Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz comes up clutch for Hawkeyes

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz was overlooked and underutilized for most of the season. Then Fiedorowicz earned his first start three weeks ago, and he has proved vital in clutch situations.

Saturday, Fiedorowicz caught three passes for 31 yards and a touchdown. All three catches were on third down and moved the chains.

"You think of him, he's 6-6, 265, that's really hard if they're going to play man coverage to guard him," Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg said. "He's going to have some kind of shoulder, hand open. He catches the ball really well, so he's a hard match-up for people."

On Iowa's second drive, Vandenberg found Fiedorowicz in the right flat for 13 yards to convert a third-and-6. Later on that drive, Fiedorowicz found a hole in the Purdue defense, and Vandenberg drilled him for a touchdown to help Iowa to a 14-7 lead.

"It looked like no one was really over me, but right when (center James Ferentz) snapped the ball, the backer kind of shot over to me, and I got my body into the end zone," said Fiedorowicz, a sophomore. "James threw a great ball in there, and I did my job. On the goal line you never get a lot of room. You just try to get a little separation in your route, and there it was."

"He did a great job on that touchdown, on that third down today using his body and giving me somewhere to put it and he made great plays," Vandenberg said.

Late in the second quarter with Iowa on the Purdue 9-yard line, Fiedorowicz lined up outside and was held by Purdue defensive back Josh Johnson into the end zone. Johnson was called for pass interference, and the ball was placed at the 2-yard line. Two plays later, running back Marcus Coker blasted in for a touchdown to give Iowa a 21-14 lead.

Fiedorowicz kept Iowa's initial second-half scoring drive alive with a 13-yard reception on third-and-4. Ultimately Iowa kicked a field goal to take a 24-14 lead.

"He made some really nice grabs today, and the one in front of our bench (his first catch) was really a big play for us, and obviously a touchdown, too," Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said. "There was nothing easy about that."

Fiedorowicz is an impressive athletic specimen but struggled to reach the field early in the season. Ferentz said Fiedorowicz started picking up the offense during the team's bye in early October and has pushed for playing time in Big Ten play.

Fiedorowicz started his first game against Michigan, then caught his first touchdown pass last week against Michigan State. He now has caught seven passes for 71 yards this year.

"I think we've all known that he has a lot of talent," Vandenberg said. "I think we saw that in the spring, and we've known that for a long time. He's made huge strides these last couple of weeks mentally, so he can just play faster, he's the quarterback's best friend. He's the biggest guy on the field and catches everything."