A closer look at Iowa football’s Friday night game at Rutgers

IOWA CTIY — A short week means there’s very little rest between last week to this one, and that might bode well for Iowa football.

The Hawkeyes (2-1) finally get to fixate on Big Ten action, starting off conference play with a Friday night, nationally televised matchup at Rutgers (3-0). It’s a Rutgers squad that went through some changes, including former defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak leaving for UMass — who Iowa just played last week.

Rutgers’ offense also has a new look, with a few similarities to what Minnesota has presented in previous seasons. The Scarlet Knights are trying to start their season 4-0 for the second consecutive season, too.

“Big challenge going to Rutgers, short week against a good opponent, so we're going to have to be really focused,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Don't have much time to waste here.”

The 24-hour rule was limited to just a good night’s sleep for the Hawkeyes, but it’s a chance for Iowa to get its first road and conference win in the same game.

Here’s a closer look at what Iowa needs to do for that result Friday night.

3 keys to victory

Start fast again

Iowa’s opening drive against UMass was a planned attack. Maybe not the entire three-play sequence, but the Hawkeyes knew they wanted to take deep shots early.

It worked. It caught the Minutemen defense completely off guard and put a ton of confidence into the offense. That’s the unsuspecting gut punch Iowa hasn’t shown leading up to that point, and it’s something it’ll need again to start Big Ten play.

Especially if the Hawkeyes will keep receiving the ball first when they win a coin toss.

“To have that and light up the excitement in the stadium, have our defense kind of gain some more belief in our offense and knowing that we can make those big plays,” quarterback Mark Gronowski said, “I think it gave a lot of encouragement to a lot of guys around us.”

Head coach Kirk Ferentz said starting running back Kamari Moulton could play on Friday, after a three-week hiatus with a right arm injury. If Moulton does make a return, it can not only help fill the RB room with Xavier Williams’ new injury, but also provide some extra speed on the ground for another fast start.

Attack the quarterback

It’s no surprise that Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano had high praise for the Hawkeye defensive line. Iowa is already third in the nation for total defense, allowing just 178 yards per game.

“You talk about consistency, right here, right now, they’re top five defense in the country,” Schiano said Monday morning. “So we certainly have our hands full going against them.”

The Scarlet Knights are down a handful of players, are in “in flux,” according to Schiano. There’s injuries across the board on offense, and the Rutgers head coach said he’d have to make decisions quickly, but it gives the Hawkeyes defense the chance to frustrate an already withered Scarlet Knight group.

Pressuring quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis and forcing him outside the pocket is key — he’s not a mobile quarterback and Iowa’s athletic secondary can cut off options while the d-line stops the run game.

Cut out the special teams errors

The Hawkeyes had a missed PAT and a blocked punt against UMass. The missed PAT is uncharacteristic from kicker Drew Stevens, who said he kicked the extra point like a kickoff. The blocked punt, however, needs to be cleaned up.

“We just have to execute better,” Ferentz said. “I don't want to call it a routine play, but it's a basic look that we just didn't execute.”

Rutgers is the best team in the country for blocked punts, having already recorded three this season. It had one against Norfolk State, leading to the Scarlet Knights’ first touchdown of the game.

It’s rare that Iowa has those mistakes on special teams, but Rutgers will make the Hawkeyes pay if they reappear in New Jersey.

Prediction

If the Hawkeyes continue showing improvement in the passing game, Rutgers could have a hard time keeping up. The Scarlet Knights’ injuries are a major concern, and with Iowa’s secondary itching for that first turnover of the year, it shouldn’t be a surprise if the “Noboyz” turn back into the “Ball-Hawks.”

24-17, Iowa

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