Stat Pak: More magic points

FIVE BULLET POINTS FROM THE INDIANA RESULT

1. What we are seeing with Wadley

- His play is a counter to the inside zone. It's the play he scored on against Northwestern, in his first real series back from the abyss. He lines up almost 9 yards off the line of scrimmage. Iowa's OL shows zone blocking to flow one way. Wadley takes his first three steps and then - ZOOMP - makes a decisive cut to the outside and all that green space out there.

This is not the play he scored from 65 yards on Iowa's second play of the game against the Hoosiers, who have not fixed their defensive problem and this likely will be the downfall of the Kevin Wilson program (I really like him as a coach, and I can't ever really remember Indiana having a good defense in my time doing this). That was another play and we'll get to that one, too, because, in parlance of the movie 'Fargo,” it was a real sweet deal, too. (Do ya want a finder's fee?)

What frees Wadley is that first cut off the counter. The action from the O-linemen sets up the edge defender. Wadley has the edge before he's hit the line of scrimmage.

What makes Wadley truly dangerous, however, is the next cut. We've talked about his vision. He sees his blocker and sees the defender and really knows how to cut off that block. Also, he really only needs inches to make a sideline run work. On his two long runs that weren't the 65-yarder against IU, Wadley came within inches of the sideline and then cut up field for gains of 17 and 11 yards.

I tweeted last night that I haven't seen an Iowa back who could do this. I received comparisons to Fred Russell (I think Fred's resume between the tackles is better and that he might be the most underappreciated player of the Kirk Ferentz era), Tavian Banks (Banks' feet were flying carpets, who could maneuver anywhere) and Jermelle Lewis (I don't see that one, Lewis was a Porsche with a truck chassis).

I think Wadley is Wadley and that's part of what's made Iowa 9-0 and part of what has a chance to get Iowa to Indianapolis.

2. I'm not sure what holding is and isn't anymore

- I'm not disputing the two holding calls that took away first-down pass completions for Iowa. Fullback Adam Cox was falling and grabbed No. 44's jersey and took him down. I get that one.

Then, after CJ Beathard completed a 25-yarder for what looked to be a converted first down on third-and-18, left tackle Boone Myers was called for a hold. This one set off Kirk Ferentz, OL coach Brian Ferentz and I even think strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle was getting in on the action. Iowa ran the playclock down to 1 second and called timeout. The staff spent that time on the sidelines 'discussing” the holding call on Myers. (Finally, I think it was head linesman Mike Carr who went face-to-face and walked everyone back to the sideline, restoring the glory to the badge.)

Myers had a chunk of jersey. That isn't holding. It hasn't been for a long time. Myers also had his hand on the front side of the shoulder pad. The reroute came on a spin move from the DE. And then I think that was the holding. And, OK, I get that. My take is the reroute is what gets the flag. That makes sense. Can totally understand that from my seat. That said, I don't know what OL coaches/DL coaches are being told.

The concept of reroute is something you can see. So, there with about 10 minutes left in the third quarter, IU faced a third-and-10 from its 25. Iowa went to the raider passing personnel. OLB Ben Niemann blitzed off the edge and had OT Jason Spriggs' hips wide-open. He was running free right at QB Nate Sudfeld. Spriggs yanked Niemann's collar, pulling him straight down and completely halting his path.

Spriggs let go of the jersey and raised his hands, doing the, you know, 'hey refs, look at my hands not holding anymore?”

Even though he was totally rerouted, Niemann made it to Sudfeld and split a sack with LB Bo Bower. My point here is that was a reroute that happened right in front of center judge Patrick Holt. It didn't draw a flag.

I'm not homering for Iowa here. I kind of get the call on Myers. I don't get how rerouting is a flag one play and not the next. And I don't accept 'I didn't see it.” If I were a coach and I heard that, my eyes would pop out of my head.

3. Injury update

- I had a lot of inquiries on Wadley's ankle. He rolled his left ankle early in the second half and went to the sidelines. He had it retaped. I was told he could've gone back in, but I think Iowa's bosses wanted big back work and so in stayed LeShun Daniels.

