Frosh, sophs make plenty of noise in Iowa win over ISU

AMES - Kirk Ferentz did a mock double take in the halls of the Jacobson Athletic Building.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw red-shirt freshman offensive lineman Riley Reiff walking into the interview room. The media wanted to hear what it was like replacing heralded Bryan Bulaga and taking his first college snaps in a heated rivalry game on the road.

“Riley, they want to talk to you?” Ferentz asked with a smile. “You've got to be kidding me?”

Some of the Hawkeyes coming in and out of the interview room - a Cyclone football classroom that had a sign that said, “Protect the ball,” an ironic declaration in the face of six ISU turnovers - needed nametags.

This is the first time a lot of young Hawkeyes (2-0) are being seen out in football public.

There was Reiff, Saturday's left tackle. Then, there was red-shirt freshman running back Adam Robinson. He rushed 15 times for 69 yards. There was sophomore linebacker Bruce Davis, who recovered a surprise onsides kick that set off the avalanche in Iowa's 35-3 victory at Jack Trice Stadium.

And the really young Hawkeyes are off limits for interviews.

True freshmen Brandon Wegher and Keenan Davis aren't allowed to speak to the media, per Ferentz rules. They couldn't talk about their first college TDs. Wegher couldn't reminisce about his 101 yards on 15 carries, a 1-yard TD leap and a one-handed grab on a screen pass.

“I'm really proud of Brandon,” said Robinson, who leads Iowa with 132 rushing yards in two games. “He impressed a lot of people today. He knew his assignments, he ran hard, ran low. Ball security was a big one and he didn't fumble at all. I'm just really proud of him.”

True freshman Micah Hyde couldn't speak on his first steps at cornerback, which came in dime packages on passing downs.

That's OK. For the most part, their play did plenty of talking for them.

“Just seeing those guys make plays,” said safety Tyler Sash, whose three interceptions helped Iowa convert six ISU turnovers into 21 points. “Brandon Wegher making a one-handed catch and getting up field and scoring his first touchdown. Keenan Davis scoring his first touchdown. It was great.”

Going into Saturday's game at Iowa State (1-1), only quarterback Ricky Stanzi had more than two consecutive starts. The lack of continuity showed in the first quarter, when the Hawkeyes were held to 14 yards on three rushes. But, arguably, Stanzi was the unsteadiest, throwing two first-half interceptions to allow ISU to hang around.

Ferentz said he was pleased with Reiff's performance, at least the pre-video session.

“I've been practicing hard, so I was ready to go,” said Reiff, a 6-foot-6, 280-pounder who found out he was starting on Thursday. “I didn't know what was going on with Bryan. I was told to go in and step up.”

Yes, he was nervous, but not throwing up nervous.

“No, nothing like that,” Reiff said. “Just stuck to my fundamentals and went out and played hard.”

Iowa's offensive line performed much better statistically compared to week 1 against Northern Iowa, when the Hawkeyes rushed for 87 yards and averaged 2.8 yards a carry. Against ISU, Iowa had 191 yards on 35 carries.

“We got better. We improved. We're not there yet,” Ferentz said. “It'd really be nice if we could settle into a lineup one of these days.”

On defense, along with Hyde, sophomore cornerback William Lowe made his first career start, replacing red-shirt freshman Greg Castillo, who missed Saturday with a groin injury.

The Hawkeyes had four freshmen and four sophomores start or make significant contributions.