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Hlas column: Ugly/gorgeous win for Cyclones, ugly/ugly defeat for Hawkeyes
ISU's defense defended, Iowa's offense offended
IOWA CITY — Iowa State may need a special boot after shooting itself in the foot so often, but Iowa doesn’t have a leg to stand on if it thinks it should have beaten the Cyclones Saturday.
ISU’s 9-6 football win in Kinnick Stadium to retain ownership of whatever Cy-Hawk Trophy that’s trotted out these days was gruesome, grotesque, and just plain gross.
Of course, and understandably, Cyclone Nation also considers it good, gutsy, even glorious.
Jake Knott: Game-saver (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)
It was obtained by a defense that somehow refused to get frustrated over the ISU offense’s astounding inability to function in the red zone after the first quarter. It was capped by an athletic and brilliant play by a superb senior linebacker named Jake Knott, whose leaping tip and subsequent interception of James Vandenberg’s final pass was stellar.
“I kind of got lucky he didn’t get a little more air under it,” Knott said, “because it would have been a big play for them.”
Knott made the play at the ISU 24-yard line with 1:11 left. Had he not tipped the pass, it almost certainly would have been a Vandenberg completion to C.J. Fiedorowicz. The Hawkeyes would have been in great shape to tie the game with a field goal or even (believe it or not) score a winning touchdown.
But that was the game in a one-play description. Iowa needed to make a play on offense and Iowa State denied it.
The Cyclones, meanwhile, must have had some amazing prescience that they only needed one touchdown on this day. They got it on their first possession, then treated all following trips to the red zone as if it were covered with red-hot coals.
To show what kind of offensive game this was, even the touchdown was a little tainted when the following PAT kick was botched.
But if you’re Iowa State, the three turnovers from inside the Iowa 11 are one big “So what.” For the second-straight year, ISU won a crazy game with Iowa by three points. For the second-straight year, the Cyclones were the better team and deserving victor.
The first two teams Knott played for under Paul Rhoads got their clocks cleaned by the Hawkeyes. But Knott and fellow senior LB A.J. Klein have emerged over the last two seasons as the heartbeats of the defense, players who lead by example.
“Jake is one of those guys you want on your team in pressure situations,” said Klein. “In pressure situations, he’s always going to make the big play.
“He made that play.”
Rhoads took it several steps further, saying “Jake Knott made that kind of play in a series that will have him go down in history.
“Who knows how high he was in the air or what the level of the ball was when he made the play, but to do that after 59 minutes of football with the back against the wall … You do not make better plays than that in this game.”
And if you’re fifth-year senior Vandenberg, you do not pick that spot to get picked.
C.J. Fiedorowicz after one of Iowa's many dropped-passes (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)
“We’re down three, we’ve got a minute left, we’re just approaching field goal range,” Vandenberg said. “I know that if it’s not a clean receiver, that the ball should come down.”
Meaning, he needs to throw it away, not throw it to a Cyclone.
“I made a mental mistake and didn’t bring the ball down,” he said, “and it cost us the game.”
Well, yeah. And so did a long laundry list of other Hawkeye offensive failures, from an ungodly number of dropped passes to coming away with a mere field goal early in the fourth quarter after getting a first-and-goal at the ISU 3.
“We are not there yet,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said. “I think that’s fairly obvious right now.”
No, it’s totally obvious. If this kind of offensive woefulness — one touchdown in two games — continues, fat-cat Iowa fans may send a private jet well-stocked with Dom Pérignon and Cuban cigars to Miami to try to fetch Ken O’Keefe back from the Dolphins.
The new, Greg Davis-orchestrated offense that so many in Hawkeye colors were happy to embrace since the day Ferentz hired the former Texas offensive coordinator? If they could embrace it now, it would probably be with a choke hold.
But you know what? Marvin McNutt is gone, and hasn’t been adequately replaced. Marcus Coker is gone, and Damon Bullock didn’t give a second-consecutive performance reminiscent of the departed running back. Couldn’t give it, actually.
“Stop the run,” is what Klein said was a Cyclone mantra for this game.
But it was stopping the pass when it mattered most. The senior Iowa quarterback didn’t throw it over the senior Iowa State linebacker. Knott tipped it to the right guy: Himself.