'In the second half, I rolled my ankle a little bit, but it's not that bad,” Wadley said. 'I should be back. I feel like I could've gone back in. I just didn't want to go in not sure I was 100 percent.”

So, that's what Wadley said. Unless he has a setback, I think he'll be OK.

You saw the hit on WR Tevaun Smith. LB TJ Simmons was ejected for targeting (the right call, IMO, and Wilson also said it was the right call). It wasn't head-related for Smith. It was his back.

'Back,” he said. 'I'll be all right. It'll probably really hurt in the morning.”

So, barring setback, sounds like Smith will be good to go.

LB Cole Fisher didn't suffer a concussion. He gets migraines and one happened to hit right after kickoff last weekend. If you've had migraines, you know they can be debilitating.

'What happens is my vision gets kind of splotchy, my peripheral vision,” Fisher said. 'I couldn't see very well. That lasts about 20 minutes or so. It clears up and then the pain sets in. I went in and took some medication for the headache that I knew was coming. Once the vision stuff went away, I was good to go.”

Strong safety Miles Taylor hit his left knee on the track that surrounds Memorial Stadium. Iowa radio reported that he might not make it back to the game. Taylor did spend most of the second quarter on the bench. After halftime, he was back. He did postgame interviews with ice on the left knee.

Barring setback, he probably should be able to play vs. Minnesota.

Senior RB Jordan Canzeri was in uniform and medically cleared to play last week. He's on the depth chart for Minnesota.

Right tackle Ike Boettger also dressed and warmed up at Indiana and didn't play. He is not on the Minnesota depth chart.

I think Iowa is as healthy as it's been. I mean, you guys saw Beathard.

4. CJB targeting system

- WRs Matt VandeBerg and Tevaun Smith were CJB's most targeted with eight apiece. MVB caught five; Smith had four. It was a career day for senior wide receiver Jacob Hillyer, catching all four of his targets for 53 yards.

If true freshman Jerminic Smith wants more targets - he should, he's good - he has to be looking for the ball. He should've scored a TD on that ball that CJB put on his inside shoulder down the seam. Smith caught one of his three targets.

TE Henry Krieger Coble almost snared another of his patented sit-down routes. He literally turns and finds CJB and sits down. It works sometimes. It just missed for a first down this week. HKC caught two of his four targets. TE George Kittle caught two of his three, with the one being the winning points on an 11-yard TD.

On passes of 0 to 10 yards, CJB completed 14 of 19 for 138 yards and a TD. This was a YAC day for Iowa receivers. Kittle had 20 YAC yards.

Iowa didn't test the middle of IU's defense a lot, but CJB finished 5 of 8 for 71 yards down the middle, with MVB grabbing two of those for 36 yards. On passes of 20-plus yards, CJB hit 2 of 6 for 54 yards. CJB had incompletions that had 48, 41 and 49 air yards. The 48-yarder was an overthrow to T Smith that would've been a TD.

5. Raider watch

- I didn't think there would be a lot of raider (Iowa's third-down defensive personnel group) because of IU's pace of play.

Iowa ran it once on IU's first drive and gave up a 10-yard run on a third-and-7. Iowa didn't run it again until the first drive of the third quarter on a third-and-7. This one went for an 11-yard gain and a first down.

On the same drive, the Hoosiers faced a third-and-12 from their 34. Iowa went raider and sent LB Josey Jewell. He tackled IU QB Nate Sudfeld at the line of scrimmage. It was a key stop with the Hawkeyes holding a 21-17 lead coming out of halftime.

After Iowa took a 28-20 lead, IU faced a third-and-10 from its 25. A raider blitz produced a sack between Niemann and Bower.

In all Iowa ran four raiders and had a 50 percent success rate. That's what you want. Iowa also blitzed five times.

THREE STARS

1. QB C.J. Beathard

- This was Beathard's best total yards game since North Texas, when he put up 287 yards. Beathard finished with 233 passing and 38 rushing. He averaged 7.53 yards per play, his third best of the season. That was fifth among Big Ten QBs last week. Beathard has averaged 6.19 yards a play in four road games this season. That's eighth in the Big Ten. In five road and neutral site games last season, Jake Rudock averaged 5.79 yards a play. Beathard has averaged 207.5 yards per game on the road this season (fifth in the league). Last year, Rudock averaged 156.2. Before you go all nutty on Rudock, he has averaged 210.7 yards in three road games this season.

