Game Thread Game Five: #1 Ohio State 38, #13 Iowa 17 (9/30/06)

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Emotional Iowa QB has come long way in one year
By JIM NELSON, Courier Sports Writer

IOWA CITY - Like a badge of courage, Iowa quarterback Drew Tate wears his emotions on the sleeve of his shoulder pads every time he steps onto the playing field.

Sometimes it bodes well for the Hawkeyes, and sometimes it has not.

More than anything this year, Tate's fiery deposition and spirited play has lifted 13th-ranked Iowa to a 4-0 mark as it heads into its biggest game of the year Saturday against top-ranked Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium.

It was exactly a year ago, against the Buckeyes, Tate let his emotions get the better of him in his most notorious on-field moment.Late in an embarrassing 31-6 loss to Ohio State in Columbus, Tate was sacked for the fifth time on a fourth-down play. In a fit of frustration, he slammed the ball to the turf. Adding insult to injury, Tate drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and the wrath of his head coach, Kirk Ferentz.

"I think there has been a lot of Kodak moments for Drew, and I think that is one of them, certainly," said Ferentz. "Not a great one, but I think it was a great teaching opportunity for us.

"I never had a problem with it because I knew it wasn't a selfish move. If it was a selfish move by a player, that is a little tough to swallow."

But, as Tate's senior season and his third season behind the center unfolds, a more relaxed and mature person has emerged from a player who has been considered difficult by the media at times.

"I've said this before, but I think he has grown immensely. It was just a matter of rechanneling his energies a little bit. I've never seen him this comfortable with himself, with his role and even with the media.

"I don't know if you guys (the media) are sensing that, but I think he's making strides there because he wants to. That is part of the growth, and that is part of improving."

Tate, himself, was embarrassed about the incident.

"I was more worried about my teammates and coaches," he said. "Like I've said before, I let a lot of things get to me last year, especially in that game. I normally don't do that, but I did. I just think that is the competitiveness in me."

Tate will never cease to be emotional on the field, but he doesn't foresee another meltdown, either.

"I'm older now, and I think I'm more mature about it," he said. "I just think I'm more relaxed ... I'm just trying to have fun, enjoying being out there with the guys."

For their part, his teammates want Tate to be fiery and competitive. They say it makes the team better and that Tate's type of attitude will help them beat Ohio State.

"He lifts the whole team up," said running back Shonn Greene. "Being the leader that he is, he gathers the whole offense up and leads by example. Drew will do something spectacular and the whole offense, team will get rowdy."

Linebacker Mike Humpal adds, "His enthusiasm, attitude and competitiveness kind of rubs off on everyone else, even over on the defensive side of the ball."

Two instances against Illinois showed the maturity and level of restraint Tate has shown so far this season. Greene missed a block on a blitz that disrupted one play, and Herb Grigsby dropped a pass on another. Instead of a stern look or disgusted gesture into space, Tate ran over to each player, gave them a friendly swat on the behind and words of encouragement.

"We've encouraged him to use his energies in a more reinforcing way, a positive way," said Ferentz. "With that said, there are times when guys need a verbal lashing. But it can't be all one or the other, so he will pick his spots. I think Drew has done well in that regard."

That is the kind of leadership Ferentz has liked seeing from Tate because he understands the Baytown, Texas, native's personality.

"Quarterbacks think they can compete anywhere, anytime and with anybody. That is really how you want them thinking. You have to earn that, too. You just don't want him shooting from the hip. You have to earn the right to do that, and he's done that."

FROM THE MASH UNIT: Ferentz ruled out defensive end Alex Kanellis and safety Devan Moylan for Saturday's game.

Kanellis had an emergency appendectomy Friday in Illinois, while Moylan suffered a hamstring injury in the second half of the victory over the Fighting Illini.

No decision has been made on center Rafael Eubanks and left tackle Dace Richardson. Both suffered mild knee sprains against Illinois.

"We have a minivan full of guys who we probably will wait and see as the week goes on," said Ferentz. "We will probably know more in the next 24 hours. I can tell you this, those two guys you mentioned (Eubanks and Richardson) will not practice today so that is not good."

If neither Eubanks or Richardson can go Saturday, the offensive line will appear like it did at the end of the Illinois game with Marshall Yanda at left tackle, Mike Jones at left guard, Mike Elgin at center, Seth Olsen at right guard and Wes Aeschliman at right tackle.

Wide receiver Andy Brodell, who was held out of most of the action against Illinois with a sore shoulder, is a go for the Buckeyes.

