McNutt's still here and Vandenberg is still smiling

IOWA CITY -- When Marvin McNutt flirted with the NFL in January, James Vandenberg's quarterback life flashed before his eyes.

Vandenberg was the heir apparent with Ricky Stanzi headed toward the NFL and eventually the Kansas City Chiefs. And McNutt, a 6-foot-4, 215-pounder with 4.5-second speed in the 40, submitted his name to the NFL draft advisory board after Iowa's Insight Bowl victory.

Vandenberg's best potential weapon for '11 had one foot out of the door.

"I gave him his space, but I sent him a few texts over that break, when I didn't know what was going on," Vandenberg said. "I kind of got short replies."

Saturday, Vandenberg got long plays and clutch playmaker out of McNutt in Iowa's 34-7 victory over Tennessee Tech at Kinnick Stadium.

McNutt turned a 20-yard completion into an 88-yard TD and then ran back into traffic on a tunnel screen and scored a 19-yard TD. McNutt finished with six catches for 140 yards and two TDs. The 88-yarder was the sixth longest in Iowa history.

"You try not to think stat-wise, you want to think team win-wise," said McNutt, who moved into third on Iowa's career TD reception list with 18. "As long as you can win and feel good about yourself and your play, it's a win in my book."

McNutt showed why the NFL was a very real prospect for him last winter.

He ran a corner route into off coverage with Tech leaning on the post route. Vandenberg did his part, hitting McNutt in perfect stride. McNutt took it from there, spinning and hurdling a tackler along the Tech sideline and then outrunning the rest of the defense into the end zone.

"One missed tackle and he's gone," Vandenberg said. "It was awesome to throw it 20 yards and watch him run for 50 more."

Then, the tunnel screen. It's a play that used to be a staple in coordinator Ken O'Keefe's offense, but it has been absent the last handful of seasons. On second-and-9 from Tech's 19 early in the third quarter, Vandenberg threw a quick pass to McNutt near the line of scrimmage and he took it from there, ducking in and out of blockers and tacklers for 19 yards.

"That was one of the plays we were pretty excited for," McNutt said. "That play doesn't always work. We got the right look, Zuse (right tackle Markus Zusevics) got a good block for me, then I saw [right guard Adam] Gettis in front of me, then I saw three more of my guys. It's a great feeling to have a line of blockers when you have the ball."

McNutt said Vandenberg would've been OK if he would've gone to the NFL. He said he's got full confidence that junior Keenan Davis (two catches for 30 yards) would've come through.

But Vandenberg didn't hide his feelings about McNutt's decision. He sent a text right away when he heard the news.

"I remember one text from James," McNutt said with a smile. "It said, 'My boy' when I decided to come back."