I don't exactly know what that stat says except that 207.5 is a lot more than 156.2.

2. LB Josey Jewell

- The sophomore middle linebacker set a career high with 15 tackles against IU. He also set a career high with 11 solo tackles. The 11 solo stops is the most for an Iowa player since LB Christian Kirksey had 11 in a triple-OT loss at Iowa State in 2011.

3. RB Akrum Wadley and CB Desmond King

- For an Iowa running back with 10-plus carries in a game, Wadley's 10.0 yards a rush is the highest since Mark Weisman averaged 8.43 yards per carry in a 2012 victory over Minnesota.

Here's what King's record-tying eighth interception of the season (Lou King 1981, Nile Kinnick 1939) got on Iowa's sideline Saturday evening: The play happened right in front of Ferentz. He ran toward King with double thumbs up in the air. My guess is he was signaling it was inbounds (the play happened right at Iowa's sideline). Last on the bench, defensive coordinator Phil Parker gave King a fist bump.

FILM ROOM

- Let's recognize LB Bo Bower. Yes, he lost his starting job to sophomore Ben Niemann

. Niemann felt like an inevitability at the position. He just has 'it.” He's fast and sees the game like his dad is a defensive coordinator or something (Jay Niemann is DC at Northern Illinois). So, Bower went to the bench. You know what? From my spot, I don't see any pouting. With DE Drew Ott out for the season, Bower has taken his spot in the raider personnel. He picked up a half sack last week and has another tackle for loss and a QB hurry (more like at least two of those, such an unreliable stat). Bower also is in on special teams (he was on the hands team that did, eventually, recover the onside kick at IU last week).

This kind of thing makes a winning program.

- VandeBerg

has 49 receptions (33.1 percent of Iowa's receptions). He needs to average 8.25 receptions in the next four games to catch Marvin McNutt and Kevin Kasper's season record of 82. That number drops to 6.6 if Iowa makes the B1G title game.

VandeBerg and Krieger Coble

caught five passes in the fourth quarter against Indiana and all five were for first downs.

- Iowa's running back problem is this good: How many yards do you think LeShun Daniels

had against Indiana? Don't Google it, off the top of your head.

Daniels rushed for 78 yards on 23 carries. That's the kind of clock-draining muscle Iowa needed in the second half. Daniels also scored a pair of short-yardage TDs.

TWO PLAYS

1. Second-and-9 from Iowa's 35

- This is one of my favorite plays of the season so far. It was a delay draw that Iowa's OL and CJB sold perfectly. CJB kept his head up after snap into a three-step drop. The play was out of a 20 personnel (two backs, no TEs). It's a new wrinkle that Iowa has used maybe a handful of times each game. Fullback Macon Plewa motioned to the wide side of the field, where VandeBerg and Hillyer were lined up.

The key to the play was the OL action. They all showed high hats (heads up, backs straight) and dropped into pass sets. This pulled pass rushing D-linemen up the field and out of running lanes.

Wadley used the umpire and Austin Blythe to set a screen on LB 44. A crease opened to his left with safety No. 30 horribly overrunning the play. Corner 14 never saw Wadley. He was locked up with Tevaun Smith, who almost drew a flag with let's just say 'hug” technique.

Wadley did his thing. He saw the green open, made a jump cut that LB 44 couldn't touch and was gone.

'I have to give a shoutout to the offensive linemen,” Wadley said. 'Untouched. I didn't have to do anything. You could've run through that one.”

I maybe could've roller bladed through it. I'm an awesome roller blader.

2. KiBrian

- On the naked bootleg that Beathard ran for 11 yards to sew up this game late in the fourth quarter (it put Iowa in championship formation), it sounded like it was a collaborative call. Offensive coordinator Greg Davis might've called it. O-line coach Brian Ferentz might've called it.

The tip here is what Beathard said in postgame.

