Ferentz names Rudock starter ...

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla., — Quarterback Jake Rudock will start Friday's TaxSlayer Bowl game for the Iowa Hawkeyes, but, yes, C.J. Beathard also will play, coach Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday.

Iowa's QB position became an open competition after Iowa's bitter overtime defeat at home to Nebraska in the season finale. Rudock, a junior, started 11 of Iowa's 12 games. Beathard, a sophomore, guided Iowa to a victory at Pittsburgh after Rudock left the game with a hip injury and then led Iowa to a victory in Purdue before returning to the bench.

Yes, yes, you've heard this all before. Ferentz and offensive coordinator Greg Davis said in the spring and again in August that Beathard, the fans' choice, would see real game action and not just mop-up. That manifested itself in one drive in the first quarter against Ball State in week 2 before Rudock's injury opened the door.

The one week during the season when the position seemed open to competition was going into Indiana. Rudock responded with a terrific performance, completing 19 of 27 for 210 yards and two TDs. Beathard suffered a hip pointer in that game and the QB question faded from there.

Then, the Nebraska game happened. Ferentz said everything went under review after the Hawkeyes let a 17-point second-half lead slip away. When Iowa was picked for the TaxSlayer Bowl on Dec. 7, Ferentz was specifically asked about quarterback and he said everything was being looked at, including quarterback.

And so that appears to be the case.

'That was for our whole team,' Ferentz said before Iowa's practice Tuesday at Fernandina Beach High School. 'We were disappointed in that last football game. We were sloppy in a lot of areas, coaching included. I said that after the game, we needed to do a better job in all areas and I think the team has really responded. It's practiced well and competed well. Hopefully, we'll be a better team on Friday.'

Ferentz was asked if he was frustrated with the fact that quarterback still is a question mark going into January. He also was asked about the specifics of the Nebraska game what Rudock did or didn't do to open the door for what has been termed an open competition by Davis.

Ferentz kept it general and to the team, as you'd expect.

'I don't think anybody had a banner game that day,' Ferentz said. 'We played against a good team, despite popular opinion [Nebraska fired coach Bo Pelini two days later and finished the season 9-4]. They won nine games, they're a good football team. There's no shame in it, the shame was we didn't play as well as we should've.'

So, the QB job became an open competition in early December. On Dec. 22, Beathard, who this season completed 39 of 69 passes for 500 yards, three TDs and one interception, was allowed by Iowa sports information to give an interview to The Tennessean, his hometown newspaper. Beathard was asked about the possibility of transferring if he didn't see time in the bowl game and said, 'We'll see how the bowl game goes and then go from there.'

His father, Casey Beathard, told the Tennessean 'He's really hoping he doesn't have to transfer. I said (to him), 'Hopefully it'll be obvious in this game, one way or the other.''

Ferentz was asked Tuesday if that painted him into a corner. He said it didn't and he knew that a transfer could be possible when they made the decision to go with Rudock, who finished the season with 16 TD passes, five interceptions and a 62.6 completion percentage.

'This was an open competition back in August and those same things were on the table back then, not that anyone presented them, but that's a reality of sports especially in this day and age,' Ferentz said. 'If it's basketball, forget it, everyone transfers in basketball. But I'm not worried about that. We have to do what's best for our team and what gives us the best chance to win the game. That was our motivating factor back in August and it remains the same now.'

So Rudock will start and Beathard will play Friday against Tennessee (6-6). From there, it's whomever moves the team and puts points on the scoreboard. It has to go that way. This is game 13 and we're way past egos and waiting.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com