The Daily Iowan Pregame - 09.27.2019

The Daily Iowan

PREGAME SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 IOWA VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE KINNICK STADIUM

GRIT IOWA OFFENSIVE LINEMAN KYLER SCHOTT HAS MADE THE MOST OF HIS UNEXPECTED PLAYING TIME.

2 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019

REMEMBER WHEN ...

Iowa Starters WR TE LT LG C RG RT WR QB RB FB PK

12 39 74 68 65 61 66 6 4 10 36 3

Brandon Smith Nate Wieting Tristan Wirfs Landan Paulsen Tyler Linderbaum Cole Banwart Levi Paulsen Ihmir Smith-Marsette Nate Stanley Mekhi Sargent Brady Ross Keith Duncan

6-2 6-4 6-5 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-5 6-1 6-4 5-9 6-0 5-10

218 250 322 305 286 300 305 183 243 212 246 180

JR. SR. JR. SR. FR. JR. SR. JR. SR. JR. SR. JR.

LE DT DT RE LEO MLB WLB LC SS FS RC P

57 95 54 94 35 34 32 11 9 28 12 22

Chauncey Golston Cedrick Lattimore Daviyon Nixon A.J. Epenesa Nick Niemann Kristian Welch Djimon Colbert Michael Ojemudia Geno Stone Jack Koerner D.J. Johnson Michael Sleep-Dalton

6-5 6-3 6-3 6-6 6-4 6-3 6-1 6-1 5-10 6-0 5-11 6-0

270 295 309 280 235 239 235 200 210 204 183 212

JR. SR. SO. JR. JR. SR. SO. SR. JR. SO. #FR. SR.

Middle Tennessee Starters

Joseph Cress/The Daily Iowan

Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley looks to pass during a football game between Iowa and Wyoming in Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 2, 2017. Stanley is now 14 touchdowns away from tying Chuck Long’s all-time record for passing touchdowns in a single season at Iowa.

Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley made the first start of his career in 2017 when Iowa faced Wyoming on Sept. 2. In a 24-3 win over the Cowboys, Stanley threw the first three touchdowns of his career. After Wyoming took a 3-0 lead in the second quarter, Stanley threw his first score with a 2-yard toss to tight end Noah Fant on a play-action pass. The Menomonie, Wisconsin, native followed that up with a 27-yard touchdown — also to Fant — right before halftime, giving the Hawkeyes a 14-3 cushion heading into the break. After halftime, Stanley padded Iowa’s lead with a 45-yard touchdown to Nick Easley.

It was Easley’s first touchdown as a Hawkeye.

Stanley finished 8-of-15 through the air with 125 yards, 3 touchdowns, and an interception. Stanley followed that performance up with a breakout 5-touchdown outing in a 44-41 overtime win at Iowa State in Week 2. Stanley ended the season with 26 touchdown passes before tossing another 26 scores in 2018. After throwing 6 touchdowns in the first three games to kick off the 2019 season, Stanley sits at 60 touchdowns in his career, just 14 shy of Chuck Long’s program record for most touchdown passes in a career.

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Pregame Editors: Pete Ruden, Asst. Anna Kayser Sports Editors: Anna Kayser, Asst. Robert Read Photo Editors: Shivansh Ahuja, Katie Goodale TV Directors: Lucy Rohden Asst. Sports Jon Rawson Copy Chief: Beau Elliot

QB ­ RB LT LG C RG RT X H Y Z PK

10 11 66 61 79 65 64 86 24 8 81 18

Asher O’Hara Brad Anderson Will Gilchrist Eric Seay Cole Kirby Marcus Greer Robert Jones Jarrin Pierce Zack Dobson Ty Lee C.J. Windham Crews Holt

6-0 5-8 6-2 6-1 6-4 6-1 6-5 5-11 5-8 5-9 6-2 5-11

190 166 275 269 276 285 332 184 164 186 207 181

SO. JR. JR. SO. SO. #FR. JR. JR. SO. SR. JR. JR.

LE DT DT RE WLB MLB SLB LC FS SS RC P

94 90 93 95 6 43 20 31 12 7 25 48

Tyshun Render Rakavian Poydras Malik Manciel Trae Philpots Khalil Brooks Brett Shepherd D.Q. Thomas Justin Brown Reed Blankenship Jovante Moffatt Desmond Anderson Kyle Ulbrich

6-4 6-1 6-2 6-3 5-11 6-4 6-2 6-1 6-1 6-0 5-10 6-0

256 283 250 242 206 230 214 184 196 210 176 190

SR. JR. SR. SR. SR. JR. JR. JR. JR. SR. SR. SO.

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The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019 - 3

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4 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019

JR. SR. JR. SR. FR. SO. SR. JR. SR. JR. SR. JR. JR. SR. SR. JR. JR. SR. SO. SR. JR. SO. JR. SR.

#FR. SR. JR. JR. SR. SR. JR. #FR. JR JR. SO. JR. SO. JR. SR. JR. JR. JR. Iowa guard Kyler Schott makes a block during a football game between Iowa and Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames on Sept.14.

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan

Schott works his way into Iowa spotlight JR. SO. SO.

Kyler Schott is the latest walk-on success story for Iowa. The Coggon, Iowa, native worked through adversity to see time on the field for the Hawkeye football team.

