Iowa Hawkeyes Football

Iowa owns seven victories in its last nine meetings with Purdue, and is 3-1 against the spread over the last four. The undefeated Hawkeyes shoot to stay that way and clinch a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game when they host the Boilers Saturday afternoon at Kinnick Stadium.

Point spread: Hawkeyes opened as 17-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 41.0-13.8 Hawkeyes

Why the Purdue Boilermakers can cover the spread

Purdue only owns one victory over its last eight games, but is 3-1 ATS over its last four after falling at a ranked Northwestern last week 21-14 but covering as a two-touchdown underdog. The Boilers fell behind 7-0 on the first possession of the game but promptly responded with a 68-yard David Blough-to-Domonique Young scoring strike to tie the game at 7-7.

They trailed 14-7 at the half but then re-tied the game on a short Markell Jones touchdown run and had a chance to take a lead shortly thereafter but missed a 43-yard field-goal attempt. Purdue then gave up the game-winning touchdown with four minutes to go but couldn't respond for a second time.

On the day the Boilers only got outgained 382-360 and won the turnover battle 3-1.

Earlier this year, Purdue gave Michigan State a tough game up in East Lansing, losing 24-21 but covering easily at 23 points. And last month, it lost at Wisconsin 24-7 but covered at 21 points. So the Boilers are 3-0 ATS on the Big Ten road this season.

Why the Iowa Hawkeyes can cover the spread

Iowa remained perfect and part of the College Football Playoff conversation with a 40-35 victory over Minnesota last week. The Hawkeyes took a 7-0 lead on their first possession of the game and never trailed, eventually leading by double digits on three different occasions. Iowa then coughed up the cover as an eight-point favorite when it allowed the Gophers to score a touchdown with just over a minute to go.

On the night, the Hawkeyes outrushed Minnesota 272-133, as running back LeShun Daniels popped off for 195 and three scores, including a game-clinching 51-yard touchdown bolt with just over two minutes left.

For the season, Iowa is averaging 212 yards per game on the ground while allowing just 105. And outrushing opponents by 100-plus yards is often a good way to win games and cover spreads.

Smart pick

Iowa has outgained and outrushed every opponent this season except one; meanwhile, Purdue has been outgained each of its last eight games, six times by at least 100 yards, three times by at least 200 yards. Also, the Hawkeyes are playing for big stakes. So while the spread on this game might be slightly inflated, Iowa still seems the smart betting choice.

Betting trends

Purdue is 1-5 straight up in its last six games on the road against Iowa.

Iowa is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games in November.

Purdue is 3-0 ATS in its last three games after a loss.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.

When you go home this evening, I want you to have “the talk” with your children.

This won’t be easy, but their innocent ears need to hear it. They deserve to hear it. You can’t put this off any longer; now is the time.

Try to map out the words on the way home. It’ll flow better this way. Be firm, but not unsettling. Be thoughtful, but not befuddling. Be the parent you’ve always hoped you’d be in situations such as these. The most impactful conversation of your life is at your doorstep.

You can do this. I know you can.

It’s time for you to talk with your children about undefeated Iowa—the fly in the College Football Playoff ointment.

Welcome to a world where Iowa is without a loss two months into the college football season.

The schedule has been unquestionably favorable. The style points are not exactly stacked neatly in a robust pile. This isn’t Ohio State. This isn’t Baylor. But less than a week before the release of the first College Football Playoff standings, Iowa undeniably finds itself on the outskirts of the conversation, whether you believe it belongs there or not. Smell that sweet, succulent air.

This is news to Kirk Ferentz. Not the fact that his team is 7-0; he’s well aware of that. But just a few short days ago, Iowa’s head coach learned, through a press conference, that the selection committee will unveil its first Top 25 next Tuesday.

He also still has no plans to watch or DVR the festivities.

“We haven’t talked much about it, but these kids aren’t dumb,” Ferentz told Bleacher Report earlier this week. “I can’t imagine there’s a team in our league that doesn’t want to play in the championship game.”

