The Walk Through — Wyoming time

IOWA CITY - Iowa wins. No final score yet. Sorry, I'm walking downstairs for interviews.

- This is the best three-turnover game Iowa QB Nate Stanley is going to have. Iowa's O-line struggled with protection, but Stanley had some problems. Probably the one he really wants back is the audible he called. He turned to hand off and no one was there. He kind of circled around, was hit and eventually fumbled.

Iowa had four turnovers and Wyoming got just three points out of those.

Overall, solid for Stanley in his first start.

- The defense gave Stanley and Iowa's offense a lot to work with.

Just 59 rushing yards for Wyoming with about 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Iowa had three sacks, two picks. I don't have final stats right now, but more than solid opening performance.

Wyoming QB Josh Allen is a good player. Iowa made him look ordinary. For the most part. Kid has an arm and will be in the NFL (11 scouts here today).

- Iowa's special teams did the job. Miguel Recinos had three touchbacks in the first half and made a 44-yarder.

WR Matt VandeBerg made solid decisions on punt return.

Of course, the Hawkeyes were helped greatly by the fumbled punt. We'll get to that one later.

- Josey Jewell needs to be Big Ten defensive player of the week. All over the place.

- Stanley is going to need more poise next week at Iowa State.

Iowa State doesn't like Iowa. There will be much yelling.

Wyoming punter Tim Zaleski isn't going to love the next 24 hours.

He missed the ball or maybe grazed it on a punt attempt late in the first half. Iowa put on a good rush and the punt shield was displaced, but he just missed. At first I thought it was a 'BUTT BLOCK.” But no, we'll have to see that another day.

- QB Nate Stanley's passer rating went from minus-50 early in the first quarter to 160 at halftime. He's settling in. He had a pick and a fumble. On the pick, someone missed a block and Stanley had a free rusher in his face. On the fumble, the right side of the OL collapsed and a one-step drop turned into a disaster. Yes, Stanley has to get the ball out fast, but the right side has to protect better.

- Of course, the OL has been jumbled today. I think the left side has held up - Alaric Jackson at LT and mostly Boone Myers at LG. Ike Boettger had a rough half.

- Wyo QB Josh Allen is studly. Iowa's defense has been studlier (not a word, I know). Helmet stickers for safety Jake Gervase and MLB Josey Jewell. Wyoming's offense hasn't constricted Jewell. He's been all over the field.

- TE Noah Fant appears to be good at football. He caught two passes for 29 yards and two TDs. The seam route he ran on the 27-yard TD before half was perfect. Stanley's throw showed he'd settled down a bit.

Iowa leads, 14-3.

Hello, everyone.

I'm at Kinnick Stadium for the game. This post is for all the last-second news going on and there is some this Saturday morning.

- I've asked Iowa sports info and center James Daniels is 'iffy” today. Iowa told the Big Ten Network that it's a lower-back issue. We'll see with him.

- So, according to BTN, the O-line will be Alaric Jackson at LT, Boone Myers at LG, Keegan Render at C, Sean Welsh at RG and Ike Boettger at RT. I think the Jackson/Myers move is because Myers has been nursing an ankle injury all during camp.

Hopefully, more answers as we get close to kickoff.

- WR Matt Quarells will wear No. 83. He came in with No. 9, but true freshman safety Geno Stone is No. 9 and will be on the field today. There's a chance they could end up on the same special teams unit.

- Waiting for the next wave of news on the OL.

- QBs and WRs just ran through their warmups. Everyone was there who should be. Things are happening fast now. Defensive backs and Akrum Wadley are the last Hawkeyes on the field right now.

- I asked Sean Welsh this week about blocking Matt Nelson, who this week is a 6-8 defensive tackle for the Hawkeyes.

We started talking about how bodies have changed on the DL over the last few years.

'The really new threat is the interior being able to get their arms up,” Welsh said. 'That really disrupts the quarterback's read and eliminates options for him in the middle. They definitely offer a new threat.”

What's it like for an O-lineman. You blocked your butt off and then you hear a thud and the ball is at your feet?

'It's a little frustrating,” Welsh said. 'It used to be shorter guys and they'd jump and you'd take them and dump them over. Now, you have these taller guys who don't even have to jump anymore. You would teach the shorter guys a lesson and they'd never do it again. These taller guys will just bat it away and there's nothing you can do.”

- Specialists starting to hit the field. I'll try to track where the comfort zone for distance is with kicker Miguel Recinos. Recinos did hold a percentage advantage over sophomore Keith Duncan in field goals throughout camp, per KF.

- Recinos is beamed in from 42 yards so far. 46 yarder from right hash is just inside the left upright.

49 from left hash. Perfect.

- All of the color is on the field now. By that, I mean both teams are stretching. Part of the cool thing, IMO, about college football are the colors. NFL colors are pretty static and there are only 32 of those teams. College has 125, I think, and that's lots and lots of color.

- The O-line in warmups was from left to right - Alaric Jackson, Ross Reynolds, Render, Welsh, Boettger.

Knee injury for Daniels. He was game-time decision, but was tabbed 'doubtful” just before team drills. Myers has struggled with an ankle injury all during camp.

Iowa has two new starters on the OL today. Welcome to Kinnick, first-year OL coach Tim Polasek.

- Second OL was left to right true freshman Tristan Wirfs, Myers, Spencer Williams, Cole Banwart and Levi Paulsen.

Second DL was true freshman A.J. Epenesa, Garret Jansen, Brady Reiff and Sam Brincks.

- One last note: DE Parker Hesse told me this week that some of the D-ends are sporting mullets right now, including Hesse himself.

I suggested shaving a line into the sides after every sack. I think he smiled for politeness purposes only.

Enjoy the game.

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