The Last Call -- Penn State

Tuned in

When quarterback Ricky Stanzi starts fast, the Hawkeyes win.

Saturday night, the senior completed 12 of his first 15 passes for 143 yards, a TD and an interception. This fueled Iowa's 17-0 surge that eventually bloomed into a 24-3 victory over No. 22 Penn State.

At Arizona, Stanzi started 2 of 5for 41 yards with an interception that was returned for a TD. The Hawkeyes lost, 34-27.

Saturday night, totally different deal.

Stanzi hit wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos for a 9-yard score. His back-to-back 18-yard completions to wide receiver Marvin McNutt produced Stanzi's 1-yard QB sneak for a 17-0 lead. All part of the 12-of-15 start.

Stanzi credited offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe.

"In the beginning, when you're starting off and trying to feel out a defense, there are certain things that are risky," Stanzi said. "He does a great job balancing that risk with sure passes. Those are checkdowns. The checks are sort of built-in, so we know where the checks are. We're able to get the ball downfield when we want to."

Iowa does script its first couple series. It changes with the situation, but there is a script and Stanzi sticks to it.

"I feel like Rick always does his job," McNutt said. "Anytime he looks like he's not doing it, it's probably our fault. It's never anything he's doing wrong."

When asked about Stanzi's fast starts, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz mentioned the Orange Bowl. Ferentz didn't have the boxscore in front of him, but he was correct. Stanzi started 9 of 10 for 156 yards and two TDs in Iowa's Orange Bowl victory.

"It feels good," Stanzi said when asked about being in that zone when everything seems to work. "But at the same time, we just have to keep plugging away and not think that it's going to come naturally. You have to work for everything that you get."

He's got this

Up until Saturday night, true freshman James Morris had seen some time special teams and mop-up duty. Early in the second quarter, he was Iowa's last middle linebacker.

That's not an exaggeration.

Senior Jeff Tarpinian missed a ton of practice this week after suffering a stinger against Ball State. He was replaced by senior Troy Johnson, who found himself on the bench without his helmet after suffering what appeared to be a concussion in the second quarter.

Tarpinian tried to return, but ended up doubled over in pain after taking his first shot.

Then, Iowa turned to Morris, the former Solon all-stater.

"When the crowd is loud and you can still hear the mike linebacker, that's huge," defensive tackle Karl Klug said. "As a true freshman and against Penn State, I thought he did a phenomenal job."

As it turns out, Morris was it for middle linebackers. Ferentz was quizzed for who was the No. 4 and he came up empty.

"He's the man, he's going to be a good player here," linebacker Jeremiha Hunter said. "He's hard on himself and he works hard. If Troy and Tarp don't get back, he'll be the guy."

Morris finished with seven tackles and a pass breakup. When he jumped into the game, he told his teammates, "I've got this." You have to like the confidence, especially considering that as a No. 3, Morris sees very little live action during practice and spends most of his time watching.

"It had to be quite an experience for him," Ferentz said. "I'm sure it was, but I probably won't ask him. I'm not sure I want to know. I'd more comfortable if our third-team linebacker wasn't out there as long as he was. "

Who was No. 4?

"We don't have one, I don't think," Ferentz said.

General unhappiness from Paterno

Joe Paterno's team had just been beaten 24-3. He didn't see a lot of good things, either.

"We got guys open, but we're making up our minds to throw the ball late," Paterno said. "You know what we're doing, we''re playing a kid who's a true freshman at quarterback. Things have to be available right now, otherwise he stays on one receiver. He'll get better."

On drops:

"You're always going to have dropped balls, but, yes, we had one or two of them that we definitely should've caught the ball.

"A couple of them were tough catches, because they were getting bumped around a little bit, legally. There were a couple that would have really been tough."

He loved the Hawkeyes.

"They're a good, solid football team," Paterno said. "They hustle. They're well coached. You have to beat them, they don't beat themselves. The Arizona game was a fluke for them."

And not so much on the Lions.

"I don't think we played quite as weel as I had hoped we would."

Norm update

Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker left the UIHC early this week, about a week after an amputation due to complications from diabetes.

Ferentz hopes for a quick return. Parker, 68, has made just one game so far this season. Parker had lost two toes since 2004 to the disease.

"Yeah, he's still not with us, and I'll elaborate a little further next week probably when I know more," Ferentz said. "But when we get him back we'll be thrilled to death. I've been pretty consistent saying our biggest concern is that when he comes back he's in for the long haul, and we're not fooling around with any of that kind of stuff. He kind of ran himself into the ground a year ago that Michigan State week, and we don't want to see that happen again, so we want him to come back when he can really be with us."

Next

The Hawkeyes take the week off. It's a bye.

Iowa will watch as their next three opponents face rivalry tests.

Michigan plays host to Michigan State, where ESPN's College GameDay might end up. Wisconsin tries to bounce back from Saturday's loss at Michigan State with a home date against Minnesota.

Iowa's next three games are at Michigan, Wisconsin and Michigan State.

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