Black Heart Gold Pants - Iowa Hawkeyes at Purdue Game CenterSwelling with Iowa Hawkeye pride since 2007https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47511/bhgp-fave.png2023-10-10T06:01:00-05:00http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/rss/stream/231976692023-10-10T06:01:00-05:002023-10-10T06:01:00-05:00Iowa Football Position Grades: Purdue
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<img alt="Michigan State v Iowa" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/N_5AoUMdRaAd3vrofIUee7483os=/0x0:3600x2400/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72739692/1716643205.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Hawkeyes beat Purdue. Head to Wisconsin. | Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Hawkeyes improve to 5-1, but that doesn’t mean everyone gets a passing grade.</p> <p id="LAUEZG">It is no secret that I love the <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com">Iowa Hawkeyes</a>. I have two Tigerhawk tattoos and my 19-year-old son is named Hayden. Like many of you, I could wear Hawkeye garb every day for close to two months straight without repeating an article of clothing. I did realize during Iowa’s 20-14 win against the <a href="https://www.hammerandrails.com">Purdue Boilermakers</a> that I don’t necessarily enjoy watching the games as much as I did in the past. I love defense and special teams. I get a lot of joy from watching those units. Offensively? Nope. We have been watching the same movie for four years now. The Hawks did have two huge offensive plays on Saturday. Kaleb Johnson’s 67-yard house call was well-blocked, and Deacon Hill’s 22-yard scoring strike to Erick All was a thing of beauty. Other than that? Not much happened. Nor has it for a long, long time. </p>
<h2 id="HRqHZN"><strong>Offense:</strong></h2>
<h3 id="0NH4KH"><strong>QB: F</strong></h3>
<p id="WMVqXF">I really didn’t want to go with an “F” for this. A “D-” is bad, but when you think back to the game, an “F” sounds about right. In his first start, <strong>Deacon Hill</strong> was erratic. There were again a few dropped balls, but Hill was throwing long, short, wide, and everywhere in between. I had hoped that Cade McNamara was going to elevate this position. He did (even though he was never healthy), but we are now back to hoping to complete a handful of passes a game. </p>
<h3 id="jY3cP6"><strong>RB: A</strong></h3>
<p id="f5Ktkq">Welcome back, <strong>Kaleb Johnson</strong>! </p>
<div id="l79emz"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AV57NS0fyz0?rel=0&start=21&end=42" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="yHcMCj">When KJ gets a hole like that, he’s making a house call Every Single Time. His running style reminds me of <strong>Eric Dickerson</strong>. </p>
<p id="REaJ1F"><em>[Due to the NFL’s copyright rules, we aren’t able to show the highlights of the former Mustang/Ram here, but it’s worth going to YouTube to check out the comparison.] </em></p>
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<p id="xP33uV">Johnson rushed for 134 yards on 17 carries (7.9) and the score. Kaleb also caught one pass for 13 yards. <strong>Leshon Williams</strong> ran 13 times for 74 yards (5.7). </p>
<h3 id="jeR6nY"><strong>WR: F</strong></h3>
<p id="yWSHeT">I’m getting tired of this. These guys can’t throw it to themselves, but Deacon Hill’s interception did go through <strong>Seth Anderson</strong>’s hands. It wasn’t a perfect throw, but once again, two hands on a ball, you have to catch it. </p>
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<h3 id="bruwH1"><strong>TE(U): A</strong></h3>
<p id="15BCke">Before giving out a grade to Iowa’s current tight end, former Iowa tight ends <strong>Sam LaPorta </strong>and <strong>George Kittle</strong> recorded five touchdowns between them on Sunday.<strong> Luke Lachey</strong> will be joining that fraternity, and <strong>Erick All</strong> is our best player on offense. All is as strong and as fast as any Hawkeye tight end I have ever seen, and my fandom goes back to <strong>Jonathan Hayes</strong>. All had five catches for 97 yards and one touchdown. Here are two big plays made by All (and they were Big Deac’s best throws as well). </p>
<div id="QudiAV"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AV57NS0fyz0?rel=0&start=122&end=151" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"></iframe></div></div>
<h3 id="hQQSY1"><strong>OL: B</strong></h3>
<p id="Rhs74Y">This one was tough for me. Iowa’s offensive line gave up just one sack. Also, Kaleb Johnson’s 67-yard touchdown run was beautifully blocked. There were also numerous plays that went for no gain or for losses. Consistency remains elusive for this group, but there are glimmers of hope. For the grade, I could be talked into a plus or minus either way. Your thoughts? </p>
<h2 id="LlxCDF"><strong>Defense:</strong></h2>
<h3 id="Vi25eQ"><strong>DL: A</strong></h3>
<p id="Cu0bJk">Iowa’s defensive line dictated the outcome of the football game. <strong>Logan Lee</strong> was doing his best <strong>Roy Kent</strong> impersonation (He’s here. He’s there. He’s...) collecting ten tackles including two sacks and 2.5 TFL. <strong>Joe Evans</strong> had six tackles, one sack, and four TFL. <strong>Yahya Black</strong>, <strong>Aaron Graves</strong>, <strong>Deontae Craig</strong>, <strong>Ethan Hurkett</strong>, and <strong>Max Llewellyn</strong> all made their presence known. If the NCAA decides to reverse its ridiculous course on <strong>Noah Shannon</strong>, this position group will become deeper and even stronger up the middle. #FreeShanzo</p>
<h3 id="2N9BZe"><strong>LB: A</strong></h3>
<p id="fOwJ9H"><strong>Jay Higgins</strong> continues to have an All-B1G season (and more). Jay had 12 more tackles and an interception. It’s great to see a loyal young man rewarded like this. He is a great role model for student-athletes. Higgins is third in the FBS with 12.3 tackles per game. <strong>Nick Jackson</strong> is acclimating nicely to <strong>Phil Parker</strong>’s defense. Jackson collected seven tackles and had a pass breakup. Purdue averaged just 2.4 yards on the ground. </p>
<h3 id="zFyrJ8"><strong>DB/CASH: B</strong></h3>
<p id="aziCqE"><strong>Jeff Brohm</strong> is gone, but Purdue still likes to throw the football around. The Boilermakers attempted 40 passes with 25 completions for 247 yards and a score. <strong>Cooper DeJean </strong>made a very pivotal play intercepting this pass and setting Iowa’s potent offense up in great field position. </p>
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<p id="ZVbqhh"><strong>Quinn Schulte</strong> led this group in tackles with eight. <strong>Xavier Nwankpa</strong> and <strong>Jermari Harris</strong> each had six stops. </p>
<h2 id="NFOiWL"><strong>Special Teams: B</strong></h2>
<p id="c62GTS">First, the bad news. <strong>Drew Stevens</strong> had one field goal blocked, and he also missed from 44 yards out. Missed field goals are not uncommon in the college game. At Iowa, it is a rarity. Iowa’s success depends on special team greatness. Stevens was two for two on extra points and made field goals from 27 and 23. <strong>Tory Taylor </strong>averaged 47.3 yards on six punts. One of Taylor’s punts was a bomb, but the Hawks gave up a long return on it. <strong>Tyrone Tracy</strong> entered the game averaging around 30 yards per kick return including a score. The Hawkeyes did not give up any kick return yards. </p>
<h3 id="C3SQc8"><strong>On to Wisconsin:</strong></h3>
<p id="WVPoA2">I had us losing to <strong>Wisconsin</strong> in my preseason prediction. Being without our QB1, TE1, and RB2 makes me feel even worse. However, there are plenty of stories of players like <strong>Deacon Hill</strong> beating their former squads. If our defense (when do we start calling our defense our primary offense?) can get a score, the Hawks can “steal” a win against Bucky. As always, Go Hawks!</p>
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https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2023/10/10/23908945/iowa-hawkeyes-football-position-grades-purdue-boilermakers-deacon-hill-kaleb-johnson-erick-all-bhgpBartt Pierce2022-11-09T09:01:00-06:002022-11-09T09:01:00-06:00Iowa Football Stock Watch: Offense is a Breeze
