The Daily Iowan - 09.30.2019

The Daily Iowan THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COMMUNITY SINCE 1868

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

INSIDE 7 SPORTS

THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Not much to see from Tennessee Iowa’s offense had a standout day against Middle Tennessee, with career performances coming from plenty of its playmakers that led to the 48-3 dominant win. Three Hawkeye running backs went over 90 yards with Toren Young leading the way with 131.

Local climate strikers call for proactive UI action In an open letter to the UI President Bruce Harreld, local participants in the Global Climate Strike call on the UI to respond proactively to climate change.

BY RIN SWANN

corinne-swann@uiowa.edu Local climate activists on Sept.

27 in a letter to University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld demanding the university take resolute action against climate change.

The strikers, a group consisting

48-3

HAWKEYES

BLUE RAIDERS

50¢

DAILYIOWAN.COM

of majority highschool and college students, joined the Global March Sept.

20 to walk from City Hall to the Pentacrest in demand of Harreld support against climate change following the passage

of Iowa City’s Climate Resolution.

The resolution from Iowa City and the Iowa City School District school board pledged to gradually reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and eventually reach zero emissions by 2050.

The group again gathered Sept.

27 to call for UI action. Demands

from strikers include that the UI follow suit, as well as permanently close the UI’s coal-fired power plant, which is a major point of contention between the advocacy group and the college.

Now, Iowa City Climate Strikers SEE CLIMATE, 2

The Kinnick show goes on

Iowa defeats Middle Tennessee State in a blowout

Clockwise from top left: Iowa running back Toren Young carries the ball during the game between Iowa and Middle Tennessee State at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 28. (Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan) Iowa running back Ivory Kelly-Martin is tackled. Megan Nagorzanski/The Daily Iowan) Iowa running back Tyler Goodson hurdles MTSU’s Gregory Grate Jr. (Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan) Iowa running back Tyler Goodson breaks a tackle.

(Megan Nagorzanski/The Daily Iowan) Iowa wideout Tyrone Tracy Jr. falls to the turf. (Megan Nagorzanski/ The Daily Iowan) A young fan cheers. (Megan Nagorzanski/The Daily Iowan)

The Hawkeyes took down Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 28, defeating the Blue Raiders 48-3. The Daily Iowan photo staff was there to capture all of the moments from the game.

SPORTS, 7

Marco’s Grilled Cheese to open restaurant

After nearly 20 years of operation out of a beloved cart in the Ped Mall, Marco’s Grilled Cheese is opening a restaurant at 117 N. Linn St. on Nov. 1.

While the cart will still be in operation on the Ped Mall, the restaurant will offer an extended menu along with the classic Marco’s favorites in both dine-in and carry-out options. The walk-in location will be open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Owner Mark Paterno said in addition to the demand for more Marco’s, the expansion to the restaurant stemmed from the lack of good food-cart conditions due to severe weather and ongoing Ped Mall construction.

Go to dailyiowan.com to see the full story.

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan

The Hawkeye Marching Band performs during a football game between Iowa and Middle Tennessee State at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 28. This is the band’s first performance since the Sept. 14 Cy-Hawk game. After the rivalry game in Ames, band members went public with reports of physical harassment — including broken ribs and bruising from a beer can — by Iowa State fans. The allegations remain under investigation. “We’ve been through a lot so it was just kind of nice to be able to perform at Kinnick after everything that’s happened and still put on a show that we’re always capable of putting on,” band member Leiz Chan said.

Harreld discusses campus issues in DI exclusive

UI President Bruce Harreld sat down with The Daily Iowan last week to discuss topics such as his contract extension; TaJuan Wilson’s resignation as the associate VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and the future of the Cy-Hawk game.

Restoring water quality Law school one Iowa lake at a time engages in Experts say state water quality remains poor as chemical fertilizers from farms find their way into Iowa’s rivers and lakes.

Go to dailyiowan.com to see the full transcript.

3

Hawkeye recruitment efforts The UI College of Law ushered in a new series of programs this semester aimed at recruiting and retaining undergraduates.

UI places emphasis on financial-literacy initiatives

BY PRESTON HAYES

preston-hayes@uiowa.edu

UI Financial Literacy Services is collaborating with multiple UI departments to get the word out to students on new initiatives that will help them better understand loans repayments, FAFSA, personal budgeting, and more.

Iowa. The project succeeded in the removal of water chemicals, the restoration of hundreds of acres of prairie, dredging of the lake, and the removal of excess sediment, said Kristen Morrow, a Johnson County Conservation naturalist.

Various bodies of water are losing oxygen statewide due to an excessive amount of nutrients, Morrow said.

Results include unsafe water conditions, contaminated drinking water, and hefty restoration projects such as that of Kent Park Lake, she added.

The University of Iowa College of Law ushered in a new series of programs this semester aimed at recruiting and retaining undergraduate students for law school.

The law school has resinstated its Kinnick Law program, a remote semester in Washington, and added an on-site mental health counselor in the department.

According to law-school documents, 30 of the 151 firstyear students enrolled in the college for the fall 2019 semester are UI graduates. The department is seeking to boost retention of UI undergraduate Washburn students pursuing a law degree through these new programs, UI College of Law Dean Kevin Washburn said.

Among first-year students in the College of Law, a total of 69 are official Iowa residents, according to those documents.

SEE WATER, 2

SEE LAW, 2

Ryan Adams/The Daily Iowan A narrow section of the Iowa River's west branch is seen on May 20.

Tune in for LIVE updates Watch for campus and city news, weather, and Hawkeye sports coverage every day at 8:30 a.m. at dailyiowan.com.

BY RIN SWANN

corinne-swann@uiowa.edu The recent completion of the multiyear Kent Park Lake Restoration project brought forth the larger issue of water quality in Iowa as lawmakers and environmental advocates attempt to combat pollution of the state’s waterways.

While the project led to a reopened Kent Park Lake in Oxford, Iowa, to the public, some community members believe it is indicative of a much larger issue: the health and wellness of the lakes and rivers around

2 NEWS

THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

The Daily Iowan

DOG DAYS

BREAKING NEWS Phone: (319) 335-6030 Email: daily-iowan@uiowa.edu Fax: 335-6297

CORRECTIONS Call: 335-6030 Policy: The Daily Iowan strives for accuracy and fairness in the reporting of news. If a report is wrong or misleading, a request for a correction or a clarification may be made.