CAPTAINS: Saturday's captains will be Edmond Miles, Miguel Merrick, Tate and Yanda.

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or [email protected]

ESPN GameDay will be making its first appearance in Iowa City since 1996. Here is its schedule:

Friday: GameDay with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and Desmond Howard will begin about 4 p.m. at Hubbard Park (adjacent to the Iowa Memorial Union). The session will last for about 90 minutes. A pep rally is tentatively scheduled following the ESPN show.

Saturday: GameDay will be on the air from 9 to 11 a.m. at Hubbard Park. GameDay on ESPN Radio with Dave Revsine, Gerry Dinardo and Todd McShay will broadcast from Hubbard Park from noon to 7 p.m.

ESPN GameDay will switch to Kinnick Stadium for a 6 to 7 p.m. show. It will be located in the grass area at the southeast corner of the stadium. It will also do a post-game show from that staging area.

 

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Big game + big fans = scalper heaven

You can pay the mortgage or have two choice seats to the Iowa-Ohio State game. Which do you pick?


varUsername = "[email protected]";document.write("By BONNIE HARRIS");By BONNIE HARRIS
REGISTER BUSINESS WRITER

September 28, 2006



Craig Thomson has a pair of tickets on the 50-yard line to Saturday's game between No. 1-ranked Ohio State and 13th-ranked Iowa.

He says they can be yours for 1,000 bucks. And yes, that includes parking.

"What a deal," Thomson said. "Great seats to the biggest game ever in Iowa City. It doesn't get better than this."

With two days to go, and as the hype continues to build for one of the most anticipated college football games at the University of Iowa, ticket prices have reached the likes of which die-hard Hawkeye fans have never seen. The buzz has turned longtime season ticket holders like Thomson into first-time ticket scalpers.

"It's nuts," said Troy Miller, who by Wednesday had already sold eight tickets for $250 apiece - a profit of $1,520 - in less than 48 hours. "People are crazed. They're not even thinking twice about paying four times what the ticket's worth."

Miller, who runs a heating and cooling company in Menlo with his dad, said he hasn't missed a Hawkeye game, home or away, in five years. But never has he seen such a frenzy over tickets, noting that several popular online sites are hosting no fewer than 300 auctions at a time.

So does he think he could have snagged more for his seats? Miller doesn't know, or care. He and his dad have been season ticket holders for 15 years, and still plan to go to Saturday's game because they kept six of their reserved seats for themselves.

"I wouldn't sell my ticket for 2,000 bucks," Miller said.

Some people are. At stubhub.com, a popular online ticket marketplace, bidding for the brand new outdoor club seats at Kinnick Stadium was in full swing Wednesday. The asking price? $1,198 each, with up to four seats available together.

The least expensive ticket up for sale on the Web site cost $298 - for a parking pass. If it all sounds like craziness, you might not be looking at the full picture, according to those who know. What makes this game so special, so downright extraordinary, is a mix of four key elements - any one of which would be enough to send some fans out of their minds with excitement - coming together at once:

The top-ranked team in the country (Ohio State) is coming to town.

The 13th-ranked team in the country (Iowa) has a legitimate chance of beating the No. 1 team, thereby ending a much anticipated matchup with a victory at home.

ESPN's "College GameDay," a pregame show, will broadcast live from Iowa City all day leading up to the 7 p.m. kickoff.

"This game has it all," said Joe Chmelka, president of the Polk County I Club, a booster club for University of Iowa athletics. "Great weather, great teams, an uncertain outcome ... and then having ESPN there just adds a whole new carnival atmosphere to everything."

That's precisely why Jerry Nikkel, a season ticket holder in Pella, said he plans to skip the in-person experience and watch the game from home, on his 42-inch plasma TV. Nikkel, a retired schoolteacher and coach, said he sold both of his seats for $250 each shortly after placing an ad in the newspaper.

"It's the first time I've ever sold my season tickets," Nikkel said. "But we just weren't up for all of the craziness this time."

Others, like Adam Pirillo of Des Moines, had a change of heart after advertising two tickets for $450 apiece and fielding dozens of calls from buyers wanting to negotiate a lower price.

By the time a buyer finally offered the full asking price, Pirillo had already decided, along with father, Joe Pirillo, to keep the tickets and go to the game together.

