DENNIS DODD
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No matter what you believe about Iowa, pay attention to the Hawkeyes
November 16, 2015 12:43 am ET
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...ieve-about-iowa-pay-attention-to-the-hawkeyes
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Matt Millen casually strolled through the press box at halftime Saturday. Then the subject of Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard came up.
“He reminds me of Montana,” said the Big Ten Network analyst and former NFL general manager.
That would be Joe, not Hannah.
As much as the Hawkeyes have accomplished this season, they have been definite strangers to hyperbole. Beathard is a fine leader and unlikely success story, but even the junior quarterback from Tennessee had to arch an eyebrow when he heard the comparison.
“Probably my number,” said Beathard, who wears Montana's 16.
“I wouldn't say I'm anywhere near what he's accomplished. I'll take that as a compliment.”
It would be one of the few Iowa has heard outside its Iowa City bubble.
There are only five undefeated teams left in the country. It is time to finally accept Iowa is one of them. The College Football Playoff Selection Committee thought enough to rank the No. 5 Hawkeyes one spot outside the top four last week.
Now comes the hard part -- defending the field and their place in the playoff universe. The Hawkeyes are 10-0 for the first time. To be blunt, the rest of the country is looking for reasons why they shouldn't be.
Starting with Iowa not being able to shake the rep that it's as exciting to watch as an endless stretch of I-80. Or that it's as athletic as a pub crawl.
“There's different ways to win, different styles to win,” Beathard said. “We'll line up with two tight ends, two running backs and ground and pound. We'll play action, throw the ball around. That's the way Iowa's been for a while.
“Alabama does the same thing. Wisconsin does the same thing. They're very successful. There's a special thing going on with this team right now.”
Memo to Mr. Hot Taker: You can't have it both ways. You can't rip into the Big 12 for its defense-optional philosophy and then smack down Iowa for being boring. You have to believe in something.
Believe -- if you must -- the Hawkeyes are the undeserving spoiler in the playoff mix. We argue about eye tests and schedule strength and uniform combinations until the end of time. Perhaps the biggest reason Iowa is undefeated is conference realignment.
You see, without it there are no 14-team leagues. With it, teams like Iowa don't play six of the 14 teams in its conference each season. This year those “misses” for the Hawkeyes include No. 3 Ohio State, No. 13 Michigan State and No. 14 Michigan. Combined record of 27-3.
That puts the Hawkeyes in the position of having to explain themselves as much as celebrate the best start in program history.
“I would say we're there, but we haven't proven it yet entirely,” tailback Jordan Canzeri said. “It's kind of cliché to say but nobody can be perfect. It doesn't matter if you win a Heisman you're always going to have someone doubting you.
“We know we're going to get hit. We're not surprised now that we're in the position we are, we kind of getting hit with more heat.”
You can also believe the Hawks are probably going to have to beat the Wolverines, Buckeyes or Spartans in the Big Ten title game. So that part of the argument is becoming moot. Iowa clinches the West Division with a win this week against Purdue.
You have to believe Beathard is the difference between the old Iowa and an Iowa that could reach the playoff. Half strong-arm, half Rust Belt Johnny Football, he's unlike anything they've ever seen here -- at least lately.
Beathard -- from Franklin, Tenn. -- pulled back on a May 2011 commitment to Ole Miss when Hugh Freeze replaced Houston Nutt. The son of country singer Casey Beathard and grandson of former NFL executive Pete Beathard didn't thrive here until this season.
“Honestly, I didn't really know anything about Iowa growing up,” Beathard said.
Jake Rudock was the Big Ten's second-most accurate passer last season but transferred when Beathard began showing more promise.
“Beathard is a lot more talented than I was,” said Chuck Long, Iowa's quarterback in 1985 and a runner-up to Bo Jackson for the Heisman Trophy. “He can run and throw better than I could. I had to use my mind. This kid right here has talent. He can make plays with his feet when everything breaks down.”
The Hawkeyes are a team takes the ball away (tied for seventh in turnover margin) and stops teams on the ground (ninth in rushing defense). When Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner punched through Saturday to tie the game 7-7, that was the fourth rushing touchdown the defense had given up all season.
Even if he is not quite Joe Montana (or even Hannah), Beathard is that firestarter who could play in the wide open Big 12. Among his 10 rushes Saturday, five went for first downs, two others went for touchdowns. That was almost hidden in a game he completed 18 of 26 for 213 yards in the 40-35 win.
Long sees Beathard's development as the ultra-conservative Ferentz loosening his grip a bit. Offensive coordinator Greg Davis has a background rooted in the spread offense. Davis coached Vince Young when Texas won the national championship in 2005.
“Greg's background is wide open spread offense Kirk's background is phone-booth type offense,” Long said. “I do believe they finally came to the middle. Kirk couldn't do all the way spread. But Greg said, ‘We can't do all the way phone booth either.'”
Perhaps if Ferentz had a difference maker like Beathard sooner, he wouldn't have begun the season fielding questions about his job security.
“There was a different headline earlier this season about pressure,” the coach said. “I won't go down that road right now.”
At age 60, Ferentz can write his own ticket into Iowa immortality. His $4 million contracts lasts until 2020. If he makes it that far, Iowa would have two coaches over a 41-year span -- Ferentz and Hayden Fry.
Excuse the Hawkeyes if they stick with what works. They just might be the most balanced team in the country -- passing for 2,097 yards and rushing for 2,120. On Saturday, a junior named LeShun Daniels Jr. rushed for a career-high 195 yards -- 35 percent of his season total.
Is this the look of a playoff team?
“Yeah, the way everything is rolling right now,” Long said. “They do have the benefit of the better schedule than these other teams.
“[But] anytime you go undefeated, that should be rewarded. It's very hard to go undefeated, regardless of who you play. I've been on one undefeated team in 40 years of organized football.
That would be as an assistant at Oklahoma in 2000.
“That was it, it's hard,” Long said. “To me that's the No. 1 priority, who's undefeated.”
With three weeks to go in the season, Iowa is still one of those.
C.J. Beathard has led Iowa to a 10-0 record. (USATSI)