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<img alt="Syndication: Journal-Courier" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q-4oCQn_FzpchpqRJHIO6omaM2I=/291x0:2208x1278/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71605179/usa_today_19365718.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>We all knew the offense would figure it out right? Right?</p> <p id="Afgdlx">My family and I, along with a few of my friends, were able to make it down from South Bend to West Lafayette for the game on Saturday. I had been anticipating this trip for some time and thankfully the Hawkeyes performance made it worth the wait. The Malort before the game on the other hand could have (and should have) been avoided. But as Drake would say, “you only live once” right? </p>
<p id="NzHEDY">Anyhow, The Hawkeyes had their most complete performance of the season which means this weeks Stock Watch has quite a few characters earning Stock Up recognition. Let’s take a look.</p>
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<h3 id="FoC3z5"><strong>Kaleb Johnson</strong></h3>
<p id="141rkZ">Welcome to the Big Ten big dog. Johnson backed up a solid performance against a bad Northwestern team with a 200 yard pounding of a Boilermaker defense that had actually faired well against the run this year. As a result, Johnson was listed as RB1 for the first time this season on this weeks depth chart. It’s noticeable on tv that this kid has some giddy up in his step, but witnessing it in person is something else. Johnson’s strides once he hits the open field are so long and the result is even the fastest of opponents being left to eat #2’s dust. Johnson’s emergence has aided this struggling passing game immensely and will have to continue this week against a Badger team who has caught fire of late. If the freshman continues his romp in a game that all of a sudden has some Big Ten West Title implications, he’s going to become an icon in Iowa City. </p>
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<h3 id="IQUxuM"><strong>Offensive Line</strong></h3>
<p id="Kn0xd3">You can’t mention Kaleb Johnson’s surge without throwing a bone to this O-line. A group that has been ridiculed all year (for good reason) is building its’ confidence with every successful run. The lineup of Richman, Colby, Jones, Stephens, and Plumb needs to remain on the field for the majority of these upcoming games. That group is the main force behind the last two games numbers for running backs which amounts to 340 yards on 56 carries. That’s a whopping 6.07 yards per carry for the Iowa backfield! If the last few Saturdays are a sneak peak at the future of the Hawkeye running game, I’m ready for 2023 right now.</p>
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<h3 id="mU3VdQ"><strong>Nico Rah-gah-EE-NEE</strong></h3>
<p id="iIqCTN">In a game that featured two receivers who left Iowa for the opposition, I was extremely happy to see Nico have a nice game and be rewarded for his loyalty. Ragaini found himself open a couple of times across the middle with room to run, housing one, and nearly another in route to a 56 yard day. Ragaini’s 2nd quarter score was his first of the year and hopefully will open up the door for more. This kid busts his butt every game and possess a bit of a junk yard dog mentality with his rough and tough North East attitude. That’s a refreshing personality to see from this offense when they get him involved.</p>
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<h3 id="RN1Fqs"><strong>Sam Laporta</strong></h3>
<p id="wymHlU">You ask and you shall receive! A week after talking about how it’s completely unjust for one of Iowa’s all time great tight ends to be without a touchdown seven games into the season, Laporta got himself on the board. Sam had 3 receptions on the drive, all of which were routes that Brian Ferentz needs to go back to. The first catch was a beautifully thrown ball by Spencer Petras on a go route for 41 yards. Letting the former receiver run a route that at times can turn into a “go up and get it” situation is a play I trust the senior to make more often than not. Catch number two came at a crucial point in this game. After being sacked on 1st down, the Hawkeyes faced 3rd and 8 to start the second quarter at Purdue’s 30 yard line. It was the first play into the wind for the Iowa offense with a field goal out of the question. Purdue again ran man coverage and Laporta got across the defenders face on a little 3-4 yard slant. He then immediately turned it up field for the first down. I love the route because it’s an easy throw for Spencer and allows Laporta and his bigger body to get momentum heading up the field. And now my favorite route and one that must be called in mass moving forward. Immediately following the first down slant, Iowa had the ball at the Purdue 16. The ball was in the middle of the field and Laporta lined up on the left side of the line with Diante Vines lined up outside. Ragaini came across the formation in motion to the same side of the field and ran a flat route, while Vines cleared out the corner with a go route. That left Laporta with a one on one matchup against a linebacker and a beautiful void behind Ragaini and in front of Vines. Laporta ran straight up the field and then cut diagonally towards the left pylon in what is called a flag route. Touchdown. If the play always works in the NCAA video games, just run it Brian.</p>
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<h3 id="psKmXU"><strong>Spencer Petras</strong></h3>
<p id="n56s0u">That wind was brutal. It was nasty enough to hinder Purdue Quarterback Aiden O’Connell, one of the better QB’s in the conference. O’Connell only amassed 168 yards on 43 attempts. Heck, CJ Stroud threw for only 76 yards in Ohio. St’s win in Evanston. But Spencer Petras, he’s not effected by the wind. While the accuracy wasn’t exactly brilliant, the 192 yards and two touchdown passes were. Can you imagine what the payout was for a parlay of Petras to throw for more yards than O’Connell, and Stroud plus more passing TD’s than those two combined?! I think we’ll have to tell boilerhawk his weekly “Ponks” need’s to look into this. Anyways, it’s well documented that Spencer simply needs to be adequate for this Hawkeye team to be really good. This performance was adequate, so Spencer finds himself in the stock up club for the second straight week.</p>
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<h3 id="lvQO6H"><strong>Seth Benson</strong></h3>
<p id="wTGrUV">Welcome back to the article Seth Benson! With Jestin Jacobs out, Benson was going to have to contribute more vs the Boilers than Phil Parker had probably originally planned. The senior responded in a nice way notching 4 tackles and grabbing his first interception of the season. Benson’s pass coverage got him on the list this week, but he’ll have to be stout against the run against the Badgers Saturday to make it back into the article.</p>
<p id="4lNVeL"> </p>
<h3 id="fA16sX"><strong>Cooper DeJean</strong></h3>
<p id="FDT0tu">I’m still unsure if Cooper DeJean’s best position is cornerback, but at this point who cares. This kid can play anywhere on the field and be the best out there. On Saturday, he was matched up quite a bit with Charlie Jones, and other than one deep pass completion in the 1st quarter, Cooper dominated. Earlier I spoke about how much faster Kaleb Johnson looks in person. The same can be said about DeJean’s size. Cooper looked like an outside linebacker lined up on the outside. To see him then be able to run step for step with the Purdue wideouts may be the most impressive thing I’ve seen all year. </p>
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<h3 id="GR7065"><strong>Kaevon Merriweather</strong></h3>
<p id="SFWarV">Mr. Consistent. That’s my new name for Kaevon. I don’t recall ever seeing him be out of place against Purdue. The ability to constantly be in the correct spot on the field led to Aiden O’Connell’s first interception of the game. Merriweather saw Tyrone Tracey coming across the middle and picked him up. Sebastian Castro then was was able to get underneath the route forcing O’Connell to have to get the ball over him and in Saturdays wind, that was a tall task. The ball sailed, and Kaevon was in position to take advantage of it. </p>