Then, Klein immediately jumped on him in celebration, and described it without blushing.
A.J. Klein on top of Jake Knott, ISU on top on Iowa (Brian Ray/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)
“I laid on top of him and said ‘I love you. Great job. Great play.’ Klein said.
“Now let’s get off the field and go get that trophy.”
This Saturday’s Northern Iowa-Iowa game has no such hardware. But can you blame the Panthers if they think they can add to the Hawkeyes’ misery?
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Let’s all hear the excuses:
1. New OC
2. “young” offense
3. searching for an identity
4. ……
In conclusion, if this keeps up for another 2-3 weeks, I say let’s give Rudock a couple of games leading the way – and have him bring the frosh/RS frosh receivers with him. Can they HONESTLY look any worse than our offensive unit has the past two weeks?
Now, everyone feel free to say how I’m overreacting, I’m too demanding (wanting more than 24 points and 1 TD in 2 weeks against average to mediocre teams), how I couldn’t do any better, how I should feel lucky to have a coach that “consistently makes us competitive and close in our games” (even though he’s got a terrible record in close games – especially since 2004), how I am just a spoiled fan than “doesn’t understand” how bad things were back before color TV in the 60′s/70′s……
I saw to awful teams myself. The Jantz kid acts like he’s an intramural QB. If he’s still their QB in two weeks, I’ll eat my hat. I’d like to see Ruddock, not because he is likely better than Vandy, but because losing with seniors is the cardinal sin of developing a program.
And the Tebow pose by Rhoads at the end of the game proves what we Hawkeyes have always known, this is his bowl game and he is a child. Can you imagine a single Big Ten coach acting like that? Well, maybe Pelini.
I think your right about the quarter backs, but far from the truth with the coach, sorry you guys aren’t as important as some of the others and I have seen big ten coaches act certain ways so, enough with the its how we guessed or figured or calling him a child, he has more class than you or other fans that think that.
I just have one thing to say: Act like you have been there before Paul Rhoads.
Why do Hawk fans look down on ISU fans despite ISU having won the game 8 of the last 14 years? Because everytime ISU wins you would think it was the greatest victory of the year for them.
Good night, Pete.
The sun will rise again tomorrow.
Another year without a specific trophy will ensue. Enjoy.
Cap’n Kirk would drop to a knee to pick up a piece of gum or his pencil,….his paycheck for sure.
Losing with seniors has been perfected by the Cap’n. Haven’t you been paying any attention?
Hey Pete – that intramural QB will always be 2-0 against Iowa.
In two weeks, well ISU plays Western Illinois next week and then has a bye week, so start eating that hat.
Another typical Iowa fan when you get beat – rip the other team because your team lost.
No, Iowa didn’t deserve to win. But then neither did Iowa State. But somebody HAS to win, and Iowa made the last mistake.
So far, this is the ugliest offense I’ve seen Iowa run since the days of Frank Lauterbur in the early 70s. And for those who missed it, that was 0-11 UGLY.
On the other hand, Iowa will make lots of teams feel good about themselves this year, beginning with ISU and, probably, UNI next week. After all, Sacramento State beat Colorado this week. At least Sacremento isn’t on the Iowa schedule.
Oh, and Louisiana-Monroe, which I believe was on Iowa’s schedule recently, just now beat the mighty SEC’s Arkansas. What’s going on? I mean, college football is hog wild so far this season.
Wow – the poor Iowa fans like you who would rather eat crow than say congratulations to Iowa State and move on. Who cares what happened with Sacramento State and ULM, those games have NOTHING to do with the game that was played yesterday. You are a typical Iowa fan who always makes excuses when you lose. Iowa State made more plays and scored more points and WON the game.
we might be able to beat Central Michigan and Penn St. so why not try another QB(someone who will be hear next year)
Fair enough. One thing to think about: This is the first year that all (not just some) of Paul’s recruits are running the show. And this includes Jake. Good going! This is a tight group, and I expect good things this year.
from an Iowa State fan, Thank you. Iowa is NOT the best team in this state, they played like crap. We didn’t play the best either but good enough to beat Iowa, we gave them plenty of opportunity to win and they didn’t take it. Thank you for showing people that Iowa State isn’t so bad after all. I get tired of the radio stations and TV channels around this area ONLY talking about how great Iowa is, well they aren’t so great, we proved that! Iowa State has won 2 years in a row, and Ferentz is 6-8 against us, fess up Iowa fans, you aren’t the best!