BY ROBERT READ robert-read@uiowa.edu

Iowa football fans held their breath.

Starting left tackle Alaric Jackson was down with an apparent leg injury with 4:58 remaining in the first quarter of the new season’s opening game against Miami (Ohio).

Tristan Wirfs flipped from right tackle over to the left side, while right guard Levi Paulsen moved out to right tackle.

With Jackson down and the offensive line swapping positions, fans may have missed the player who trotted onto the field to fill the remaining void on the restructured offensive line.

It was a redshirt sophomore from Coggon, Iowa, who walked onto the Hawkeye football team after graduating from North Linn High School in 2017.

It was Kyler Schott.

Schott had played sparingly as a redshirt freshman and was scheduled to rotate at right guard before Jackson’s injury. Instead, he was

thrust into action before he himself suffered a foot injury Sunday. When he played, he enjoyed every second of it.

“It was unreal,” Schott said. “It has been a dream of mine to play football here. And so to finally get an opportunity to get some real playing time, not just the three plays I got last year, was really fun.”

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019 - 5

From Coggon to Iowa City Schott is in a position nobody from his high school has ever been in before. The school has graduated Division-1 athletes, but as far as Schott can remember, none have been football players at a major college.

“Not football,” Schott said. “We’ve had track, we’ve had a guy come wrestle here, but not football.”

North Linn head football coach Jared Collum recognized early in Schott’s football career that he was a special player. Schott started for Collum’s team as a freshman, one of only a few to ever do so under Collum, who has led the Lynx football program since 2007.

Schott became a four-year letterman as an offensive lineman and linebacker for North Linn. He earned first-team all-state honors and was named district MVP as a senior.

“I’d describe him as a humble person, a very nice guy,” Collum said. “When he gets on the football field, he’s a very violent player.

One of his biggest strengths as a player is his

ability to finish plays, to finish blocks.”

That mentality has helped him onto the field.

“That’s what coaches have said since I was a little kid playing football,” Schott said.

“Play through the whistle. So, that’s what I’ve learned and that’s what I’ve stuck to, and people love it.”

Schott brought his relentless blocking with him to Iowa. Videos of Schott staying on his block and taking his defender to the ground have made rounds on social media through the first few weeks of the season.

Among the people who — like Collum — love the way Schott finishes plays is ESPN personality Mike Golic Jr. Golic Jr. played offensive line at Notre Dame from 2008-12, and he took to social me-

Iowa RG #64 Kyler Schott taking everyone and anyone for a ride.

- @MGolicJR57

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan Iowa guard Kyler Schott blocks Rutgers’ Julius Turner during a football game between Iowa and Rutgers at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 7.

dia to praise Schott for one of his punishing blocks against Miami (Ohio).

Schott has possessed the mindset to finish plays and to finish them hard ever since his days in youth football. What helped him finetune that skill was his work on the wrestling mat.

“Mentally, I believe [wrestling] is one of the hardest sports in the world,” Schott said.

“It trains you to just be tough, physical, and to just keep pushing yourself. Physically, you learn how to stay low, be explosive, how to run through people.”

Schott was a four-year letterwinner in wrestling at North Linn. He wrestled his way to a 50-2 record in his senior year of high school and earned Class 1A state runner-up honors.

“We have this little joke in the O-line room,” Wirfs said. “If he does something good, we’ll be like, ‘Oh that’s the wrestler in him.’”

Schott was also a standout in basketball and baseball at North Linn.

The skills Schott utilized in his other sports may not directly translate to playing football.

Except, of course, for the competitive fire that

brims to the surface regardless of what he’s playing.

That competitiveness is a characteristic Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz looks for in his players.

He found it in Schott.

“I think all of us kind of followed during wrestling and the same thing going to the state track meet or the Drake Relays,” Ferentz said. “Just watching guys compete and how they do when they maybe need a big throw or need a big moment, how they react that way.”

Schott’s choices were somewhat limited when he was deciding where to go to play major college football.

A slight history with knee injuries and questions about his height turned some schools away.

“Honestly, I don’t think I even got a phone call,” Schott said. “I talked to Upper Iowa once, and they never talked to me again. But [former Iowa assistant coach Reese Morgan] seemed to really like me. Kept sending me letters, and I loved it. So I decided to walk on here.”

SEE SCHOTT, 6

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan Iowa players and coaches celebrate recovering a muffed punt during a football game between Iowa and Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019.

6 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019

SCHOTT CONTINUED FROM 5

He’s about 6-foot, 6-1, maybe

6-2

on a good day.

-Defensive end A.J. Epenesa

All of a sudden, it’s spring ball, and he’s

coming out of nowhere.

-Offensive lineman Tristian Wirfs

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019 - 7

Shooter When Schott first got to Iowa City, few people knew his name. Include Iowa offensive line coach Tim Polasek on that list.

Polasek had a habit of mispronouncing Schott’s last name, leading to one of the offensive linemen’s nicknames: “Shooter.”

“Shooter came around because of Coach Polasek,” Schott said. “My first week when I got here, he thought my last name was ‘Shoot’ instead of Schott. And then he just started calling me shooter, and it stuck.”

Schott has also earned the nickname “Jack Black,” considering his long hair and beard gives him a similar look to the actor and musician. He does have a preference among his nicknames, however.

