10@10: Heathy Hawkeyes prepare for Colorado State
Tyrone Tracy’s productive day, healthy Hawkeyes and Colorado State’s big leg have all found their way into today’s Hawkeye 10@10.
Delivered each weekday at 10 a.m. during game week at hawkmania.com, your home for all things Iowa, the Hawkeye 10@10 serves up your daily dose of Iowa football news and notes.
Here is today’s Hawkeye 10@10:
1. Tyrone Tracy Jr. had his most productive day as a receiver since his freshman season during Saturday’s 30-7 victory over Kent State.
The junior caught five passes for 43 yards, his best performance since catching six passes in consecutive games against Minnesota and Illinois during the final weeks of the regular season in 2019.
He said it felt good for Iowa’s offense to put together a productive performance from start to finish.
“We wanted to get into the end zone again in the fourth quarter. We didn’t want a field goal. Although field goals are amazing things, we wanted six and we got it,” Tracy said.
Tracy had combined for four receptions in Iowa’s first two games, a total that matched his single-game high from a year ago in the Hawkeyes’ win over Michigan State.
2. Last week’s depth chart is this week’s depth chart for the Iowa football team.
From Kent State week to the Colorado State week depth chart released Monday, there is not a single change for the Hawkeyes.
That’s a reflection on the relative good health Iowa has maintained throughout its 3-0 start to the season.
Kyler Schott remains listed as the back-up to Justin Britt at right guard.
3. Iowa’s defense pitched a shutout in the second half of Saturday’s 30-7 victory over Kent State and has allowed just 10 second-half points during the Hawkeyes’ 3-0 start to the season.
Cornerback Riley Moss said the eight-and-a-half minute drive the Iowa offense put together late in the second quarter helped keep things fresh.
“We weren’t on the field very much in that second quarter,” Moss said. “It’s nice because we get a break and they’re going to go down and score. It’s always good when the offense can put together big drives like that and run the clock out.”
4. The effort of redshirt freshman Gavin Williams earned praise from quarterback Spencer Petras on Saturday.
The former West Des Moines Dowling prep rushed four times for 17 yards and caught three passes for 14 yards.
“He’s a tough guy who runs hard,” Petras said. “I trust him. It was good to see him have the gains he had on his first couple of runs. He had a nice catch on third down, a good run on fourth down. He did a lot of good things.”
5. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said the Hawkeyes’ 20-play, 95-yard scoring drive in Saturday’s win over Kent State should help Iowa’s offensive players understand what they are capable of doing.
“It’s illustrative of what it takes to be a good offense,” Ferentz said. “It’s just concentrating play after play, not worrying about trying to make the big play. I think sometimes I get the feeling standing there that we’re trying to force things a little bit too much sometimes. You want a player to try to do his best, but just let things play out.”
6. Heading into Saturday’s game at Iowa, Colorado State kicker Cayden Camper was named Monday as one of three Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week.
The honor recognizes the top work of kickers in college football each week. Camper hit five field goals in the Rams’ 22-6 road win over Toledo last weekend.
Camper, a junior from Pueblo, Colo., had missed his last three field goal attempts coming into the game before connecting from 47, 42, 31, 29 and 23 yards and hitting his only PAT try in the win.
7. Center Tyler Linderbaum believes a lot of long-term good can come from Iowa’s long scoring drives against Kent State.
“Any time we’re backed up, our next objective is to get the first down and get some breathing room. Then your next goal is to score a touchdown,” Linderbaum said. “It was a long drive, especially being hot out made it a tough one but the defense was tired, too. Just keep pushing the ball and finding the end zone was important.”
8. Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras said Tyler Goodson’s 153-yard rushing effort was also a byproduct of improved play by the Hawkeyes’ offensive line.
“He ran hard and ran explosively, but none of that is possible without the line,” Petras said.
“Those are the guys who get us started both in the running and throwing game. T-Good is the one who gets the glory with the ball in his arms, but it is only possible with those guys up front who bust their tail and make a hole for him.”
9. Players from Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State were named as the Big Ten offensive and defensive players of the week on Monday.
Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne and Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson shared the offensive award while Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith was named the defensive player of the week.
Thorne, a sophomore, completed 18-of-31 passes for 261 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Spartans to a 38-17 win over 17th-ranked Miami (Fla.).
Henderson, who was also named the Big Ten freshman of the week, rushed for 277 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries in the Buckeyes’ 41-20 victory over Tulsa including 207 rushing yards in the second half.
Smith, a junior, led the Nittany Lions in their 28-20 win over 22nd-ranked Auburn with a career-high 10 tackles.
Aron Cruickshank of Rutgers and Joseph Petrino of Maryland shared special teams player of the week recognition.
Cruickshank returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown in the Scarlet Knights’ win over Delaware while Petrino connected from 32 yards as time expired to kick the first game-winning field goal of his career in the Terrapins’ 20-17 win at Illinois.
10. Quarterback Spencer Petras’ numbers during Iowa’s ongoing nine-game win streak have been solid.
The junior has completed 141-of-240 passes for 1,548 yards during the Hawkeyes’ nine-game run, throwing 10 touchdown passes and being intercepted twice.
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