<p id="49eP2r">Merriweather is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite Iowa players. You can tell he truly enjoys being a Hawkeye and would do anything for the program. It’s been great to see him following up on his goal this year of making an All-Big Ten team. With 38 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 3 interceptions and a defensive score, I’d say he’s well on his way.</p>
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<h3 id="VVao7f"><strong>Riley Moss</strong></h3>
<p id="KnVGum">Redemption. What a great way for Riley Moss to close out his career against Purdue. After being exposed his freshman year in West Lafayette, and then not being able to suit up last year because of a leg injury, Moss came into Ross Ade Stadium with a major chip on his shoulder. As the game wore on, I think that chip continued to grow as Jeff Brohm targeted Moss with his game plan for most of the day it seemed. Other than a few penalties, the All-American from Ankeny was up to the task. Moss led the team with three passes defended on the day, and his tight coverage contributed to several more incompletions. Riley is another guy who truly bleeds black and gold and it will be an absolute pleasure to watch him finish out a wonderful career.</p>
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<h3 id="dQsd5Y"><strong>Defensive Line</strong></h3>
<p id="8V2pYC">There are too many guys playing high level football up front for this defense to single out only a couple. Over the last three games, these are the numbers for the Hawkeye defensive line: </p>
<ul>
<li id="OJ23ag">10 sacks.</li>
<li id="FOGjRA">16 Tackles for loss</li>
<li id="GGErS9">171 rushing yards allowed</li>
<li id="xiR8qY">1.74 yards per carry</li>
</ul>
<p id="dDOqww">Those numbers are DOMINANT! What’s even more remarkable is that no one person is the main contributor to these stats. The trio of Deonte Craig, Lukas Van Ness and Joe Evans continues to improve and lead the way it seems. On the year, both Joe and Lukas have 5 sacks while Craig has managed 4. Throw in some hard play from Noah Shannon, Logan Lee and young guys like Aaron Graves, Ethan Hurkett, and Yahya Black, and this defensive line is purring.</p>
<p id="H4xp4p">I was becoming a little bit weary of this units ability to stand up to teams who’s first priority was to run the football. Their struggles against Iowa St, Michigan, and Illinois were underwhelming to say the least. Now, we get to see just how much progress has been made with the Badgers coming to town. If this defensive line can stone the Badger rushing attack, we may need to have the conversation on where this unit ranks all time in the history of Hawkeye football.</p>
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<h3 id="wkE7lo"><strong>Tory Taylor</strong></h3>
<p id="NoHHdp">Taylors performance Saturday was the single most impressive performance from a punter I have ever seen. With winds whipping up gusts near 50 miles per hour, Taylor didn’t seem to be affected. In those horrendous conditions, Tory punted 8 times for an absurd 51.8 yard average which included one punt of 70 yards, and another right before half that he drove low through the wind, over the head of Charlie Jones that ended up barely skipping into the end zone. Days like Saturday separate the elite from the rest. Taylor is elite and after getting to witness that performance in person, I can confidently say he is the best Iowa Punter since Reggie Roby. </p>
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<h2 id="WJXTrV"><strong>Stock Down</strong></h2>
<p id="0p4gkP">No complaints from Saturday. Sure I would have liked to see more points in the second half, but the only way Purdue had any chance of winning the game at that point was through Iowa turnovers. Kirk was never going to let that happen. Besides, if I’m going to sit here and whine about Brian’s game plan against Northwestern in 2020 after rushing out to 17-0 lead, I can’t also complain about sitting on the football to preserve a win.</p>
<p id="hQaUz0">I had said before the Northwestern game that if Iowa could win against both the Cats and Purdue, they were going to win out. Wisconsin is playing better football since then but I’m going to stick with my original thought. If the Hawkeyes beat the Badgers on Saturday, the tone of this season will almost completely flip. Here’s hoping it does.</p>
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/9/23448516/iowa-hawkeye-football-stock-watch-offense-is-a-breeze-purdue-boilermakers-bhgpKicker322022-11-07T09:01:00-06:002022-11-07T09:01:00-06:00Hawkeye Football Position Grades: Purdue
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<figcaption>Hawks upend Jones, Tracy, and the Boilers | Noe Padilla/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>Hawks play a complete game to defeat Purdue</p> <p id="KthlBV">I am officially salty about <strong>Charlie Jones</strong> bolting to the Boilermakers after spring practice. He made a great choice; one needs to look no further than his 19 target, 11 reception, 104 yard performance against his old mates. That said, the players, coaches, and fans took a little extra satisfaction from that beatdown. Stats are important, especially with Jones wanting to play in the NFL, but I will take a win over gaudy numbers any day of the week. </p>
<h2 id="wdU2uq"><strong>Offense:</strong></h2>
<h3 id="AOxGk2"><strong>QB: B</strong></h3>
<p id="YG5Nsl"><strong>Spencer Petras</strong> has looked like a serviceable quarterback the past few weeks. If we would have had even serviceable play we’d be on our way back to Indianapolis. The wind made throwing the football difficult on Saturday, but Petras made some throws that we haven’t seen in some time. On the day Petras was 13 for 23 (56%) for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Did I read that right? Two passing touchdowns?!? </p>
<h3 id="Oj5Obn"><strong>RB: A</strong></h3>
<p id="imZXLb">Kaleb Johnson. Wow. Johnson took the RB1 keys and put the pedal to the metal. I’ve never seen someone glide like he does. </p>
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<p id="ZtK8hs">Johnson ran 22 times for 200 yards (9.1 yard average) and a score. The Hawks need to keep feeding Johnson. <strong>Jaziun Patterson</strong> and <strong>Leshon Williams</strong> ran five times for six yards. </p>
<h3 id="bZ8xsh"><strong>WR: B-</strong></h3>
<p id="4ULWAT"><strong>Nico Ragaini</strong> and <strong>Diante Vines</strong> were targeted seven times. Ragaini caught 3 balls for 56 yards and a score. Nico had 48 of these yards after the catch. </p>
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<p id="qcZSF6">Vines caught two passes for 19 yards. A fellow BHGP writer, Thad Nelson, pointed out the terrific job of blocking by Vines on Saturday. Iowa’s offense has a razor thin margin of error. Getting downfield blocking will spring <strong>Kaleb Johnson</strong> for more long runs. The past few weeks the Hawks have been doing these “little things” much better, and in sports there is no such thing as a little thing. Everything is important. </p>
<h3 id="MWIE0E"><strong>TE: B</strong></h3>
<p id="OrBwIS">Sam LaPorta sets a Hawkeye TE reception record every time he hauls in a pass. Not too shabby to be the all-time reception leader for Tight End University. </p>
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<p id="3rwf9C">I’ve watched this highlight many times. Touchdown passes have been few and far between. Enjoy this one, folks. <strong>Luke Lachey</strong> had one catch for 22 yards. </p>
<h3 id="JefEDH"><strong>OL: B- </strong></h3>
<p id="6C3yvk">The Hawkeyes toted the rock 35 times for a net of 184 yards (5.3). Once Kaleb Johnson took the second play of the second half to the house, Kirk went into turtle mode (this was a good decision by the way) and Iowa’s offense struggled moving the ball. With the wind, Iowa’s defense, and special teams play, Purdue was not going to get back into that ballgame. Purdue did sack Petras three times. It helps that Northwestern and Purdue aren’t Michigan or <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a>, but Iowa’s offensive line has made progress the past few weeks. <strong>Logan Jones</strong>, <strong>Beau Stephens</strong>, <strong>Connor Colby</strong>, <strong>Mason Richman</strong>, and <strong>Jack Plumb</strong> all deserve a shout out. </p>