PUBLISHING INFO

The Daily Iowan (USPS 143.360) is published by Student Publications Inc., E131 Adler Journalism Building, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-2004, daily except Saturdays and Sundays, legal and university holidays, and university vacations. Periodicals postage paid at the Iowa City Post Office under the Act of Congress of March 2, 1879.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Call: Juli Krause at 335-5783 Email: daily-iowan@uiowa.edu Subscription rates: Iowa City and Coralville: $30 for one semester, $60 for two semesters, $5 for summer session, $60 for full year.

Out of town: $50 for one semester, $100 for two semesters, $10 for summer session, $100 all year.

Emily Wangen/The Daily Iowan Cody, an 11-year-old Shetland Sheepdog, sits in a chair outside of Kinnick Stadium before the Iowa football game against Middle Tennessee State University on Sept. 28.

CLIMATE FROM FRONT and 100 Grannies, the climate action organization, call on the UI to “make good” on promises it has made in the past to help climate action when it joined peer universities in the Big Ten conference to declare a climate emergency.

“That climate emergency has already reached the front doors of you and all of your students and all Iowans,” the letter read.

The strikers also criticized the UI coal-burning plant, taking issue with its contri-

butions to carbon-dioxide emissions, which they say factor into heart, respiratory, and related diseases and deaths across the country.

While the strikers acknowledge that the UI is in the process of pursuing biomass instead of coal for energy, the group stated that this decision has only caused a higher rate of natural gas use and increased “devastating” fracking across the state.

In addition, the letter addresses the UI’s exploration of a public/private partnership to use a private entity to operate and maintain its power plant with a fifty-year-

lease, suggesting that administrators are acting without the consent of the community this decision affects.

The agreement has not been finalized yet. UI officials have held a number of public forums on both sides of campus to seek feedback on the possible partnership.

The UI plans to be coalfree by 2025, as previously reported by The Daily Iowan, and administrators have said they would hold the firm involved in the possible partnership accountable for upholding the UI’s commitment to sustainability if the agreement moves forward.

“The potential partners

in this next round have illustrated a commitment to our employees, ensuring the UI is coal-free by 2025 and the additional responsibilities we outlined toward a sustainable future,” Harreld said in a July statement.

As for the UI’s plans to aim for 40 percent renewable energy, the strikers argue this number is not high enough when various schools across the country are committing to a 100 percent goal.

Finally, the group references previous UI expenditures, stating that if the university can ask the state for $88 million to renovate the Pen-

Send address changes to: The Daily Iowan, 100 Adler Journalism Building, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-2004

Volume 151 Issue 25

STAFF Publisher. . . . . . . . . . 335-5788 Jason Brummond Editor in Chief. . . . . . 335-6030 Marissa Payne Managing Editor Brooklyn Draisey Managing News Editor Kayli Reese Managing Digital Editor Aadit Tambe Creative Director Katina Zentz TV Director Lucy Rohden News Editors Katie Ann McCarver, Alexandra Skores Politics Editor Sarah Watson Asst. Politics Editor Julia Shanahan Photo Editors Katie Goodale, Shivansh Ahuja Pregame Editor Pete Ruden Sports Editor/Asst. Pregame Editor Anna Kayser Asst. Sports Editor Robert Read Asst. TV Sports Director Jon Rawson Arts Editors Josie Fischels, Sarah Stortz Opinions Editor Elijah Helton Design Editor Jim Geerdes Copy Chief Beau Elliot

BUSINESS STAFF Business Manager Debra Plath. . . . . . . . . . .335-5786 Advertising Director/Circulation Juli Krause. . . . . . . . . . . 335-5784

tacrest and around $90 million to renovate Kinnick Stadium seats, it can do more to combat climate change.

The Kinnick North End Zone project — which added seating options, restrooms, and a video board, among other features — was funded through private gifts and revenue from the Athletics Department, which is self-sustaining and does not benefit from state or taxpayer support.

Advertising Sales Bev Mrstilk. . . . . . . . . . . 335-5792 Production Manager Heidi Owen. . . . . . . . . . . 335-5789

The group hearkened back to a quote from past UI President Thomas Macbride, who said, “The people would act today if the situation were clearly understood. The question is whether we do the right thing now or wait until the expense shall have increased a hundredfold.”

“It is time for you and the University of Iowa to do the right thing now,” the letter to Harreld finished.

LAW FROM FRONT “It seems like a great opportunity to keep Hawkeyes in our program and to recruit the best from other in-state schools,” Washburn said of the inspiration for his department’s latest recruitment efforts.

The Kinnick Law program, which allows UI undergraduates to enroll in law school without taking the LSAT, was reinstated following shifting standards of the American Bar Association, Washburn said.

Requirements for students wanting to partake in the Kinnick Law program include at least a 3.5 undergraduate GPA and a score at or above the 85th percentile on the ACT or SAT, according to the law-school website.

First-year law student Madison Recker said that applying to the UI College of Law through the Kinnick Law program was beneficial.

“My original plan was to take a year off and take study for the LSAT and work,” Recker said, “but then I got accepted into the program.”

Although the program is advantageous for UI stu-

WATER FROM FRONT As farms overuse chemicals found in fertilizers such as nitrates and phosphates, those materials are trickling down into the state’s water supply and creating a widespread impact on Iowa’s water quality, Morrow said.

Kristen Morrow, a Johnson County Conservation naturalist, said excessive nutrients in the water are a common problem in Iowa due to runoff from fertilizers — the majority of which stem from the agricultural community.

“Overall, nutrients aren’t necessarily a bad thing,” Morrow said. “They are the fuel that all sorts of life need, but having too many nutrients results in overly fertilized waters that can support

IOWA CITY’S LARGEST INDOOR GARAGE SALE

Saturday, October 5 7:30am-1pm

Emily Wangen/The Daily Iowan The Boyd Law Building is seen on Sunday. dents, Washburn said, they are still expected to maintain academic excellence while completing the strenuous law curriculum.

The College of Law also added a semester in Washington, a program which allows students the unique opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of federal law by working in a government agency with a judge or nonprofit public-interest organization. Six students are currently in Washington this fall, Washburn said.

