but Iowa doesn’t have the athleticism at quarterback or overall speed to give the Wolverines issues on the edge. Leading rusher Mark Weisman has missed the past two games, and Damon Bullock has run 48 times for just 144 yards (3.0 yards/carry) against Indiana and Purdue in those weeks. Overall, Iowa is #98 in the country with just 124 yards/game rushing. Iowa typically has a road grader or two on the offensive line, but that position group is weak and injured this season. Weakside linebacker Desmond Morgan and middle linebacker Kenny Demens have been making more plays since defensive tackles Quinton Washington and Will Campbell have stepped up their games.
Advantage: Michigan
Pass Defense vs. Iowa Pass Offense
Michigan has the #1 pass defense in the country and the #21 pass efficiency defense in the country, so they do well numbers-wise, though they haven’t played many good passing attacks. Meanwhile, Iowa throws for 198 yards/game, good enough for #94 in the nation. Receivers Keenan Davis and Kevonte Martin-Manley have eerily similar numbers (46 receptions, 560 yards for the former; 47 receptions, 545 yards for the latter), but they have combined for just three touchdowns. Tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz has 31 receptions but only averages about 9.0 yards/catch. Michigan really struggles to get to the quarterback and ranks #100 in the country with just 1.3 sacks/game. Leading sacker Craig Roh has 4 total sacks, and linebacker Jake Ryan has 3.5 takedowns. The Wolverines don’t have any great coverage defensive backs, but they play fairly well together and the linebackers do a solid job in coverage. Michigan is vulnerable deep, but they’ve been lucky because their opponents haven’t been able to hit those deep passes.
Advantage: Michigan
Roster Notes
Predictions
A Look Back . . .