This dream would have sounded foolish back in August. Having lost five of its final seven games last season, Iowa entered 2015 with minimal expectations. One could argue that rock bottom had arrived. The program said goodbye to the nation’s best offensive lineman. It lost an abundance of meaningful snaps.

Even through the wins, there have been losses. Defensive end Drew Ott, the Hawkeyes’ best player, is out for the year with a torn ACL. Running back Jordan Canzeri, the offense’s most dynamic weapon, is still hobbled with an ankle injury.

The offensive line has been an elaborate game of duck, duck, goose. The starting quarterback, C.J. Beathard, has spent the better part of the last month moving with a pronounced limp. And still, zero losses.

The bye week arrived just in time. Well, almost.

“True confession,” Ferentz said. “I thought we needed it the week prior. I thought we might have pushed a little too far going to Chicago. The guys really came through.”

In the 40-10 road win over Northwestern in Week 7, Ferentz watched sophomore running back Akrum Wadley visit the end zone four times. Coming into the game, Wadley had logged eight carries all season.

It’s been that type of year. “Next man up” is a tired and clichéd philosophy, but it’s been adopted in Iowa City. It has not always been pretty or easy on the eyes, but it has come together. Against Northwestern, it really came together.

After the win, Ferentz wanted his players to get away with a week off. Even he decompressed some, spending last Saturday at his granddaughter’s birthday party before doing some evening recruiting.

Before his team shut things down for a few days, the usually reserved head coach delivered a surprising message.

“I encouraged them to think and dream big for a couple of days,” Ferentz said. He then couldn’t help but laugh before finishing the statement. “I don’t want them to think I’m a tyrant.”

There’s something deeper to this sound bite—a movement that has garnered traction over the past month. Suddenly, after 17 years, Ferentz has developed a new nickname.

You ready for this? It's off-the-walls creative.

New Kirk.

It’s simple and somehow appropriate. It’s the product of winning. But more so than that, it’s a newfound aggressive mindset—a mindset Ferentz believes has existed all along.

It’s the play-calling. It’s the fake field-goal attempts. It’s going for it on fourth down rather than settling from three points. Strangely enough, many of these attempts have failed. The aggression has not always resulted in positive results, at least not instantly.

But the energy is palpable. There's an edge to this team. New Kirk.

When asked about his new nickname, Ferentz could only offer up more laughter. Not a deep belly laugh, but a kind of chuckle, chock-full of appreciation. Whether he agrees with the nickname or not, there’s something to be said about a longtime coach being recognized for changing his ways, even if he feels it's business as usual. Clearly others feel differently.

“It’s entertaining,” Ferentz said of the nickname. “If people think this is new, that’s wonderful. But it’s pretty much the same old story here.”

When his team returned to practice after the bye week, having explored the glorious possibilities ahead, Ferentz greeted each of them with a sheet of paper.

Included on this handout was a list of upsets and near upsets that have transpired over the course of the season. The list was all-encompassing, with a focus on the Big Ten.

It was a reminder that now, strangely, Iowa is being hunted rather than doing the hunting. After allowing a few days of stargazing, it was back to reality.

“Nobody knew who we were a month ago, and now there’s a little talk about us,” Ferentz said. “But all that talk doesn’t impact games. We’re not even 40 percent done with the Big Ten schedule yet, so all of that is premature. There is so much football to be played.”

Let’s talk about that football to be played, shall we? This part is important. In fact, it’s the most potent ingredient in this chaos cocktail.

Through seven games this season, Iowa has wins over Pittsburgh, Wisconsin and Northwestern. Those are the greatest hits. It's not the nation's most robust resume. It's probably not as bad as it's made out to be, either. Iowa, now positioned at No. 10 in the AP Poll, is right where it belongs.

Questions exist, and understandably so. The Hawkeyes have not looked the part of a national power. Still, zero losses in a Power Five conference will take you places.

The rest of the schedule is where the fascination kicks up another notch. Iowa will play Maryland at home this weekend. After that, Ferentz's team will play a dangerous game at Indiana. The final three weeks feature home matchups against Minnesota and Purdue, followed by a road finale at Nebraska.