“If I had to choose, probably Shooter,” Schott said. “I don’t know, I think I’m a little better looking than Jack Black.”

“Shooter” is now a key component to the Iowa offensive line and a fan favorite. The walk-on recruit from small-town Iowa has received significant attention since his increase in playing time.

Those who have been around Schott for the long run knew he had this in him and wanted to make sure he knew how happy they were for him.

“I actually got a phone call from my strength coach, and then my football coach was with him, and they were all cheering me on,” Schott said. “It was after the [Miami] game, and they were all super happy for me, telling me how proud they were. That was really nice to hear that they were all watching the game.”

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan Iowa guard Kyler Schott throws a block during a football game between Iowa and Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames on Sept.14.

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8 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019

SCOUTING REPORT

MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE

Pete Ruden

peter-ruden@uiowa.edu

Mike Mulholland/MLive.com/TNS

Michigan linebacker Josh Uche (6) sacks Middle Tennessee quarterback Asher O’Hara (10) during their college football game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, on Aug. 31. Michigan won the game, 40-21.

Coming into its game against Iowa with losses to Michigan and Duke, Middle Tennessee State isn’t the most fearsome team on the Hawkeyes’ schedule. Far from it.

But the Blue Raiders still boast a threat at quarterback with sophomore Asher O’Hara.

O’Hara leads Middle Tennessee State with 785 yards through the air and 202 yards on the ground. The Blue Raider offense revolves around him.

He can also put on a show against Big Ten programs, which is what he did when the Blue Raiders faced Michigan on Aug. 31.

Despite losing 40-21, O’Hara completed 22 of his 32 pass attempts for 217 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception, while running for another score.

O’Hara gave the Blue Raiders a lead over the Wolverines with an 18-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

O’Hara immediately sensed pressure from the snap but still managed to escape getting taken down behind the line of scrimmage. O’Hara then darted up an open middle of the field before doing his best Superman impression into the end zone.

Just a quarter later on third-and-goal, O’Hara again felt the pressure from the Wolverine defense. Instead of taking a sack, though, he used his mobility to scramble to the right. There, he found a wide-open Jarrin Pierce for an easy lob and six points.

O’Hara leads Middle Tennessee State with 329.0 yards per game. The next best Blue Raider is running back Chaton Mobley, who comes in at 35.7 yards per game.

O’Hara’s ability to make something out of nothing by using his legs is something Iowa will need to keep an eye on when the SEE MTSU, 13

10 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019

IOWA HAWKEYES vs. MIDD

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 | K

1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 22 23 26 27 28 28 29 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 36 37 38 39 40 41 41 42

Nolan Donald Wes Dvorak Peyton Mansell Ryan Gersonde Tyrone Tracy Jr. Keith Duncan Nate Stanley Dane Belton Oliver Martin Jestin Jacobs Ihmir Smith-Marsette Spencer Petras Colten Rastetter Alex Padilla Matt Hankins Jack Combs Geno Stone Mekhi Sargent Caleb Shudak Connor Kapisak Michael Ojemudia Brandon Smith D.J. Johnson Henry Marchese Joe Evans Daraun McKinney Tyler Goodson Dallas Craddieth Charlie Jones Terry Roberts Ryan Schmidt Devonte Young Drew Cook John Milani Max Cooper Mike Timm Keontae Luckett Julius Brents Ivory Kelly-Martin Thomas Hartlieb Samson Evans Michael Sleep-Dalton Shadrick Byrd Kaevon Merriweather Jermari Harris Toren Young Jack Koerner Jackson Ritter Sebastian Castro Quinn Schulte Jack Campbell Djimon Colbert Riley Moss Kristian Welch Barrington Wade Brady Ross Mitch Riggs Kyler Fisher Monte Pottebaum Nate Wieting Turner Pallissard Johnny Plewa Colton Dinsdale Shaun Beyer

RB DB QB P WR K QB DB WR LB WR QB P QB DB WR DB RB K QB DB WR DB WR LB DB RB DB WR DB QB DB TE DB WR LB RB DB RB DB RB P RB DB DB RB DB WR DB WR LB LB DB LB LB FB LB DB LB TE FB FB DB TE

5-9 6-1 6-2 6-4 5-11 5-10 6-4 6-1 6-1 6-4 6-1 6-5 6-1 6-1 6-1 6-1 5-10 5-9 5-8 6-5 6-1 6-2 5-11 6-3 6-2 5-10 5-10 5-11 5-11 5-10 6-5 6-1 6-5 6-1 6-1 6-1 5-10 6-3 5-10 5-11 6-1 6-1 5-10 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-1 6-3 5-11 6-1 6-4 6-1 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-1 6-4 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-5

IOWA

182 200 208 198 200 180 243 190 200 220 183 230 213 193 185 188 210 212 180 211 200 218 183 196 240 185 190 205 184 176 237 203 252 204 188 229 180 203 203 186 210 212 212 210 177 223 204 195 195 185 218 235 191 239 236 246 236 201 236 250 242 230 225 244

