Tuesdays with Torbee

Reporting from the sideline following a half in which the Iowa Hawkeyes managed a miniscule 0 points, 30 total yards and went 0 for 5 on third down, NBC field reporter Kathryn Tappen said when she asked Kirk Ferentz what needed to change in the second half, he said “we’re just going to keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

Indeed.

If anything illustrates the frustration many Iowa fans have with the approach of late-stage Kirk Ferentz, it’s exactly this type of tone-deaf response.

Of course what the coach meant was the plays called and the game plan were sound – it was execution that was lacking. And while accurate, his the seeming lack of urgency and concern in the response is what annoys fans.

A Big 10 road game at night against an equivalently talented team fresh off a bye week is never a gimme, so it isn’t a huge surprise the Michigan State Spartans were able to frustrate and befuddle the Hawkeyes on their way to a 32-20 victory.

The manner of the win, however, is quite concerning.

While the offense sputtered severely in the first half, new offensive coordinator Tim Lester clearly figured some things out at halftime, as Iowa was able to march downfield in its first third quarter possession, cashing in a touchdown and  cutting the Spartan lead down to 12-7. Cade McNamara hit a few passes, the Big 10’s leading rusher found some wiggle room and it looked like fans were in for a back-and-forth battle.

The Iowa defense – uncharacteristically toothless – had zero answers and little-to-no fight, however.

I can’t recall Hawkeye defenders whiffing on so many tackles, blowing coverage’s, getting dragged for extra yardage and generally looking like weaklings since the early 2000s. Forcing zero punts in the entire game was the stinky cherry on top of a crap sundae.

Bottom line, you can’t win football games if you can’t tackle.

Much credit must be given to Michigan State, particularly sophomore quarterback Aiden Chiles. After nearly being intercepted in the first half, he settled in and made play after play. Iowa could neither harass him in the pocket nor prevent him from gaining yards with his feet.

MSU coach Jonathan Smith had a great game plan on both sides of the ball. He smartly decided to smother the run, forcing Cade McNamara to beat him with his arm, which is not a strength. On offense, he picked on the banged-up Iowa secondary, regularly getting chunk plays thanks to porous and confused coverage.

It is particularly galling as an Iowa fan to see the Hawks get beaten by sound defense, stellar special teams and a punishing run game. Iowa is the team that is supposed to surpass 200 yards on the ground and possess the ball for 40 minutes, not the other way around.

Also frustrating is the fact the 2024 offense, despite being quite mediocre, is still a fair amount better than last season’s inept version. Johnson did break off a 75-yard touchdown run (anyone else a little miffed he got a mere 14 carries, despite Iowa never trailing by multiple touchdowns?) and McNamara, other than one horrendous, comeback-killing interception, did a fairly adequate job of game management.

I was one of many that thought if the offense could just approach serviceable, killer defense and special teams could lead the Hawkeyes to a special season.

It’s clear now this will be a relatively ho-hum, decent season – not a special one. Looking at the schedule, 8-4 now feels like a likely outcome, with a middling bowl game few will pay attention to in the first year of the expanded playoff.

As always following a loss, there are a loud few clamoring for coach firings and mass changes. It’s silly, but expected from a fanbase that has been yearning to see its team go from good-to-great. Reality in 2024, however, indicates a settling back from good to slightly above average.

Until Iowa somehow, someway finds a quarterback that can make dynamic plays and put a game on his shoulders, it likely will remain a mid-level Big 10 team. It still feels like the offense has turned a corner of sorts from a scheme and strategy standpoint. It will not flourish, however, until higher level playmakers emerge.

I am very curious to see how the Hawkeye defense responds after one of its worst showings in a decade. Phil Parker has certainly earned our trust, and I expect the bad tackling and sloppy coverage to improve as we enter the latter stages of the season. Again, however, one must be concerned about the overall talent level of Iowa’s players. The Hawks looked a step slower than the Michigan State skill players all night Saturday, something we are not accustomed to enduring.

This past Saturday’s disheartening loss might dampen fan enthusiasm for the homecoming tilt against Northwestern. However, it’s an important game for Iowa to correct mistakes, shore up its defense, play more consistently and give fans something to feel good about.

Follow me on X @torybrecht and the 12 Saturdays podcasts @12Saturdays.