One of these students is Justin McCorvey, a UI law student currently working in Washington as a legal fellow for Rep. Terri Sewel, D-Alabama. McCorvey said the program began because of Iowa’s key role in politics, which gives Iowa residents an edge when applying for jobs in Washington offices.

“Iowa law is a very unique situation, because Iowa is the first state to caucus,” McCorvey said.

In addition to working directly for an organization

in Washington, students are required to complete a two-credit seminar taught by an Iowa alum. McCorvey described the experience as a “meeting of the minds with your classmates as well as a professional attorney.”

In addition to the revamping of one program and the creation of another, the College of Law is hiring an onsite mental-health counselor to help students navigate the stress of law education and work environment, Washburn said.

excessive growth of things like algae.”

Nitrates and phosphates that come from fertilizers pollute the water and create a rise in the algae population.

The algae buildup begins to starve the water of its oxygen and can be hazardous, said Blake Rupe, the sustainability program manager for the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability and the Environment.

“What we see more of are instances of cancer for sure, especially in those who are really young and really old,” Rupe said.

In addition, the low water quality can cause “blue-baby syndrome” in infants, Rupe said, a condition in which babies die due to a lack of oxygen that usually happens when people use tap water in their baby formula.

Rupe added that the ac-

ceptable amount of chemicals in water, currently 10 parts per million of nitrogen, are still much too high to be considered safe — and the responsibility to purify the water rests on the people.

“A lot of our drinking water comes from rivers and lakes around us, so when we pollute those areas that we take our drinking water out of, then the people of Iowa have to spend a lot more money to purify the water that we are pulling out of rivers to turn into drinking water,” Rupe said.

Despite the hazards, serious change seems unlikely to happen soon, said Iowa Sen. Joe Bolkcom, the outreach and community education director for the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research.

While there are currently ideas for improvement, such as adopting nutrient stan-

dards for lakes and protecting the bodies of water after restoration projects, most programs aimed at combating excessive nutrients are voluntary, Bolkcom said.

Statewide efforts to increase the quality of water include improvement plans from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to investigate impaired streams and a bill signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in January 2018 that allocated $282 million to water-quality initiatives for the next dozen years.

“People in the agricultural community don’t like to be told what to do,” Bolkcom said. “They are very independent. They want to do what they want to do and any regulation. They are pretty much opposed to it. The problem with that scenario is that water in the river belongs to everybody.”

$1 admission/$5 early birds

Sharpless Auctions 1-80 @ exit 249

BOTH ROOMS FULL!

sharplessauctions.com

IS HIRING! You don’t need any prior experience in journalism to work at the UI’s paper of record — just a desire to work with our student staff to share the community’s stories.

Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome on staff.

We are looking to fill the following positions: • News reporters on beats including: -UI and Iowa City communities -Student Life -Health care -Research -Sustainability -Multicultural organizations • Opinions columnists • Photojournalists • Graphics producers • Copyeditors

Contact Editor-in-Chief Marissa Payne at marissa-payne@uiowa.edu to learn about opportunities available at the DI.

THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

NEWS 3

UI bolsters efforts to help students manage cash Financial Literacy Services is collaborating with various UI departments this fall to adapt its programs to assist all students.

With new initiatives, the office aims to help increase students’ financial understanding on and off campus.

Photo Illustration by Ryan Adams The University of Iowa Financial Literacy Services is implementing new initiatives to help students navigate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, loan repayments, and other aspects of managing finances.

BY ELEANOR HILDEBRANDT

eleanor-hildebrandt@uiowa.edu The University of Iowa Financial Literacy Services is taking a new approach in its interaction with students this fall, providing new initiatives to engage more students in learning how to successfully manage money.

Financial Literacy and Counseling Associate Director Kelsey Ryder said Financial Literacy Services is an extension of the UI Office of Financial Aid, but the division’s work goes beyond aspects of financial aid.

First-year students are more likely to visit the office, Ryder said, but services are open to all students. One-on-one appointments with faculty members divvy up into conversations

about loan repayment and counseling, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, budgeting, and more.

She added that the office saw more than 600 students for general one-one-one meetings last year, and more than 800 students attended its 50 workshops. Each meeting is specialized and allows for better feedback when it comes to creating workshops, Ryder said.

Financial Literacy Services also offers private-loan counseling, which a total of 1,726 students used last year, Ryder added. Approximately 48 percent of students in 2018 had loans, she said, so the department works to help students manage that money.

“This year, we are starting to work closer with the [Center for Diversity and Enrichment]

and students who are veterans.

We’re doing two workshops at their new space, one on budgeting and one on [the federal-aid application],” Ryder said. “We are also trying to reach out to the graduate-student community as well. We offer phone meetings to them since they’re typically busier.”

Financial Literacy Services, however, is not the only office on campus trying to help students learn how to better manage their money.

The office often partners with TRIO Student Support Services to create courses for the 350 students it serves at the university, said Cassie Walizer, student success coach and tutor coordinator at TRIO. A part of the UI Center for Diversity and Enrichment, TRIO assists first-generation

students, low-income students, and students with disabilities, Walizer said.

It’s a federal-grant program, she said, and the UI is the only college campus with an eight-semester corresponding program, which was developed and redesigned with the help of Financial Literacy Services in 2017.

“The [Financial Literacy Services] team were instrumental partners when it came to creating a financial literacy curriculum for our students,” Walizer said. “They come in and advise students in our classes and then can meet one-on-one with the same people and develop a relationship with them.”

Associate Dean of University College Andrew Beckett said in an email to The Daily Iowan that financial literacy is one of the

first steps students must take when they arrive on campus.

He added he believes this is the third year CashCourse was included in Success at Iowa.

“The online modules are good starting points for students interested in financial literacy,” Beckett said. “It’s certainly not meant to be the last opportunity for students. Exposing students to basic concepts will hopefully help them consider those issues later in life.”

Financial-literacy requirements at the UI are part of a larger 2017 initiative by the state Board of Regents to educate students in their finances and reduce the amount of debt they may accumulate by graduation.

The push to increase financial literacy among students also coincides with consistent tuition hikes for students attending

regent universities.

