Game Notes: Outback Bowl

1: T.J. Hockenson was named the top tight end in the country and in the Big Ten. He was presented the John Mackey Award, presented to the nation’s top tight end on Dec. 6, and was named Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the year in the Big Ten Conference Nov. 28. Hockenson has a team-high 717 receiving yards on a team-high 46 receptions, both career highs. Hockenson also has a career-high six receiving touchdowns. He was named first team All-Big Ten by the conference media, second team All-Big Ten by conference coaches, and received the Ozzie Newsome Award, presented by the Touchdown Club of Columbus (Ohio).
 
2: Iowa has the top two kick returners in the Big Ten. Ihmir Smith-Marsette was named Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year in the Big Ten Conference. Smith-Marsette is tops in the Big Ten and ranks No. 3 in the country, averaging 29.3 yards on 19 returns. Kyle Groeneweg leads the Big Ten and ranks 23rd nationally, averaging 10.2 yards per punt return.
 
3: The Hawkeyes rank first in the Big Ten in scoring defense (17.4), second in rushing defense (102.8) and total defense (289.6), and fourth in passing defense (186.8). Iowa’s total defense and rush defense rank seventh in the country. Its rushing defense ranks eighth all-time in single-season school history.
 
4: The Hawkeyes rank second in the Big Ten with 34 sacks, their highest single-season total since recording 34 sacks in 2003. A.J. Epensesa and DE Anthony Nelson tie for the Big Ten lead with 9.5 sacks apiece. Those numbers tie for 13th in the country. The 9.5 sacks are the highest single-season total by any Hawkeye since DL Adrian Clayborn had 11.5 sacks in 2009. Epensesa was named first team All-Big Ten by league media, and second team All-Big Ten by league coaches. Nelson was named to the media’s second team, and the coaches third team.
 
5: Iowa has 18 interceptions in 2018, tied for most in the country (Boston College, Maryland). Amani Hooker has been named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive back of the Year. He is the fourth Hawkeye to earn the defensive back award, and the third in the past four seasons.  Micah Hyde (2012), Desmond King (2015), and Josh Jackson (2017) previously earned the defensive back honor.
 
6: QB Nate Stanley has 23 touchdown passes, third most in the Big Ten. The 23 touchdown passes are the sixth highest single-season total in school history. In 2017, Stanley threw 26 touchdown passes, one shy of tying Chuck Long (1985) for most in a single season in school history. Stanley’s 49 touchdown passes over the last two seasons tie for the most ever in school history over a two-year span. Long tossed 49 touchdown passes from 1984 (22) to 1985 (27).
 
7: Iowa averages 31.5 points per game, the ninth highest single-season total in school history, and its highest since averaging a school-record 37.2 points per game in 2002. Iowa averaged 42.8 points per game in five games away from Iowa City (3-2), and scored 40 points or more in all three of their road wins. 
 
8: Mekhi Sargent has rushed for 100-plus yards in each of his last two games. He rushed for a career-high 173 yards on a career-high 26 carries against Nebraska, and a then career-high 121 yards at Illinois. Sargent leads the team with 10 touchdowns.
 
9: Kirk Ferentz (151-101) became Iowa’s all-time winningest coach on Sept. 1, 2018. The Hawkeyes defeated Northern Illinois, 33-7. It was Ferentz’s 144th win as Iowa’s head coach, one more than his predecessor, Hayden Fry (143-89-6). Fry coached Iowa for 20 years (1979-98). Ferentz is in his 20^th season.
 
10: Kirk Ferentz’s 151 wins in all games coached as a member of the Big Ten Conference rank fifth in league history. He is one of five coaches to win at least 150 games as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The top five includes Woody Hayes (202), Amos Alonza Stagg (199), Bo Schembechler (194), Joe Paterno (162), and Ferentz (151).
 
    TROPHY GAMES
    Iowa was 3-1 in trophy games this season. The Hawkeyes defeated Iowa State, 13-3, to retain the Cy-Hawk trophy in Week 2, lost to No. 18 Wisconsin, 28-17, in a battle for the Heartland Trophy in Week 4, defeated Minnesota, 48-31, to retain Floyd of Rosedale in Week 5, and topped Nebraska, 31-28, to retain the Heroes Trophy.
Iowa is 13-3 in its last 16 trophy games, with all three losses coming to Wisconsin. 
 
