The Quickest Slant

1. You'll see some lightheartedness about Thanksgiving

- And it was good stuff. TV guys asked that question and the responses were pretty funny.

Jake Rudock accused me of never having made a pie. That's just not true. I've made pie. I will not comment beyond that.

Carl Davis is the No. 1 eater in all of the land.

2. Don't mistake lightheartedness about Thanksgiving for a cruise attitude going into the finale

- I sensed players were tense about Friday's game vs. the Cornhuskers.

They felt the energy you put out against Wisconsin and they want more of that. They also are smart enough to know they have to do something to elicit that positive response from the Kinnick fans.

3. Punish the runner

- That is the point every week. It really was the point last week. Expect that to carry over for Nebraska and Ameer Abdullah, who might still be an all-American even after suffering a knee injury a few weeks ago that has slowed his season.

4. The running back parade

- You can't argue that the Hawkeyes have seen a soft run at running back. It started with James Conner and his 155 yards (I think it was 155), then Indiana's Tevin Coleman and his 219 yards against Iowa, you saw Melvin Gordon go for 200 last week and now Abdullah.

Abdullah's resume is incredibly impressive. Nebraska is a storied program. Here's a scale for where Abdullah fits in the school's history: Last week against Minnesota, Abdullah increased his career rushing total to 4,394 moving him within 386 yards of Mike Rozier's school-record 4,780 rushing yards. Abdullah also increased his career all-purpose yardage total to 6,798, moving him within 202 yards of becoming the 11th player in NCAA history with 7,000 career all-purpose yards.

5. Outland Trophy finalist

- Iowa OT Brandon Scherff is an Outland Trophy semifinalist. The finalists for the award will be named today at 5 p.m. on ESPNU. Scherff has a great shot here.

6. Jake Rudock improvement

- I think now you might be open to that discussion after last week's performance against Wisconsin. Rudock has made strides in his second season as starter. I talked with him about that and the weight quarterback carries at Iowa.

7. Defend Kinnick

- Iowa is 16-11 at Kinnick since the 2011 season. That's not great. That is motivation for this team on Friday.

8. Is 8-4 acceptable?

- That question was asked. I would've asked, but I knew the answer would be wait on that. And that's what it was. That question will come when there's no game breathing down KF's neck. There usually is a news conference following the season's final game and before the bowl. Sometimes they make it the bowl presser. I hope they don't do that. We've been told to hold off on the assessment questions until there's something to assess. I think that should be one news conference and there should be a separate one to talk the bowl game.

Then again, no one cares what I think. If it has to go that way, it has to go that way. Just know that question is on everyone's minds.

9. Some injury notes

- TE Henry Krieger-Coble had shoulder surgery and is out for the season, including the bowl. Freshman Ike Boettger lined up at No. 2 blocking TE on Saturday. He's an OL now, but was a TE. Ferentz said he might see that duty again.

DT Louis Trinca-Pasat left the game and re-entered after suffering an elbow injury. He should play, KF said, but I'll let you guys put a percentage on it. I think it's pretty high, but here was KF's answer:

'We hope he can play. We got a lot of guys banged up. It was a pretty physical ballgame on both sides. Amazing how few injuries there were considering the physicality of the game. Outside of Henry, I think we're ready to go.”

10. Black Friday tradition

- Are you guys into it yet? I'm starting to like it. It also gives Iowa a national TV window. You should like that for crooting.

Ferentz has warmed up to it.

'I kind of like it actually on a couple fronts. At this time of year, you know, I think it's doable, realistically doable. In the early part of the season, you need nine days to get ready for a game and they don't give you that. That's how it feels. Later in the year, if you're doing things efficiently, probably forces you to be more efficient. That's a good thing. The other part is you get to watch everybody sweat on Saturday sitting there with your feet up. Not a bad deal.”

Fourth down vs. Wisconsin

- Are you still banging on Ferentz for the fourth-and-2 from Iowa's 48 right before halftime?

Why?

Wisconsin took a 16-3 halftime lead when Gordon ran it in from the 6, capping a dominating 12 play, 73-yard, 6:35 drive.

Iowa almost rebounded for points, but faced a fourth-and-2 with eight seconds left. Kinnick booed when Iowa allowed maybe about 20 or 30 seconds, maybe more, drain off the clock before calling timeout with eight seconds left.

Why not go for it? It was fourth-and-2 at Iowa's 48, that's why not.

Lose the ball there and you give it to an offense with real firepower and a kicker who already had a 50-yarder on the books. If you want to knock this drive, maybe the play on fourth-and-2, a 17-yard completion for a first down at UW's 35. Maybe do the 'Hail Mary” thing there when you call timeout with about three seconds left.

Iowa got that first down and DID get off a clunky play with 1-second left. The pass went incomplete. I'm not docking grades for this one. It was fourth down and Wisconsin would've gone for a stomping of the throat there.

Anyway, on to today's business.

Ferentz on the Big Ten teleconference

Opening

- Tough game against a very good team. Short week. Hands full.

Rivalries and age of realignment, feel like a rivalry with Nebraska

- It feels like a big game, but if you put it in perspective (of Wisconsin, Iowa State, Minnesota) it doesn't have the history.

More rivalry stuff

- This is in the infant stage, if you will. Kids on today's team wouldn't know what you're talking about with 1980 or 1981.

Rutgers guy asking Ferentz about trophy games

- They do. As a coach, I hope they're up all the time. Thought it was a silly concept, but the first one I recall vividly was Minnesota. Have a vivid memory of them coming across the field. You take possession or earn the right to keep it, it's a big deal.

Thoughts on Rutgers and Maryland

- Sign of the times right now. Everyone has expanded. It seemed like a logical thing, given what was going on nationally. It's a win-win situation for everybody.

Coached Jonathan Ogden and Marshal Yanda at Iowa, how does Brandon Scherff compare

- I think yes and no. I speak at clinics, I've seen very few freaks of nature and super people, Jonathan Ogden fits in that. He could've played in the NBA or been a brain surgeon. You have to take him out of the equation. Guys like Yanda and national award winners here, Pro Bowl guys, there's no question that Brandon is in that category in that player. His talent is different than Ogden's and Yanda's. No offense to Marshal. What they bring to a team in competitivness. Fact he came back shows you how he thinks. Had surgery on a Monday and played on a Saturday. Brandon is a very special young person.

Technique for Scherff, start in NFL

- If I were an NFL line coach, I would love to get him in the organization. Yanda blocked Harrison for the Steelers. Bulaga and Reiff. Find ways to block guys. It's not about the combine stuff. Brandon has freakish strength. He really carries that to the field.

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