In an absolutely massive weekend for Iowa sports, the football team has a chance to go 10-0.
By Jordan Hansen | [email protected]
The Hawkeye football team has never gone 10-0, something it has a chance to do Saturday evening against Minnesota.
Regardless, the Hawkeyes have a chance to make history on a day on which history is already being made. The Hawkeye wrestling squad hosts No. 3 Oklahoma State on the field at Kinnick, the first time a wrestling dual meet will be held in a Division-I football stadium.
“Nothing like this has ever been done, and I think it’s going to be a great environment for the people who are there,” senior center Austin Blythe said. ‘There’s going to be a ton of people — honestly, I wish I could be there watching the meet.”
The football squad will be in the team hotel until several hours before the game, but it still means something to Blythe, who was a three-time heavyweight-wrestling champ at Williamsburg High and posted a 50-1 record during his senior year.
It’s a huge sports weekend (men’s and women’s basketball both have their first two games as well), and the gravity of the situation isn’t lost on the football team, whose players are trying to focus on the task at hand — beating a Minnesota team that manhandled them last season.
“We understand what happened last year, and we don’t want that to happen again,” Blythe said. “I think we’ve done a lot better job this year handling things that a game can throw at you.”
Four-headed monster, back
There’s a good shot Iowa should have at least three, if not four, of its running backs healthy and available against Minnesota. If the Hawkeyes do in fact have all four back, it would be the first time all year every member of the quartet has been available.
All four have been injured at some point during the season, meaning has Iowa had to get creative with the rotation. It’s forced the squad to develop depth at the position, and any of the four look as if they could handle serious reps.
“That’s a position where you can have jealousy creep in pretty quickly and pretty easily,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “They’re a good group of guys. They work hard. I think they’ve got mutual respect.”
It’s also built up the camaraderie. LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley have both talked about how close the four are on and off the field, something that fosters healthy competition.
Iowa can also use each back in different situations, a huge benefit to the team.
“It helps out our offense a lot and gives us a lot of flexibility in our play calling,” Daniels said. “It also helps us provide explosive plays in our offense.”
Injury updates
Jordan Canzeri should be back in action this weekend.
Ferentz also gave an update on tackle Ike Boettger, saying the Hawks would know more today; however, it sounds as if he’s fairly close to returning. Wadley did not practice on Tuesday, though he was available to media, a sign that he’ll be able to go.
“I kind of rolled over and sprained it, but right now I feel good,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll be back practicing tomorrow, but we’re taking it day by day.”