Depth Chart Monday

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz offered an extremely limited injury update during his Sunday convo with Iowa's sports info staff.

'It being Sunday, I think we're doing decently well,” Ferentz said. 'A couple of the guys went into the game and developed some soft tissue injuries during the course of the week last week near the end. So, we just tried to restrict them a little bit.”

I believe this statement covers left tackle Boone Myers (stinger), cornerback Greg Mabin (leg strain) and safety Miles Taylor (leg strain). It might also cover safety Anthony Gair (hamstring), who replaced Taylor, who only saw two plays Saturday, and reserve safety/special teamer Kevin Ward (leg strain).

I think that's it.

'I think they're going to be ready to go, hopefully by this mid-week this week for practice,” Ferentz said. 'All and all, for this time of the season, I think we're doing pretty well.”

Defensive end Drew Ott (dislocated elbow) played more physically against North Texas. Running back LeShun Daniels still looks limited with his ankle injury. He looked comfortable running power plays (gap blocking) more so than zones vs. North Texas.

You've started seeing a lot of junior corner Maurice Fleming, and I think that will continue, whether it's in nickel/raider (that's a thing) or in Mabin's place.

If Taylor and Gair are limited or out, I imagine it's Brandon Snyder as next dawg in. He is a walk-on, but has been a steady depth chart appointee since spring.

- For the next three weeks, the Hawkeyes are an 11 a.m. kickoff. This week at Wisconsin, it's 11 a.m. on ESPN. Next week will be homecoming at Kinnick Stadium vs. Illinois with an 11 a.m. kick on one of the lesser ESPNs (ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPNews). And the next next week at Northwestern, it's 11 a.m. on a TV network to be determined.

The Iowa-NW game might be primetime worthy. Both teams have work to negotiate (Northwestern hosts Minnesota and then travels to No. 22 Michigan), but it's a Separation Saturday-level game.

- Depth chart comments: There's either nothing new or nothing significant.

Factlets rollout

:

- Iowa and Wisconsin have battled for the Heartland Trophy since 2004. Wisconsin holds a 5-4 advantage with the Heartland Trophy at stake. The Badgers have possession of the trophy following their 26-24 win last November in Kinnick Stadium.

- The Hawkeyes are trying to improve to 5-0 for the first time since 2009, and the fourth time under Kirk Ferentz.

- Head coach Kirk Ferentz has 119 wins as a member of the Big Ten Conference, tying Barry Alvarez (119) for ninth in conference history. Alvarez won 119 games in parts of 18 seasons at Wisconsin.

- Saturday marks the 13th time in Kirk Ferentz's 17 years at Iowa that the Hawkeyes open the conference season on the road. Iowa has won its last two Big Ten openers (24-10 at Purdue in 2014; 23-7 at Minnesota in 2013).

- Senior RB Jordan Canzeri leads the Big Ten and is tied for fourth nationally with eight rushing touchdowns. He entered his senior season with two career rushing touchdowns in 29 career games.

- Iowa leads the Big Ten in red zone offense. Wisconsin leads the Big Ten in red zone defense.

- Iowa is one of two schools yet to allow a rushing touchdown (Navy). The Hawkeyes yield an average of 84.0 rushing yards per game, fourth best in the Big Ten and 12th nationally.

- Iowa's last victory over a ranked opponent was 24-16 over No. 13 Michigan at Kinnick Stadium on 11/5/11. It's last win over a ranked opponent on the road was 38-28 over No. 24 Michigan on 10/16/10.

Where did CJB throw the ball

- The Iowa QB finished 18 of 21. That's pretty good. There will be one completed pass credited to Tyler Wiegers. He did play. Remember that one year, I think it was 2012, where James Vandenberg played every snap? (You remember, I know you do.)

Short left (0 to 10 yards)

: 4 of 5 for 10 yards (one screen, one throwaway)

- Targets (completed and targeted): WR Matt Vandenberg 1 of 1 for -1 (screen); WR Jacob Hillyer 1 of 2 for 6 yards (throwaway); TE Henry Krieger Coble 1 of 1 for 5 yards; WR Andrew Stone 1 of 1 for 0 (Wiegers' completion)

Short right (0 to 10 yards)

: 6 of 7 for 51 yards (two quick outs)

- Targets (completed and targeted): VandeBerg 2 of 2 for 25 yards; Riley McCarron 1 of 1 for 7 yards; Krieger Coble 1 of 2 for 6 yards; RB Jordan Canzeri 1 of 1 for 6 yards; WR Tevaun Coleman 1 of 1 for yards

Short middle (0 to 10 yards)

: 1 of 1 for 10 yards

- Target: McCarron 1 of 1 for 10 yards

Mid-left (11 to 20 yards)

: 6 of 6 for 85 yards

- Targets: Hillyer 1 of 1 for 16 yards; Smith 2 of 2 for 27 yards (converted two first downs); McCarron 1 of 1 for 11 yards; Krieger Coble 1 of 1 for 12 yards; TE George Kittle 1 of 1 for 19 yards

Deep left (20-plus yards)

: 0 of 1

- Target: Krieger Coble 35 air yards

Deep middle (20-plus yards)

: 1 of 1 for 81 yards and a TD

- Target: Smith 1 of 1 for 81 yards and a TD

Deep right (20-plus yards)

: 1 of 1 for 43 yards and a TD

- Target: Kittle 1 of 1 for 43 yards and a TD

Formations (give or take)

11 shotgun (one RB, one TE) - 10

11 (one RB, one TE, QB under center) - 3

12 (one RB, two TE) - 14

20 (two backs, no TE) - 8

21 (two backs, one TE) - 8

22 (two backs, two TE) - 17

23 (two backs, three TE) - 2

13 (one back, three TE) - 7

32 (three backs, two TE) - 1 (kneel at the end of the first half)

Obs

- Iowa is flashing a lot of formation here. Last week, you saw 30 11 formations out of the shotgun. During the week, CJB told me that's his preferred formation (not so much the personnel as the shotgun). Against North Texas, Iowa wanted to power, so it powered. That's 56 plays with either more than one back (a fullback) and more than one TE. That's 40 plays with multiple TEs (hello, Jake Duzey).

You saw a lot of 11 gun work against Pitt. This week, who knows. You need to scale the competition, but most every personnel group has done something positive.

(One thing that I expect to close down in the Big Ten season is the quick pass out of run sets. That is on film. You will not see corners give Iowa WRs tight coverage in run-heavy formations. Maybe fade will be a natural extension, but that's yet to be seen and does Iowa have fade WRs outside of Smith?)

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com