While Iowa will not receive any boosts for its closing strength of schedule, there's a decent likelihood of staying unbeaten for a while longer. None of these games should be assumed wins. Not a single one. But take a gander at what some of the Big 12’s finest teams have in November and stack those schedules next to Iowa’s; it’s not even close.

As outlined by Bleacher Report’s analytics expert Ed Feng, Iowa is a threat to win each one of its remaining regular-season games. The percentages are in the Hawkeyes’ favor.

Date	Opponent	Win Percentage
October 31	Maryland	82.6%
November 7	@ Indiana	73.3%
November 14	Minnesota	72.3%
November 21	Purdue	86.8%
November 27	@ Nebraska	50.2%

Of course, numbers provide nothing in terms of guarantees. But they do identify opportunity. And Iowa, a little healthier than it was two weeks ago, is suddenly in a position to carry out the chaos for a few more weeks.

“We normally need a couple good stories to emerge,” Ferentz said. “We need a little luck and some good fortune health-wise, which we haven’t had. We don’t recruit the way a couple others do, so we don’t have guys stacked up at positions. It’s a real fine line for us. But the vibe here is very good.”

There are more than just a few good stories. Cornerback Desmond King has emerged as one of the top defensive players in the conference. His six interceptions are second in the nation. Quarterback C.J. Beathard, while not necessarily a statistical monster, has been excellent, even through injuries. Running back Jordan Canzeri, bum ankle and all, is still fourth in the conference in rushing.

With these few fully highlighted, let's not hide the obvious: The likelihood of Iowa making the College Football Playoff is remote.

This isn’t a chaos theory because these dots are so easily connectable; chaos thrives in the unlikely and the great unknown. It will take everything Ferentz alluded to plus a little more. 

While it has nowhere near the talent of Ohio State, it may not need such talent to take things a little deeper. For that reason, Iowa will be doubted nationally until it’s undone, whenever (or if ever) that day might arrive.

But with so many winnable games on the horizon, the possibility of Iowa playing Ohio State or Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game for a spot in the College Football Playoff is real enough, despite what our instincts tell us. Unlikely, certainly. Possible, indeed.

It's to the point, inching oh, so close to November, that we should at least acknowledge this possibility. You don't have to buy it or even understand it, but at least admit that, right now, it's there.

And if and when it all blows up, we can talk about those fun few weeks. The chaos potential will morph into a story about a quality team that many, including myself, thought would miss out on a bowl game. That's not exactly the worst consolation prize.

In the meantime, you should probably have that talk with your children. Just in case.

They have a right to know. It’s up to you to tell them. Deep breaths.

Unless noted otherwise, all quotes obtained firsthand.

Iowa Hawkeyes defensive end Drew Ott suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in Saturday’s 29-20 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, according to Marc Morehouse of the Cedar Rapids Gazette.  

Continue for updates.  

---

Ott Reportedly Tore ACL in Win Over Illinois

Saturday, October 10

Ott suffered the injury on a non-contact occurrence late in the third quarter, according to Steven Elonich of the Omaha World-Herald, and had to be helped off the field following an Illinois punt. 

Elonich reported that upon returning to the sideline, Ott was on crutches with his right knee taped with ice. Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register said that the injury didn’t prevent the senior from maintaining his role as one of Iowa’s team leaders.

Drew Ott became team motivator after right knee injury. Said Parker Hesse: “He was just hitting us with his crutches. Typical Drew stuff.”

— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) October 10, 2015

Ott hyperextended his elbow earlier in the season, according to Elonich, but returned to full strength in Week 5’s 10-6 win over the Wisconsin Badgers.

With Ott likely lost for the year, No. 22 Iowa will have to look for others on the defensive line to fill the void of leadership and athleticism that he offered. He posted four sacks and three forced fumbles, according to the school’s athletic site. 

Let’s make this clear: Kirk Ferentz has done plenty of tremendous things in 16 years as Iowa’s head coach. After taking over a program that had fallen into disrepair in legend Hayden Fry’s final seasons, Ferentz restored the Hawkeyes to national prominence with 115 wins, four 10-win seasons and a pair of Big Ten championships.

