Thoughts on Ball State Game

As I mentioned in my post prior to the game, I thought Ball State was exactly the type of opponent that Iowa needed coming off of the loss at Arizona. The result of the game also ended up being exactly what Iowa needed. Here are my thoughts.


Beast Mode. His teammates evidently nicknamed him the “Beast” for his constant motor and hard-nosed play, but Mike Daniels played like a possessed human on Saturday. Daniels ended the day with six tackles, one sack, and four tackles for losses. To think that Iowa only had to beat out Villanova during his recruitment illustrates yet again the Iowa coaching staff’s keen eye for talent. Granted, Ball State’s offensive line did not present much of a challenge, but if Daniels can continue that type of play for the rest of the year it will force teams to perhaps double team him, which will open up things for Adrian Clayborn and others. I have to continue to remind myself to enjoy every minute of this year’s defensive line play, as units as solid as this group do not come around at Iowa very often.

Running Game. Adam Robinson, Brad Rogers, and Marcus Coker all looked more than serviceable running the ball for a combined 260 yards and two touchdowns. While I would be surprised to see any runs longer than thirty yards for the remainder of the year, if this stable of running backs can run the ball effectively enough to establish the play action pass, the Iowa running game will not miss a beat. The accompanying offensive line play was also impressive on Saturday as there were clear running lanes open all day long. This unit has continued to improve each game and, if they continue on the standard course of improvement of Kirk Ferentz-coached offensive lines, could turn out to be a pleasant surprise given the concern about this group heading into the season.

Kicking Woes. While Mike Meyer had two touchbacks and the kickoff coverage improved, the 37 yard miss in the second quarter must have given the Iowa coaching staff some mild heartburn. As conference play begins and the competition increases, Iowa will undoubtedly be forced to convert its field goal attempts in order to win close games. For the time being, it would appear as though Meyer will be the guy called upon to attempt field goals against Penn State, I would not be surprised to see Trent Mossbrucker also have an opportunity on Saturday, as Kirk Ferentz may not be done with the placekicking audition quite yet.

Throwback Uniforms. As a fan of history and nostalgia, count me as one Iowa fan who particularly enjoyed the uniforms that Iowa wore on Saturday. Several Iowa beat writers commented that if Iowa had continued wearing those same uniforms, Iowa would be talked about in the same breath as Alabama, Penn State, and Michigan for classic uniforms. Unfortunately for Iowa fans, because the Hawkeyes have done throwbacks from the other two best eras of Iowa football, there are probably no other worthy throwbacks in Iowa’s history, well other than the banana peel uniforms from the mid 1990s.

Despite the non-conference loss to Arizona, Iowa has regained the role of the underdog, a role that Iowa players, coaches, and fans seem to relish. While merely a shadow of last year’s 10-2 team, Penn State is still a quality opponent and will present a strong challenge for the Hawkeyes on homecoming weekend. This game will again act as a great litmus test for this team as it heads towards a much needed bye week.