    SENIOR CLASS
    Iowa’s senior class recorded 23 conference wins over the last four seasons, tied for the third most by any senior class under Ferentz. The senior class was 12-0 in rivalry games against Iowa State, Minnesota, and Nebraska. In its only meetings with Michigan and Ohio State, the senior class recorded a pair of top five wins (14-13 vs. #2 Michigan in 2016; 55-24 vs. #3 Ohio State in 2017).
    Iowa has won 36 games over the last four years, the fourth best four-year total in program history. Iowa won 38 games from 2002-05, 38 games from 2001-04, and 37 games from 1984-87.
 
     HAWKEYE HISTORY
     Iowa has played 1,245 games since beginning football in 1889. Iowa’s overall record is 649-557-39 (.537). That includes a 405-221-16 (.643) record in home games, a 244-336-23 (.424) record in games away from Iowa City, a 329-378-25 (.465) mark in Big Ten games and a 289-186-15 (.607) record in Kinnick Stadium.
 
     6 THROUGH THE AIR
     QB Nate Stanley has 23 touchdown passes, third most in the Big Ten. The 23 touchdown passes are the sixth highest single-season total in school history. In 2017, Stanley threw 26 touchdown passes, one shy of tying Chuck Long (1985) for most in a single season in school history.  
     Stanley has 49 career touchdowns passes, fourth all-time in program history. He trails Long (74), Drew Tate (61), and Ricky Stanzi (56) on the all-time list. Stanley’s 49 touchdown passes over the last two seasons tie for the most ever in school history over a two-year span. Long tossed 49 touchdown passes from 1984 (22) to 1985 (27).
     Stanley ranks ninth in career passing yards (5,137) and 10th in career total offense (5,044). He needs 169 yards of total offense to tie Jake Rudock for ninth all-time.  
     Stanley set a career high with six touchdown passes Week 6 at Indiana. He threw the six touchdowns to five different players, marking just the second time in program history five different Hawkeyes had a receiving touchdown in the same game. He also had 320 yards passing, the fourth 300-yard passing game of his career. His performance earned him Walter Camp National Player of the Week honors.
     Stanley had 14 touchdowns combined from Weeks 3-6. That touchdown total tied for the most ever over a four-game stretch in school history (Chuck Long threw 14 touchdowns over a four-game stretch in 1985). He has five multi-touchdown games this season, and 12 in his career.
 
     BEST IN THE BIG TEN
     DE A.J. Epensesa and DE Anthony Nelson tie for the Big Ten lead with 9.5 sacks apiece. Those numbers tie for 13th in the country. The 9.5 sacks are the highest single-season total by any Hawkeye since DL Adrian Clayborn had 11.5 sacks in 2009. Nelson recorded a career-best three sacks Week 5 at Minnesota. Epenesa has recorded at least one sack in eight of 12 games.
     Epensesa was named first team All-Big Ten by league media, and second team All-Big Ten by league coaches. Nelson was named to the media’s second team, and the coaches third team. Both players have scored a touchdown this season. Nelson recovered a fumble for a touchdown Week 7 against Maryland. Epenesa recovered his  own forced fumble and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown at Illinois.
     The Hawkeyes rank second in the Big Ten with 34 sacks, their highest single-season total since recording 34 sacks in 2003. The single-season record under Ferentz is 40 sacks in 2002. Eleven Hawkeyes have contributed to Iowa’s sack total. DE Parker Hesse has four, DE Chauncey Golston has 3.5, LB Kristian Welch has 1.5, and DB Amani Hooker, LB Amani Jones, DT Cedrick Lattimore, DT Brady Reiff, DT Matt Nelson, and LB Nick Niemann each have one.
    