Chmelka thinks that decision will be worth more in the long run. While living in Dallas a decade ago, he said the Cowboys made it to the Super Bowl and all of the team's season ticket holders were put into a lottery. Names were drawn, and those fans were able to buy Super Bowl tickets for $200 each. Chmelka was one of the lucky ones.

"It was the same thing, pure craziness over people wanting those tickets," said Chmelka, who sold his tickets for $700 or $800 each and bought a new TV.

"It was a real nice TV," Chmelka said. "But to this day, I absolutely regret not going to that game."

Thomson, who still had his $1,000 pair of tickets for sale late Wednesday, said he plans to donate them to charity if he doesn't find a buyer soon.

"I'm getting rid of them one way or another," said Thomson, who, regretfully, will be out of town for the big game. "Did I mention they're really good seats?"

 

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No. 13 Iowa Gears Up for Historic Night
By LUKE MEREDITH

Iowa quarterback Drew Tate, left, looks to throw a pass while getting pressured by Iowa State defender Rashawn Parker, right, during the second half of this college football game, in this Sept. 16, 2006 photo, in Iowa City, Iowa. Tate threw for 274 yards and three touchdowns as Iowa won 27-17. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) IOWA CITY, Iowa - Iowa has welcomed the nation's top-ranked team into Kinnick Stadium before. But the hype surrounding those games was never this big.

The undivided attention of a national TV audience _ and possibly the best chance the Hawkeyes have ever had to knock off No. 1 _ has created an unusual frenzy in Iowa.

Top-ranked Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) visits the No. 13 Hawkeyes (4-0, 1-0) Saturday night in one of the most anticipated events in the 78-year history of Kinnick Stadium. The game has been sold out since well before the season started, and tickets on eBay were going for as much as $500 a pop as of Wednesday morning.

"It's a huge game for us, this state, for everything involved with this program," senior quarterback Drew Tate said. "It's a huge game for them. They're No. 1 and they're trying to stay No. 1."

The buzz in Iowa over a potential matchup against the nation's top-ranked team has been brewing for months. The Buckeyes' impressive win over Notre Dame in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl, along with the return of QB Troy Smith and flanker Ted Ginn Jr., helped cement Ohio State's position as the preseason No. 1.

The Buckeyes haven't disappointed so far, posting wins over Texas and Penn State and holding opponents to an average of eight points a game.

The Hawkeyes also have kept up their end. Iowa is off to a 4-0 start, just its second under eighth-year coach Kirk Ferentz. After a string of lackluster Septembers, the Hawkeyes are positioned for a run at a BCS berth, and maybe more, if they can upset the Buckeyes.

"How many times do you get to play in a game like this?" Ferentz said. "Players only get one chance to play in a game like this, just like coaches do."

History has not been kind to Iowa in games against top-ranked teams. The Hawkeyes are 0-7-1 all-time in such matchups, including 0-3 at Kinnick. But no Iowa team that has hosted a No. 1 went on to post winning records or reach a bowl _ both near-certainties for this year's squad.

Three weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Hawkeyes lost to top-ranked Minnesota, 34-13, en route to a 3-5 season. In 1964, Iowa fell to the Buckeyes 21-19 in what was the third loss of a six-game skid.

Miami came to Kinnick early in the 1992 season for the first true night game in the stadium's history. Coming off a 10-1-1 season, the Hawkeyes lost 24-7 and wound up 5-7, their worst record in 12 years.

Ferentz has had one crack at No. 1, at Nebraska in 2000. But the team he brought to Lincoln had lost 11 straight, and the Cornhuskers made it 12 in a 42-13 blowout win.

In 1985, Iowa was No. 1 for the Ohio State game _ and it didn't matter. Two weeks after the Hawkeyes beat No. 2 Michigan 12-10 in what many consider the biggest game ever at Kinnick, the Buckeyes ruined Iowa's perfect season with a rain-soaked 22-13 win.

There hasn't been a more highly anticipated Buckeyes-Hawkeyes matchup since. But even the 1985 game, which current Ohio State coach Jim Tressel watched from the sidelines as a Buckeyes assistant, didn't come close to matching this week's hoopla.

"There wasn't quite the hype that there is today. I think (two reporters) were at practice and that was because we invited them," Tressel said.

No such luck this time. This matchup will attract plenty of attention, especially considering that only one other game Saturday, No. 11 Virginia Tech against No. 24 Georgia Tech, will feature two Top 25 teams.

"You can't beat the feeling you have coming out of Kinnick on a Saturday night. It's just going to be fantastic," Ferentz said. "But it's still our job to do a good job during the football game. That's where our focus is."

