Running into a wall

IOWA CITY -- Marcus Coker took a while to walk to the back corner of the postgame interview area. You couldn't hear creaking, but he was in a bit of a shuffle mode.

The Hawkeyes running back had one of those tough days at the office in Iowa's 37-21 defeat to No. 13 Michigan State. Coker rushed 21 times for 57 yards and a TD. His 2.7 yards a carry was a season-low and just ahead of the 2.5 he had in mop-up time against Michigan State a year ago.

It was a much different deal Saturday.

"They're a really good defense and there wasn't much all day," Coker said. "I wish I could've done a lot of things better, protected better, caught the ball better. There are 1,000 plays."

Iowa was so desperate to force the Spartans' defense to at least genuflect to the run that offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe called two reverses for wide receiver Marvin McNutt. Those worked, but it's telling that the wide receiver (19 yards) and quarterback (16-yard scramble) had longer runs than the running back.

"They did a good job taking our run away from us," coach Kirk Ferentz said. "We never got any rhythm going at all. Marcus, I don't think he had a chance to get started."

Saturday was the third time this season the Hawkeyes failed to break 100 rushing yards in a game (74 against Pitt and 84 at Penn State).

"A lot of the offense runs through the running game, play-action pass," MSU defensive tackle Jerel Worthy said. "They had some success with it when they tried to get the run game going."

Iowa's defense was hurt by MSU's play-action pass game all day. With Iowa's running game stonewalled, it wasn't a worry for the Spartans' defense.

"When you don't really have to worry about the run, as a defensive back, all you have to focus on is the pass, then it just helps," MSU safety Trenton Robinson said.

Fullback Brad Rogers was Iowa's only other ballcarrier, so the "where's the No. 2 running back" question will ring out again this week.

Ferentz said he needed a "push" to get a second back into the game, likely true freshman Mika'il McCall. Coker's shuffle into the corner of the postgame area might be that push.