Nov. 3, 2013
Sunday Conversation With Coach Ferentz
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Some of the best news University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz received Sunday was from the team’s medical staff.
Calling the update “better than anticipated,” Ferentz said all three Hawkeyes who left and did not return from Saturday’s game against Wisconsin are expected to be 100 percent when practice resumes Tuesday. The three players — all on the offensive side of the ball — are starting right guard Jordan Walsh, starting running back Mark Weisman, and starting quarterback Jake Rudock.
“I was a little concerned yesterday when we had three players come out of the game that were significant enough to keep them out,” Ferentz said Sunday during an exclusive interview with hawkeyesports.com. “Jake could have gone back in late in the fourth quarter, but it didn’t seem like a wise thing to do. Good news is, it looks like everyone is doing well — better than we anticipated — and it looks like everybody should be full speed by Tuesday.”
Ferentz said it is imperative that the Hawkeyes (5-4 overall, 2-3 Big Ten Conference) have a good week of practice as they prepare for a road trip to Purdue (1-7, 0-4).
“We’re going to have to get back up off the mat and put a good plan together,” Ferentz said. “Most importantly, we need to have a good week of practice and be ready to compete at our highest level Saturday.”
This is the second straight week where the Hawkeye staff will prepare for a first-time Big Ten head coach. From 2005-10, Purdue head coach Darell Hazell was an assistant at Ohio State.
“The biggest news with their offense is they went to a true freshman quarterback (Danny Etling),” Ferentz said. “He is a good player, we tried to recruit him. He is talented and a good thrower.”
Iowa is attempting to rebound from a 28-9 home loss to Wisconsin on Nov. 2. The Hawkeyes led 6-0 and trailed 14-9 with 6 ½ minutes left in the game.
“That’s why they play 60 (minutes) — it’s not over until the entire game is played,” Ferentz said. “For 52 minutes it was a tough, competitive game, both defenses were playing well. Up until that point the story was us not capitalizing in the red zone. Our lack of being able to score touchdowns in the red zone hurt us…in the second half, two turnovers — both at the wrong end of the field — set up two of their scores; that was the biggest part of the story.”