Bizarro Saturday in Kinnick: Iowa’s offense bails out its defense and special teams

IOWA CITY — This may require an acclimation period, especially if remotely similar results follow in the nine games to come.

That was a “38” on Iowa’s side of the Kinnick Stadium scoreboard Saturday, a number at least 12 points higher than any the Hawkeyes totaled in their 11 previous games against FBS foes, and much higher than most.

That was a “462” Iowa had in total yards and a “284” in rushing yardage. That’s over twice as much as the Hawkeyes averaged last season in both departments. Those were pipe dream numbers in 2023, and 2022.

Its 38-21 win over Troy wasn’t a mistake-free, sweat-free triumph by any measure, but the Hawkeyes of recent vintage couldn’t scrape together enough offense to overcome getting torched on three long scoring plays by Troy’s Devonte Ross.

Down 14-10 at halftime and up by just 24-21 after three quarters, Iowa salted the game away with fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 75 and 71 yards.

Yes, Iowa. The program that averaged a paltry 15.4 points and was last in the nation in total offense last year.

The Hawkeyes’ offensive linemen, running back Kaleb Johnson said, “played their ass off. Sorry for my language, but they played hard today.”

Johnson was See hole, seize hole. He had a 33-yard touchdown run to give his team daylight early in the fourth quarter. Teammate Jaziun Patterson followed with a 39-yard TD rush to salt this one away.

Johnson has looked special. He has 479 rushing yards in three games, and is averaging 7.9 yards per carry, up from 4.0 last year.

He said he was so used to outrunning defenders in high school in Hamilton, Ohio, that “it kind of hurt a little bit” to learn opponents were as fast.

“Now it’s me knowing that and just using my strength,” Johnson said, “putting my feet and my head down and just going.”

Oh, he’s going. Johnson has seven rushes of at least 25 yards through three games. He and teammates Kamari Moulton and Jaziun Patterson all had rushes for at least 29 yards.

Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara played with Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum at Michigan. Now in the NFL, the duo combined to rush for 2,279 yards and 31 touchdowns three years ago when McNamara was their quarterback.

“Everyone is unique in their own way,” McNamara said. “I think it’s really cool to see K-2 coming into his own this season.

“As long as he stays consistent with what he’s doing, his mental approach, he’s going to be an extremely good back.”

Yes, this was 0-3 Troy and not the Big Ten. Iowa played half a good game in each of its three nonconference outings. It’s a ratio that can’t take you to a championship. It’s a ratio that got the Hawkeyes beaten by Iowa State the week before.

If that run game stays near the level it’s establishing, though, this can evolve into a season to remember. It’s hard to envision Iowa again allowing touchdown passes of 63 and 62 yards in a game, with a 77-yard punt return added to the mix.

Ross had all three of those plays for Troy. If Ross doesn’t get some sort of Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honor for that, we need to start watching Sun Belt football to see who else it has doing crazy things.

The two times Ross torched Iowa’s secondary made you forget they were the only points the Hawkeyes’ defense surrendered, and the Trojans were held to 24 rushing yards. Which was what Johnson has been liable to chalk off on any given carry.

What Johnson is doing is bringing remembrances of 2008, when the great Shonn Greene topped 100 yards in each of Iowa’s 13 games. Greene had power, speed and great footwork.

Johnson may not juke as well as Greene did, but he’s not lacking in any of those three areas.

“One goal that I had in my mind was to be a top-five back,” Johnson said after Saturday’s game.

Johnson is third in rushing yards per game with 159.7, and said “I don’t care what they do” about the top two, Ashton Jeanty of Boise State and Rutgers’ Kyle Monongai.

Yes, it was Troy, and was a game that won’t leave footprints. If you’re an Iowa fan, coach or player, however, it sure was good to see what offense is supposed to resemble.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com