Ohio State is set to make its first trip to Kinnick Stadium since 2010 – and play its first game that counts there since 2006, according to the NCAA record books – when the Buckeyes play Iowa in Iowa City on Saturday.
After beating Penn State last weekend, the Buckeyes have won six straight games and moved themselves into position to win the Big Ten East and compete for both a conference championship and a College Football Playoff berth. To keep themselves rolling toward those goals, however, Ohio State will need to win again this weekend against a team that has developed a reputation for playing tough at home.
What makes the Hawkeyes tough to beat at Kinnick Stadium, and how much can they challenge the No. 6 Buckeyes? Marc Morehouse, who has covered Iowa football for The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette since 1998, helps us answer those questions in this week’s edition of Across the Field.
Q: Marc, Ohio State last played Iowa in 2013. The Hawkeyes have been known for their stability under head coach Kirk Ferentz, but are there any significant ways in which his program has changed or evolved since then?
Morehouse: For one, the Hawkeyes have a new offensive coordinator. Brian Ferentz, Kirk’s son and a former Iowa offensive lineman, took over when Greg Davis retired in January.
Has the offense changed? Not a lot. The Hawkeyes have started using a split backs package. At the beginning of the year, running back Akrum Wadley lined up in the slot a little, with senior James Butler in the running back spot.
Iowa has leaned into the tight end position, which is more like Iowa was before Davis. The strides the Hawkeyes have made in the passing game are absolutely commendable. It was a belly-up goldfish last year, producing the worst passing output since 1982. This staff has done just about everything right with first-year starting quarterback Nate Stanley.
Q: Iowa nearly beat a then-undefeated Penn State team at home this year and beat a then-undefeated Michigan team at home last year. Is there a common trait in Ferentz's teams that make them so tough to beat in Kinnick Stadium?
Morehouse: Home or road, Iowa’s defense is tough to score on. It’s a bend-but-don’t-break deal, and it’s tough to break them. And, I don’t know, I think in Kinnick they develop this ant strength.
I really can’t explain this Kinnick thing, especially this year. Iowa hasn’t sold out a game. The home schedule has Penn State and the Buckeyes. No sellouts. That’s some kind of erosion or statement on ticket prices and/or conservative football.
Scoring defense, though, has been the common theme in those games. I made a huge deal out of Iowa allowing 599 yards vs. PSU in a 41-14 defeat at State College last year. I celebrated the fact that Iowa was much better vs. Penn State this year, losing 21-19. But you know what? The Hawkeyes still gave up 579 yards.
I think Kinnick got Harbaugh. For whatever reason, I think he knew that game was going to be a struggle. I’m sure Urban has sounded the alarms (and I’m sure they’ve been sounding since Oklahoma).
Q: What are the strengths and weaknesses of this year's Hawkeyes?
Morehouse: The offense has a first-year offensive coordinator, a first-year quarterback, a completely rebuilt wide receiver corps and first-year tight ends who’ve been a mild surprise.
But ... Iowa’s offensive line won the Joe Moore Award last season. It was a good rushing offense in November. That element controlled games. Iowa had basically all five offensive linemen returning. In Week 2, senior three-year starting offensive tackle Ike Boettger was lost for the season with an Achilles injury. In camp, senior three-year starting offensive tackle Boone Myers suffered an ankle injury. He wasn’t right all season and he was finally shut down a few weeks ago and had surgery last week. In for the two senior three-year starters are redshirt freshman Alaric Jackson and true freshman Tristan Wirfs. So, the rushing offense the first-year everyone thought would be there hasn’t.
Defensively, Iowa has had six different combos of defensive backs start this season. That seems settled now (cornerback Josh Jackson is good at football playing). This is the first year Iowa has gone full bore in line changes for the defensive linemen. As many as nine play in games, and that’s been a huge boost performance-wise. Iowa isn’t a fast defense. It doesn’t attack. It’s more read and react. It will be vulnerable to speed from the first tick to the last, but it knows this and has that sewn into the scheme (which is really more of a 4-2-5).
Q: Who are some potentially overlooked players that Ohio State and its fans should be aware of entering this game?
Morehouse: Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette was a recruit Iowa and Minnesota went all “Sopranos” over. Iowa got him and he’s been a badly needed addition of speed, confidence and playmaking in the receiver corps. He had two touchdowns in the 44-41 OT win over Iowa State. He had a bad drop that led to a pick last week. It’s a ride worth taking for the Hawkeyes.
Tight end T.J. Hockenson is from the middle of Iowa. He played for an offense in high school that split out his 6-foot-4, 245-pound frame. He never blocked before coming to Iowa. He’s been fantastic. Fellow tight end Noah Fant, a true sophomore, is a big TE who can playing like a fast wide receiver. These guys have been weapons. If Iowa throws punches on Saturday, it’ll route through one of these guys.
Ihmir Smith-Marsette gives the Iowa offense a big-play threat at wide receiver. Jeffrey Becker – USA TODAY Sports
Defensive end Anthony Nelson is 6-7, 260. His arms stretch the length of a continental railroad. He’s tough to block. You’ve probably heard of him. He’s among the Big Ten leaders with six sacks. He’s had many, many more quarterback hurries and hits. He gets there.
The hits for the 6-foot-ish defensive linemen seem to be slowing for everyone. I love those guys because they shouldn’t be there and yet through sheer cussedness, there they are. Senior defensive tackle Nathan Bazata is one of those guys. He’s barely 6-foot, if even. (Another example is Minnesota DT Steven Richardson, who might be 5-10 tall and 5-10 wide.) The defensive tackle rotation has kept him fresh and he’s playing his best football right now. The guy never turns his back on a double team.
Q: For Ohio State fans who might be making the trip for this game, what kind of environment should they expect in Iowa City? Any activities, restaurants, etc. you recommend?
Morehouse: I’m Cedar Rapids-based, but I love 30 Hop in Coralville (basically Iowa City’s burb). Also, you’re going to want to try Big Grove Brewery. That is in Iowa City and I’ve not heard a bad word about it from anyone. They started in Solon (kind of an IC burb, but too far to be a burb). I’ve been to that place many times. Food is outstanding. Beer is good, too. I’ve heard the IC space is really cool.
Despite the movie “Jesus’ Son,” Iowa City isn’t a huge dive bar place, but Joe’s down on the Ped Mall works for that.
Q: How competitive do you expect this game to be, and what must the Hawkeyes do to have a chance to win?
Morehouse: Iowa’s defense has to hold on. I know that’s a huge techy football term ... That’s really it. Instead of sevens, Iowa needs to keep the Buckeyes at threes as much as humanly possible. It’s capable, but this will be the best offense Iowa has faced this year, and Iowa has faced Saquon Barkley.
Offensively, with the running game unplugged and Ohio State once again leading the nation in Bosa, Stanley is going to eat shoulder pads if Iowa doesn’t come out with a quick passing game and a quick-hitting rush game. He’s a big kid (6-5, 230) and he’s already become one of, if not Iowa’s best, offensive weapon. This week, he’s getting thrown to the Bosas. That’s a whole new level.
