Iowa football rewind: Jackson Stratton does enough in first career start to complement patented rushing attack

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — One did not need to be a football expert to understand Iowa’s game plan against Maryland.

“I felt like everybody in the stadium knew we were going to run the ball,” Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins said.

And it worked splendidly for the Hawkeyes, who had more rushing yards (268) than Maryland had total yards (227). It was Iowa’s eighth game this season with 200-plus rushing yards.

In the rare occasions where Iowa did throw the ball, Jackson “Shaggy” Stratton did not necessarily have an eye-popping stat line. But he certainly was effective enough to put the Hawkeyes in a winning position against the Terrapins.

“He played with a lot of poise, a good awareness out there, made the players we were hoping he’d make and made good decisions,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said.

The walk-on went 10-of-14 for 76 yards in his first career start as the Hawkeyes’ game plan emphasized short, high-percentage pass attempts to complement its highly effective ground game. Eleven of Stratton’s 14 throws went within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus.

The short passes often were enough for positive outcomes. Five of Stratton’s 10 completions gave Iowa a first down. Another two — his well-placed pass to Jacob Gill for a gain of seven in the first quarter or his nine-yard completion to Luke Lachey in the second quarter — put Iowa’s rushing attack in a good position to pick up the first down.

Stratton — Iowa’s fourth-string quarterback earlier in the season before needing to step up due to a slew of injuries — also was quick in his decisions, averaging 2.07 seconds to throw, according to PFF. For perspective, Cade McNamara has averaged 2.63 seconds to throw, and Brendan Sullivan has averaged 3.43 seconds to throw.

Offensive coordinator Tim Lester had praised Stratton during the bye week earlier this month as a “natural thrower.”

“The ball comes out with unbelievable tempo and spin rate,” Lester said.

That was evident Saturday as he bulleted some of his passes to Iowa’s receiving corps, including when he found an open Jarriett Buie for a 12-yard gain on third down.

“Hold on, does Jackson Stratton have a rocket attached to his right shoulder?” Big Ten Network play-by-play commentator Guy Haberman said after the third-down pass. “That ball was on fire.”

When things did not go well for Stratton, sometimes it was a matter of having too much of a figurative rocket on his arm. His first incompletion to Buie seemed to have too much on it as the pass was ahead of where the redshirt freshman was on the route.

Stratton also appeared to have a few mental errors, too, including a delay of game late in the second quarter on a drive where the Hawkeyes settled for a 54-yard field goal. There also was the delay of game when Iowa was going to go for a two-point conversion; after the penalty, Iowa sent out Drew Stevens for the extra point instead.

Ferentz said he “would assume” Stratton will start next week against Nebraska.

Nick DeJong fills in admirably

Iowa’s dominant day on the ground — 268 yards on 58 carries — was especially impressive considering starting right tackle Gennings Dunker was out with an injury.

Nick DeJong, a sixth-year player with past starting experience, filled in admirably for Dunker as Iowa’s offensive line did not seem to take a step back.

When Iowa’s running backs specifically ran to the right side, the Hawkeyes picked up 155 yards on 22 carries, according to PFF. That equates to about seven yards per carry.

While certainly not the most memorable play of the day, DeJong’s impact was evident on a Johnson zone run in the second quarter.

As Johnson ran to the right side, DeJong blocked Maryland defensive end Dillan Fontus at the first level before right guard Connor Colby took over that block. Then DeJong picked up middle linebacker Caleb Wheatland on the second level to give Johnson an opening.

Fontus closed in on Johnson to avoid the big play, but even then, it was a respectable seven-yard gain where Johnson went untouched for almost all seven yards.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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