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Morton, IL Parkston, SD Belton, TX Milwaukee, WI Indianapolis, IN Weddington, NC Menomonie, WI Tampa, FL Coralville, IA Englewood, OH Newark, NJ San Rafael, CA Guttenberg, IA Greenwood Village, CO Lewisville, TX Grand Rapids, MI New Castle, PA Key West, FL Council Bluffs, IA South Windsor, CT Farmington Hills, MI Lake Cormorant, MS Indianapolis, IN Vernon Hills, IL Ames, IA River Rouge, MI Suwanee, GA St. Louis, MO Deerfield, IL Erie, PA Marion, IA Waldorf, MD Iowa City, IA Iowa City, IA Waukesha, WI Delafield, WI New London, IA Indianapolis, IN Plainfield, IL Madison, WI Crystal Lake, IL Geelong, Australia Alabaster, AL Belleville, MI Chicago, IL Madison, WI Des Moines, IA Frankfort, IL Oak Lawn, IL Cedar Rapids, IA Cedar Falls, IA Shawnee Mission, KS Ankeny, IA Iola, WI Skokie, IL Humboldt, IA West Des Moines, IA Farnhamville, IA Larchwood, IA Rockford, IL Frankfort, IL Franklin, WI Reinbeck, IA Shellsburg, IA

43 44 45 46 46 47 47 48 49 50 50 52 53 54 54 55 55 56 57 57 58 59 60 61 63 64 65 66 66 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 74 75 76 77 79 80 81 81 82 83 84 84 85 85 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Dillon Doyle Seth Benson Joe Ludwig Tommy Kujawa Logan Klemp Noah Feldman Nick Anderson Bryce Schulte Nick Niemann Louie Stec Jackson Subbert Amani Jones Spencer Daufeldt Matt Fagan Daviyon Nixon Luke Empen Yahweh Jeudy Nick DeJong Clayton Thurm Chauncey Golston Taylor Fox Nathan Nelson Noah Fenske Cole Banwart Justin Britt Kyler Schott Tyler Linderbaum Levi Paulsen Dalles Jacobus Landan Paulsen Tyler Endres Kyle Sorensen Mark Kallenberger Coy Kirkpatrick Cody Ince Tristan Wirfs Austin Schulte Jeff Jenkins Ezra Miller Alaric Jackson Jack Plumb Josiah Miamen Desmond Hutson Ben Subbert Calvin Lockett Alec Kritta Sam LaPorta Austin Spiewak Logan Lee Nate Vejvoda Javon Foy Jackson Frericks Nico Ragaini Taajhir McCall Brady Reiff John Waggoner Jake Karchinski A.J. Epenesa Cedrick Lattimore Lucas Amaya Zach VanValkenburg Chris Reames Noah Shannon

LB LB FB TE LB TE LB TE LB DT LS LB DL OL DT OL LB OL OL DE OL DE OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL TE WR DL WR WR TE LS DE LS WR TE WR DL DL DL DL DE DL K DL DL DL

6-3 6-1 6-1 6-3 6-2 6-5 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-1 6-3 5-11 6-1 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-1 6-6 6-4 6-5 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-2 6-3 6-5 6-1 6-5 6-6 6-5 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-3 6-6 6-6 6-7 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-2 5-11 6-4 6-1 6-5 6-5 5-11 6-6 6-1 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-4 6-6 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-7 6-1

235 227 241 235 228 235 230 244 235 246 243 244 285 285 309 270 201 275 261 270 280 252 300 300 290 290 286 305 285 305 307 270 291 291 287 322 287 266 305 320 272 235 200 248 182 185 242 232 251 250 158 200 192 231 277 270 253 280 295 200 270 230 294

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Iowa City, IA Sioux Falls, SD Middleton, WI Greendale, WI Jewell, IA West Liberty, IA Waukee, IA Cedar Rapids, IA Sycamore, IL La Grange Park, IL Williamsburg, IA Chicago, IL West Liberty, IA Council Bluffs, IA Kenosha, WI Clinton, IA Pompano Beach, FL Pella, IA Williamsburg, IA Detroit, MI Winthrop, IA Waukee, IA New Hampton, IA Ottosen, IA Indianapolis, IN Coggon, IA Solon, IA Moville, IA Palo, IA Moville, IA Norwalk, IA Waukee, IA Bettendorf, IA Madrid, IA Luck, WI Mount Vernon, IA Pella, IA Crystal Lake, IL Holstein, IA Detroit, MI Green Bay, WI Dunlap, IL Raytown, MO Williamsburg, IA Largo, FL St. Charles, IL Highland, IL Rolling Meadows, IL Orion, IL Homer Glen, IL Coal Valley, IL Cedar Falls, IA East Haven, CT Pensacola, FL Parkston, SD West Des Moines, IA De Pere, WI Edwardsville, IL Redford, MI Muskego, WI Zeeland, MI Van Meter, IA Montgomery, IL

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019 - 11

DLE TENN. BLUE RAIDERS

KINNICK STADIUM | 11:05 AM | ESPN2

MIDDLE TENNESSEE

1 2 3 4 6 6 7 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 33 34 35 37 38 38 39 40 41 42 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Terelle West Chris Stamps Gregory Grate Jr Quincy Riley Khalil Brooks Alec Ogden Jordan Middleton Jovante Moffatt Ty Lee Isiah Upton Jarek Campbell Asher O'Hara Brad Anderson Reed Blankenship Tyrese Johnson Raheme Fuller Davis Witt Chase Cunningham Kyle Kee Joey Cambron Kylan Stribling Raquon Hartley Crews Holt Randall Johnson Teldrick Ross DQ Thomas Jayy McDonald DJ England-Chisolm Jalen Jackson Zack Dobson Desmond Anderson Wayne Parks Ruben Garnett Maurice Gordon Marcus LaFrance Marvae Myers-Glover Justin Brown Chris Melton D'Monte Kemp Decorian Patterson Darius McClendon Jalen Davis Siante Bellanfant Kendricks Gladney Cole Jacobs Cain McWilliams Avery Jones John Turner Colin Figenscher Cody Smith Brett Shepherd Chaton Mobley Joeseph Sewell Andrew Leak Dalton Frantz Kyle Ulbrich