    HOLD IT RIGHT THERE
    The Hawkeyes rank first in the Big Ten in scoring defense (17.4), second in rushing defense (102.8) and total defense (289.6), and fourth in passing defense (186.8). Iowa’s total defense and rush defense rank seventh in the country. Its rushing defense ranks eighth all-time in single-season school history.
    Iowa is 11th in the country in scoring defense. The Hawkeyes have held five opponents to a season-low in points (Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, Illinois), and have pitched two shutouts this year (Maryland, Illinois). Iowa has 11 shutouts in the Ferentz era.  
    In Week 7 against Maryland, the Hawkeyes held the Terps to 115 yards of total offense, the fewest ever allowed to a Big Ten opponent under Ferentz.
    Iowa allows 3.1 yards per carry, eighth in the country, and has allowed only seven rushing touchdowns, tied for sixth in the country.
    The Hawkeyes limited Iowa State to just 19 yards rushing in Week 2, and held Northern Iowa to six rushing yards in Week 3 – a total that ranks second all-time in the Ferentz era (20 years).
    Iowa has allowed 199 first downs, second fewest in the Big Ten and 10th in the country.
 
     RETURN TO SENDER
     WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette was named Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year in the Big Ten Conference. Smith-Marsette is tops in the Big ten and ranks No. 3 in the country, averaging 29.3 yards on 19 returns.
     The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten and rank fifth in the country averaging 26.8 yards per kickoff return. Iowa has returned 25 kickoffs this season. Kyle Groeneweg averages 27.0 yards on two returns. Devonte Young has two returns for 42 yards.
     Groeneweg leads the Big Ten and ranks 23rd nationally, averaging 10.2 yards per punt return. Groeneweg returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown against Illinois. It was the 22nd longest punt return in school history, and Iowa’s first punt return for a touchdown since 2016 (Riley McCarron, at Illinois). As a team, Iowa averages 11 yards per punt return, second in the Big Ten.  
 
     POCKET PROTECTION
     Senior center Keegan Render leads an offensive line that has allowed 13 quarterback sacks, fewest in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes start sophomores Alaric Jackson and Tristan Wirfs at tackle. Senior Ross Reynolds has started every game at left guard, and sophomore Cole Banwart and senior Dalton Ferguson have shared starts at right guard.
 
    TE T.J. HOCKENSON NAMED TIGHT END OF THE YEAR
    TE T.J. Hockenson has been named the top tight end in the country and in the Big Ten. He was presented the John Mackey Award, presented to the nation’s top tight end on Dec. 6, and was named Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the year in the Big Ten Conference Nov. 28. He isalso the recipient of the Ozzie Newsome Award, preented by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio.
    Hockenson has a team-high 717 receiving yards on a team-high 46 receptions, both career highs. Hockenson also has a career-high six receiving touchdowns. He was named first team All-Big Ten by the conference media, and second team All-Big Ten by conference coaches.
    Hockenson’s 717 receiving yards are the fourth-highest single-season total in school history by a tight end, and the most by a Hawkeye tight end in a single season since Dallas Clark caught 43 passes for 742 yards in 2002 (Clark won the John Mackey Award in 2002).  The last Hawkeye tight end to lead the team in receptions in a single season was Scott Chandler in 2005 (47). The last Hawkeye tight end to lead the team in single-season receiving yards was Alan Cross in 1992 (600). The single-season school record for receiving yards by a tight end is 803, set by Marv Cook in 1987.
    Hockenson added a rushing touchdown to his career stats at Minnesota, taking a direct snap on a fake field goal and rushing four yards for the score. His 15.6 yards per reception rank second on the team (Smith-Marsette, 17.5).  
 
