Thoughts on Michigan Game

Ok, I admit it, I was wrong. An inspired Iowa team went on the road to the largest outdoor sports venue in the United States and beat an athletic and talented Michigan team in a game in which Iowa fans re-lived the drama of last season during the fourth quarter. Despite being outgained on the offensive side of the ball, the Hawkeyes made plays when it mattered and now hold the key to their Big Ten destiny. Here are my thoughts.

Robinson. The number of times that Denard Robinson’s name was mentioned this week among the Iowa media and fans made it seem as though the event was an individual sporting event and not a team sport. Adam Robinson, however, clearly stole the show between the two Robinsons. Robinson finished with 143 yards on the ground on 31 carries and four receptions for 61 yards. The determination and grit that he runs with outweigh any breakaway speed that he may lack. Robinson’s uncanny ability to make guys miss and to gain those extra two to three yards has hopefully endeared him to Hawkeye fans and have convinced everyone that he can indeed be the sole running back for the remainder of the season. It is clear to me that through six games Robinson has been Iowa’s MVP. If he can stay healthy and keep up efforts like he had on Saturday, Iowa fans should be in for a treat for the remainder of the season.

Defense. Even though the numbers do not reflect a good performance, Iowa’s defense played a solid game. Michigan’s offensive style lends itself to racking up gaudy numbers, so I am not as concerned about the numbers that Michigan compiled. I am concerned, however, about what I perceived to be several fundamental breakdowns. This seemed to be the second consecutive game in which the Iowa defense tackled very poorly. Instead of breaking down, driving through the ball carrier and wrapping up, there seemed to be a lot of attempted arm tackles and bad angles. If I was able to notice those miscues, it is a pretty safe bet that the Iowa coaching staff will make a point of it this week in practice. Likewise, I thought the Iowa defense became a little complacent late in the third quarter and was not flying to the ball as well as they normally do. Either way, spread offenses like Michigan and Northwestern have always given the Iowa defense trouble, so the prospect of facing traditional style offenses in the next two week has to be appetizing for an Iowa defense that I believe will regain its confidence in a hurry.

Quiet Performers. Several players had quiet yet very productive games. Brad Rogers, who was filling in for the injured Brett Morse, looked very impressive and comfortable at fullback. Rogers not only had a great catch out of the backfield but he also made several outstanding kick-out blocks on Robinson runs that resulted in long gains. The Iowa offensive line also had a solid effort on Saturday paving the way for Robinson and giving Stanzi time to throw the ball downfield. While this unit has plenty of room for improvement, they have come together nicely and will be needed in the second and third legs of this three game gauntlet.
Key Kick. All year long people have been wondering how the Iowa kickers would perform in big situations. On Saturday Michael Meyer eased those concerns and gained some confidence when he nailed a 30 yard field goal at a critical point in the fourth quarter to give Iowa a ten point lead. The fact that he made the kick on the road in such a hostile environment tells me that Meyer may have the mental ability that it takes to be a kicker. Hopefully that confidence will help him at home in the next two weeks when he will undoubtedly be called upon in key situations.

A win at Michigan Stadium is a momentous win in any year regardless of how down the Michigan football program may be at the present. Iowa’s win on Saturday marked only the seventh time in the program’s history in which they have won in Ann Arbor. As several writers pointed out on Saturday evening and Sunday, the road to the Big Ten championship runs through Iowa City as Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Ohio State all visit Kinnick Stadium. Wisconsin will come into Kinnick Stadium next Saturday riding the emotional high of defeating the number one ranked team in the country. Michigan State could come into Kinnick Stadium in two weeks ranked in the top five in the country. Given that the Iowa defense thrives playing against traditional style offenses, I think the Hawkeyes will be in a good position to walk away with two wins. One way or another, we will know if Iowa is in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten conference race.