By Blake Dowson
It had to have been a great feeling on Nov. 12 for Iowa running back Akrum Wadley to see the Kinnick Stadium turf be eaten up by screaming Iowa fans after a win over No. 2 Michigan that he had a big part in.
“Never been in a situation like that,” Wadley said after the game. “One of the greatest highlights of my life. So many fans just grabbing you, I didn’t know where the team was, didn’t even get a chance to shake [Michigan’s] hands; it took me some time.”
Field storm. pic.twitter.com/PF76pfsbQK
— Blake Dowson (@BRDowson) November 13, 2016
If you were to ask him two years ago, or last year, or even a couple weeks ago if he would be the guy toting the ball on a game-winning drive against Michigan, the always-truthful Wadley would probably tell you he would be on the sidelines.
Wadley has had fumbling issues during his time at Iowa but not this year. He has turned into the biggest weapon Iowa has on offense, and he’s being used more and more. Against Michigan, he ran for 116 yards and gained 52 more through the air, including Iowa’s only touchdown.
It’s the way Wadley gets yards that is so impressive, jutting between would-be tacklers and spinning his way through secondaries. Along with LeShun Daniels Jr., the bruiser, the combination served as a nice 1-2 punch.
“He’s a great back, really elusive,” senior quarterback C.J. Beathard said. “He turns 3-yard runs into big plays. Especially in tight spaces, it’s just crazy. Anytime you can get the ball in his hands, he can make guys miss and turn little plays into big ones.”
It’s through the air that Wadley has made himself more pronounced in the offense. With Iowa’s receiving group thin at the beginning of the year and even more so after Matt VandeBerg went down, there was a need for a playmaker through the air.
#Iowa players heading to locker room. pic.twitter.com/zAjK4JRRNf
— Blake Dowson (@BRDowson) November 13, 2016
Wadley in space is what the Hawkeyes want more and more of, and he is electric out of the backfield on screen plays. It showed Saturday night, with Wadley catching one for 27 yards and another for the touchdown.
“Akrum is a slippery guy,” Ferentz said. “He’s got good feel. The way they play defense, there’s not much wiggle room in there. He got away once or twice from those guys … and sometimes he made something out of nothing there, too. I can’t remember him having a negative play or a negative loss, and that was big in the game.
“He’s just done a really good job for us, tough competitor.”
It’s full-circle for Wadley, who was the guy during the final drive of the biggest game of the year for the Hawkeyes. Ferentz put his trust in his junior running back, and Wadley said that means as much to him as the win does.
“This is big, for [Ferentz] to be able to trust me in this type of game,” Wadley said. “The last man in the game, it’s big, man. It’s a great feeling.”
And as the moment seemed to finally hit him, so too did his emotions.
“[Ferentz] hugged me. It felt good,” Wadley said, fighting back tears. “He gave me a big hug.”
