Wine: True Grit

Sept. 17, 2006

• Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series
• Iowa-Iowa State: The Photo Gallery
• Order your Gold Bowl I , Blackout Saturday II t-shirts
• Order the “Video Season Ticket”
• The Schedule: 2006 and beyond
• Cruise with Kirk

They weren’t always pretty, and they sometimes twisted our guts, but the three non-conference games on Iowa’s September football schedule are over.

And the Hawkeyes have a perfect 3-0 record.

Tell the truth now. Were there times in the past two weeks when you thought — sometimes in the first quarter — Iowa was going to lose?

Like when Syracuse scored on its first possession, or when Iowa State scored on its first possession.

Or when Iowa’s defense had its back to the wall in the second overtime at Syracuse. Or when Iowa State led 14-3 late in the second quarter.

But the Hawkeyes showed true grit, determination and perseverance and came from behind to win both of those games.

It’s true that Montana, Syracuse and Iowa State are not the Murderer’s Row of college football. But they’re not pushovers either, which is why the outcome hung in the balance late in each of the last two games.

Syracuse and Iowa State both gave Iowa their best shots, and the Hawkeyes were strong enough to absorb both.

Let’s admit it, the Cyclones have had Iowa’s number in recent seasons, particularly if you define “recent season” as eight or nine or 10 seasons (and, by the way – because it seems to be a lost fact among many in the media – Iowa has bested Iowa State in three of the last four meetings between the intrastate rivals). Old friend Coach Dan McCarney, who played and coached for the Hawkeyes, has given his alma mater fits even in defeat. He pulled a big upset in Hayden Fry’s final season at Iowa, and has been a pain ever since. Give Dan credit, he has made this traditional in-state series a genuine rivalry.

Here’s something to ponder. Kirk Ferentz is 5-1 against Joe Paterno and 3-5 against McCarney. Which of those coaches is a lock for the Hall of Fame?

Kirk’s team pulled out a much-needed, hard-fought victory over the Cyclones last Saturday, overcoming a 14-3 deficit and outscoring them 24-3 the rest of the way. But the victory wasn’t cinched until Kyle Schlicher’s 44-yard field goal bounced off the left upright and through the goal posts with 46 seconds remaining.

The final score was 27-17 and the 10-point margin may be deceiving, but the important thing is that Iowa stayed undefeated in a month that has had lots of pitfalls in recent years.

In fact, this is only the second time in eight Septembers under Ferentz that Iowa has run the table against non-conference opponents. The other was the 2003 season.

And the fact that the Hawkeyes have won two close games is a good omen. They lost three games by narrow margins last season.

As Iowa cranks up the intensity to open the Big Ten season Saturday at Illinois, here are some early-season observations:

– Two years ago the Hawkeyes were dangerously short of running backs. This season they are thin at wide receiver. Given their lack of experience, sophomore Andy Brodell and freshman Dominique Douglas have played very well. Along with Herb Grigsby, they give Iowa three good wideouts. But there is little depth behind them.

– Brodell has also done an admirable job of fielding punts. His 31-yard return against Iowa State sparked the touchdown drive that put Iowa ahead 24-17. For the season he’s averaging 12.1 yards on 10 returns and, with the exception of Jovon Johnson’s 90-yard “punt return” for touchdown last year against Ball State, Brodell’s 31-yarder against the Cyclones is 13 yards better than any return by any Hawkeye a year ago.

– Are NCAA rules aimed at shortening games working? For Iowa, they have eliminated eight plays per game. Last year, Hawkeye games averaged 146 plays. In three games this season, the average is 138. Here’s a suggestion to shorten contests: Go back to one-minute timeouts (remember them?) instead of the three minutes required for televised games. Another consideration: Shorten halftime from 20 minutes to 15.

– Iowa’s defense has given up only four touchdowns, but two have been on first possessions. Dan Gable used to slap his wrestlers around before matches to put them in a nasty mood. Should Dan visit the Iowa locker room before each game?

– Asked if he planned to lease a billboard proclaiming “Iowa is the Hawkeye State!” Hawkeye Athletic Director Gary Barta said, “No, everyone already knows that.”

– Two weeks ago Iowa won at Syracuse, which last Saturday won at Illinois, which is Iowa’s opponent this week. That chain of events will make the Hawkeyes a double-digit favorite for the fourth straight week. But the odds will change the following Saturday when Ohio State visits Kinnick Stadium.