McNutt: Big numbers, bigger moments

IOWA CITY - When the news came out Monday that Iowa's Marvin McNutt wasn't on the list of the 10 semifinalists for the 2011 Biletnikoff Award, one reasonable conclusion could be drawn.

Namely, whoever formed that list for the honor that goes to the nation's top wide receiver has not seen McNutt play.

This season to date hasn't been particularly outstanding for the 6-4 Hawkeyes, but even if they don't win another game, the year won't be totally hollow. McNutt has provided the team and its fans with performance at his position that you simply don't see just any old year, and maybe any other year at all.

He is averaging a touchdown and 109 yards of receiving per week. No Hawkeye has ever done such a thing over a season. The senior is within reach of breaking most the remaining school career receiving records that he hasn't already claimed.

The numbers state clear enough cases for McNutt, but he will be remembered more for the moments. His one-handed spear last Saturday against Michigan State was a play that had to be seen to be fully comprehended. He reached back with his left arm to make the catch and continued in full stride to get 30 yards out of the play.

It wasn't the first reception he's made at his position over the last three seasons that induced “Wow!” from witnesses, but that one will be the other bookend to go with his last-second touchdown catch at Michigan State in 2009 on a 7-yard slant.

Tuesday, I asked McNutt if he watched the Saturday night newscasts or surfed YouTube to relive his individual glories.

“I might take a peek at a catch or something,” he said, “but I don't watch the news.”

ESPN's SportsCenter deemed McNutt's one-hand stab its No. 4 play of the day in sports.

“I did see that,” McNutt admitted. “I had to watch that one.”

He acknowledged knowing he isn't on the Biletnikoff semifinalists list, but that's all he really said about it. It shouldn't bother him. He will harvest a lot of nice honors in the weeks to come. He'll be All-Big Ten for sure, and could get some All-America mention. His reputation is golden. Especially with his teammates.

“He's one of the best people you'd ever want to meet,” said Iowa running back Marcus Coker. “He's one of my heroes on the team, and one of my biggest leaders that I have on the team.

“I just look at him every day and see how hard he works. ... Even though he is one of the best receivers ever to come to Iowa, he's always working hard every day. It wears off on other people.”

Something that still rankles some Hawkeye fans a bit is their feeling that Hayden Fry and his staff didn't use dangerous Tim Dwight as much as they could have. Dwight was a consensus All-America and finished seventh in the 1997 Heisman Trophy voting, but didn't get the ball enough in the offense to suit those fans. He averaged 16.8 yards per catch in ‘97, but had just 42 receptions over 12 games.

You can't say the current Iowa staff hasn't gotten enough mileage out of McNutt's presence. He has 65 catches with three games to play, so Kevin Kasper's 11-year-old school record of 82 is probably going to be erased.

The Hawkeys more or less put their comeback attempt in last week's 37-21 loss to Michigan State in McNutt's hands. It wasn't from any shortcoming on the player's part that Iowa didn't come all the way back from a 31-7 halftime hole. He had 130 receiving yards, and another 27 off a pair of rushes.

Not all great players get to be showcased on championship teams. Dwight wasn't. But 14 years after his last Iowa game, his play here is vividly remembered.

The same will be said of McNutt in 2025.