POINTS ON THE BOARD, POINTS ON THE ROAD
Iowa averages 31.5 points per game, the ninth highest single-season total in school history, and its highest since averaging a school-record 37.2 points per game in 2002.
Iowa averaged 42.8 points per game in five road contests (3-2). The Hawkeyes scored 40 points or more in all three of their road wins.  
Iowa scored 63 points at Illinois in Week 11, the most by the Hawkeyes since scoring 63 points at Iowa State in 1997, and the most points against a Big Ten opponent since a 64-0 victory against Northwestern in 1981.
The Hawkeyes put up 48 points at Minnesota Week 5 and 42 points at Indiana Week 6. The 40-plus points scored at Minnesota and Indiana marked the first time in program history Iowa has scored 40 points or more in consecutive Big Ten road games in the same season.
Iowa scored 24 points at Penn State, though none came from an offensive set. The Hawkeyes recorded two safeties, kicked two field goals, returned one interception for a touchdown, and scored one touchdown via special teams (fake field goal).
Iowa scored 36 points in a 38-36 loss at Purdue. The 36 points scored were the most by Iowa in a loss since 2011 (44-41 at Iowa State, 3OT), and the most ever in a game that ended in regulation.
 
     RUNNING BACK BY COMMITTEE
     Iowa’s three primary running backs – Ivory Kelly-Martin, Mekhi Sargent, Toren Young – have combined for 377 carries, 1,719 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns (nine by Sargent, five by Young, and two by Kelly-Martin).
     The sophomore trio has shared the workload. Sargent has 40.3 percent of the carries (152-748), Young has 35.2 percent of the carries (133-630), and Kelly-Martin has 24.4 percent of the carries (92-341).
     Sargent has rushed for 100-plus yards in each of his last two games. He rushed for a career-high 173 yards on a career-high 26 carries against Nebraska. He added a rushing score (15) and touchdown reception (5). In Iowa’s 63-0 win at Illinois in Week 6, Sargent rushed for a then career-high 121 yards, becoming Iowa’s first 100-yard back since RB Akrum Wadley in Week 12 of 2017. Sargent had a pair of touchdowns against the Illini. He leads the team with 10 touchdowns.
     Iowa had a different running back rush for then career high in yards in Weeks 6-8. Sargent set a then-career best in carries (16) and yards (91) Week 8 at Penn State. Kelly-Martin rushed for a career-high 98 yards Week 7 against Maryland, and Young rushed for a career-best 96 yards Week 6 at Indiana.
     The Hawkeye do not have a junior or senior among the position group. Running backs coach Derrick Foster is in his first season on Iowa’s staff in charge of a position group that graduated 75 percent of its rushing yards in 2017, and entered 2018 with one combined career start (Young).
     Iowa graduated running backs Akrum Wadley (1,109 yards) and James Butler (396 yards) in 2017. The duo combined for 1,505 rushing yards in 2017.
 
     HOOKER NAMED BIG TEN DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR
     Junior Amani Hooker has been named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive back of the Year. He is the fourth Hawkeye to earn the defensive back award, and the third in the past four seasons.  Micah Hyde (2012), Desmond King (2015), and Josh Jackson (2017) previously earned the defensive back honor.
Hooker was named first-team All-Big Ten by coaches and media. He is second on the team with 59 tackles, leads the team with seven pass break-ups and is tied for the team lead with four interceptions (tied for second in the Big Ten). He also has 3.5 tackles for loss. As a team, Iowa is tied for the national lead with 18 interceptions after the Hawkeyes led the nation a year ago with 21. The Hawkeyes’ 39 interceptions are more than any other school the last two years. Alabama has 33 and Central Florida has 32.
 
     A STONE’S THROW AWAY
     The Hawkeyes have 18 interceptions in 2018, tied for most in the country (Boston College, Maryland). Iowa had two interceptions in the first four games of the season, but has 16 thefts since SS Geno Stone entered the starting lineup and Amani Hooker moved from safety to outside linebacker. Iowa led the nation with 21 interceptions in 2017. The Hawkeyes’ 39 interceptions are more than any other school the last two years. Alabama has 33 and Central Florida has 32.
     In their last eight games, Iowa has 16 interceptions (four at Minnesota, two at Indiana, one vs. Maryland, a pick-six at Penn State, two interceptions at Purdue, two vs. Northwestern, three at Illinois, one vs. Nebraska).
     Stone and Hooker share the team lead with four interceptions (tied for second in the Big Ten). Three of Stone’s four thefts have been in the fourth quarter. He intercepted Trace McSorley on the Penn State 24-yard line and returned it for a touchdown in Week 8. He intercepted Minnesota inside the five-yard line on Minnesota’s final play of the game, and had a fourth quarter interception against Indiana in the end zone. He has started at strong safety Weeks 5-12, his first career starts.
     Iowa has at least one interception return for a touchdown in each of the last 11 seasons, and 16 of the last 18 seasons.
    
