I'm sure they're going to get cut to pieces, so here's the full version:
By Marc Morehouse
The Gazette
MADISON, Wis. … On sever
al occasions during Saturday
night's 17-13 loss at Wiscon
sin, Iowa's defense responded
to down and distance with
different personnel mixes.
Six defenders dropped into
coverage on a third-and-3 in
the first quarter. A nickel
package, one extra defensive
back, showed up a few times.
Defensive coordinator Norm
Parker also used a 3-4 align
ment with an extra lineback
er, blitzed cornerback Brad
ley Fletcher and also had
linebackers dropping into
zone coverage on wide reciev
ers.
Outside linebacker A.J. Edds
was outstanding in coverage,
picking off a pass that led to
a second-quarter field goal
and breaking up another pass
intended for wide receiver
David Gilreath.
Parker was emphatic when
he said the personnel changes
weren't born out of what hap
pened in the final minutes
against Iowa State in week 3.
The Cyclones lined up five
wide receivers in a spread set
and found wide receiver Phil
lip Bates being covered by
linebacker Mike Klinkenborg.
The result was a 38-yard gain
that led to the game-clinching
field goal.
``We had some success with it
(personnel groups),'' said
Parker, who made his first
postgame interview appear
ance in years. ``It doesn't
have anything to do with that
pass we had last week that
you guys have talked about,
if that's what you want to
talk about.
``That play didn't have any
thing to do with it. If we had
to do that one again, we'd do
what we did.''
pu,sh Questionable call
Parker also wasn't pleased
with a pass interference call
on Iowa strong safety Harold
Dalton early in the fourth
quarter.
Wisconsin quarterback Ty
ler Donovan threw a pass
along the UW sideline. Dalton
hit and knocked wideout
Luke Swan to the turf, but
the ball was clearly not in
tended for Swan. It sailed
well over his head and to
ward wide receiver Kyle Jef
ferson, who caught the ball
on the bounce.
It was third-and-3 at UW's
39. The penalty moved the
ball to Iowa's 48. Tailback
P.J. Hill finished off the 68-
yard drive with a 2-yard TD
run, giving UW a 14-10 lead
with 9:42 left in the fourth
quarter.
``I thought the ball was
uncatchable, but that the way
it is,'' Parker said.
pu,sh Good, bad
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is
pretty much fed up with the
field goal/PAT unit. For the
second week, the Hawkeyes
had a field goal blocked after
a breakdown in the middle of
their line of scrimmage.
Freshman Daniel Murray
had a 36-yard attempt turned
back in the third quarter.
``It's just hard to under
stand the PAT/field goal
block,'' Ferentz said. ``Not
taking anything away from
our opponent, but that
shouldn't happen. That just
shouldn't happen, if you're
executing the way you
should. That one's tough to
understand.''
Ferentz was quick to point
out the positives on special
teams, and there were more
than a few.
Wide receiver Derrell John
son-Koulianos had two kick
returns for 63 yards, includ
ing a 44-yarder that led to a
field goal. Reserve running
back Jayme Murphy caused a
fumble on the initial kick off
of the second half, giving
Iowa the ball at UW's 24.
Freshman Daniel Murray
stepped in for injured Austin
Signor and hit two of three
field goals, including a 41-yar
der. After junior wide receiv
er Andy Brodell left with a
hamstring injury, freshman
Colin Sandeman went in at
punt returner and returned
three for 26 yards.
``I think there's a lot of
room for optimism,'' Ferentz
said.
Ferentz seems content with
punter Ryan Donahue, who
averaged 36.2 yards on nine
punts. Donahue also had a
punt partially blocked that
went for just 18 yards.
``He didn't quite get the
hang time at times and he
had the one that wasn't real
pretty, but overall I think
he's doing a good job and he's
coming along,'' Ferentz said.
``I think he's got a very good
future.''
pu,sh No. 2 tight end?
With Tony Moeaki's injury,
the Hawkeyes have some real
depth issues at tight end,
especially if you consider the
two-tight end sets Iowa often
uses.
Junior Brandon Myers is
No. 1 now. Walk-on sopho
more Tyler Gerstandt was
used sparingly after Moeaki
left in the first quarter. True
freshman Allen Reisner, from
Marion, has traveled with the
team but hasn't played and
still is a redshirt candidate.
``It's a possibility,'' Ferentz
said when asked about Reis
ner playing. ``We'll have to
talk about it and think about
it now. It certainly changes
the complexion of things.''
pu,sh Richardson returns
When freshman guard Ju
lian Vandervelde left with an
ankle injury in the first quar
ter, junior Dace Richardson
moved in at right tackle,
pushing junior Seth Olsen
down to guard.
Richardson started eight
games last season, but hasn't
been in the lineup because of
knee injuries. He had surgery
just before fall camp started
and sat out the first three
games.
Ferentz liked what he saw
in Richardson's three quar
ters.
``He held up a lot better
than I would've guessed,''
Ferentz said. ``That wasn't
the master plan coming in
just based on what I saw in
practice. That's a positive,
too. At least he was able to
hang in there, I wasn't sure
he could do that.''