RB DB S CB LB QB QB S WR WR LB QB RB S WR DB WR QB S QB S LB PK QB CB LB RB WR CB WR CB LB WR RB CB CB CB LB RB S CB LB S S WR LB LB WR PK LB LB RB HB LB HB P

5-9 6-1 5-11 6-0 5-11 6-4 6-1 6-0 5-9 6-0 6-0 6-0 5-8 6-1 5-8 6-3 6-0 5-11 6-1 6-0 6-0 6-1 5-11 6-5 5-10 6-2 5-9 5-7 6-2 5-8 5-10 5-11 5-9 5-10 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-1 5-9 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-1 6-0 6-1 5-10 6-2 6-4 6-1 6-2 5-10 6-0 6-0

193 187 186 177 206 194 198 210 186 198 207 190 166 196 168 204 200 188 195 179 198 190 181 233 188 214 196 150 173 164 176 206 170 202 185 177 184 212 177 185 181 195 190 206 170 221 234 215 170 214 230 233 246 208 236 185

Sr Sr Soph Fr Sr Soph Jr Sr Sr Sr #Fr Soph Jr Jr Soph Soph Jr Soph #Fr Fr Jr Fr Jr Jr #Fr Jr Jr Fr Fr Soph Sr Soph Sr Sr Fr Fr Jr Sr Soph #Fr Fr Fr Jr Sr Fr Soph Sr Soph #Fr Soph Jr Soph Soph Fr Soph Soph

Pinson, AL Vicksburg, MS Miami, FL Columbia, SC Atlanta, GA Marshall, WI Murfreesboro, TN Union City, TN Moultrie, GA Nashville, TN Murfreesboro, TN Rolling Meadows, IL Huntsville, AL Athens, AL Halls, TN Ft Lauderdale, FL Clewiston, FL Knoxville, TN Naples, FL Owensboro, KY Thompson's Station, TN Saluda, SC Brentwood, TN Los Angeles, CA Macon, GA Oxford, MS Oakland, CA Moncks Corner, SC Tampa, FL Knoxville, TN Pacolet, SC Fellsmere, FL Hepzibah, GA Denton, TX North Lauderdale, FL West Orlando, FL Birmingham, AL Leesburg, GA Millington, TN Ocala, FL Boynton Beach, FL Kingsland, GA Nashville, TN Capitol Heights, MD Canton, GA Lewisburg, TN Anaheim Hills, CA Murfreesboro, TN DeLand, FL Stuart, FL Buford, GA Knoxville, TN Murfreesboro, TN LaGrange, GA Murfreesboro, TN Mentor, OH

48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 63 64 65 66 68 70 71 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 85 86 87 88 88 89 90 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 99

Ronnin Wright Jorden Starling Aran Mohamad-Ali Jacob Mahoney Darius "JuJu" Williams Matt Martin Jacob King Jahlil Ryles Adam Derry Marley Cook Russ Hiett Dawson Bragg John Lynch Eric Seay Eric Golston Robert Jones Marcus Greer Will Gilchrist Luke Harris Tyler Falvey Angelo Owens Tyler Thurman Steven Losoya III Blake Catlett DJ Delfendahl Amir Luckett Dorian Hinton Cole Kirby Luke Bolger CJ Windham Devon Jackson Jimmy Marshall Zeke Cobb Josh Fannin Richard Kinley Jarrin Pierce Marquel Tinsley William Wilcox Ja'Kerrius Wyatt Yusuf Ali Rakavian Poydras Matthew Stephenson Jordan Ferguson Ty Nix Malik Manciel Tyshun Render Trae Philpots Zaylin Wood Quindarius Dunnigan JR Bivens Jordan Branch Matthew Rigney Chris Dye Robert Payne

LB DE OL LB DE OL OL OL OL DT LS OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR WR WR WR WR TE/OL DE WR WR HB DT WR DT P DT DT DT DE DE DT DE DT DL P QB PK

6-1 6-4 6-0 6-0 6-3 6-1 6-1 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-0 6-6 6-4 6-1 6-1 6-5 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-4 6-4 6-4 6-1 6-4 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-5 6-3 6-3 6-2 5-11 6-2 6-4 6-3 5-9 6-1 5-8 6-2 6-0 6-2 6-4 6-3 6-1 6-3 6-0 6-0 6-4 6-2 5-11