Walizer said students should take advantage of the online resources at their disposal to manage such costs.

“It’s important to go to oneon-ones or call [Financial Literacy Services],” she said. “Building practicing habits is important.

Start budgeting now not later so you know how you’re spending your money.”

People who participate in Financial Literacy Services are not the only ones who can benefit from what it has to offer, Ryder added. The conversation of financial literacy is one that can be discussed day to day.

“Meeting professionals is important, but brainstorming with other students is also helpful,” Ryder said. “Take the time to sit and look at your options to improve your financial literacy.”

Prof honored for researching cellphone-network threats A research agency presented UI Professor Omar Chowdhury with a Young Faculty Award to fund his study of protecting against network threats to cellphone users.

BY MITCHELL GRIFFIN

mitchell-griffin@uiowa.edu In order to fund a study of threats to cellular-phone networks, University of Iowa Assistant Professor Omar Chowdhury recently received an award to honor promising work within the context of national security concerns.

The Young Faculty Award, presented by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is gifted to rising researchers to recognize and fund such work, according to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency website. “[The research] starts with the insight that there are attacks that the user knows nothing about,” Chowdhury said.

Chowdhury said user location is an example of personal information that can easily be exposed without someone’s knowledge.

“There are a lot of existing attacks,” Chowdhury said.

“There are ways [to attack] that people don’t realize.

The situation is so bad that there is no indication that the user would know their location is being exposed.”

Regardless of the type of phone, wireless network, or carrier, all users are at risk for cellular-network threats, Chowdhury said.

He said a third party would only need a phone number or access to an app through which the user receives push notifications to determine someone’s location. This is a result of a “vulnerable protocol” built

into the basic function of the phone receiving information.

“Getting and receiving packets of information is one of the most extensive battery consuming activities,” Chowdhury said.

“If the phone was always connected [to networks], it would die quickly, so it switches off when it is not communicating.”

Chowdhury said this is problematic, because if the phone receives a call or notification, a third party could take advantage of this unencrypted process to see the phone’s signal turn back on and locate the phone at that time.

A major aspect of Chowdhury’s research is using pre-existing knowledge of these attacks to create programs, which alert people that their information is being exposed.

“Dr. Chowdhury will research how to develop a mobile app to detect malicious protocol activity, alerting the user to this activity and suggest courses of action to protect the device,” said Raymond Richards, a program manager in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Information Innovation Office, in an email to The Daily Iowan.

According to research by the Global System for Mobile Communications association, adoption rates of smartphones will likely reach 77 percent saturation around the world by 2025.

The organization recommended that cellular companies and operators work intentionally to improve de-

Photo Illustration by Katie Goodale A UI professor has received funding to continue research on cyber attacks that can occur for cellphone users. vice security.

Richards said Chowdhury’s approach involves creating “mathematically rigorous descriptions of malicious behavior” that are accessible to users and don’t drain their phone’s resources.

Chowdhury added that he hopes any new protections for users will be open to empower everyone.

“If someone is communicating sensitive information, this could be very useful to them,” Chowdhury said.

4

Opinions THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

COLUMN

Hollywood originality isn’t quite dead The sci-fi movie Ad Astra strives to be unique and takes risks, something that the film industry needs to do more often.

PEYTON DOWNING

peyton-downing@uiowa.edu It’s no secret that much of what modern Hollywood puts out is either a reboot, remake, or sequel to previous media.

It is especially awash with the likes of Star Wars, Marvel films, and others wanting to be like them. However, there is still plenty of talent and imagination to go around. Ad Astra is just one such film that shows originality is alive and well in Hollywood.

Ad Astra, directed by James Gray, is an entirely unique film almost entirely centered on an individual character named Roy McBride. The plot takes a back seat to the development and study of Roy McBride as a character. There’s very little action within the movie, but plenty of self-reflection — something Hollywood hasn’t seen done well in a long time.

This is not to simply praise Ad Astra for being original for originality’s sake. It certainly has a multitude of faults. The plot can

be nonsensical. It’s incredibly slow-paced. The ending might not be enough of a payoff. For many people, the list goes on.

But that’s what I feel is special about the film. In a market where it is so easy to shoot for the lowest common denominator and just make a simple, easy action adventure, Ad Astra takes significant risks in its production.

It’s easy to tell it’s taking certain artistic choices that may drive off some people.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Ad Astra has an 83 percent for critics and only a 42 percent for audience. I don’t mean to say that if someone doesn’t like this movie, they’re not smart enough to understand the symbolism or artistry behind it. What I am saying is some stylistic choices within the movie appeal to some more than others, and that first segment may be a lot smaller than the latter.

Ad Astra is not the only movie in recent times to come out that’s been original. This year alone, Midsommar, Us, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood were all released to great critical acclaim. It’s easy to tell the industry can put out great original movies, and the demand for them is there. There are just not enough people fulfilling that demand.

Francois Duhamel/20th Century Fox/TNS Brad Pitt in Ad Astra.

But there needs to be a balance of what is available in cinema. For too long, the balance has been skewed in favor of sequels and reboots.

DI columnist Emily Creery has written about the monotony of sequels and reboots before.

In fact, just 39 percent of all movies from 2005 to 2014 were not based in other works, such as books, previous films, or the vague “based on a true story.”

For a medium that has so much unique potential to distinguish itself from others,

COLUMN

it is a shame that Hollywood does not take better advantage of that fact by creating more experiences that only cinema can produce.

For this to happen, it’s just not enough to complain. Just as with many other things, we

must vote with our wallets.

Support smaller movies and skipping out on the next boring blockbuster are good steps to take. If we demand Hollywood take a risk with original stories, everyone needs to make sure we watch them.

GUEST OPINION

Small talk doesn’t have to be shallow New ethanol rules When people crave depth, small talk with strangers doesn’t have to be stressful.

TAYLOR NEWBY

taylor-newby@uiowa.edu I made a lot of friends this summer while studying abroad, including a Canadian who studied abroad in England who had made friends with Australians, and was standing at a concert outside of a castle in Malahide, Ireland, with her Australian friends and boyfriend.

By the end of the night, we’d exchanged information, taken a photo of the seven of us, and promised to keep in touch. The reason: small talk.