'On that last run at the end there, coach Davis and coach Brian Ferentz, they were iffy,” Beathard said. 'They asked, do you think you can get out there? I said, yeah, I can get the first down. They made the call and it was a good call.”

But then later, Beathard said the QB draw he scored on from 7 yards was a Davis call.

Anyway, for argument's sake, BF to OC is something that could maybe happen at some point. I don't know when. Some point.

UP NEXT - MINNESOTA (4-5, 1-4 Big Ten West)

- The Gophers see some 'candy” left on their schedule. You know they want a bite out of Iowa.

- Lots on the table for interim Minnesota coach Tracy Claeys. Mainly, he's looking to get the 'interim” flipped to a 'full-timer head coach” status.

- Here's my friend John Shipley's blog 'Tyranny and Rotation.” We go back to the Daily Iowan days. John is a sports editor-type guy for the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. He writes stuff like this about Ragnar.

- The Gophers will probably be without cornerback Jalen Myrick, who remained in a Columbus, Ohio, hospital on Monday after suffering a rib injury against Ohio State in UM's 28-14 loss last weekend.

THE NUMBERS GAME

Touchdowns in the red zone

Iowa

- 4 of 4

Indiana

- 1 of 3

Tracking the Hawkeyes

: Week 1 vs. ISU - 4 of 5 (off), 1 of 1 (def); Week 2 Iowa State - 2 of 3 (off), 1 of 2 (def); Week 3 vs. Pitt - 3 of 3 (off), 2 of 3 (def); Week 4 North Texas - 5 of 5 (off), 1 of 3 (def); Week 5 Wisconsin - 1 of 4 (off), 0 of 2 (def); Week 6 vs. Illinois - 1 of 4 (off), 1 of 2 (def); Week 7 vs. Northwestern - 4 of 8 (off), 1 of 2 (def); Week 8 vs. Maryland - 3 of 4 (off), 1 of 2 (def); Week 9 vs. Indiana - 4 of 4 (off), 1 of 3 (def)

The takeaway

: When Beathard can run the ball, the better this number is for Iowa. Obviously, the better for Iowa when this number is a perfect 100 percent. Maybe his 7-yard TD run with 17 seconds left before halftime loosened up Beathard? Either way, this number is healthier when he can run the ball. Defensively, not enough has been said about the Hawkeyes' stops from last week. Field goals are failures and Iowa kept IU to 2 of 3 on FGs in the red zone. Three will never equal seven.

3 and outs (forced by defense)

Iowa

- 3

Indiana

- 3

Tracking the Hawkeyes:

Week 1 vs. ISU - 3 (def), 2 (off); Week 2 vs. Iowa State - 4 (def), 4 (off); Week 3 vs. Pitt - 3 (def), 2 (off); Week 4 vs. North Texas - 6 (def), 3 (off); Week 5 vs. Wisconsin - 4 (def), 3 (off); Week 6 vs. Illinois - 5 (def), 1 (off); Week 7 vs. Northwestern: 7 (def), 3 (off); Week 8 vs. Maryland - 6 (def), 1 (off); Week 9 vs. Indiana - 3 (def), 3 (off)

The takeaway

: Again, can't say enough about Iowa's defensive stops in the third quarter. The Hoosiers ended the first half with two TD drives. It started the second half, punt, punt, field goal, punt, interception before if scored again. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes went touchdown, punt, punt, touchdown, downs, punt, touchdown, touchdown. It was 35-20 with 6:03 left and it really was over.

Second half adjustments

Iowa

- 201 yards, 4.9 yards per play (41 plays)

Indiana

- 166 yards, 4.05 yards per play (41 plays)

