Playing a Pairing Game

Nov. 4, 2004

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The Iowa football team will have its work cut out for it on Saturday when the Hawkeyes host Purdue at 2:30 p.m. inside historic Kinnick Stadium. But the hardest part of the decisive Big Ten matchup may very well be something that no one can control: height.

With up to eight possible receivers over 6-feet tall and a pass offense that ranks fifth in the nation, Purdue will try to play the pairing game on Saturday, according to Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz.

“They just do a good job getting matchups in the passing game,” Ferentz said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “I think that’s one thing they’ve been pretty adept at for a long time.”

Iowa’s two cornerbacks are Antwan Allen at 5-feet, 10-inches and Jovon Johnson at 5-9. On defense, only Iowa’s linebackers and linemen are more than 6-feet tall.

A problem? Maybe.

According to Ferentz, jamming the receivers at the line of scrimmage and breaking up the timing of the plays will become the centerpiece of the Iowa defensive strike.

“That’s got to be part of the strategy,” the coach said. “There are few teams that throw the ball and catch it the way that they do and timing certainly is important for a throwing offense.”

Added pressure will also be put on the linebackers, according to junior Chad Greenway.

“I think it’s going to be the linebackers against the receivers,” he said. “I think they’re going to bring the receivers in against us, and hopefully we’re prepared and good enough to defend them.

“I’m not sure what we’re going to do, but I have a feeling that we’re going to try to beat them with our game at our house. It’s the best option we have.”

Purdue’s best option will be senior wide receiver Taylor Stubblefield. The 6-1 Yakima, WA.-native has logged 43 catches for 647 yards, including a 97-yarder, this season alone. He’s averaged nearly 81 yards a game.

“Stubblefield is one of those guys that have gotten it done,” Ferentz said. “Stubblefield obviously knows how to play the game.”

Stubblefield is not like Michigan’s Braylon Edwards, though, according to Greenway.

“He’s not big, he’s not overpowering, but he can find the open spots,” the linebacker said. “He’s great at studying the defense, and he can find the holes when he gets there.

“We have to put in extra time. We need to stop their vertical passing routes and their vertical passing game. We can’t let Stubblefield get started.”

For Matt Roth, the defensive end, stopping Stubblefield starts with stopping whoever is behind Purdue’s center Matt Turner.

“Hopefully we can get after him, make him frustrated so he throws interceptions, and we can get some sacks,” said Roth, who’s the Big Ten’s second-leading sacker with six solos. “We’ve been getting the quarterback, and if we haven’t been getting the sack, we’ve been putting pressure on and that’s helped out the DBs. But this is going to be a big week for them.”

Senior free safety Sean Considine, at an even 6-0, agrees with his teammate.

“I think (Purdue) presents some problems we don’t see a lot during the year, so we have to make a lot of adjustments in our defense,” Considine said. “I don’t know what the coaches have in store this year. There’s a lot of a timing aspect with it, but they have a lot of good receivers that can get open and that presents a lot of problems for us as a secondary. I’m sure the coaches will be getting after the quarterback as soon as possible.”

Who that quarterback may be is another question entirely. Purdue coach Joe Tiller has put off saying that Kyle Orton will start, but Roth doesn’t believe the rumor mill indicating that Orton is too injured to play.

“I’ve heard that he has something wrong with him, but he’ll be ready to rock and so will we,” he said.

INJURY SITUATION GOING INTO SATURDAY
Champ Davis had surgery Thursday to repair his anterior cruciate ligament, after the fullback injured it last week against Illinois. Aaron Mickens, who was also injured against the Illini, will be out this Saturday “to play it safe,” according to Coach Ferentz.

Marques Simmons and Mike Klinkenborg are also out with similar ankle injuries. Says Ferentz: “{Their return} is looking pretty foggy the rest of the way. We’ll have to see how that plays out.”

For Purdue, on the other hand, star quarterback Kyle Orton may be sitting out, leaving Brandon Kirsch at the helm, the Associate Press reported Thursday. Orton apparently injured his left hip in a 13-10 loss at Northwestern last week.

“I don’t know his medical status, but if there’s any way he can play, he will play,” Ferentz said. “It’s like the last two weeks where we’re not too sure what will happen, but we’ll expect Kyle.”

CAPTAINS
Jonathan Babineaux, Matt Roth, Abdul Hodge and Ed Hinkel will lead the swarm on Saturday afternoon. Former head trainer Ed Crowley, a Purdue alumnus turned Hawkeye athletic trainer, will be the honorary captain. Crowley served 31 years with Iowa football.

TRANSPORT
The Hawkeye Express “train to the game” will have its first call at 11:30 p.m. in anticipation for the 2:30 start time. After the game, the train will start taking people back to the car park located by the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville starting after the third quarter and running 90 minutes after the game.

Barry Pump, hawkeyesports.com