We were sloshing around in mud, elbowing our way closer to the concert gate, and prompting questions of experience and adventure.

I had been with two of my friends, both University of Iowa students, and we were waiting impatiently for folkrock band Mumford & Sons to take the stage when we met University of Victoria student Jodi Bot and her friends.

They were seasoned travelers, committed fans, and our fastest friends. Our conversations moved swiftly from where home is for each of us and what we were doing in Ireland to stories

of first loves, hope in heartbreak, and the countries that had changed our hearts.

It was one of my favorite stories I brought home with me, if not my favorite.

Unknowingly, the seven of us standing in mud, being shoved around by horse ranchers and Dublin locals alike, experienced this grand intersection of story — merely because we were

silence-fillers, different students across different campuses have more ideas around small talk.

“Small talk is so good in the beginning of relationships,” UI sophomore Bailee Meyer said. “But past that, deep is so good.”

Drake University senior Mykaela Cole echoed what Meyer said — relating to the desire for depth in place

‘Sometimes, people would rather talk about home, values, and ideas than sit in silence, stewing over social-media posts or bent over phone screens.’ standing too close to one another to avoid small talk.

“Small talk rocks,” Bot said. “That’s how you meet new people, like how we met.”

But small talk can sometimes feel safer when you’re immersed in a new place and overwhelmed with the mindset of travel and adventure.

Within the security of Iowa City, I’m learning that small talk can feel a bit different when it’s in lecture halls, coffee shops, and other places around campus.

“I’m a fan of small talk,” UI junior Mary Grace Henderson said. “Mostly because I’m uncomfortable with silence.”

Henderson is not alone.

While small talk serves as a helpful building block for broader conversation and

of small-talk conversations: Which is more commonly consistent of questions centered around where a person is from, what they do for a living, or what they’re

studying and how they’re doing.

“I avoid small talk if at all possible [and] dive right into more personal topics,” Cole said.

Similarly, UI alum Savannah Kannapel shared her own thoughts on small talk versus conversations crafted with depth and connection.

“Small talk is my hardest social subject,” Kannapel said.

“I can talk deep with anyone, but small talk is hard.”

And while perspectives differ from person to person, especially within a college campus, one thing remains fairly consistent — sometimes, people would rather talk about home, values, and ideas than sit in silence, stewing over social-media posts or bent over phone screens.

Small talk isn’t something to run from and avoid, but something to be embraced.

Ryan Adams/The Daily Iowan UI students Haley Norcross and Juan Bartling sit on the Pentacrest on Sept. 17.

STAFF Marissa Payne Editor-in-Chief Elijah Helton Opinions Editor Taylor Newby, Kasey Baller, Shu Wan, Krystin Langer, Jason O’Day, Peyton Downing, Lucas Rochester, Emily Creery, Becca Bright, Ally Pronina, Kalen McCain Columnists Lucee Laursen, Madison Lotenschtein, Anna Banerjee Contributors Haley Triem Cartoonist COLUMNS, CARTOONS, and OTHER OPINIONS CONTENT reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.

Marissa Payne, Brooklyn Draisey, Elijah Helton, Taylor Newby Editorial Board EDITORIALS reflect the majority opinion of the DI Editorial Board and not the opinion of the publisher, Student Publications Inc., or the University of Iowa.

hurt independent farmers like me

The Trump administration’s decisions have lowered corn demand to the detriment of small agribusinesses.

I grew up on a farm. My wife grew up on a farm. My family and I still own a farm that has been in our family for 154 years. My letter concerns a threat to that farm, and to all the Iowans who depend on agriculture. Recent actions by the Trump administration threaten small, independent-farm ownership in Iowa. When I saw corn growers

able Fuel Standard. The harvest time rollback of the standard is especially bad given the trade war.

Lower ethanol fuel consumption reduces corn demand. Reduced corn demand equals lower prices. As a result, more ethanol producers are closing corn ethanol plants. More ethanol plants will close if this continues.

‘Lower ethanol fuel consumption reduces corn demand. Reduced corn demand equals lower prices.’ nationwide standing up to the administration to protect farmers, I wanted people to know about it.

Corn growers from 23 states signed a letter to the president on behalf of 300,000 corn growers. They requested the president obey the law keeping whole the Renewable Fuel Standard. This was after recent EPA approval of 31 new Renewable Fuel Standard waivers granted to big oil. That is 85 total waivers in all, 4 billion gallons in all. This action is seen as a step toward further discarding the Renew-

Without a quick reversal, more agriculture jobs will be lost. Plymouth Energy’s ethanol plant in Merrill, Iowa, shut down. Biodiesel is also being harmed — W2 Fuel’s 10 million gallon biodiesel plant in Crawfordsville, Iowa, is closing.

Farmers’ frustration with this administration is growing. Farmers are not begging for assistance. They just request the administration’s EPA uphold existing law.

— Frederick Tielebein Independence, Iowa, resident

EDITORIAL POLICY THE DAILY IOWAN is a multifaceted news-media organization that provides fair and accurate coverage of events and issues pertaining to the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Johnson County, and the state of Iowa.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR may be submitted via email to daily-iowan@uiowa.edu (as text, not attachments). Each letter must be signed and include an address and phone number for verification. Letters should not exceed 300 words and may be edited for clarity, length, style, and space limitations, including headlines. The DI will only publish one letter per author per month.

Letters will be chosen for publication by the editors according to space considerations. No advertisements or mass mailings, please.

GUEST OPINIONS that exceed 300 words in length must be arranged with the Opinions editor at least three days prior to the desired date of publication. Guest opinions are selected in accordance with length, subject relevance, and space considerations. Guest opinions may be edited for length, clarity, style, and space limitations.

READER COMMENTS that may appear were originally posted on dailyiowan.com or on the DI’s social media platforms in response to published material. They will be chosen for print publication when they are deemed to be well-written and to forward public discussion. They may be edited for length and style.

SPORTS 5

THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Soccer drops game to Wildcats in OT The Hawkeyes lost a home game for the first time this season 2-1 in overtime against the Wildcats on Sunday.

