Make no mistake, No. 17 Iowa’s win over Illinois Oct. 10 was Jordan Canzeri’s day, and no one else’s. Yes, other individuals performed well on both sides, and at the end of the day, winning a sixth game of the season is the most important statistic.
But sometimes it’s about taking a step back and recognizing how special a player’s performance truly was and truly has been this year. The game against the Fighting Illini was the latest exclamation mark on what has been an amazing senior year for Canzeri.
In six games, we’ve seen him grow from a change-of-pace back with injury concerns to an every-down back to a touchdown machine, and now, to getting more carries than any other Iowa running back ever.
No one in her or his right mind — probably not even Canzeri — would have thought 43 carries and 256 yards was possible for a small, oft-injured, running back who has had a frustrating Hawkeye career.
But it happened, and there’s more value in those numbers than there may seem. Canzeri’s 11-consecutive carries almost singlehandedly put an end to any hopes Illinois had of handing Iowa its first loss of the season.
The Troy, New York, native overcame an offensive line in extreme need of Iowa’s bye week, which will happen after the Hawkeyes take on No. 20 Northwestern Saturday at Ryan Field.
On a day on which the Illini’s up-tempo offense put the Hawkeye defense on its toes — especially in the third quarter when the Illini had the ball for 10:46 — clock control was pivotal to Iowa’s success. In the final stanza, Canzeri was pivotal in the Hawkeyes out-possessing the Illini 11:52 to 3:08.
And then there was the run. The Illini had just pulled within 3 points of Iowa, and Hawkeye fans had to have at least some shred of doubt if their team would be able to hang on.
Canzeri, with a 75-yard touchdown run, extinguished any doubt in Kinnick Stadium. Yes, head coach Bill Cubit’s team brought the game back within 3 points later on, but it was hard to believe the Hawkeyes would give away the contest and waste such an outstanding individual performance.
In the end, it’s only one game, and to be fair, this won’t mean anything if the Hawkeyes’ slew of injuries begin to affect the win column. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t time to appreciate such a masterful body of work Canzeri put together.
By the time you read this column, the senior and his team will be prepping for the Wildcats and their stout run defense. You may have turned the page past Illinois, too.
If that’s the case, fine, but do yourself a favor and appreciate what Canzeri was able to do Oct. 10, because it was special, and things like that don’t happen every week. Even if those instances seem to be piling up in 2015, Canzeri’s first few years in Iowa City show they can stop at a moment’s notice.