He has been an outstanding leader and ambassador for Iowa as a program and a university as a whole. But for nearly every coach, there comes a time when their tenure grows stale. When it becomes plainly obvious that a change is necessary for both sides to move on and rejuvenate themselves, make a clean break.

For Kirk Ferentz and the University of Iowa football program, that time should be now. Friday’s 45-28 Taxslayer Bowl loss to Tennessee, which wrapped up Iowa’s 2014 season at 7-6, is not a cause or a final straw. It is merely a symptom of a larger problem—one that must be addressed sooner rather than later, despite the large buyout due Ferentz that change would require.

Since 2009’s unexpected 11-2 season, capped with an Orange Bowl win over Georgia Tech, Iowa has sunk into mediocrity. In the last five seasons, the Hawkeyes are 32-30 with two eight-win seasons and one bowl win, a 2010 Insight Bowl victory over Missouri.

That’s a terrible return on UI's investment. Per a recent USA Today survey of college football coaches’ salaries, Ferentz will make $4.075 million this season, which ranks as the ninth-highest salary among FBS coaches.

From bad to worse. This game can’t end soon enough for Iowa. Going to be a long offseason in Hawkeye Country.

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 2, 2015

Per a recent article from Forbes’ Chris Smith, Ferentz’s base salary is $3.55 million annually. His contract runs through 2020, and his buyout equals 75 percent of the total salary remaining on his deal. If Iowa were to fire him tomorrow, its buyout would equal $13.3 million, a staggering figure.

However, Smith argues that Iowa would save $7.7 million over the life of the contract by eating Ferentz’s contract now, although the department would spend significant salary on a new coach.

Is it worth it to arrest Iowa’s decline? Absolutely. With Ohio State’s return to the national elite, Michigan’s hiring of Jim Harbaugh and Michigan State’s continued success (not to mention James Franklin’s presence at Penn State), the Big Ten is not getting any easier.

Fortunately for Iowa, all four programs reside in the Big Ten East Division. Iowa is in the West with Wisconsin and Nebraska, both of whom have endured their own coaching changes this season.

https://twitter.com/HS_BHGP/status/551122609262571522

The Hawkeyes are showing no signs of making a move in the West. This season set up as Iowa’s easiest schedule in recent memory: rival Iowa State, Wisconsin and Nebraska at home, with no Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State or Penn State on the schedule. The Hawkeyes? They gave ISU one of its two wins on the season and lost to both the Badgers and Cornhuskers.

Next fall, Iowa again avoids the East powers but must travel to Iowa State, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

It’s more than the schedule, though. Too often this fall, the Hawkeyes have looked unmotivated and uninspired. Offensive coordinator Greg Davis’ system was bland, entering the Taxslayer Bowl averaging 28.2 points per game, No. 71 nationally. Neither Jake Rudock nor C.J. Beathard were truly effective at quarterback, and the defense often struggled to stop people and tackle well (a major concern Friday).

Tennessee led 35-7 following a lifeless first half and held a 45-14 lead before Iowa narrowed the gap with a pair of garbage-time touchdowns. The Vols' Jalen Hurd rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, and UT was never threatened.

And this isn't a young team: Iowa will lose 10 starters, including senior left tackle and Outland Trophy winner Brandon Scherff and all-time receptions leader Kevonte Martin-Manley. 

https://twitter.com/marcmorehouse/status/551137500589490176

The team’s performances epitomized a program that has gone stale, and Ferentz himself did little to combat that narrative. Asked repeatedly about the Hawkeyes’ mistakes following the Nebraska loss, he repeatedly answered, “That’s football,” which doesn’t sit well with fans seeking answers.

Ferentz still has the support of his boss, as Iowa athletic director Gary Barta made clear to Rick Brown of the Des Moines Register during a recent interview.