<h2 id="NZQ0MR"><strong>Defense:</strong></h2>
<h3 id="l9MBdt"><strong>DL: A</strong></h3>
<p id="WlDfoB">The Hawks held the Boilermakers to 87 yards on the ground for an average of 2.8 yards per carry.<strong> Noah Shannon</strong> and <strong>Deontae Craig</strong> each collected five tackles. Craig, <strong>Lukas Van Ness</strong>,<strong> </strong>and <strong>Joe Evans</strong> all got a sack. </p>
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<p id="IytrS0"><strong>Aaron Graves</strong> had two tackles for a loss. He is going to be a beast. </p>
<h3 id="RArK1v"><strong>LB: A</strong></h3>
<p id="m60fGO">I’m giving every defensive group a A. From a number of tackles standpoint Iowa’s linebackers didn’t have a stellar game, but holding a potent Purdue offense to three points is quite an accomplishment. <strong>Jack Campbell</strong> had six tackles on the day. I’d like to think that Campbell has a pretty good chance of being a consensus All-American. <strong>Jay Higgins </strong>and <strong>Seth Benson</strong> had four tackles each. Benson also intercepted an Aidan O’Connell pass. Benson and Campbell will be hard to replace next year. Both will play in The League. We Hawk fans are spoiled when it comes to tackling. One need only to watch a bad-tackling Purdue team to realize how good we have it. </p>
<h3 id="5PoGDU"><strong>DB/Cash: A</strong></h3>
<p id="MIo44o">It was a strange game for Jeff Brohm. It felt like he wanted to get Charlie Jones 30 targets. The Hawks were fine keeping Jones in front of them. Jones got past our defense once but <strong>Cooper DeJean</strong> made a touchdown-saving tackle. <strong>Riley Moss</strong> was active on the day; he broke up three passes. <strong>Kaevon Merriweather</strong> tallied an interception. <strong>Sebastian Castro</strong> has been a physical presence on Iowa’s back end. <strong>Quinn Schulte</strong> led this group in tackles with six. </p>
<h2 id="O4kmg2"><strong>Special Teams: A-</strong></h2>
<p id="LwjCXl">Welcome back, <strong>Tory Taylor</strong>! After two subpar weeks from the Amazing Aussie, Taylor got back on track, booting the ball eight times for an average of 51.8 yards. He had two balls inside the twenty. He was masterful in kicking a low ball into the wind. He hit one with the wind at his back that looked like it could have gone about 80 yards. </p>
<p id="acGvQ7"><strong>Drew Stevens </strong>made his three extra points and a field goal from 26 yards. He missed from 44. </p>
<p id="OICbhY"><strong>Cooper DeJean</strong> returned one punt for seventeen yards. <strong>Arland Bruce IV</strong> was banged up a bit so Coop got an opportunity. Bruce has done a nice job with this, but DeJean is special. </p>
<p id="qrI4ph">On to Wisconsin. I’m going back to my 2020 strategy of picking against the Hawks. It proved successful back then, it worked against Purdue, I’m rolling with it going forward. We all have to do our part. As always, Go Hawks!</p>
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https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/7/23443355/iowa-hawkeye-football-position-grades-purdue-boilermakers-bhgpBartt Pierce2022-11-07T06:01:00-06:002022-11-07T06:01:00-06:00The Wild, Wild West
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<figcaption>Could Iowa’s 6-9 loss to Illinois come back to haunt them? | Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Thanks to an Illinois home loss to the Spartans, Iowa is very much alive in the Big Ten West. So if everyone else.</p> <p id="boRkqn">Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in!</p>
<p id="qY8l4g">And just as Michael Corleone could never get out, Hawkeye fans will forever be stuck in this love-hate relationship with the team we all follow. </p>
<p id="E1txpO">Two weeks ago, this season had the feel of 2014. The Hawkeyes were 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the conference. They were sitting at the bottom of the Big Ten West standings alongside an abysmal Northwestern team and things looked completely and utterly broken on offense.</p>
<p id="6hiOkV">We all know by now that Iowa was sitting at dead last nationally in total offense and close to it in scoring offense and myriad other measures of offensive proficiency. Anger and frustration were beginning to give way to apathy. Things were so bad, a portion of the fanbase simply didn’t care anymore. So when the offense appeared almost competent a week ago against that same abysmal Northwestern team the Hawkeyes shared a cellar spot with in the conference standings, some people didn’t notice and even fewer people were convinced it was a sign that things had actually improved. </p>
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<p id="Xmpdcx">But that may have changed on Saturday. For the second game in a row, the Iowa offense looked borderline serviceable against another Big Ten team. Before we get to all the caveats, every Hawkeye fan has to admit there was a point in the second quarter of Saturday’s game where they wondered where in the heck that offense had been all season and how great it felt to watch a team run out a very good defense that was not only not worn down from being on the field constantly, but also able to pin their ears back and play with a lead because the offense looked solid.</p>
<p id="ttaqFJ">It. Felt. Good. </p>
<p id="fkmnxT">And in that instant, we were all pulled back in.</p>
<p id="meAb97">We completely disregarded the fact that this Purdue defense, despite what their fanbase (and even their media members) wanted to say about them, was not a great one. They came into the game around middle of the pack nationally and slightly below that miserable Northwestern defense in stopping the run.</p>
<p id="6jWvGg">We forgot for a second that even at 387 yards per game over the last two weeks, Iowa would still be below the median total offense nationally at 401 yards per game. It was irrelevant because even at just below average, it was an astonishing 70% improvement in offensive output vs. the prior seven weeks.</p>
<div id="3O3dOZ">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">8️⃣9️⃣ gets 6️⃣<a href="https://twitter.com/Nicoragaini21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Nicoragaini21</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hawkeyes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hawkeyes</a> <a href="https://t.co/qTHROylmC8">pic.twitter.com/qTHROylmC8</a></p>— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawkeyeFootball/status/1589051113940340736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2022</a>
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<p id="d5I4Ue">None of the nonsense that we had seen up until that point mattered because things were going right. Forget that it all, and by all I mean all 24 points and nearly 65% of the total offensive output, came on four possessions that were played in just over the span of one quarter. The only thing that mattered was it was able to show up long enough for Iowa to come out on the right side of things on a day where so many teams came out on the wrong side of things.</p>
<p id="XU6RoC">On Saturday, we saw nine of the top-25 teams from last week’s initial College Football Playoff rankings go down. Granted, several of those losses came to other ranked teams, but the vast majority saw the higher ranked teams lose.</p>
<p id="TAfwrK">The carnage hit close to home as the vaunted <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> Buckeyes nearly lost to that same abysmal Northwestern team Iowa dispatched with a week prior. Michigan struggled for more than half a game with <a href="https://www.onthebanks.com">Rutgers</a> before waking up. And the 17th ranked <a href="https://www.thechampaignroom.com">Illinois Fighting Illini</a> never snapped out of it.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Make that 23-7 Michigan State ahead of #16 Illinois. Payton Thorne connects with Jayden Reed to extend the lead <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoGreen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoGreen</a> <br> <a href="https://t.co/875GjfZRZj">pic.twitter.com/875GjfZRZj</a></p>— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/woodwardsports/status/1589016468532125696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a>
