Forget the near hash

TEMPE, Ariz., -- Coaches being coaches, the Hawkeyes have a very definite plan for what to do in the event of an interception.

They are coached to go to the near hash. Hopefully, there's a block or two and maybe, with a little luck, they can make some magic happen.

"Obviously, Micah didn't do that," safety Tyler Sash said. "He must not have seen anything there. And then I don't even know how many times he cut back."

The official count might be three and a half.

Iowa cornerback Micah Hyde stepped in front of a Blain Gabbert pass and snaked his way from the Missouri sideline to the Iowa sideline and scored from 72 yards, giving the Hawkeyes (8-5) their winning points in a 27-24 Insight Bowl victory over the No. 12 Tigers (10-3).

Gabbert felt some pressure from defensive end Adrian Clayborn. He tried to force a pass to Mizzou receiver Wes Kemp. Hyde read it the whole way, just catching it like it was intended for him.

"I just stepped in front of it and our defense turned it into an offensive play," said Hyde, who was named the Insight defensive MVP. "I couldn't have done it without the defense. All I did was run, honestly."

It was Hyde's fourth pick of the season and his second return for a TD. He returned one 66 yards for a score against Michigan State. He also took that one from sideline to sideline.

"We're supposed to do near hash, head to the sideline and take care of the ball," senior linebacker Jeff Tarpinian said. "He does his own thing, but no one's complaining when he scores touchdowns. Pick sixes are good."

Gabbert knew he should've just thrown the ball away and lived to see another play. The Tigers led 24-20 at the time and were going in for the kill at Iowa's 29 with just less than six minutes remaining in the game.

"I just got greedy," Gabbert said. "It was a scramble drill and I thought Wes was going to release and go on the sideline because they were in man-to-man coverage. He stayed with them, and the guy made a great play. And that's really all I can say about that."

Hyde seems to know what to do when he has the ball in his hands. He really seems to know what to do.

"After Michigan State, I thought we might have to move him to offense," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "Just a heckuva play. He's a very skilled athlete. It was just a huge play in the game, obvious statement there."

Hyde's return was an Iowa bowl record and the eighth longest in school history and second longest in the Insight Bowl. It was the Hawkeyes' fourth interception return for a TD this season.