Epenesa garners attention off the edge
Containing A.J. Epenesa is going to be a focus for opposing coaches this season, and that should create opportunities for other Hawkeye defenders.
Iowa defensive end AJ Epenesa prepares for a play during the Iowa football game against Miami (Ohio) at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, August 31, 2019. The Hawkeyes defeated the Redhawks 38-14.
September 2, 2019
A.J. Epenesa is the type of player who makes opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators stay up at night. He lingers in their thoughts, making them wonder how they will put up with his speed and quickness off the edge, his strength and deep arsenal of pass rush moves.
The preseason All-American defensive end can seemingly wreck opposing offenses all by himself if not given the proper attention.
Miami (Ohio) was not going to let that happen.
The RedHawks made it clear in Week 1 that they were going to do all they could to ensure Epenesa was not going to take over the game.
The entire left side of the offensive line was sliding toward Epenesa at times, not giving him any breathing room. The tight end often lined up on the left side of the line to give Epenesa an extra chip, and a running back usually stayed in the backfield to offer an extra line of defense.
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“It’s what I expected,” Epenesa said. “It makes it a lot more difficult to play the game, but that’s how it goes. I’ve got to get it going and make plays.”
While his effect on the game — particularly on the RedHawk game plan — is unquestioned, Epenesa did not show up much on the stat sheet.
The junior defensive end registered only one tackle on Aug. 31, also batting down a pass.
With the attention Epenesa drew, it makes sense why he had minimal opportunities to take down opposing ball carriers. However, the devotion to stopping Epenesa should create opportunities for the rest of the defense.
“They weren’t double-teaming all the time, but they were chipping a lot,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “That’s the curse of being a good football player. Sometimes that happens, but that should free some other things up for the other guys. That’s a team effort out there.”
Even with the attention on Epenesa, the Hawkeye defense only registered a single sack on the opposing quarterback.
The lone sack came at a key moment in the game, though.
On third down in the third quarter, defensive end Amani Jones came free off of the edge and collided with quarterback Brett Gabbert, taking him down for the sack.
The play energized both the Iowa defense and the home crowd.
“Once he saw me and I saw him and I knew I could get him, I knew I couldn’t let him go,” Jones said.
Jones is one of a number of talented pass rushers on the Iowa defense not wearing No. 94. Chauncey Golston, in particular, is probably Iowa’s most-feared pass rusher outside of Epenesa.
Golston, Jones, and even the defensive tackles from time to time will be key as pass rushers with Epenesa having so many roadblocks on his way to the quarterback.
If they step up and opposing offenses cannot afford to put so much focus on Epenesa, the Iowa defensive line will be even more difficult to stop.