     NEW FACES IN THE CROWD
     The 2018 season is the first in Kirk Ferentz’s 20 years that the Hawkeyes opened the season without a linebacker with a single career start. Iowa has used five different starting linebacker combinations this season.
SS Amani Hooker made his first career start at outside linebacker Week 5 at Minnesota, the first of his eight consecutive starts at the position. Hooker is the sixth Hawkeye to start at the linebacker position this season. The others include first-time starters LB Djimon Colbert, LB Jack Hockaday, LB Amani Jones, LB Nick Niemann, and LB Kristian Welch.
     The five linebackers (not including Hooker) entered the season with a combined 40 career tackles, 832 fewer career tackles than Iowa’s three starting linebackers in 2017 (Josey Jewell 437; Bo Bower, 234; Ben Niemann, 201).
     The last time Ferentz had this little starting experience at the linebacker position was in 2014. That year, Quinton Alston, Bo Bower, and Reggie Spearman were Iowa’s starting linebackers in the season opener. Only Alston had a previous career start (2012 at Michigan).
     In Ferentz’s first season in 1999, the opening day starting linebackers — LeVar Woods, Aaron Kampman, and Derrick Davison had two career starts combined. Both starts belonged to Kampman, who started the final two games in 1998.
 
     FERENTZ BECOMES IOWA’S ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACH, MOVES UP BIG TEN CHARTS
     Head coach Kirk Ferentz (151-101) became Iowa’s all-time winningest coach on Sept. 1, 2018. The Hawkeyes defeated Northern Illinois, 33-7. It was Ferentz’s 144th win as Iowa’s head coach, one more than his predecessor, Hayden Fry (143-89-6). Fry coached Iowa for 20 years (1979-98). Ferentz is in his 20^th season.
     Ferentz’s 151 wins in all games coached as a member of the Big Ten Conference rank fifth in league history. He is one of five coaches in Big Ten Conference history to win at least 150 games as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The top five includes Woody Hayes (202), Amos Alonza Stagg (199), Bo Schembechler (194), Joe Paterno (162), and Ferentz (151).
     Ferentz has 91 Big Ten wins as Iowa’s head coach. The 91 conference wins rank sixth among the conference’s all-time winningest coaches in Big Ten games.
     Both Ferentz (151, 91) and Fry (143, 96) rank in the top six in overall wins and Big Ten wins. Only Iowa and Michigan have two coaches ranked in the top 10 of both win categories (Bo Schembechler 194, 143; and Lloyd Carr 122, 81).
     Iowa is the only school in the country to have just two head football coaches since 1979.
 
     FERENTZ TOPS IN LONGEVITY
     Kirk Ferentz is in his 20th season as Iowa’s head football coach. He is the longest tenured active head coach in college football. Ferentz was named Iowa head coach on Dec. 2, 1998. Gary Patterson of TCU is No. 2 in coaching tenure. Patterson’s first year with the Horned Frogs was 2001. Among Big Ten coaches, only Pat Fitzgerald (2006) and Mark Dantonio (2007) have been at their current schools for 10 seasons or more. Iowa is the only school to have just two head football coaches since 1979.
     Defensive coordinator Phil Parker and strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle are also in their 20^th seasons on Iowa’s staff. Defensive line coach Reese Morgan joined the staff in 1999 and is in his 19th season. Quarterbacks coach Ken O’Keefe was on Ferentz’s original coaching staff before he left for the NFL following the 2011 season. He returned to Iowa in 2017 to coach Iowa’s quarterbacks.
     Ferentz is the only Division I coach to coach three sons. Brian Ferentz, a former Hawkeye letterman and captain (2003-05), is in his seventh season on Iowa’s coaching staff. James Ferentz was a three-year starter on the Hawkeye offensive line and a team captain before graduating in 2013. Steven was an offensive lineman and letterwinner in 2015 and 2016.