 

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Tressel, Ferentz dress the part

varUsername = "[email protected]";document.write("By ANDREW LOGUE");By ANDREW LOGUE
Register Staff Writer

September 28, 2006



Button down or business casual?

It's a choice Jim Tressel and Kirk Ferentz make before leading their football teams into a stadium full of potential fashion critics.

A sweater vest has come to symbolize Tressel's no-nonsense approach toward coaching top-ranked Ohio State. Ferentz, meanwhile, sets the mood for No. 13 Iowa with his open-collar look.

"I wear ties only when they're mandatory," Ferentz said. "If I'm working, I want to be comfortable."

A national, prime-time TV audience will witness the clash of styles this weekend on ABC when Tressel's Buckeyes (4-0) meet Ferentz's Hawkeyes (4-0) in a game that could determine this season's trend-setter in the Big Ten Conference.

Cameras will capture images of Ferentz pacing the sideline, most likely in a pair of khakis and maybe a pullover.

Tressel will wear his trademark sweater vest.

"He even wears the vest when the weather doesn't call for it," said Chris Fowler, host of ESPN's "College GameDay" program, which will broadcast from Iowa City. "He wore it at Texas (against the Longhorns on Sept. 9). I noticed it was a very hot night, and there was the sweater vest.

"I think maybe it's a generational thing. I can't say I've donned one in a long time."

Both Ferentz, 51, and Tressel, 53, signed contract extensions last spring that will pay them at least $2.4 million per year, so they can shop at any number of exclusive clothiers.

Still, finding the right outfit can be a little tricky, especially when success can result in a Gatorade dousing.

"You want to wear something washable," said Marna Mohr, supervisor for Brooks Brothers clothing store in Williamsburg.

Mohr would perhaps recommend a non-iron dress shirt or maybe a Polo, but says Ferentz comes across as snappy.

"I think he looks good in what he wears," she said. "A lot of it depends on the occasion."

Mohr also complimented Tressel.

"I don't think that ever goes out of style," she said of the sweater vest. "It adds a little warmth."

Occasionally, people have a little fun with Tressel's attire. A page on MySpace.com is dedicated to the man who guided Ohio State to a national championship in 2002.

Viewers are invited to log in and click on photos. It also lists his favorite things. First item: sweater vests.

Dan Wallenberg of the Buckeyes' sports information department did not know where the Web page originated, but said it most likely was pranksters.

"I am fairly certain coach Tressel does not have a page on MySpace," Wallenberg said.

Tressel has few imitators in Columbus, Ohio. Representatives from the local S&K Menswear Superstore and Remo Menswear said they did not carry sweater vests.

Pat Groves, who works for the Nulook Menswear Factory Outlet, said there's little demand.

"Nobody wears them around here," Groves said. "None of my friends have jumped on the sweater-vest bandwagon."

Ferentz's duds allow him to blend in just about anywhere - on campus or the recruiting trail.

"I would definitely say something more casual may help (coaches) relate more to college kids," said Anna Elterich, store manager for Abercrombie and Fitch in West Des Moines' Jordan Creek Mall.

Abercrombie and Fitch customers can buy ripped jeans or cargo pants, but Elterich suggest something a little snazzier for someone coaching major college football.

"I think college kids respect elders when they dress in a way that sets them apart," she said. "I think you better let the kids be kids."

 