BY ISAAC GOFFIN

isaac-goffin@uiowa.edu The Iowa soccer team suffered its first home defeat of the season in devastating fashion, 2-1 in overtime against Northwestern on Sunday. The Hawkeyes are now 10-2 on the season, with a 2-2 record in the Big Ten. Freshman defender Danika Austin scored the game-winning goal for the Wildcats in the 97th minute off a corner kick, as she got the ball past senior goalkeeper Claire Graves.

This was the Hawkeyes first loss at the Iowa Soccer Complex since 2017, which happened in large part to the team’s mentality.

“I didn’t like our mentality to start the game,” DiIanni said. “I thought we were really slow, first 20, 25 minutes. I thought our subs did a great job in the first half of not only getting a goal back but providing a bit more energy in the attack.”

DiIanni added that he never felt like his team had control in the game.

The players also recognized that their mentality contributed to their defeat.

“In overtime, your mentality has to be ‘it’s golden goal,’ ” sophomore midfielder

Hailey Rydberg said. “And, I don’t know, we just didn’t do well with our mentality today.

[We’ve] got to be better next week.”

The Hawkeyes were down to begin the game as in the 30th minute, the Wildcats struck first when freshman defender Reilly Riggs scored a header off a corner kick.

Eight minutes later, the Hawkeye struck back when Rydberg scored off a deflection for her first goal of the season.

“It felt good,” Rydberg said.

“But at the end of the day, it didn’t really get us where we wanted to be.”

The Hawkeyes had multiple opportunities to take the lead in the second half but were unable to convert on 10 shots and 3 corner kicks. The Hawkeyes also had three shots in the sixplus minutes of overtime they played.

“I think it comes down to the bite defensively,” senior captain and defender Hannah Drkulec said. “As we saw, two set-piece goals are things we just need not allow to happen.

We need to be on the front foot, we need to be tougher to play against in that regard, and then finishing some of our chances. We had so many chances, but it ultimately

Wyatt Dlouhy/The Daily Iowan Northwestern Defender Danika Austin keeps the ball away from Iowa Forward Gianna Gourley during the Iowa Women’s Soccer game versus Northwestern at the Hawkeye Soccer Complex in Iowa City on Sunday. The Wildcats defeated the Hawkeyes, 2-1, in overtime. comes down to those set-pieces.”

Drkulec added that the team needs to change its mindset on defensive set-pieces or that they need to work harder to not give up goals on them.

Sophomore goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood did a great job for the Wildcats with eight saves on the game.

Big Ten play has proven to be as competitive for the Hawkeyes, as they thought it

would be coming into the season.

“This is the second Sunday in a row where we have not played well,” DiIanni said.

“And where we have been slow starting and also giving up a

set-piece goal, that’s something we’ve got to coach better and their mentality has got to be better.”

The Hawkeyes return to their home field at 7 p.m.

Thursday against Nebraska.

Iowa field hockey stays dominant in rain The Hawkeyes vanquished the Michigan State Spartans, 5-0, on Sunday. Ellie Holley posted a hat trick to lead Iowa.

BY AUSTIN HANSON

austin-hanson@uiowa.edu Iowa City was not Sparta on Sunday as Grant Field proved to be a nest, sheltering the Hawkeyes from both rainfall and the Michigan State Spartans.

Rain was present for the entirety of Iowa’s matchup with Michigan State. Despite the poor conditions, the Hawkeyes toppled the Spartans on Sunday afternoon, 5-0. The Hawkeyes have only lost one time at home this season.

Iowa has outscored opponents 28-5 at Grant Field

in 2019. Lokke Stribos, Maddie Murphy, and Ellie Holley contributed to that total. Holley earned a hat trick, putting up three goals on the afternoon. Despite all three of Holley’s goals coming unassisted, the junior was quick to attribute her success to her teammates.

“It was awesome,” junior Ellie Holley said. “Yeah, it’s great to get a hat trick, but my teammates were the ones that passed me the ball.”

Iowa’s performance was nothing short of magnificent. The box score may show that Michigan State

was an inept foe. However, Michigan State was ranked 24th in National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll when they rolled into Iowa City.

Sunday was not the first time the Hawkeyes picked apart a nationally ranked opponent. In fact, the win over Michigan State wasn’t even Iowa’s first win against a top 25 opponent on the weekend. The Hawkeyes were able to defeat No. 14 Ohio State, 2-1, on Sept. 27.

“That was our goal, to start 2-0 in the Big Ten,” head coach Lisa Celucci said.

“We know we have a long Big

Ten season ahead of us.”

The Big Ten is arguably the best conference in field hockey this season. Currently, the Big Ten boasts seven NFHCA ranked teams: Maryland, Northwestern, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, and Michigan State.

Seven ACC teams have also found their way into the top 25: North Carolina, Duke, Virginia, Louisville, Boston College, Syracuse, and Wake Forest.

The ACC has dealt Iowa its only losses on the season. Iowa is 1-2 against the ACC after defeating thenNo. 10 ranked Wake Forest.

The Hawkeyes lost to North Carolina on the road and Duke at home. Currently, North Carolina and Duke are ranked first and second in NFHCA poll, respectively.

Iowa’s losses this season have come against the top two teams in the nation. However, three of the Hawkeyes’ seven wins this season have come against nationally ranked opponents.

The road ahead for the Hawkeyes does not get any easier going forward. Iowa will take on the 18th-ranked Rutgers Scarlet Knights at home on Friday. Then,

the Hawkeyes will head to College Park, Maryland, for a matchup against the fourth-ranked Terrapins.

The trip to Maryland will cap a stretch of four straight games against ranked Big Ten opponents.

The Hawkeyes are winning at an astonishing rate in 2019. This Iowa team seems destined to have a special run this season. This weekend, the Hawkeyes proved that they are ready for anything this season may bring. Iowa has also proven that it is a legitimate National Championship contender in 2019.

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 2

1 6 10 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 24 25 27 29 34 37 38

ACROSS Groups of actors in plays Protective wear for lobster eaters Summa cum ___ Outdo Soothing ointment ingredient Neighbor of Hertfordshire Start of a nursery rhyme on a farm Outer part of a crater Feel sorry about Indent key on a keyboard Sport with kicking and boxing, for short Claim without evidence Superlatively kind Bow-tie-wearing cub in Jellystone Park “You’re telling me!”