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<p id="jNwIIe">The end result, and why Hawkeye fans can never truly get out, is that Iowa wakes up on Monday morning in a three-way tie for second place in the Big Ten West and very much alive for a return trip to Indianapolis. </p>
<p id="FItIKx">The Fighting Illini have a date with Purdue this weekend and while the Boilermakers are clearly very beatable, Illinois showed last weekend that what they showed for most of their season was an ability to run the ball with little else offensively. It’s a game Purdue is capable of winning and given the Illini are set to travel to Michigan the following week, their spot atop the West standings is very much in jeopardy.</p>
<p id="z4PznU">For Iowa, the schedule gives us three straight matchups against rivals. This week is an afternoon kickoff against the <a href="https://www.buckys5thquarter.com">Wisconsin Badgers</a>. Bucky has had a very up and down season, but appears to have gotten things clicking offensively since the departure of Paul Chryst. Now the Hawkeyes will need to figure out that 3-3-5 Jim Leonhard defense to keep their hopes alive in the West.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Who will make it to Indy? <a href="https://t.co/cIdDlMe7GK">pic.twitter.com/cIdDlMe7GK</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1589103882936147968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2022</a>
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<p id="3oZY6e">But it’s very doable. The Badgers have losses to very mediocre <a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com">Michigan State</a> and <a href="https://www.cougcenter.com">Washington State</a> teams on their resume, and they were absolutely obliterated by the Illini in their matchup in Champaign. </p>
<p id="EthQ8G">Then it’s a trip to Minneapolis to take on the Gophers, who have already lost to Purdue and Illinois while looking very beatable against Nebraska last week. And speaking of the Huskers, Iowa of course closes things out with a coachless Nebraska team that has lost three straight and is staring down the barrel of matchups with Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa to close out the year.</p>
<p id="pTwjDp">All that to say, for as bad as things were a few short weeks ago, Iowa is very much alive in the West. Yes, they need the offense to be what it has been the last two weeks instead of what it was the prior seven. But if the Hawkeyes can get just some mediocre production on offense, rounding out the year with three more wins is incredibly doable.</p>
<p id="WzjyCf">And if - and it’s clearly a very big if given what we <em>did</em> see for most of this season - Iowa can do that, the Hawkeyes are two Illinois losses away from a return to Indianapolis. It would be another back door divisional title and it would surely be another public execution on national television. But it would also be only the second time a team from the West has repeated as divisional champion and it would put the Hawkeyes behind only Ohio State and Wisconsin in terms of most Big Ten Championship Game appearances.</p>
<p id="5dHEfS">Hope, as they say, is a dangerous thing. It can drive a man insane. But hope, Hawkeye fans should have. Such is life in the wild, wild West.</p>
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/7/23443842/iowa-hawkeye-football-wild-wild-west-big-ten-illinois-michigan-state-wisconsin-minnesota-purdue-bhgpJPinIC2022-11-06T06:01:00-06:002022-11-06T06:01:00-06:00The Morning After: The Kaleb Johnson Game
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<figcaption>Clay Maxfield/for Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>Look at me, I’m the David Bell now.</p> <p id="Ae0XIG">In the Jeff Brohm era at Purdue, the recipe for success against Iowa has been to find what works and go back to it over and over and over again. In 2020, receiver David Bell lit up the scoreboard with three touchdowns and 121 yards. Last year, against another elite Iowa defense, the Boilers again attacked with Bell. Eleven catches and 240 yards later, Iowa’s unbeaten streak had ended along with their brief time ranked #2 in the country. This year, the threat of Bell was gone, but with two former Hawkeye receivers on the roster, Iowa fans were dreading who would be the next Purdue receiver to haunt their dreams for the next 365 days.</p>
<p id="teqTTN">Unfortunately for Brohm, this year Iowa took a page out of his playbook.</p>
<p id="u83kaR">On a wet and windy Saturday afternoon, the <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com">Iowa Hawkeyes</a> defeated the <a href="https://www.hammerandrails.com">Purdue Boilermakers</a> 24-3, avenging those two straight losses and two transfers in one swoop. While last week’s Northwestern win may have been the team’s most productive win, this week’s was their most complete and against a better opponent at that. Iowa’s defense suffocated Aidan O’Connell as the game went on, Tory Taylor drilled punts into strong headwinds, and the offense found its bell cow back.</p>
<p id="DG59Ue">This was the Kaleb Johnson game.</p>
<p id="O8JnQP">The freshman running back from Hamilton, OH cemented himself as the team’s #1 ball carrier in this game, and proved to be Iowa’s answer to Purdue’s recent tendency. With the offensive line playing well, Iowa leaned on Johnson to keep on schedule and in short yardage situations whenever possible. Johnson did his part, oftentimes picking up chunks of yards using a mix of power and elusiveness that Purdue couldn’t figure out.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kaleb Johnson - less than a year out of high school - is a budding star in Iowa City. Shades of <a href="https://twitter.com/Freddyballa2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Freddyballa2</a>. <a href="https://t.co/8zMgH0OU00">pic.twitter.com/8zMgH0OU00</a></p>— Mitch Fick (@MCFick) <a href="https://twitter.com/MCFick/status/1588942610793922560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a>
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<p id="EI7xaH">Johnson has that downhill quality that has been missing from recent running backs like Tyler Goodson and Akrum Wadley. No disrespect to those guys at all, they both did fantastic things in the black and gold. But both had a tendency to dance just a bit too much rather than heading north to south. But lest you think that’s all Kaleb brought to the game today, think again. Even when met behind the line, Johnson displayed a knack for escaping the pressure and finding the open lane to pick up positive yards. His 75 yard touchdown run right after halftime showed just how smoothly he could flow through defenders, turn on the speed, and leave the defense in the dust. </p>
<div id="bPok5F">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kaleb Johnson is GONE!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CollegeFootball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CollegeFootball</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hawkeyes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hawkeyes</a> <br><br> <a href="https://t.co/KuXANq0P2Z">pic.twitter.com/KuXANq0P2Z</a></p>— College Football Network (@CFN365) <a href="https://twitter.com/CFN365/status/1588954972800290817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a>
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<p id="vFLkOF">By the end of the game, Johnson had gained 200 yards on 22 carries. He was Iowa’s first 200-yard rusher since 2015. Before this game, I don’t think anyone expected such a performance from an individual back, and this offensive unit as a whole. Johnson’s success was set up by Iowa’s early passing success, with Sam LaPorta and Nico Ragaini both having a big first half and scoring touchdowns. Having a real passing threat loosened the pressure on the running game and the offensive line and Johnson took advantage again and again. </p>
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<cite>Noe Padilla/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK</cite>