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St Mary's, GA Chattanooga, TN Antioch, TN Knoxville, TN Hemingway, SC Pasadena, TX Brentwood, TN Phenix City, AL Ft Mitchell, KY Water Valley, MS Kennesaw, GA Goodlettsville, TN Winchester, KY Albany, GA Long Beach, CA Chicago, IL St Louis, MO Pasadena, TX Lafayette, IN Altamonte Springs, FL Deerfield Beach, FL Kingston, TN Nashville, TN Jackson, TN Mt Juliet, TN Waddell, AZ Naples, FL Franklin, KY Ft Mitchell, KY Powder Springs, GA Renton, WA Macon, GA Dalton, GA Hoschton, GA Memphis, TN Los Angeles, CA Morganfield, KY Clarksville, TN Prattville, AL Detroit, MI Clarksville, TN Madison, ALs Atlanta, GA Murfreesboro, TN Detroit, MI Newnan, GA Fairburn, GA Bowdon, GA Chattanooga, TN Roswell, GA Maury City, TN Newcastle, Australia Smyrna, TN Signal Mountain, TN

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019 - 13

202 329 2 10 O’Hara rushing yards

Elizabeth Flores/Minneapolis Star Tribune/TNS

Blankenship interceptions

O’Hara total yards per game

Sacks allowed

Minnesota running back Rodney Smith is brought down after a short gain by Middle Tennessee defensive end Darrius Liggins during the first quarter at TCF Bank Stadium on Sept. 16, 2017, in Minneapolis.

MTSU

CONTINUED FROM 8

Blue Raiders march into Kinnick Stadium.

On the defensive side of the ball, Reed Blankenship plays the same role. He’s a playmaker that offenses need to be on the lookout for.

The Blue Raiders have played well when Blankenship’s at his best.

In Middle Tennessee’s lone win of the season — a 45-26 beat down of Tennessee State on Sept. 7 — Blankenship picked off two passes and knocked down another.

With Tennessee State threatening in Blue Raider territory, Blankenship read the quarterback’s eyes the whole way before darting to his right. From there, he made an athletic catch to end the possibility of Tennessee State extending its lead.

Blankenship also leads Middle Tennessee State with 25 tackles and has forced a fumble.

Middle Tennessee State falls short when it comes to getting pressure on the quarterback and absorbing pressure from other teams.

Through three games this season, the Blue Raiders have only racked up 2 sacks.

They’ve given up 10. That’s a statistic Iowa can take advantage of with its stellar defen-

sive line and always-solid offensive line.

When Duke quarterback Quentin Harris played Middle Tennessee State, he completed 24-of-27 passes for 237 yards and 4 touchdowns.

When Harris had time to scan the field, he made plays.

If Iowa can keep the Blue Raider defensive line at bay like the Blue Devils, quarterback Nate Stanley could be in for a big day.

14 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019

ON THE LINE Matchups

No. 14 Iowa vs.

Middle Tennessee No. 17 Washington vs.

No. 21 USC Minnesota vs.

Purdue No. 24 Kansas State vs.

Oklahoma State No. 19 Utah vs.

Washington State

Pete Ruden

Anna Kayser

Robert Read

Pete Mills

Lucy Rohden

Jon Rawson

Jason Brummond

PREGAME EDITOR (10-5)

SPORTS EDITOR (10-5)

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR (7-8)

FOOTBALL REPORTER (7-8)

DITV DIRECTOR (10-5)

ASST. DITV SPORTS DIRECTOR (10-5)

PUBLISHER (9-6)

IOWA I have a friend in Tennessee who’s probably reading this. Hi, Adam.

IOWA Iowa moved up FOUR spots after a bye week.

Thanks, Michigan.

IOWA The Hawkeyes should march over Middle Tennessee.

IOWA I like Iowa in a close one.

IOWA A Blue Raider would likely beat a Hawkeye. Not sure what makes a blue raider different than a regular one.

IOWA Middle Tennessee State is actually located in the middle of Tennessee. Like the MIDDLE middle.

IOWA Choose a side, Middle Tennessee.

WASHINGTON If the glove fits.

WASHINGTON Washington beat BYU, USC didn’t. Transitive property.

USC Urban Meyer likes what he’s seeing from his future team.

USC Snoop Dogg wore an Iowa sweatshirt one time, so I’ll go with the Trojans.

USC I think a husky would beat a trojan, unless the trojan has a sword.

WASHINGTON USC is on their third quarterback. That’s the joke.

WASHINGTON USC starts “top recruit” with rich parents after another QB injury.

PURDUE Purdue Pete and I are pretty much best friends because we have cool names.

PURDUE The ugliest school colors over the ugliest chrome helmets. Sure.

MINNESOTA *Insert boat-rowing joke here*

MINNESOTA Battle for most average team in the Big Ten.

MINNESOTA A train would easily run over a gopher. Well, unless the gopher digs a hole and hides there.

MINNESOTA This reminds me of two toddlers getting in a fight and one wins because the other lost his pacifier.

MINNESOTA Jeff Brohm should have left for Louisville.

OKLAHOMA STATE Never bet against a running back named Chuba Hubbard.

KANSAS STATE My stalker went to Oklahoma State. True story.

OKLAHOMA STATE I’m more interested in Mike Gundy’s post-game press conference.

OKLAHOMA STATE No business, all party for Mike Gundy.

KANSAS STATE In a fight, a wildcat would definitely beat a cowboy.

Unless the cowboy is a 40-year-old man.

KANSAS STATE Uh, yeah, Alex. I’ll take, “Games I Don’t Care About” for $500, please.

OKLAHOMA STATE Don’t ask Mike Gundy about a haircut — even if it’s a joke.