Stitch’s human pal, in film Singer Minaj

42 43 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 53 54 59 61 62 65 66 67 68

Cookie that’s 29% cream Pass along ___ fides Clock sound Grow fond of Skyline-obscuring pollution Bring up in a Q. and A. Spanish for “south” Falsehood Palindromic kitchen brand 1963 musical that was Dick Van Dyke’s film debut What dogs do when they’re hungry Former attorney general Holder Photo-sharing app, colloquially Place for driving lessons (the golf kind) The “sun” in sunny-side-up eggs N.B.A. phenom Jayson Didn’t venture out for dinner

69 70 71 72 73

Competitive advantage Put into law Actress Thompson of “Sorry to Bother You” Bucks and does Students sit at them

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 19 20 26 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 39 40 41 43 44 50 52 55 56 57 58 59 60 63 64

DOWN Fearsome snake Nin of erotica Bursting at the ___ Bathroom fixture Bird that “His eye is on,” in a hymn Term of endearment Sick Snaky scarf Result of a religious schism The “L” of L.G.B.T.Q. Volcanic detritus “I’m at your disposal” Judges to be Person living abroad, informally Modern prefix with correct “Citizen ___” Virtual volume Places infants sleep Having trouble seeing in the morning, perhaps Sound from a piggery Adjective after “Ye” in many a pub’s name Suck-up Littlest bit ___ Kringle (Santa Claus) Pork dish of Southern cuisine “How goes it?,” in Spanish Fort ___, home of the U.S. Bullion Depository “Othello” villain What’s left of a ticket after it’s been used Pinot ___ One-named queen of Tejano music Made revisions to Some spiritual advisers Gradually disappear, as support Nonsense Nonsensical “Tarnation!”

Apt rhyme for “evaluate” Hide, as shirttails, with “in” Quantities: Abbr.

americaneedsjournalists.com

6 SPORTS

DEFENSE CONTINUED FROM 8 pened, to be honest,” Nixon said. “That quarterback is so elusive and so fast, [we were] just trying to track and keep him in the pocket. On that play, we were able to, and I was able to take it home for us.”

Quarterback pressure will be essential if Iowa wants any chance to take down Michigan on Saturday. Wol-

OFFENSE CONTINUED FROM 8 and 293 passing. Multiple personal records were broken, and with a secondary that has been anything but healthy so far, the defense only surrendered three points.

Don’t even try to tell me that that’s not enough to beat Michigan, let alone any team in the nation.

THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 verine quarterback Shea Patterson has shown some weaknesses this year, especially in high-pressure situations. Patterson’s numbers on third down leave room for improvement; he is 11-for-24 with no touchdowns, 1 interception, and has been sacked four times in all third downs this season.

For some members of the defensive line, the game also presents a homecoming opportunity; Lattimore and Golston are both Michigan

natives. But Golston said he’s not worried about the majestic atmosphere of Michigan Stadium and the revelry of playing in front of family. Instead, he’s dead-set on doing his job in the top-20 matchup.

“It’s another stadium,” Golston said. “That’s just how I’m approaching the game.

That’s how I approach every game. I don’t want to put this higher than another game.

You get the same preparation that everyone else gets. But it will be nice to play in front of

a lot more of my family, because it’s at home.”

The role of this defensive line has been essential in these last few weeks, especially considering the injury situation in the secondary. At one point — in Iowa’s matchup with Iowa State — four different defensive backs had to sit out. Iowa gave up two huge pass plays in that game right over the heads of two young defensive backs, so containing explosive offense was a big emphasis coming

into the matchup with Middle Tennessee.

Putting pressure on the quarterback gives the secondary room to breathe, and with the health of the defensive backs still unclear, the importance of the defensive line will continue to be important moving forward. Veteran defensive back Kaevon Merriweather could possibly make his return against Michigan, but the growth of the defensive line in this time has still been a

welcome sight.

“And the other thing is we’re playing pretty clean football right now,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “…

Defensively, not giving up the big play, which we were victimized by last time we were out there. All in all, really pleased. We got work to do and we’ll tend to that [this week]. Take a look at the film and see what we can do, but the whole key right now, whole focus is trying to improve week-to-week.”

And, obviously, Middle Tennessee and Michigan’s defenses aren’t comparable by any stretch of the imagination. But for a team coming off of a bye week and, frankly, a bad game at Iowa State, the confidence that this game instills in Nate Stanley and the entire offense is immeasurable.

Stanley has been known in the past for trying to do too much at once. But on Sept.

28, he ran the ball himself, he

passed to three receivers for over 50 yards each, and he has more than enough capable running backs to battle Michigan’s defensive line.

There were drives in which Iowa should have put seven up on the board but settled for three, and the confidence was never shaken. You’re a lucky team when you can rely on the likes of Keith Duncan to put up points no matter what.

He hit a 49-yard field goal,

a career-long, and missed his next one from 39. Know what he did after? Went and hit a 42-yarder. Straight down the middle. The man is confident, and he’s no stranger to facing Michigan.

I would talk about Michael Sleep-Dalton about how his punts also bring an edge, but we all know that story by now.

He’ll be working on plenty of rest, too, since he only punted once on Sept. 28.

Iowa has the momentum

going into Michigan, and that’s important. Now that there is hard proof of what this offense is capable of when Stanley is sharp. Maybe getting Oliver Martin involved in a few more plays would produce more on the passing side, but who’s to say?

Are there things that Iowa can improve on? Absolutely.

Michigan has wide receivers that are better than Middle Tennessee’s, so it would help

Iowa if the Tuesday update on injuries will be more hopeful than in weeks past for the secondary.

The good news is that Alaric Jackson is back, so looking at the offensive line and what it has to offer, Stanley should be well protected. As for the defensive line, well, A.J. Epenesa isn’t the only explosive guy that provides pressure.

Good luck, Jim Harbaugh.

The Hawkeyes are coming for you.

7 SPORTS

THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Not much to see from Tennessee Iowa’s offense had a standout day against Middle Tennessee, with career performances coming from plenty of its playmakers that led to the 48-3 dominant win. Three Hawkeye running backs went over 90 yards with Toren Young leading the way with 131.

