116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Play of the Game: Canzeri untouched for 68 yards
DOWN, DISTANCE:
Iowa faced first and 10 at its 32-yard line
SCORE/TIME
: Iowa led 21-17, 6:53 left, third quarter
FORMATION, PERSONNEL
: Iowa — three wide receivers, a fullback, running back; Nebraska — four down linemen, three linebackers, four defensive backs
WHAT HAPPENED
: Iowa running back Jordan Canzeri ran left and past the Nebraska defense for a 68-yard touchdown run.
WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT:
The run answered Nebraska's touchdown and kept the Hawkeyes two scores ahead.
THE ANALYSIS
: Iowa opened the drive in an I-formation, no tight ends, one wide receiver to the left and two to the right. Nebraska had four down linemen, two linebackers in the box and one linebacker widened to cover the slot. Iowa ran an inside zone play to the left. Nebraska cornerback Joshua Kalu jammed wide receiver Tevaun Smith at the line of scrimmage, but Smith blocked Kalu out of the field of play. Iowa left tackle Boone Myers blocked defensive end Greg McMullen toward Nebraska's sideline, and left guard Sean Welsh stopped defensive tackle Kevin Williams at the line of scrimmage. Fullback Adam Cox ran through the open lane and stonewalled linebacker Dedrick Young to widen the hole. Welsh slipped off Williams and then blocked linebacker Josh Banderas at the second level. Canzeri hit the hole hard and outraced linebacker Marcus Newby for the touchdown.
THE QUOTE 1
: 'We recognized that going into (the second half), you could be a foot off from those plays splitting. Two-yard plays could literally a foot away from splitting those big ones.' — Iowa QB C.J. Beathard
THE QUOTE 2
: 'The line, the tight ends, the fullbacks, the receivers blocking downfield, they make it really easy for me. On both my long touchdowns I didn't get touched.' — Canzeri
THE QUOTE 3
: 'He tried to quick-jam me a little bit, and I took advantage of that. I bounced back and I kept blocking him. By him doing that, he sprung Canzeri and had that explosive run.' — Iowa WR Tevaun Smith
THE QUOTE 4
: 'It was just the mentality. We weren't playing like ourselves, especially up front in the first half. We just wanted to come out and make the same plays ane execute them to the best of our ability.' — Iowa center Austin Blythe
l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com
Iowa Hawkeyes running back Jordan Canzeri (33) on a 68-yard touchdown run as Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Greg McMullen (90) gives chase during the third quarter of their NCAA football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. Iowa defeated Nebraska 28-20. (Stephen Mally/The Gazette)
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