Without question he will be our coach next season. That being said, (myself), Kirk and others surrounding the program have very high expectations for Iowa football. My expectations are for us to compete for and win championships. Maybe that's a bowl championship. A Big Ten Championship. Maybe, someday, even beyond that. And because they are so high, in 2014 we didn't meet those expectations.

Money, Barta told Brown, isn’t a factor in Ferentz’s tenure.

The money is not what I'm basing my decision on. If he was making half of what he's making, or he was making two times what he's making, I would be going through the exact same process. I'm trying to evaluate where we're at, and then trying to decide if the foundation is strong enough to go forward with the current coach. And I absolutely believe that it is.

Iowa might not be able to compete consistently with the Big Ten East, but it can certainly challenge for Big Ten West titles. And now is the time to ensure the Hawkeyes can do so consistently.

If money truly isn’t a factor, then Barta and Iowa officials should act now to change the program’s direction. Thanking Ferentz for his contributions and moving on would be the best tonic for a program that is obviously in need of a major shake-up.

Updates from Saturday, Sept. 13

Rob Howe of Scout.com reported on Brandon Scherff's status for Saturday's game:

Gary Dolphin just said on the radio that Brandon Scherff will start today's game. #Hawkeyes

— Rob Howe 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@RobHoweHN) September 13, 2014

Updates from Wednesday, Sept. 10

Rick Brown of the Des Moines Register has the latest on Brandon Scherff's status for Saturday:

Ferentz said Scherff was on the practice field today and is improving. Wouldnt rule him out Saturday.

— Rick Brown (@ByRickBrown) September 11, 2014

 

Updates from Tuesday, Sept. 9

Sports Reporter/Producer for KCRG-TV9 Scott Westerberg provides a synopsis of a conversation conducted with Brandon Scherff discussing his injury status:

Talked to Scherff. He's not ruling out the Pitt game but is confident in being back for start of B1G.

— Scott Westerberg (@ScottWesterberg) September 9, 2014

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report also reported what he was hearing about Schereff's condition:

Sounds like Brandon Scherff did indeed have surgery to repair meniscus this morning. Sources told me 2-3 week return timeline is expected.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) September 9, 2014

Original Text

The Iowa Hawkeyes' sturdy offensive line took a blow in Week 2 against Ball State.

Star left tackle Brandon Scherff reportedly suffered a leg injury during the second quarter of his team's contest against the Cardinals.

Marc Morehouse of The Cedar Rapids Gazette first reported the news:

https://twitter.com/marcmorehouse/status/508349486150598656

https://twitter.com/marcmorehouse/status/508349601913393152

Morehouse had more after the game:

https://twitter.com/marcmorehouse/status/508401634389815297

The 320-pound senior will be hoping for a quick recovery, as he could be a top NFL draft pick in 2015. However, he does have plenty of excellent game tape to show scouts after a junior season that saw him make the All-Big Ten first team, per ESPN.com.

Morehouse noted that the Hawkeyes were forced to use an intriguing replacement for Scherff:

https://twitter.com/marcmorehouse/status/508351881639260160

However, all may not be lost, as Scherff was apparently able to make it to the locker room under his own power, per Morehouse:

https://twitter.com/marcmorehouse/status/508351229827612672

Scherff's injury could expose the lack of depth at offensive line, and quarterback Jake Rudock will certainly miss the comfort and security of a top-tier tackle protecting his blindside. The Hawkeyes offense looked solid in a 31-23 win over the Northern Iowa Panthers in Week 1, but a long-term injury to Scherff could diminish the team's ability to consistently move the ball both through the air and on the ground.

For this generation of fans across Big Ten country, Iowa's Kirk Ferentz represents what it means to "be Big Ten," but there was another member of his staff who truly embodies what it means to be all about the Big Ten—Norm Parker. 

On Monday, it was announced that the former Iowa defensive coordinator passed away at the age of 72, according to Andrew Logue of the Des Moines Register.  

News of this sort is always sad, but in this case, it doesn't just affect the Hawkeyes and the program he led as DC from 1999-2011 before retiring—it also leaves a hole in the Big Ten in general. 