I have to agree, I mean I believe Iowa fans have been spoiled and Iowa State didn’t seem to believe in themselves like they do now which pisses them off. I mean if you think about it we all have defeated ourselves in ways, but I am tired of the radio and t.v. along with the news all about them when there are other schools around, I mean in des moines they get their fair shake, but you can’t over here. Also on top of that iowa fans acting like this is our bowl game, come on, there are more important teams to get ready for and then making comments about rhodes , he has more class than alot of us. It wasn’t a pretty game what so ever and both quarter backs were crap, but as I have heard many iowa fans say, a wins a win.
And having grown up in Ames and been a lifelong Hawkeye fan I can assure that you won’t find much coverage of the Hawks in Ames.
In the last two years, ISU has beaten Iowa by a combined score of 6 points. The two years before that, Iowa defeated ISU by a combined score of 60. In those same 4 years, ISU has made it to two bowl games with a post-season record of 1-1. Iowa went to 4 bowl games with a post-season record of 3-1 (including a BCS win against a conference champion).
In 2009, Iowa was in contention to win a conference title (and for one week considered a possibility for the NC game). The last time ISU was a legitimate contender in their conference was…? We could also discuss #s of players sent to the NFL (but everyone knows Iowa is a top ten program by that metric).
The moral of the story is that this is why ISU is considered the lesser program. They deserved the win yesterday, it was an ugly game but they did everything they needed to to win it. And you are right that Iowa is not the best program in the state. That would be UNI.
I hear Ferentz laughing all the way to the bank.
both teams looked pretty bad.. and really guy this might have been iowa states “NC game” like 10-15 years ago but now iowa state is competitive “for the most part” in pretty much every game they play, the build up and hype for the iowa game now is just wanting to beat that next opponent and it being iowa make the win that much sweeter.. as for CPR kneeling or whatever he did he probly had to do something i was still going crazy cuase i thought for sure that iowa was just gunna march down the feild and beat us you guys had all the momentum and the knott ended the game.. really good write up by the way
UNI gets revenge for those two blocked FGs as Kinnick plays host to another in-state beat down next Saturday:
UNI: 24
Iowa: -10 (Iowa becomes the first FBS team to tally negative points in an FBS vs. FCS match-up. Scouts from the Gator Bowl check to see if UNI is interested).
Unlike the Gazette predictors in the paper yesterday, I knew the Cyclones were going to win the game a couple of weeks ago, I was only wrong on the score, I figured they would win by a whole lot more.
Ferentz is no Hayden Fry, but a overrated over paid coach, who should be coaching in a division II school.
Remember hawk fans….KF is worth every cent! We don’t want to return to the pre-fry Nagel years….
When are the lemmings going to realize – this is not the coach that is going to bring a NC to Iowa, Rose Bowl victories to Iowa, etc. Every other coach in the top ten of paychecks has at least one NC. Too much to set benchmarks in Iowa City, and expect results in exchange for that purse.
I was going to echo some of Mike’s “reasons” for the loss. Maybe throw in the usual “we can’t get 5-star players in Iowa, it is just too cold here, etc” (yet Michigan and Ohio State don’t seem to have a problem in their ‘warm’ environment).
But nothing will change. As long as the fans show up and buy the tickets, this is about as good as it is going to get. AD’s don’t make changes until the big donors stop dropping money in the hat everytime they walk by.
It’s a Cyclone State.
That really was a terribly ugly game. And the loss is gonna sting for a while no doubt. I must say, I do still believe in Greg Davis’ offense though, even though we haven’t seen much. I think it will be another 2 years (if he’s even still around) before we start seeing his kind of offense since he doesn’t have the kind of players he wants. I do think maybe we should throw in Ruddock was well Vandys decision making is horrible, but his receivers aren’t helping him with all these drops. I’ve been an Iowa fan my whole 21 years of existence and I see a 5-7 season coming on…I hope I’m not right about that…
Oh my……….another rebuilding year ??? Sad, really sad, even if they go undefeated the rest of the year (and it is a soft year) they still have to remember the first two……and there will be no fear of winning the rest, Dah