The Iowa offense tried to make a statement in the running game in the 2019 season-opener.

After all, the team closed out last season rushing for only 15 yards on 20 attempts in the Outback Bowl.

“Coming off the Mississippi State game, we didn’t do too well in the rushing game,” running back Mekhi Sargent said. “We had a mantra coming into this game to run the ball really hard.”

That they did.

Iowa rushed for 213 yards and 2 touchdowns against Miami (Ohio), leading the Hawkeyes to a convincing 38-14 victory over the RedHawks.

Sargent led the way with 91 yards on the ground, while also compiling a career-high 65 receiving yards.

Toren Young also showcased his many talents against Miami (Ohio). He averaged 5.3 yards per carry and avoided tacklers all night both in the rushing and the receiving game.

Sargent and Young shared a handful of snaps on the night as Iowa attempted to get its best playmakers out on the field. The two lined up in the backfield together, or in one instance, Sargent lined up as slot receiver out to the right.

Freshman running back Tyler Goodson even got his name called out of the Iowa backfield, complementing a rushing attack that gave head coach Kirk Ferentz a good initial impression.

“From the sideline, it looked pretty good,” Ferentz said. “It looked more like what we were shooting for. I thought all the backs that were in there ran decisively. I thought everyone ran well.”

Those same running backs that helped lead the rushing attack also showed their versatility by making plays in the passing game.

Sargent led all Iowa players in receiving yards, and he contributed a pair of plays that sparked the Iowa offense.

The Iowa offense had not made its presence felt midway through the second quarter. Gaining yards, yes, but not finishing off drives with touchdowns.

That changed with a well-timed call for a screen pass to Mekhi Sargent, who caught the pass from quarterback Nate Stanley and would be escorted by his offensive line for 41 yards down to the Miami (Ohio) 9-yard line.

“That was a coach Brian [Ferentz] call,” quarterback Nate Stanley said. “Our coaching staff had a great feel for what they were trying to do. On film, we had seen that in extra-long situations like that, they would play back, play some deeper coverage.”

The catch-and-run would set up Iowa’s first touchdown of the year, a nice fade pass from Stanley to wide receiver Brandon Smith.

Later in the third quarter, Sargent would again be called upon in the passing game, although it wasn’t designed that way.

Sargent stayed in to block on a passing play, and although the junior running back takes pride in his ability to pass block, he didn’t do his responsibility on this particular play. Stanley got hit hard before getting the pass off.

“I blew the pick-up,” Sargent said. “That was my guy. I went for the kill shot and I missed him. After that, I tried to get out of there as fast as I could because I knew Nate was under pressure. Then he found me, threw me the ball, and I tried to make a play.”

Sargent would pick up 10 yards on the play for an Iowa first down.

“It looked like a slip screen,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “It wasn’t.”

The running backs re-energized the Iowa rushing attack, while also throwing their hats into the ring in the passing game. The group was just trying to make plays against Miami (Ohio), and that’s what it will try to do in the future.

“Playmakers make plays,” Sargent said. “That’s what we [running backs] try to do out on the field.”