WASHINGTON STATE The fact that Garnder Minshew and Mike Leach were on the same team >>>

UTAH Washington State is so irrelevant I forgot they were in that crazy 67-63 game on Saturday.

WASHINGTON STATE Instead of the game, can Mike Leach talk mascots again?

UTAH Imagine scoring 63 points in a game and losing.

UTAH In honor of Mike Leach, I’m picking based off mascots. I think a cougar would beat a Ute.

WASHINGTON STATE Mike Leach could turn me from a decent flag football quarterback to an NFL Draft pick.

UTAH Mike Leach knows if a Ute has a rifle, there’s some definite problems.

americaneedsjournalists.com

HAWKEYE MVPS The Daily Iowan Pregame staff debated and came up with the Hawkeyes’ most valuable players through three games.

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019 - 15

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www.greenriverlines.com | hawkeyeshuttle.com Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan

Iowa defensive back Michael Ojemudia runs back an interception during a football game between Iowa and Rutgers at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 7.

OFFENSE Tristan Wirfs

Anything Iowa has done on offense this season would not have been possible without Tristan Wirfs.

Iowa’s star tackle has been an indispensable piece of an offensive line that has been forced to cope with injuries.

When left tackle Alaric Jackson went down with an injury in Iowa’s season-opener against Miami (Ohio), Wirfs flipped from the right tackle slot to the left side.

He has continued to move back and forth between the two positions.

It’s not an easy switch considering the footwork and technique involved, but Wirfs makes the move seamlessly.

Thanks to Wirfs’ efforts along with the rest of the offensive line, the Hawkeyes have rushed for 519 yards through three games, pushing three different backs over the 100yard mark.

The Hawkeye offense has been solid in all aspects up to this point, and a lot of that success can be chalked up to Wirfs’ versatility.

DEFENSE

Michael Ojemudia

The Hawkeye defense has picked off three passes this season. Two of those interceptions are courtesy of cornerback Michael Ojemudia.

Ojemudia serves as the rock in the secondary Iowa desperately needs. Although injuries have overtaken the unit — a list that includes Matt Hankins, Kaevon Merriweather, Julius Brents, and Riley Moss — Ojemudia has been steady.

Each season, it seems as if Iowa has a breakout player in the secondary — Desmond King in 2015-16, Josh Jackson in 2017, and Amani Hooker in 2018. All three have moved on to the NFL. This could be Ojemudia’s turn.

In addition to his 2 interceptions, Ojemudia has racked up 7 tackles and broken up two passes.

With all of the turmoil the secondary has been through, Ojemudia patrolled his side of the field the only way defensive coordinator Phil Parker could have wanted.

SEE HAWKEYE MVPS, 17

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16 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019

ONE ON ONE WITH DJIMON COLBERT Daily Iowan Assistant Sports Editor Robert Read caught up with Djimon Colbert to talk about Marvel, Chipotle, and classical mythology.

Daily Iowan: What is your favorite TV show?

Colbert: Right now, I think mine would have to be a scary show called The Haunting of Hill House.

I just finished that. I watch a lot of Marvel shows, too, on Netflix. Daredevil, Punisher, stuff like that.

DI: What is your favorite movie?

Colbert: Oh, Avengers: Endgame easy. It was crazy. It wasn’t even like a movie; it was like an experience.

I enjoyed that. I saw it like three different times in theaters.

DI: Who is your favorite artist to listen to before a game?

Colbert: I like a lot of Travis Scott and Lil Wayne. 50 Cent is great, too. I listen to a lot of his stuff.

DI: If you were playing a sport other than football, what would it be?

Colbert: I really wanted to play soccer growing up.

I love watching it. Every time the World Cup comes around, I’m really into soccer.

DI: What’s the most interesting class you have taken during your time at Iowa?

Colbert: Probably classical mythology. I learned a lot about different cultures and different religions and stuff like that. It was an online class, but I took a lot out of it. It was pretty cool.

DI: Which one of your teammates has the best jokes or makes people laugh the most?

Colbert: Either Ihmir [Smith-Marsette] or [Michael Ojemudia] for sure. They are both kind of in the same spot in the locker room. I always go over there and talk to those dudes. I try to keep a positive outlook and they keep everybody laughing, so it fits.

DI: What is your favorite food spot in Iowa City?

Colbert: Chipotle. I love a good burrito. Chipotle or Estela’s, they both have great food. I’m there almost all the time.

DI: If someone were to play you in a movie, who would you want it to be?

Colbert: A few years down the line I could choose my man Denzel [Washington]. He’s a great actor. I always looked up to him growing up.

DI: What is the best part about being a Hawkeye?

Colbert: Just coming out, swarming the field on Saturdays, and feeling the energy that’s coming from the stands. Personally, I feel like I connect with the school that way. I connect with former classmates and other student athletes. It’s a way we all connect with the school, and then we go out and play the game after that.

DI: What professional athlete do you look up to the most?

Colbert: Well, he’s not playing anymore, but I looked up to Andre Johnson because I was a receiver growing up. In youth football, I always wore No. 80 just because I loved how he carried himself and he always made big plays when his team needed him. I still follow him to this day.

HAWKEYE MVPS The Daily Iowan Pregame staff continues its picks for Iowa’s most valuable players with its special teams picks.