Tracking the Hawkeyes

: Week 1 vs. ISU - 163 yards, 5.25 yards per play (31 offensive plays), 195 yards, 6.5 yards per play (30 plays on defense); Week 2 vs. Iowa State - 232 yards, 6.62 yards per play (35 offensive plays), 66 yards, 2.12 yards per play (31 defensive plays); Week 3 vs. Pitt - 165 yards, 5.5 yards per play (30 off plays), 124 yards, 5.1 yards per play (31 def plays); Week 4 vs. North Texas - 148 yards, 4.9 yards per play (30 offensive plays), 207 yards, 4.3 yards per play (48 defensive plays); Week 5 vs. Wisconsin - 69 yards, 2.55 yards per play (27 offensive plays), 177 yards, 4.21 yards per play (42 defensive plays); Week 6 vs. Illinois - 179 yards, 5.42 yards per play (33 offensive plays); 242 yards, 5.90 yards per play (41 defensive plays); Week 7 vs. Northwestern - 296 yards, 7.1 yards per play (42 offensive plays); 80 yards, 2.75 yards per play (29 defensive plays); Week 8 vs. Maryland - 53 yards, 2.03 yards per play (26 offensive plays); 173 yards, 5.1 yards per play (34 defensive plays); Week 9 vs. Indiana - 201 yards, 4.9 yards per play (41 offensive plays), 166 yards, 4.05 yards per play (41 defensive plays)

The takeaway

: This is a total about-face from the Maryland game. It, if nothing else, showed the Hawkeyes can hit the gas when they want to. Yes, Indiana is the worst defense in the Big Ten with the worst secondary in the country, but, hey, on the road in a first half that kind of was a shootout. Can't argue with the results. The yards per play number . . . that's kind of the game, right? Iowa averaged almost an entire yard more per play in the second half than IU. That put Iowa in the 90 percent mark for victory. Yards per play is such a huge number. I'm not sure I emphasize it enough (OK, maybe I do).

20-plus plays

Iowa

- 5

Indiana

- 5

Tracking the Hawkeyes

: Week 1 vs. ISU - 4 (off), 3 (allowed); Week 2 vs. Iowa State - 6 (off), 3 (allowed); Week 3 vs. Pitt - 4 (off), 3 (def); Week 4 vs. North Texas - 4 (off), 4 (def); Week 5 vs. Wisconsin - 2 (off), 3 (def); Week 6 vs. Illinois - 5 (off), 5 (def); Week 7 vs. Northwestern - 4 (off), 1 (def); Week 8 vs. Maryland - 4 (off), 2 (def); Week 9 vs. Indiana - 5 (off), 5 (def)

The takeaway

: Five of Iowa's eight explosive plays were from pass with four of the five 20-pluses coming through the air. Beathard and VandeBerg hooked up twice in the fourth quarter for gains of 20 and 24 yards. Wadley's 65-yarder, I wonder how much that allowed Iowa to calibrate itself on the road (Memorial Stadium wasn't a hostile environment, not even close, not really even an environment). The Hoosiers' two first-half TDs sequenced like this: 20-plus pass followed by 20-plus run. That kind of compounded itself for Iowa. I think the high tempo kind of stuck the Hawkeyes on those drives.

The Iowa/Greg Davis definition of explosive (it's 12-plus runs and 16-plus passes)

: 8 (Illinois State 9, Iowa State 12, Pitt 6, North Texas 10; Wisconsin 5; Illinois 9, Northwestern 12, Maryland 8, Indiana 8)

Magic points (scores inside of two minutes)

Iowa

- 7

Indiana

- 0

Tracking the Hawkeyes

: Week 1 vs. ISU - 3 (off), 7 (allowed); Week 2 vs. Iowa State - 7 (off), 0 (def); Week 3 vs. Pitt - 10 (off), 7 (def); week 4 vs. North Texas - 7 (off), 0 (def); Week 5 vs. Wisconsin - 3 (off), 0 (def); Week 6 vs. Illinois - 3 (off), 0 (def); Week 7 vs. Northwestern - 0 (off), 0 (def); Week 8 vs. Maryland - 7 (off), 0 (def); Week 9 vs. Indiana - 7 (off), 0 (def)

The takeaway

: Iowa has scored in two-minute drill in every week but one and that week it was a missed 34-yard FG from magic points before halftime. I think this is getting to be a borderline incredible stat. - That's what I wrote last week. It still stands. I'm sure some SID out there somewhere has numbers on two-minute offenses. I would have to think Iowa is among the best in the nation. The defense isn't too shabby, either.

Iowa sports info does have this: Iowa has outscored opponents 37-0 in the final two minutes of the first half.

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