Tuesdays With Torbee

On a scorching 90-degree day in early September, 1991 a then-sophomore Torbee sweated happily in the Kinnick Stadium student section when – with 13:49 remaining in the first quarter of the Hawkeye’s season opener – quarterback Matt Rodgers hit a streaking Danan Hughes in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown pass.

Believe it or not, that was the last time Iowa’s opening drive of the season ended with a touchdown pass, underscoring the fact that many Hawkeye teams – and not just under the Ferentzian dynasty – were offensively challenged.

The last time, that is, until this past Saturday when transfer quarterback Cade McNamara hit transfer wide receiver Seth Anderson for a 36-yard touchdown with 14:18 remaining on the block inside a steam bath-like Kinnick stadium in its opener versus Utah State.

That 1991 team may have been even better than Hayden Fry’s previous season squad that represented the Big 10 in the Rose Bowl, despite having a relatively modest 8-4 record. By contrast, the ’91 squad finished 10-1-1, its only blemish a hard-fought loss to Big 10 champion Michigan and the tie coming against a tough BYU squad in the Holiday Bowl.

I bring up this parallel because the last three-quarters of Iowa’s opener against Utah State – in which the Hawkeyes failed to pile up the points, run with impunity or achieve other offensive statistics fans crave – seems to have blinded many to the potential improvements on that side of the ball that were evident early and often.

Both of Iowa’s touchdown passes in its 24-14 workmanlike win over the Aggies were 100-percent transfer affairs, the second one coming from McNamara to fellow former Wolverine Eric All. Indeed, the cavalry has arrived.

I understand the angst and worry, I really do. Mustering only 88 yards rushing against a green defensive line isn’t great. And after the early fireworks, the passing game too went into hibernation mode for the most part. But have some of you not been watching Iowa football for the past two decades? Did you really think Kirk and Brian were going to keep the pedal-to-the-metal after building a double-digit scoring lead against a team it was obvious would not score much against the stout Hawkeye defense?

Of course much of the post-game chattering – from locals and national pundits – centered on the Hawkeyes coming one-point short of the magic 25 former Athletic Director Gary Barta said Brian had to hit on average to get his contract renewed. It makes for a fun factoid for irritated fans and snarky media members, but I’m convinced no one in the Iowa football complex gives it much thought at all. With interim AD Beth Goetz already on the record saying she views wins as more important than points-per-game, there is no way Brian is shown the door if the Hawkeyes hit double digit wins and take the West Division.

Based on much of what I saw Saturday, that seems eminently achievable.

The defense and special teams – minus a couple opening day hiccups like a blocked punt that somehow still went 37 yards – will keep Iowa in every game it plays. While the run blocking remains a somewhat troubling work-in-progress, the pass protection appeared much improved.

The difference between McNamara’s pocket presence, lack of panic, quick ball release and fast decision-making and every quarterback that took a snap the past three seasons is immense. That is going to lead to better offense, period.

Note I said “better” and not “good.” Because of its style of play and its comfortableness relying on its bedrock defense, Iowa fans should stop pining for “good” offense. It’s just not going to happen, and wishing for Iowa to look flashy on that side of the ball is a fool’s errand. That said, even a slightly below average offense is complementary enough for this team to achieve its goal of playing for a Big 10 Championship.

Utah State coach Blake Anderson also deserves kudos. Down 14-0 quickly in the fourth quarter in front of a happily hostile crowd on a blazing hot day, his team could have folded and succumbed to a blowout. However, he got them to stiffen up and stop a 4^th down attempt in Aggie territory, preventing the score from ballooning to 17 or 21 to 0. That stop seemed to reverse the gathering momentum, Utah State responded with a field goal drive of their own, and then the rest of the game devolved into the usual slow suffocation, python-like choke out that is a hallmark of Ferentz-coached teams. 

I know we as a culture dwell on “what have you done for me lately” so naturally, the latter stretches of the season opener are what folks are talking about heading into Iowa State week. For the sake of your sanity as an Iowa fan, however, I urge you to dwell instead on that first quarter – when after two touchdown passes, the beach balls were out and the degenerates worried that their under bets were toast.

That is how season openers should feel – festive and stress free. There will be plenty of nail biting to come. Let’s enjoy a relatively mundane opener for what it was – a nice tune up to shake off the rust and prepare Iowa for the challenges to come.

Follow me on Twitter @ToryBrecht and the 12 Saturdays Podcast @12Saturdays.