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<p id="3g0WU9">As much success as Iowa had repeatedly leaning on a hot player, Purdue couldn’t do the same. O’Connell seemed determined to turn Charlie Jones into the new Receiver of Doom for the Iowa defense, but try as he might he couldn’t replicate the successes of years past. Jones’ superb route running allowed him to pick up a couple of good gains, but the home run shot never materialized. He did end the game with 104 yards receiving, and while some of that success was down to those isolated big gains, it was also the result of O’Connell repeatedly going to him despite his inability to break out. Purdue couldn’t sustain enough drives to counter Iowa’s punches. </p>
<p id="cP1zuw">The Hawkeye defense came up with turnovers or sacks at just the right moments to stymie any momentum the Boilers started to pick up. With Purdue knocking on the door of the end zone on 3rd and Goal, and undoubtedly in four down mode, Lukas Van Ness put the kibosh on any hopes of a touchdown, chasing down and then throwing down O’Connell for one of Iowa’s three sacks on the day.</p>
<div id="yagMEQ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">That <a href="https://twitter.com/HawkeyeFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HawkeyeFootball</a> defense <a href="https://t.co/bjYKKHvwFH">pic.twitter.com/bjYKKHvwFH</a></p>— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) <a href="https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1588946484841664513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a>
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<p id="iVNnlg">This is on top of interceptions by Kaevon Merriweather and Seth Benson and three fourth down stops to force turnovers on downs. After being torched by Purdue’s offense in recent years, this was the Iowa defense emphatically refusing to let it happen again, while on the other side of the ball Iowa’s offense was determined not to let last week be a fluke.</p>
<p id="dglsyG">This was really the best way Iowa could have won this game. This wasn’t a squeak out a victory by a defensive stand or last second field goal. Iowa was able to establish its own dominant offensive presence through the passing game and Johnson’s running while the defense played locked in for sixty minutes and kept Purdue out of the end zone for the first time since 2013. It was some measure of catharsis for the Hawkeyes, and an exorcism of demons both old and new.</p>
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/6/23442648/iowa-hawkeye-football-purdue-morning-after-kaleb-johnson-game-bhgpGingerHawk2022-11-05T15:05:43-05:002022-11-05T15:05:43-05:00Iowa 24, Purdue 3: Steamrolled
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<figcaption>All aboard the Kaleb Johnson hype train! | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>The Hawkeyes played like this one meant something. Finally.</p> <p id="A2Rutj">It’s a great day to be a Hawkeye!</p>
<p id="ObvNGG">It was a mantra under the legendary Hayden Fry, but lately it hasn’t often felt that way in Iowa City. Saturday was certainly the exception as the <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com">Iowa Hawkeyes</a> took another step to winning back a fanbase that has been frustrated most of this season.</p>
<p id="slY7IR">The Hawkeyes got back on the winning side of their most hated rivalry as they took home a 24-3 win over the <a href="https://www.hammerandrails.com">Purdue Boilermakers</a> on Saturday in what was perhaps the most impressive showing by Iowa all season.</p>
<p id="AIBOot">Things started a bit slow as both teams struggled to adjust to the gusting winds in Ross-Ade Stadium. The Boilermarkers got a little going on the ground and showed their hand, hyper targeting former Hawkeye Charlie Jones. But eventually the Iowa defense held and forced a punt. The Hawkeyes returned the favor, picking up a first down before before to punt themselves. But Iowa had the wind to their back and thus there was no shift in field position for Purdue.</p>
<p id="lhiiGj">That was the trend really of the entire first quarter. Neither offense did much, but the Hawkeyes won the battle of field position thanks to the wind.</p>
<p id="j8ChMj">But seeing the clock winding down on their opportunity with the wind, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz opted to take more shots than we’ve seen this season and Spencer Petras found tight end Sam LaPorta for 41 yards to get across midfield and all of a sudden Iowa had something going for the first time all day.</p>
<p id="0cUstw">Kaleb Johnson foreshadowed what was to come for him by racking up 14 yards on two carries and all of a sudden Iowa was within striking distance with the clock winding down on the quarter. But, in what proved to be a rarity on the day, Logan Jones whiffed on a block and Petras was sacked for a huge loss on first down with the Hawkeyes staring at a change of direction and a potentially long FG into the wind.</p>
<p id="dY6LC9">Instead, Spencer Petras found LaPorta on back-to-back throws and Iowa punched it in for a touchdown into the win to kick off the second quarter and Hawkeye fans everywhere wondered what they had just seen.</p>
<div id="6JFm03">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Petras ➡️ LaPorta for 6️⃣<a href="https://twitter.com/HawkeyeFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HawkeyeFootball</a> is on the board. <a href="https://t.co/g70v65Dh2o">pic.twitter.com/g70v65Dh2o</a></p>— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/IowaOnBTN/status/1588936934767804416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a>
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<p id="IW7KtS">As the football Gods would have it, the wind proved to play tricks in mysterious ways all day. In his first possession with the wind at his back, Purdue gunslinger Aidan O’Connell overthrew his intended target in the middle of the field and Iowa safety Kaevon Merriweather came up with a big time interception just on the Iowa side of the 50 yard line.</p>
<p id="xGlbTl">Three play later, Spencer Petras found Nico Ragaini on an underneath crossing route we’ve all been clamoring for and Ragaini did the rest to put the Hawkeyes in the endzone from 29 yards out.</p>
<p id="uJsImN">As our own @tnels_20 said, “Purdue was bringing pressure to take away Iowa’s play action boot game so Iowa counters with a little bunch inside release pattern that was the perfect call.”</p>
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<p lang="in" dir="ltr">NICO RAGAINI!!! <a href="https://t.co/zYywJoe8AF">pic.twitter.com/zYywJoe8AF</a></p>— Heavens! (@HeavensFX) <a href="https://twitter.com/HeavensFX/status/1588939176350830595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a>
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<p id="fE7U6i">My how the turns table.</p>
<p id="tK5Q19">But surely the Boilermakers will respond and 14 points would never be enough against a mighty Jeff Brohm offense right?*</p>
<p id="TGOY2i">That’s precisely how it looked for a hot second as AOC found his tight end, who we’ll call Bull Durham, on a play-action seem route down the middle and things looked more like we all expected. Especially after All-American corner Riley Moss picked up his second holding call of the day. But Jeff Brohm challenged Kirk Ferentz to a stubborn competition and refused to lose.</p>
<p id="15LaSc">Brohm continued to throw with the wind at his back, totally abandoning a run game that had worked early in the game, and linebacker Seth Benson came away with a second pick of O-Connell inside the redzone.</p>
<p id="fvfb9a">*It would, and don’t call me Shirley. </p>
<p id="C3US58">The Hawkeyes came out determined to do what Brohm would not and establish the run. It was a recipe for success that’s been sorely missing this season, but freshman Kaleb Johnson burst onto the scene on Saturday and stated his case for being a future star in this league. He broke a first down run that should have been dead to rights for 45 down the sideline and Iowa was once again in business.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kaleb Johnson - less than a year out of high school - is a budding star in Iowa City. Shades of <a href="https://twitter.com/Freddyballa2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Freddyballa2</a>. <a href="https://t.co/8zMgH0OU00">pic.twitter.com/8zMgH0OU00</a></p>— Mitch Fick (@MCFick) <a href="https://twitter.com/MCFick/status/1588942610793922560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a>
