Not everything worked

IOWA CITY -- In the end, the victory flag went up. Some of you might actually have a victory flag, but Iowa won either way Saturday.

The Hawkeyes (2-1) overcame a three-touchdown deficit in their 31-27 victory over Pittsburgh at Kinnick Stadium. It was the greatest comeback in Iowa history, according to Iowa sports information. Iowa goes into Saturday's game against University of Louisiana-Monroe (1-2) with chance to go 3-1 before going into an off week and beginning its Big Ten schedule at Penn State.

All it took was the greatest comeback in school history. The greatest comeback in school history comes with a negative side, of course. Not everything worked.

The Hawkeyes fell behind 24-3 at the 3:11 mark of the third quarter. That comes with its own set of headaches. Pitt's defense had Iowa's offense cornered until coach Kirk Ferentz threw away the gameplan and opened the throttle to no-huddle. And, yes, Iowa's defense had a hand in 24-3.

A lot didn't work for the offense. Yes, the game switched and that skewed the rushing numbers, but if Iowa coaches would've stuck with the run, the Hawkeyes would've needed the greatest comeback in the history of sports.

Sophomore Marcus Coker finished with 86 yards on 23 carries, a 3.7 average, his second 3.7-yard effort this season. Statistically, he's off to a slow start or at least not the start that his MVP performance in the Insight Bowl seemed to portend.

"The only thing I can tell you is he missed a lot of time back in camp," Ferentz said. "We'll be OK. It would've been better if Mika'il [McCall, out for the season with an ankle injury] had stayed healthy. That train left the station. Next guy up. This will be a good experience for him."

Iowa's running game wasn't all on Coker, though. Pitt's 3-4 defense was aggressive and attacked Iowa's line of scrimmage with safeties and linebackers. The Panthers gummed up everything, also picking up four sacks.

Quarterback James Vandenberg had a blazing finish, but he needed a relaunch after a rough start. The junior completed 14 of 28 for 182 yards and an interception through three-plus quarters. He finished 31 of 48 for 399 yards, an interception and three TDs.

He pointed to a completion to wide receiver Keenan Davis late in the third quarter. It was a crossing route that Davis snared and controlled on the Iowa sideline. It was called incomplete, but reviewed and turned out to be a 22-yard gain.

"That's when we put a solid finger on what they were doing and how they were doing it schematically," Vandenberg said. "They kept us off balance run and pass. They had us running into some dead ends."

Iowa, coaches and Vandenberg, started to focus on matchups and detail. Before going to freshman receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley for the game-winner, Vandenberg told him to concentrate on his release.

"Then, it was just a seam route," Vandenberg said.

All it took for changes to happen on defense was a three-overtime loss and the coronation of a quarterback.

From Iowa State the previous week to Pitt on Saturday, only senior cornerback Shaun Prater played the same position in the defensive backfield. Sophomore Tanner Miller made his first start at free safety. Junior Micah Hyde went from free safety to corner. Senior Jordan Bernstine entered the lineup at strong safety. Juniors Greg Castillo and Collin Sleeper went to the bench.

After Iowa State and quarterback Steele Jantz showed them changes were needed, Iowa's defensive coaches were decisive, announcing the lineup changes in practice Tuesday.

Ferentz was asked if Iowa's defense was better with Hyde, who finished off Pitt with his second interception of the game, at corner.

"I guess you could make that argument," he said.

Still, it didn't work, not fantastically. Iowa allowed a 66-yard TD pass, longest against the Hawkeyes since a 79-yarder at Penn State in 2009. Iowa allowed four plays of 20-plus yards. Then again, Iowa had three new starters on defense (DT Thomas Nardo and safeties Miller and Bernstine).

Also, senior outside linebacker Tyler Nielsen left the game in the first quarter because the ankle injury he suffered at Iowa State flared up. Sophomore Anthony Hitchens went in at weakside linebacker and sophomore Christian Kirksey slid over to the outside spot.

"We're used to the switching around, we do it in practice all the time," Prater said. "But that was the first time we were out there together in a game. It took some time."

The good news is Iowa put up the greatest comeback in school history. The bad news is Iowa needed the greatest comeback in school history.

Victory flag, either way.