Parker was uniquely Big Ten. For the majority of four decades, he dedicated his life to teaching kids what it meant to play defense in the Big Ten. 

His Big Ten journey began in 1972 at the University of Minnesota as a defensive line coach, where he coached until 1976. He would then go on to become a defensive coordinator at Illinois (1977-79), Michigan State (1983-94) and finally at Iowa.

The things Parker has seen, done and probably forgotten are simply amazing. Think about this for a second: 

Parker was around for the famed "Ten Year War" period between Ohio State and Michigan, saw Big Ten teams finally being allowed to go to bowl games outside of the Rose Bowl, was part of four Big Ten championship teams and was around for every phase of expansion in the Big Ten. 

That's a lot for anyone to see or be a part of and it's hard to argue anyone has been around for more Big Ten history than Parker.

He also happened to be one of the best defensive minds the conference has ever seen. His Iowa defenses were some of the most feared groups over his 13 years in Iowa City. 

Just ask former Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins, who had this to say upon hearing of Parker's passing: 

Parker's talents were undeniable—he led the Iowa defense to top-10 finishes in three of four years from 2008 to 2011.

Iowa ranked in the top 10 in part because of his defenses in 2002 and 2004.

Yet Parker was never one to seek out the spotlight; instead, he was the man of few words who still managed to touch the lives of his players in profound ways. Sean Considine, a former player of his with the Hawkeyes, told Logue just what he meant to him:

Norm was just a staple. It was really impressive to see a guy his age who coached so long, still be able to relate to kids a couple generations removed from his era. Kids really wanted to play for him. They wanted to play hard for him.

As did Jordan Bernstine, who noted just how many lives Parker touched in his career, according to Logue.

“It’s hard to put into words,” said Bernstine, who played defensive back for the Hawkeyes from 2007 to 2011. “Just because he coached for so long, touched so many players. I’m still trying to even wrap my head around it.”

More than all the stats and everything he meant to his players, it's the fact that Parker was around the conference through thick and thin that stands out as his lasting legacy.

If there is ever going to be single person who embodies what it means to be Big Ten, it is Norm Parker.

The things he's seen, the people he's touched and the importance he's placed on teaching kids to become men will never be forgotten around the conference.

No one may have put it better than former Hawkeyes tight end Tony Moeaki did via Twitter:

As the Big Ten enters a brand new era once again, it will be sad to know Norm Parker won't be on this earth to see it happen.

May he rest in peace.

*Andy Coppens is Bleacher Report's lead writer for the Big Ten. You can follow him on Twitter: @ andycoppens.

Even though Iowa fell short of the upset bid against LSU in the Outback Bowl, the season should be viewed as an overwhelming success for a program (and a coach) that desperately needed it.

Kirk Ferentz makes a lot of money. You probably know this by now. In fact, his salary is typically a popular topic of conversation each time Iowa loses or underperforms.

In recent years, those instances to bring up his incredible compensation—nearly $4 million, according to USA Today's yearly database—have surfaced more times than they should.

Last season was the low point of his tenure. After making (and winning) the Orange Bowl following the 2009 season—followed by respectable eight- and seven-win seasons—Ferentz’s team won just four games. 

The offense struggled mightily, averaging under 20 points per game for the entire season. Defensively the team wasn’t awful, although it wasn’t good enough to take over games, either. The end result was a four-win season, the first losing season for Iowa since the year 2000.

In turn, expectations heading into 2013 were lower than they’d been in quite some time. “Make a bowl” served as an acceptable goal coming in.

Iowa did much more than that.

After losing a heartbreaker to Northern Illinois in the opener, the Hawkeyes won their next four. After battling against Michigan State and Ohio State in losses, Iowa closed out the regular season by winning four of its last five.

Making a New Year’s Day bowl was not in the cards before the season began. And while Iowa fell to LSU 21-14—unable to slow down Tigers running back Jeremy Hill and overcome early offensive woes of their own—there are plenty of positives to take away from both the game and the season.

For one, Iowa battled. This was a theme throughout the entire year, and this fight was on display yet again against the Tigers. These moral victories can often be over-hyped, but this team should be commended for the second-half surge. At halftime, it looked like it could get ugly.