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<p id="gvXuGC">After pulling a Brian and dialing up a play-action pass that fooled absolutely nobody, the Hawkeyes went back to Johnson on a beautifully set up screen pass before Petras dialed up the same Ragaini crosser that picked up another 30 yards. </p>
<p id="S3CPYp">But lest we have too many nice things, the drive stalled out and freshman kicker Drew Stevens had to step in and punch in a 26-yard field goal into the wind with 6:11 to go in the half.</p>
<p id="NPxcFP">Again, we saw Phil Parker’s defense show their identity as they forced Purdue to go for it on 4th and one on their own 40. The Hawkeyes got the stop but Cooper DeJean was called for a hold to give the Boiler’s the ball on the Iowa side of the 50. Brohm tried to pull a Brian and go for the home run right away, but there is no fooling this Iowa defense and the flea flicker had nowhere to go.</p>
<p id="V4Mzft">So again O’Connell went to his favorite, and really only, target on the day as Charlie Jones came up with a beautiful catch in traffic to keep things alive. But the story of the drive was penalties as the Hawkeyes were tagged for another 15 yards on an illegal hands to the face call on Lukas Van Ness. Iowa would be penalized 25 yards on a drive that saw the Purdue offense total just 35 yards. </p>
<p id="Eyi3oq">But the combination put the Boilers in field goal range despite Van Ness atoning for his sins by taking AOC down for a HUGE sack on third and goal from the two yard line.</p>
<p id="epqIVi">After both offenses opted to play things relatively conservative going into the half, the Hawkeyes left us all wondering what had just happened. Iowa put up 17 points in the second quarter and went into halftime with 258 yards of total offense to just 153 for Purdue. The Iowa defense, despite their penalties, was playing incredibly well and created the two turnovers of O’Connell while the Hawkeyes protected the ball well.</p>
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<p id="NcQtqk">For his part, Spencer Petras had perhaps the best half of football he has played in a calendar year. He went 10 of 15 passing for 182 yards and a pair of scores, largely into the blustering wind, to really open things up from a playcalling perspective.</p>
<p id="q8y2yX">So when the Hawkeyes came out in the second half, we all expected them to turtle, right? Right. </p>
<p id="4sY4yI">And they did. </p>
<p id="7uaSCj">Except, when you have an offensive line actually starting to figure things out and Kaleb Johnson at RB, turtling can still mean scoring. That’s exactly what happened on the second play of the half as Johnson burst out the back door and outran the world to paydirt for a 75-yard score to kick off the half.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="cy" dir="ltr">KALEB JOHNSON 75 YD BURST <a href="https://t.co/c6zWMylqM0">pic.twitter.com/c6zWMylqM0</a></p>— Heavens! (@HeavensFX) <a href="https://twitter.com/HeavensFX/status/1588955081965199360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a>
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<p id="G9WxtK">The run took Iowa to six plays of 20 or more yards through essentially one half of football. Those are winning numbers this team hasn’t seen in a long, long time.</p>
<p id="5EImn1">And in a reversal of mind games on Ferentz, the offense putting up points put the pressure on Purdue to do the same. But the swirling winds and disciplined Iowa defense meant eventually something was going to collapse under that pressure to score. </p>
<p id="FaxgWK">The Boilers began to press a bit and Parker was content to let Purdue continue to take the underneath stuff without giving up the big play. After a three and out for each side, Purdue was forced to once again go for it on 4th down. But after stringing together 9 plays to go just 39 yards, Purdue was finally forced to punt (after considering going for it on 4th and 8).</p>
<p id="qgC1qS">And the pressure mounts.</p>
<p id="gUU6C8">But Purdue gains some field position as Brian indeed turtles into the ground game as expected (and perhaps rightfully so). Ultimately, the Hawkeyes go three and out and the Boilers get the ball at the Iowa 45. </p>
<p id="vDuLTn">However, as the defense lulls Purdue to sleep with the underneath stuff, the Boilermakers find themselves in a third and long and defensive end Deontae Craig came up with a huge sack on 3rd and 8 to push Purdue out of field goal range. Thus, the Boilers opted to go for yet another 4th down. This time Van Ness was breathing down O’Connell’s neck and the Hawkeyes take over already in field goal range.</p>
<p id="EvDWyX">With under nine minutes to play and the defense looking suffocating, Brian probably made the right call in continuing to lean on the run game. But it was fooling nobody and the line seemed to look like their old selves a bit as the game wore on. So the Hawkeyes failed to convert a first down and Drew Stevens was forced to kick a 44-yard field goal into the wind. He had plenty of leg, but doinked it off the upright to keep the game at 24-3.</p>
<p id="DY2KZE">And that’s where the Hawkeye defense would keep it.</p>
<p id="Wh92Ap">Parker and his bunch seemed insistent on not letting the Boilermakers come up with anything cheap with the clock winding down. Even as Purdue opted to put in several backups on their final drive with 2:31 to go, Parker kept the starters in and the pressure on for 60 minutes. </p>
<p id="H3StOF">The Hawkeyes ended the day with a season high 376 yards. Petras went just 3 of 8 passing in the second half as Iowa really tried to slow things down and lean on the incredible day Kaleb Johnson had. For his part, he finished with an absurd 200 yards and a TD on 22 carries. </p>
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<p id="7RiFdx">It was a complete dismantling of a team that has totally and completely owned Iowa since Jeff Brohm took over. We had heard all offseason that the Iowa staff had this one circled and that seems to have been true. Whether it was due to the Tracy (one carry for five yards) and Jones (11 catches for 104 yards) transfers, the negative recruiting Purdue has reportedly been doing, or just a general disdain for a Big Ten West thorn in the side, Iowa played one of its best games on Saturday.</p>
<p id="YSQrwo">The win leaves open the door for the Hawkeyes to truly turn this season around still backdoor their way into a second straight Big Ten West title. It’s an unlikely scenario, but it was just as unlikely at the outset of the season that Illinois would be ranked and comfortably atop the standings the first weekend in November.</p>
<p id="7kdYwv">Things have gone wild in college football this weekend and it may only get more wild from here.</p>
<p id="G8ioES">Buckle up.</p>
<div id="lnXgiH">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/Sdgsj6fJzj">pic.twitter.com/Sdgsj6fJzj</a></p>— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawkeyeFootball/status/1588975229485068288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a>
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https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/5/23442012/iowa-hawkeye-football-purdue-boilermakers-steamrolled-kaleb-johnson-spencer-petras-charlie-jonesJPinIC2022-11-05T06:01:00-05:002022-11-05T06:01:00-05:00Iowa vs. Purdue: Game time, TV schedule, streaming and more
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<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 16 Purdue at Iowa" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qr7Cn9CHXiQU0WYpTTx1z4554SM=/0x0:4068x2712/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71587976/1236013113.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Can the Hawkeyes stop the Boilermakers?</figcaption>
