ESPN’s Ed Cunningham was half right about the Hawkeyes

TAMPA, Fla. — ESPN/ABC football analyst Ed Cunningham went 1-for-2 in Iowa Hawkeye preseason predictions.

Cunningham, who'll be on the call for Monday's Outback Bowl between Iowa and Florida (noon on ABC), picked Iowa's offensive line to be the top unit in the country. He did this on June 13 and it was received even by Iowa coaches with a little bit of a raised eyebrow.

In December, Iowa's offensive line was awarded the Joe Moore Trophy as the top O-line in the country, edging out Alabama and Ohio State. So, that's one for Cunningham.

And then just before the season started, Cunningham, a captain on Washington's 1991 national championship team and an NFL offensive lineman for four seasons, picked Iowa to win the Big Ten — all of the Big Ten, not just the West Division — beat Clemson in the national semifinals and then lose to Florida State in the College Football Playoff title game.

That's the 1-for-2.

'I really liked what the Hawkeyes had coming back,' Cunningham said with a laugh on Friday night. 'I thought quarterback C.J. Beathard would be healthier. I thought the offensive line hearkened back to vintage Kirk Ferentz lines, something Iowa would be able to hang its hat on.'

Let's stick with the offensive line part. Cunningham, after all, lived that. He also happened to be in the NFL playing for the Arizona Cardinals when Ferentz was offensive line coach with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens (1993-98). Cunningham played with former Hawkeye Rob Baxley in Arizona and heard nothing but good things. He said Ferentz's rep around the leg was 'sterling.'

'Players talk and they know who can coach,' Cunningham said. 'If you were a free agent, you wanted to take a call from the Ravens. You knew Kirk could coach and that was a call worth taking.'

Cunningham said the Iowa blueprint for O-lines still works. For the most part, it's taller, leaner athletes who can move and displays great footwork.

'They move with a smoothness and power,' Cunningham said. 'They're usually long athletes who constantly move in sync, always with the first step in the run game.'

Over the years, Cunningham has developed the theory that the better a team's offensive line is the better its defense becomes. The logic here is sound.

'Defensive guys have a lot of aggression and pride,' he said. 'They hate getting beat. It might happen to them a lot against a great offensive line during a 20-play drill, but the pride kicks in and they won't let themselves get beat.'

Does that not sound exactly what to Iowa in 2016? You could probably argue the Hawkeyes' O-line and defense had similar ups and downs during the season, but both found their strides in November.

Beathard and the NFL

Cunningham had already had his production call with Iowa coaches before this interview. In talking to Iowa offensive coordinator Greg Davis, Cunningham picked up on an obvious and yet interesting theme for the senior quarterback's season.

'NFL scouts have had a hard time grading him,' Cunningham said. 'It's been hard for him to get through his progressions and really do anything in the passing game.'

With the injuries and inexperience in the wide receivers and tight ends and with seven different combos on the offensive line due to injury, you kind of get that. Beathard's numbers certainly say something wasn't right, and, well, you've seen Iowa's passing offense, something Kirk Ferentz described this season as 'stuck in the sand.'

Going into the Outback, Beathard has thrown for 1,874 yards and 17 touchdowns. In four seasons at Iowa, Beathard has completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 5,507 yards and 40 touchdowns. According to CBS Sports, Beathard is the No. 9 quarterback in the 2017 draft class and currently stands to be selected in the fourth or fifth round.

3 And Out: Beathard kept his head during what amounted to a three-year tryout

He will play in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 30 in Mobile, Ala., and he is looking forward to hearing what the NFL has to say about him.

'I'm confident in my ability and that's what it really comes down to,' Beathard said. 'I feel I have what it takes to play at the next level. I'm excited for the opportunity to show people what I can do and hopefully make a team.'

Corner No. 4 this week

It's a storyline that has potential to be a big deal for the Hawkeyes. With freshman cornerback Manny Rugamba ruled out for the Outback, Iowa is down to three scholarship corners — senior Desmond King, sophomore Joshua Jackson and redshirt freshman Michael Ojemudia.

The 'in case of emergency' No. 4 corner? It's true freshman Amani Hooker. Hooker is a safety, but he's worked some at corner this week. He's also one of Iowa's core special teamers.

'We can put Hooker in there,' defensive coordinator Phil Parker said. 'He's been working a lot there. I'm not concerned about that, but he can go out there.'

The lack of depth at corner could put a crimp in Iowa's substitute packages (nickel, dime and raider on passing downs), but Parker said the plans are in place and he's satisfied the Hawkeyes will be able to field whatever sub package it needs.

'We're in good shape,' Parker said. 'I'm not concerned with that right now. We'll be in good shape with that. We'll have enough guys out there to play our full sub packages.'

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