Iowa responded with a takeaway, however, as safety John Lowdermilk picked off young Anthony Jennings and took it the other way. He didn’t take it back all the way, though. 

In one of the strangest plays you’ll see all season—and one that the sport is somehow familiar with—Lowdermilk dropped the ball before crossing the goal line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkrJCAOruDM

Thankfully, no one picked up the “loose” ball, and Iowa got it back on the 1-yard line. Running back Mark Weisman punched it in, making the blunder a moot point. 

Despite a late touchdown to make things interesting—especially for those invested in the point spread—Iowa could not recover the onside kick. The game effort and comeback attempt fell just short.

While the loss should sting, Ferentz delivered in a critical year. Following the game, Ferentz was emotional when talking about the path to get there:

Coach Ferentz very emotional when talking about this team and where it's come the last 13 months.

— Rick Brown (@ByRickBrown) January 1, 2014

"This group, especially our older guys, they've shown the younger guys how to do things," Ferentz said via the Associated Press. "How to work. How to act. How to think. I just hope everybody's paying attention. I think we've got a group right underneath them that will impose their will, too."

Some will say that this kind of performance should be the floor, given Ferentz's salary, and perhaps that’s difficult to argue against. The improvement in this team—particularly the offense—was noteworthy, however, and suddenly Iowa can again feel good about where it is.

More importantly, it can feel better about where it's headed. 

Does this mean that it will be Rose Bowl or bust for the Hawkeyes next year? Unlikely. But the offense and the defense will get some nice pieces back.

At the very least, the storied program has stability. Ferentz will continue to make a large sum of money and will be expected to deliver. Given the improvements on display this season, there’s no reason to expect otherwise.

Iowa faces an interesting challenge heading into the Outback Bowl against LSU. It really doesn't know what the Tigers are going to come out with on offense and that means a tricky prep for the New Year's Day clash. 

Thanks to a season-ending injury to LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger, Cam Cameron must now turn to freshman Anthony Jennings. 

Jennings led a miraculous comeback against Arkansas, but what was put on film in that game may look nothing like the version of the LSU offense that is seen in Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

That's because Jennings isn't a statuesque quarterback like Mettenberger. 

With a full set of practices to concentrate the offense around the skill set of Jennings, could we see a more run-orientated, spread attack from the Tigers?

Or will LSU turn to its star running back, Jeremy Hill, who ran for over 1,200 yards and earned first-team All-SEC honors?

The lack of knowledge about exactly what LSU will look like on offense is something Kirk Ferentz readily acknowledged earlier this month to the Hawkeyes' official website.

The only wild card for us is we don't have much tape on him. The job of any quarterback, regardless of his style or of his age, is to move the team, and he moved them in about as extreme circumstances as you could dream up. For him to move from an incoming freshman to the No. 2 guy the way he did says a lot about the people who have seen him on a day-to-day basis. We can count on a really good player being back there.

There's no doubt that Jennings poses an interesting mix of arm and athleticism—completing 6-of-10 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing 14 times for 49 yards and a touchdown in the win over Arkansas. 

However, LSU will be facing one of the Big Ten's best defenses. The Hawkeyes had one member of the first- and second-team All-Big Ten (media) and three players make second-team All-Big Ten (coaches) at the end of the year.

Statistically speaking, the Iowa defense could be up to the task against anything LSU throws or runs at them: 

Category	Average	Big Ten Rank
Scoring	18.8	3rd
Total	303.2	3rd
Rushing	120.8	4th
Passing	182.4	2nd

The highlight of the Hawkeyes defense is the senior trio at linebacker—Anthony Hitchens, Christian Kirksey and James Morris. 

LSU head coach Les Miles came away impressed by the group, according to Andrew Logue of the Des Moines Register. 

I think they play the scheme as well as I’ve seen it played. It’s a traditional scheme, but there’s nothing traditional about the way they play it. Their technique is excellent. They’re always in position. They’re physical and fast and they know how to take on blocks.

