Ferentz on La.-Monroe: 'A tricky preparation'

Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz is sounding a warning for those who think the Hawkeyes' game against Louisiana Monroe Saturday will be a walkover.

"It's a real difficult preparation," Ferentz said during the Big Ten coaches' teleconference Tuesday. "They're very diverse and they almost have two separate attacks out of of two different personnel groups. It's really a tricky preparation.

"I'm trying to remember a preparation quite like this defensively. It's very unique, and they've got good, athletic, aggressive players. So they've got us scratching our heads a little bit right now.

"On both sides of the ball right now this really is going to be a challenge for us to get ready for them. On top of that, they're playing well right now and they're a very veteran football team."

ULM opened the season with a 34-0 loss at Florida State, getting outgained 372 yards to 191. The Warhawks cruised past FCS Grambling State, 35-7, then lost at TCU last Saturday, 38-17. ULM did lead the Horned Frogs 17-14 midway through the second quarter. A TCU kickoff for a touchdown opened the second half and gave the Horned Frogs a 28-17 lead, and the TCU defense controlled the Warhawks from that point.