Iowa notes: Canzeri award, schedule quirks, ticket update

IOWA CITY — Running back Jordan Canzeri didn't immediately accept Iowa's scholarship offer back in 2011. Considering he hailed from upstate New York, it's not that surprising.

But Canzeri eventually chose Iowa, a process that Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz waded through on Tuesday.

'He didn't just jump in our laps, I can tell you that,' he said. 'It wasn't necessarily a slam dunk.

'(Villanova Coach) Andy Talley, who I used to coach against — I couldn't beat him as a coach — but I've beaten him on two recruits, Jordan Canzeri and Mike Daniels. We hit two pretty good ones there. I think Jordan was overwhelmed with us initially. He was happy when Villanova and UConn jumped in, too, at the end.'

Injuries that plagued most of Canzeri's career subsided entering this season, and he's finally able to showcase his abilities. Tuesday, Canzeri earned national offensive player of the week honors by the Football Writers Association of America.

Canzeri, a 5-foot-9, 192-pound senior, rushed for 256 yards on a school-record 43 carries to lead Iowa to a 29-20 win over Illinois last Saturday. His 256 rushing yards are the third most in Iowa history, and he scored two touchdowns to remain tied for the Big Ten lead with 10.

With 697 rushing yards, Canzeri ranks third in the Big Ten. He also has caught 16 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown. Despite his relative health, wear and tear on Canzeri remains a concern. Backup LeShun Daniels remains out with an ankle injury, but Ferentz said Akrum Wadley and Derrick Mitchell are both healthy and available to spell Canzeri on Saturday.

'I expect we're going to have to,' Ferentz said. 'We're preparing that way. Next man in and next man ready.'

Canzeri said he's fine physically and able to handle any type of workload.

'I'm ready for whatever comes,' he said.

SCHEDULING QUIRK

Expansion and divisional revamps has caused numerous scheduling quirks to Big Ten schedules. Recently, Ferentz pointed out that his team has started on the road in 13 of his 17 Big Ten campaigns. Iowa has benefitted from another scheduling oddity, at least when it comes to Northwestern.

Since Pat Fitzgerald took over the Wildcats in 2006, six of the team's nine games with Iowa have taken place in Iowa City. Twice the teams played consecutive years (2008-09, 2013-14) at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes traveled to Evanston in 2007, 2010 and 2012.

'In my 10 years I don't know how many times we've played them at Ryan Field, but it's not been very often,' Fitzgerald said. 'It's going to be great to not travel across the Mississippi and we're going to need our fans and students to show up and be our 12th man and be a part of it. It's homecoming, we usually get a great crowd for homecoming and I expect that we will on Saturday.'

TICKET UPDATE

Iowa has plenty of tickets available for the team's final three home games, the school announced Tuesday. Around 14,000 tickets remain for the Hawkeyes' game against Maryland on Oct. 31 and about 6,000 tickets are left for the night game against Minnesota on Nov. 14. Around 20,000 tickets are available for the school's home finale against Purdue on Nov. 21. Youth tickets for $25 also are available for the Maryland and Purdue games.

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