Combined, the trio tallied 297 tackles this season, with Hitchens' 102 tackles leading the way. They also combined for 31.5 tackles for loss.

However talented this group is, a peak behind the really good numbers provides a glimpse as to why Hawkeyes fans should be apprehensive about its defense against LSU. 

In all four losses this season, there was a common denominator—Iowa struggled against the run.

The Hawkeyes gave up an average of 197.3 yards per game to Northern Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin. Three of those teams (Northern Illinois, OSU and Wisconsin) rank in the top 10 nationally in rushing. 

Furthermore, the top two Big Ten rushing teams, Ohio State and Wisconsin, ran over the Hawkeyes to the tune of 273 and 218 yards respectively.

That's not good news for the Hawkeyes, who are going up against an LSU offense that comes into the game averaging just over 200 yards per game as a team, ranking 32nd nationally themselves. 

Iowa's best way to counteract LSU's potent rushing attack and freshman quarterback could be in forcing Jennings into quick decisions that end badly—a.k.a. turnovers. 

LSU has coughed up the ball 18 times, putting the Tigers in a tie for 11th in turnover margin in the SEC. On the other hand, Iowa has forced opponents into 20 turnovers—including 12 interceptions. 

That leads to the front seven needing to get major pressure on Jennings, and that means a big role for Morris on Wednesday.

Morris has been the heart and soul of the Hawkeyes defense, not just from a leadership perspective, but also statistically speaking, too—he's second on the team in tackles with 97, but he leads the Hawkeyes in tackles for loss (14.5), sacks (5) and interceptions (4). 

In order for the Hawkeyes to take down the Tigers in the Outback Bowl, Morris and the rest of the senior-laden front seven need to play better than they have in the first four games against good opposition. 

Without knowing exactly what LSU will look like on offense with Jennings at quarterback, it's up to the experience of Iowa's defense to make up for what is currently unknown.

As long as the group continues to play within its roles, the defense will give Iowa a chance to pull off the upset. 

Andy Coppens is Bleacher Report's lead writer for the Big Ten. You can follow him on Twitter: @ andycoppens.

The Twitter rant unleashed Tuesday by former Iowa wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos against coach Kirk Ferentz seemed odd, if only because of the timing.

Sure, they’d tangled in the past, especially when Ferentz kicked Johnson-Koulianos off the team in 2010 following a drug arrest. But the two hadn’t had contact since the receiver entered the NFL draft in 2011, and nothing new had come to the surface.

Now, it makes sense: a book deal.

Johnson-Koulianos reportedly is shopping a tell-all about Ferentz that could tarnish a 15-year career.

Why now, you ask? Is this just about a scorned player who can’t get over feeling slighted?

After all, he told Sean Keeler of the Des Moines Register that Ferentz was an "amazing man": 

It was weird, because we had this perception (out there) that we hated each other and were enemies. I never wanted to do anything more than make that man happy. I wanted to be a coach’s player … whether you believe it or not, every coach has a group of guys that he loves and he favors. And unfortunately, I wasn’t in that group.

So clearly, Johnson-Koulianos won’t be directing his players (yes, he's a high school football coach) to the University of Iowa as long as Ferentz is there.

Some have speculated that the book threats are all about an alleged "black-balling" DJK received from Ferentz and the coaching staff at Iowa when the receiver went through the NFL Draft in the spring of 2011. On Tuesday, Johnson-Koulianos attempted to shoot down those thoughts:  

What this is more likely and simply is hype and a trial balloon for a book deal. Judging by the response on Twitter and in the media, there’s plenty of interest. 

But in taking on Ferentz’s character—by all accounts a solid coach and person—it’ll be Johnson-Koulianos’ reputation on the line. If the book fails to deliver—even if it does—the questions will surround DJK.

Why ruin someone’s reputation and at what cost?

Ironically, Johnson-Koulianos could do more damage to his own character than the man he is allegedly trying to hurt.

*Andy Coppens is Bleacher Report's lead writer for the Big Ten. You can follow him on Twitter: @ andycoppens.