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan

Iowa kicker Keith Duncan makes a practice kick during a football game between Iowa and Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames on Sept. 14.

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan

Iowa punter Michael Sleep-Dalton kicks the ball during a football game between Iowa and Rutgers at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 7.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Keith Duncan and Michael Sleep-Dalton Iowa’s special teams earned a special two-for-one with its MVPs. Kicker Keith Duncan and punter Michael Sleep-Dalton have been instrumental in all of the Hawkeyes’ games this season.

Duncan leads Iowa with 32 total points.

He’s 8-of-8 on field goals and 8-of-8 on extra points, and he has only gotten better as the season progresses.

In Iowa’s win over Miami, he nailed a field goal and 5 extra points. In the Hawkeyes’ victory over Rutgers, Duncan hit 3 field goals and 3 extra points. Duncan then became a hero — for the second time in his career — in Iowa’s Cy-Hawk win on Sept. 14, making 4 field goals.

Duncan made one kick in each quarter to score 12 of Iowa’s 18 points in its 1-point win in Ames. He made kicks when it was dry and wet, when it was sunny and dark, from each hash, and in the middle of the field.

All of this success comes after Duncan sat behind Miguel Recinos for two seasons, making his re-emergence on the playing

field even more impressive.

Sleep-Dalton’s performances have been equally impressive.

Colten Rastetter improved on the punting front last season, but Sleep-Dalton has taken it to a new level.

He’s averaging 46.4 yards per punt this season and has put three boots inside the 20-yard line with two against Rutgers and one against Iowa State.

In fact, Sleep-Dalton and Rutgers punter Adam Korsak stole the show when the Scarlet Knights visited Kinnick.

Sleep-Dalton’s ability to pin opponents deep has been imperative for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods said one of the reasons Sleep-Dalton transferred from Arizona State was for the challenges of the weather.

He won’t be kicking in the sun and heat all season like he did in Tempe.

If Sleep-Dalton finds a way to continue his hot stretch when the weather turns cold, he’ll help the Hawkeyes immensely.

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019 - 17

18 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019

BIG TEN MATCHUPS Pete Mills

peter-mills@uiowa.edu

I actually watched other games this weekend.

Thanks, bye week!

No. 14 Iowa vs. Middle Tennessee State 11 a.m. | ESPN2 Can someone play Rocky Top? Or is that the wrong school from Tennessee?

No. 8 Wisconsin vs. Northwestern 11 a.m. | ABC Wisconsin looks like a legitimate Playoff contender right now.

Northwestern looks like Northwestern.

No. 20 Michigan vs. Rutgers 11 a.m. | BTN If Rutgers scores a single point in this game, Michigan fans will riot.

POWER RANKINGS 1) Ohio State

Alex, give me “We’re all tired of this,” for 300.

2) Wisconsin

Wisconsin made the pro-“Big Ten division realignment” crowd look silly last week.

3) Penn State

Well, maybe the Big Ten isn’t as deep this year as we all would’ve liked.

4) Iowa

These last two picks had bye weeks last week, so maybe all Big Ten teams should just stop playing football.

5) Michigan State

Evanston is a black hole for Big Ten teams, and Sparty came away with a win last week.

6) Michigan

I have no words, except that I thought Michigan would be in the College Football Playoff at the end of the season. We’ll figure out soon if last week said more about how good Wisconsin is or how many gaps Michigan needs to fill.

7) Minnesota

Hard to place because it hasn’t played anyone important, but we’ll learn more about the Gophers this week.

8) Nebraska Barely beating Illinois on the road equals hosting GameDay the following week. What?

Minnesota vs. Purdue

9) Maryland

2:30 p.m. | ESPN2 Battle for “Middle of the Pack” award in the Big Ten.

10) Indiana

No. 25 Michigan State vs Indiana 2:30 p.m. | BTN Indiana has won two games by at least 35 points this year and has lost one by 41 points. Not sure this one will be close, either.

No. 5 Ohio State vs. Nebraska 6:30 p.m. | ABC I don’t know what the spread is for this one, but it’s not high enough for Brutus. Also, I need to ask why GameDay is here again?

No. 12 Penn State vs. Maryland 7 p.m. | FS1 Locksley & Franklin sounds like a law firm. But it’s not. It’s a game between the No. 12 team in the country and the team that lost to Temple last week.

Fun first few weeks for head coach Michael Locksley, but Temple reminded him he coaches at Maryland.

All these Big Ten teams in the middle seem the same to me, but Peyton Ramsey threw 3 touchdowns last week, so there’s that.

11) Northwestern

Northwestern’s schedule is taking a toll on its official Daily Iowan power rankings position. Two losses to two Power 5 teams early. Game against the scary Wisconsin Badgers this weekend. Yikes.

12) Purdue

The Boilermakers have losses to Nevada and TCU this season. This really shouldn’t dock them points on our power rankings, but they’re just a hair above Illinois right now.

13) Illinois

I usually make jokes about the Illini, but they literally left everything on the field in the loss to Nebraska. Soul-crushing.

14) Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights lost, but I gained a lot of respect for them after quarterback Art Sitkowski got punched in the face by his own lineman after throwing a touchdown.

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019 - 19

IT’S UP. . .

AND IT’S GOOD!

20 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, September 27, 2019

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