48-3 HAWKEYES

BLUE RAIDERS

Clockwise from top left: Iowa running back Toren Young carries the ball during the game between Iowa and Middle Tennessee State at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 28. (Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan) Iowa running back Ivory Kelly-Martin is tackled. (Megan Nagorzanski/The Daily Iowan) Iowa running back Tyler Goodson hurdles MTSU’s Gregory Grate Jr. (Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan) Iowa running back Tyler Goodson breaks a tackle.

(Megan Nagorzanski/The Daily Iowan) Iowa wideout Tyrone Tracy Jr. falls to the turf. (Megan Nagorzanski/The Daily Iowan) A young fan cheers. (Megan Nagorzanski/The Daily Iowan)

Postgame MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

HAWKEYE UPDATES Hockenson injured against Chiefs

Former Iowa and current Detroit Lions tight end was carted off the field in the Lions’ 34-30 loss to Kansas City on Sunday after suffering a concussion.

Hockenson attempted to hurdle a Hockenson defender before falling on his head and shoulder.

Hockenson then laid on the ground motionless before eventually moving his legs and sitting up. The former Hawkeye standout left the field via cart.

Hockenson’s injury was not enough to put him in the hospital, though, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.

THE MOST COMPLETE HAWKEYE SPORTS COVERAGE IN IOWA

DAILYIOWAN.COM

Dominant D-line With Iowa’s secondary still struggling with injuries, the role of the defensive line will be pivotal in the coming weeks.

Fant scores first NFL touchdown

Former Hawkeye and current Denver Broncos tight end Noah Fant scored the first touchdown of his NFL career in Denver’s 26-24 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday.

Fant Fant scored on a tight end cross-screen, taking the pass from veteran quarterback Joe Flacco 25 yards for six points after breaking several tackles.

Fant finished the game with 2 receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown as Denver moved to 0-4 on the season.

AP Top 25 gets another shake up

After another wild weekend in college football, the AP Top 25 rankings have been shook up a bit.

Clemson, which was No. 1 going into the weekend, won by one point against North Carolina to drop to No. 2, moving the Alabama Crimson Tide back into the top spot.

For the Big Ten, Ohio State moved up to No. 4 after beating Nebraska and Michigan moved up to No. 19 after shutting out Rutgers.

AP TOP 10 1 Alabama 2 Clemson 3 Georgia 4 Ohio State 5 LSU 6 Oklahoma 7 Auburn 8 Wisconsin 9 Notre Dame 10 Florida 14 Iowa

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan Iowa defenders converge on MTSU quarterback Asher O’Hara during a football game between Iowa and Middle Tennessee State at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 28. The Hawkeyes defeated the Blue Raiders, 48-3.

BY PETE MILLS

peter-mills@uiowa.edu Daviyon Nixon had a wide grin on his face following Iowa football’s 48-3 win over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 28. The first-year defensive lineman recorded the first sack of his career in the game, and the defense had one of its best performances of the season against a respectable Blue

Raider offense.

The defense only racked up a total of 3 sacks in the first three games combined but reached the quarterback twice in its win over the Blue Raiders. And, surprisingly enough, it wasn’t the veteran big guys on the outside in Chauncey Golston or A.J. Epenesa, but was Nixon and fellow first-time sacker Cedrick Lattimore.

Though it was a runaway win for Iowa, it was

COLUMN

Hawkeye offense is enough for Michigan an offensive performance for the ages on Sept. 28 showed Iowa that it is more than capable of taking down Michigan this week.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Here is a guy two weeks ago, I didn’t know Carson King from Johnny Carson.

The next thing you know, there’s $2 million that’s been raised from people, as I understand, all over the country.”­ — Head football coach Kirk Ferentz on Carson King

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley carries the ball during a football game between Iowa and Middle Tennessee State at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 28.

Iowa field hockey outshot Michigan State

on Sunday

SEE DEFENSE, 6

Iowa’s Week 5 report card Offense

ANNA KAYSER

anna-kayser@uiowa.edu Iowa’s offense put on a performance that Kirk Ferentz hadn’t seen in his tenure as head coach,

and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Hawkeyes or their fans.

Even before this seemingly pointless game against Middle Tennessee, minds were on Michigan. From its close game against Army at the Big House to being blown out of the water by Wisconsin, the hype leading up to the Hawkeyes’ trip to Ann Arbor has been building for a while now.

But first, as Ferentz and his players repeated Sept. 24, they had to focus on the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, who were 1-2 on the season after losses to Michigan and Duke.

That focus paid off big time. Iowa’s 644 total offensive yards were split up between 351 rushing SEE OFFENSE, 6

A+

The most yards in head coach Kirk Ferentz’s 21-year tenure isn’t going to get you less than an A. From Nate Stanley to Tyrone Tracy, from Toren Young to Tyler Goodson, Iowa’s offense was firing on all cylinders for a whopping 644 total yards.

Three running backs had 90-plus yards, three receivers had 50-plus yards, and both assets of the offense erupted for long gains to help Iowa to a win.

You know it’s a good day when Iowa’s backup quarterback gets in on the action, and even he saw production. Spencer Petras completed 3 of his 4 pass attempts for 17 yards.

Defense

STAT OF THE DAY

32-7

pivotal that the defensive line put pressure on Middle Tennessee quarterback Asher O’Hara.

O’Hara — both the leading rusher and leading passer for the Blue Raiders — moves in and out of the pocket well and provided a good challenge for the defensive unit over the weekend.

“It was like slow motion when [my sack] hap-

B+

Iowa’s defense held Middle Tennessee in check in the first half after not allowing a first down until the second quarter.

As the game went on, Blue Raider quarterback Asher O’Hara figured out the defense and started to throw downfield, racking up 110 total passing yards with a long of 21.

Despite the fact that the Hawkeyes held the Blue Raiders to three points and completed 2 sacks, Iowa’s secondary needs to get healthy to hold tougher teams off of the red zone.

Special Teams

B

Keith Duncan is no longer perfect. The confidence he showed in hitting a career-long 49-yard field goal — in addition to coming back from his 39-yard miss to hit a 42-yarder — means a lot going into an environment like the Big House, though.

Punt and kick returning continues to be a struggle for the Hawkeyes, as Ihmir Smith-Marsette misjudged a ball which set the Hawkeyes up with bad field position on one of their drives.

Michael Sleep-Dalton punted just once, a testament to how good the offense was this week.