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<p>The Hawkeyes hit the road again with major Big Ten West implications.</p> <p id="jO6BXU">The <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com">Iowa Hawkeyes</a> finally got things back on track last weekend when they put up season highs in total yardage and points as they defeated the <a href="https://www.insidenu.com">Northwestern Wildcats</a> 33-13 inside Kinnick Stadium on homecoming. Now, it’s time to see just how much of that offensive success was due to the opponent and how much of it was true improvement from the part of this team that has given Hawkeye fans so much frustration this year.</p>
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<p id="pSR2Bs">This week, the Hawkeyes travel to West Lafeyette, Indiana - home of our most hated rivals, the <a href="https://www.hammerandrails.com">Purdue Boilermakers</a>. While the title started as a joke with the Hawkeyes and Boilers being dubbed permanent rivals by former conference commissioner Jim Delaney, it has slowly come to fruition. </p>
<p id="jJkav2">We are at war with Purdue. We have always been at war with Purdue.</p>
<p id="9H1KXH">At least that is how it’s felt since head coach Jeff Brohm took over the Boilers. Brohm has amassed a 4-1 record against the Hawkeyes, making him the winningest coach against Kirk Ferentz with at least 3 matchups. Not only has Brohm been successful against the Hawkeyes on the field, but with Iowa assistant Kelvin Bell making strong in-roads in Indianapolis, the Hawkeyes and Boilers have run into each other a LOT on the recruiting trail and rumor has it the two staffs have grown to <em>really </em>dislike each other.</p>
<p id="eMjM7A">Throw in the transfers of Tyrone Tracy, Jr. and Charlie Jones from Iowa to Purdue last spring and all of a sudden this tongue in cheek rivalry seems to have some real teeth to it.</p>
<p id="SEfXin">Now the two former “rivals” turned RIVALS face off with Big Ten West implications. As poorly as this season has gone for the Hawkeyes, Iowa remains in contention for the West title. A win in West Lafeyette would jump the Hawkeyes into second place and keep the door, inexplicably, open for a trip back to Indianapolis.</p>
<p id="PUkHXc">As we prepare for kickoff, here’s a reminder of the details for today’s matchup:</p>
<p id="KPyJ6f"><strong>Date: </strong>Saturday, November 5th<br><strong>Time:</strong> 11:00 am CT<br><strong>Matchup:</strong> <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/"><strong>Iowa Hawkeyes</strong></a> (4-4, 2-3) at Purdue Boilermakers (5-3, 3-2)<br><strong>Location:</strong> Ross-Ade Stadium - West Lafeyette, IN<br><strong>TV: </strong>FS1<br><strong>Preliminary Weather Forecast:</strong> windy with thunderstorms, temps in the low-60s, 95% chance of rain, winds gusting up to 50mph out of the S<br><a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/football/87637?wpcid=163239&wpcn=howtowatchcontent&wpscn=CFB&wpsrc=Vox"><strong>DraftKings Sportsbook Line:</strong></a><strong> </strong>Purdue -3.5, O/U 39.5</p>
<p id="UwqltI"><em>Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See </em><a href="http://draftkings.com/sportsbook"><em><strong>draftkings.com/sportsbook</strong></em></a><em> for details.</em></p>
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<h2 id="cdXOML">Game Prep</h2>
<p id="4vjcRE">If you’re looking for a refresher on the details of today’s game, be sure to check out our coverage from throughout the week, starting with the <a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/1/23433628/iowa-hawkeyes-at-purdue-boilermakers-game-center-opening-line-spread-weather-tv-channel-bhgp"><strong>Game Center</strong></a>.</p>
<p id="oVOVp8"><strong>Opponent Insight: </strong><a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/3/23437377/iowa-hawkeye-football-butchers-word-purdue-boilermakers-aidan-oconnell-charlie-jones-bhgp"><strong>The Butcher’s Word</strong></a><br><strong>Staff Predictions: </strong><a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/4/23435108/pants-predicts-iowa-hawkeyes-at-purdue-boilermakers-line-spread-preview-bhgp"><strong>The Pants Predicts Iowa at Purdue</strong></a></p>
<p id="ND5f9m">If you’re on the go and would rather listen to Hawkeye talk, be sure to check out the BHGP podcast feed. There are three new episodes up this week already with more to come today. You can find those wherever you get your podcasts, or by clicking below.</p>
<p id="4GP5FD"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1276773014"><strong>Apple Podcasts</strong></a><br><a href="https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vVk1QMjgyODk1OTg3Nw%3D%3D"><strong>Google Podcasts</strong></a><br><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7r9nzBc93ubuwXIkl1fI32"><strong>Spotify</strong></a><br><a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast//vox/black-heart-gold-pants-for-iowa-hawkeyes-fans"><strong>Stitcher</strong></a><br><a href="http://feeds.megaphone.fm/VMP2828959877"><strong>RSS Feed</strong></a></p>
<div id="Ygnp3u"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://playlist.megaphone.fm?p=VMP2828959877" width="100%" height="482"></iframe></div>
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<p id="OTZHPf">**NEW this year: we’ll also be hosting Twitter Spaces before and after the game. Be sure to tune in to <a href="http://twitter.com/BHGP">@BHGP</a> to get live, up to date news and analysis on things like injuries, warmup reports and more starting at 8am CT. We’ll hop back on live after the final gun to do the victory polka or wallow in our sorrows with you all.**</p>
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https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/5/23419789/iowa-hawkeyes-vs-purdue-how-to-watch-live-stream-tv-info-betting-odds-big-ten-college-footballJPinIC2022-11-04T15:01:00-05:002022-11-04T15:01:00-05:00Purdue vs. Iowa: Updated Vegas Line + Weather Update
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<img alt="MLB: World Series-Houston Astros at Philadelphia Phillies" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rRzYej-42JBEit6rsrfZMK_aZM4=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71586177/usa_today_19336559.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Weather forecast? BLEAK</p> <p id="DDXXsI"><strong>Weather Update</strong></p>
<p id="sl9W7p">One word: woof. The forecast for West Lafayette has completely fallen apart in the last couple of days. As I write this Thursday afternoon, it’s currently 70 degrees in western Indiana. That’s awesome! The weather in 24 hours looks decidedly less awesome. Bring a poncho and hang on.</p>
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<figcaption>WTF?? That SUCKS.</figcaption>
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<p id="Y7bNwj">The forecast is calling for gusts over 40 miles per hour. The wind is worse than the rain. It will slow Purdue down, but it will also prevent Iowa from possibly taking advantage of a banged up Purdue secondary. So a rock fight might be on the horizon. Great. Fantastic. 0/10, would not recommend.</p>
<p id="mbdmNu"><strong>Vegas Movement</strong></p>
<p id="h8zahr">This line started at Purdue -7. Our great friends at <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/event/iowa-%40-purdue/27781379">DraftKings</a> now have this down at Purdue -3.5. That seems about right, honestly. Second verse, same as the first - Iowa has the best unit on the field while also having the worst, and the worst is too much of an anchor so Purdue is slightly better. And that over/under at 38 - that’s probably dependent on this dreadful weather forecast. Windy and rainy is an under for me.</p>
<p id="L0rk0d"><strong>Line:</strong> Iowa +3.5 (-110/-110)<br><strong>Over/Under:</strong> 38 (-110/-110)</p>
<p id="PbvOBj">Wager at your own risk!</p>
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<p id="OCvo5Y"><em>Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See </em><a href="http://draftkings.com/sportsbook"><em><strong>draftkings.com/sportsbook</strong></em></a><em> for details.</em></p>
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https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2022/11/4/23439616/purdue-boilermakers-vs-iowa-hawkeyes-updated-vegas-line-spread-weather-update-west-lafeyette-bhgpSirNicholas33