Iowa says it has two good QBs, and so it will use both

IOWA CITY - Sophomore quarterback C.J. Beathard has shown the Iowa coaching staff enough in six quarters to earn some playing time.

How much? When? All that stuff is yet to be determined, but the news is that Iowa, going into its sixth game, will play two quarterbacks. Junior Jake Rudock, who started 17 consecutive games before last weekend, is about 80 percent with a hip injury, offensive coordinator Greg Davis said Tuesday.

Who starts is irrelevant, he said. The fact is both will play when Iowa resumes its schedule against Indiana (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) Oct. 11 at Kinnick Stadium.

Davis said this move is happening because Beathard has opened eyes since he stepped in for Rudock in the second half against Pitt on Sept. 20. The 6-2, 203-pounder completed 7 of 8 passes for 98 yards subbing for Rudock, who landed on his right hip at the end of the first half and didn't return.

Last week a Purdue, Beathard completed 17 of 37 for 245 yards, a TD and had an interception returned for a TD in the first quarter.

Against the Boilermakers, Beathard completed four passes of 20-plus yards. The Hawkeyes generated nine other plays that would fall in Davis' category for 'explosive plays” (12-plus yards for a run, 16-plus for a pass). Iowa had 13 of those last week, with four coming from Beathard's arm and two from his feet (two rushes for 15 and 17 yards).

Before Rudock's injury, Beathard played one series against Ball State, completing 2 of 3 and nearly completing a 38-yard TD pass. Four games later, the conversation has changed.

Davis referred to the 10-yard pass Beathard completed on a third-and-7 against Pitt. Pitt blitzed, two rushers had Beathard nearly in their arms and he set his feet and let go of a laser to tight end Ray Hamilton for a 10-yard gain and a first down.

'He made a third down conversion in that ballgame that was pretty special,” Davis said. 'They brought a blitz and did a nice job with the hot receiver and he reset his feet and found the second receiver. It was a big-time play. There is no denying it. It was a big-time play.

'But he had done some of those things in practice. We like the two quarterbacks. We like both of those guys. We're going to play both of them right now.”

One more thought on Beathard's arm, 'C.J. has a very quick arm, an extremely quick arm.” As for the nuts and bolts, Beathard has more zone read plays designed for him. Davis also said, 'There is some of that [zone read], and some other quarterback situations where, not that Jake couldn't do them, just C.J. is very comfortable with that stuff.”

It seemed like when Davis started talking Beathard, he stopped himself and made sure to mention Rudock. The 'arm” question ended up with this, 'There are a lot of things that we ask our quarterbacks to do that are pretty much unnoticed until they are noticed. It's kind of like a deep snapper. You pretty much forget about him until there is one over his head. Then, you look it up and say, oh, OK. Because we asked our quarterback to do a lot of things at the line of scrimmage. We ask both of them to do that. So, there are all kinds of things that will factor in because it is a football game. We'll try to do what we think is best.”

Beathard's arm was noted. Davis was asked what Rudock's best attributes are. He agreed that reading a defense and getting Iowa into the right play was a strength, but that was as far as that discussion went.

'I'm not going to enumerate that this guy can place this many balls and this . . . ” Davis said. 'Y'all can decide that. I think you already have. The truth is, as a staff, we think we have two and we're going to play two, and at some point it will shake itself out.”

Asked a question later about the 'check down” throws that Iowa's offense has taken a big bite of early this season, Davis interjected 'If you're asking me does Jake check down too quickly ...” The question never mentioned Rudock. Davis then added, 'You said ‘a quarterback.'”

There was some defensiveness from Davis. There's going to be some of that. This is delicate topic and one that doesn't come with any guarantees that whatever decision that is made will be the correct one. Rudock is the better-known commodity, who guided Iowa to 8-5 and a January bowl last season. Beathard's feel game management seems to be catching up with his arm.

Iowa has had some QB trauma since last spring. Cody Sokol was a senior on the outside looking in and left for a chance to start at Louisiana Tech. Freshman Nic Shimonek transferred to Texas Tech. True freshman Tyler Wiegers was the No. 2 last weekend. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz has acknowledged that it is difficult keeping QBs who aren't playing.

Anyway, Iowa (4-1, 1-0) is going into week 6 and this is the here and now from the offensive coordinator on how QB will go: 'Part of it will be a feel. Part of it will be we definitely want to play two guys. At some point, hopefully that will clean itself up.”

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