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OHIO STATE INSIDER



OSU's substitutions continue to evolve



Thursday, September 28, 2006 Doug Lesmerises

Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- Linebacker Curtis Terry was part of Ohio State's first defensive huddle of the game Saturday before running off the field before the first snap.
He did that because the Buckeyes switched to its nickel defense to open the game against Penn State. But when you talk about Ohio State's base defense featuring three linebackers, Terry is now considered the starter at strongside linebacker.
Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock explained Wednesday what became apparent during Saturday's game, that Terry, James Laurinaitis and John Kerr will play most of the time in the base defense, while Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman will be the two linebackers on the field when the Buckeyes play five defensive backs in their nickel defense, which happens often.
"Curtis is playing good run defense as is Kerr, and of course Laurinaitis plays well in both areas," Heacock said. "Freeman runs a little bit better and has better pass drops and plays well in space."
Ross Homan will split time a bit more with Kerr than he did on Saturday, when he didn't play much. And Larry Grant will still get a few snaps for Laurinaitis in the middle. Those six have all seen time all year. But this week was the first time Heacock explained planned situational substitutions, and they're happening primarily because Terry has earned more time.
"He played well at Texas and played well in the Cincinnati game," Heacock said. "He's tough and gives you good explosion and he's able to get after it. He gives a little pop."
Defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock welcomes Terry's presence in those running situations.
"He's always talking about, 'Hey Quinn, I'm going to shoot the gap and get that double team off of you,' " Pitcock said. "He's had some big hits. He really does hit with his helmet down and drive through the player."
Battle of the pink:
The pink visiting lockerroom at Iowa has been around for decades, and it survived a renovation of Kinnick Stadium. Last year, critics called for its removal, considering it demeaning.
Pitcock had his own way of combating the locker room when the Buckeyes traveled to Iowa two years ago.
"I wore a pink shirt and pink tie with my suit, just to say I didn't really care," Pitcock said. "It didn't really bother me. It gets people talking, and it may distract people, but then you take two minutes to talk about it and get over it."
Out of town:
Iowa will follow it's typical pregame routine for the second night game in the history of Kinnick Stadium on Saturday. The Hawkeyes will get out of town, staying in a hotel in Cedar Rapids as they do every Friday night before a home game.
"I think the bus ride is good for the guys on Friday; they can take naps on the bus," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "We'll move our Friday night meetings to Saturday morning and find some way to entertain the team on Friday evening to get them away from football a little bit and give them a break mentally."

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Wednesday, September 27, 2006[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Buckeyes won't think pink at Iowa

6 p.m.

COLUMBUS � The pink visiting locker at Iowa has been around for decades, and it survived a renovation of Kinnick Stadium. Last year, critics called for its removal, considering it demeaning.

Ohio State defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock had his own way of combating the locker room when the Buckeyes traveled to Iowa two years ago.

�I wore a pink shirt and pink tie with my suit, just to say I didn�t really care,� Pitcock said. �It didn�t really bother me. It gets people talking, and it may distract people, but then you take two minutes to talk about it and get over it.�

Sophomore receiver Brian Robiskie will be making his first trip to Iowa on Saturday, but the Chagrin Falls High graduate won�t be shocked.

�I have heard about the pink locker room,� Robiskie said. �In high school, our opponents sometimes made us go in girls� locker rooms, and they were pink. I don�t know what to expect, but when we are on the field, we will be ready to play football.�

PLAYERS LIKE FIELD CHANGE: Several Buckeyes acknowledged today how difficult the footing had become at Ohio Stadium, where a new field is currently being installed and will be ready for the next home game on Oct. 7 against Bowling Green.

�It did feel like it was getting worse each time,� Pitcock said. �I watched some film where I was trying to make a cut, and basically I was running in place and falling down all the time. Hopefully, it will be better.�

�The surface has been a little mushy,� receiver Ted Ginn Jr. said. �It hasn�t hurt me or hindered me, you just have to concentrate on more things.�

SMITH�S PLAY: Quarterback Troy Smith didn�t have to worry about saving a copy of his scrambling 37-yard touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie on Saturday.

�My mother had already TiVoed it,� Smith said. �When I saw it again, it was kind of cliche, so I try not to live in those past moments.�

- Doug Lesmerises, [email protected]

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[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Tressel clears up wristband mystery

10:30 a.m.

Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel has cleared up something he mentioned during a halftime television interview on Saturday.

Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley found an Ohio State wristband on the field in the first half and returned it to Tressel. It wasn�t like the large band worn by quarterback Troy Smith with numerous plays on it, but a smaller wristband worn by Ohio State defensive players that includes about 10 plays.

Tressel joked that Bradley wrote down the plays first, but then thanked the Penn State assistant for good sportsmanship, though he doubted it would have given any opponent an edge anyway.

�How do you know which of the 10 (plays is coming)?� Tressel asked. �As soon as you start guessing which of the 10 they�re going to call, you�re thinking about the wrong things.�

- Doug Lesmerises, [email protected]

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Iowa seeking signature moment against OSU


Thursday, September 28, 2006Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz will gather for breakfast with 500 members of the Johnson County Iowa Club at 6:30 Friday morning, as he does before every home football game.
Ferentz, who said he expects Saturday in Iowa City to be a "six-ring circus," has never had a breakfast quite like the one he'll eat this week. Those eggs should taste like opportunity.
"If we win this, it's that key game we haven't had since Kirk's been here," Wade Shriver, past president of the club, said Wednesday. "We're kind of a higher middle-tier team, and if we could get this win, maybe it would put us on the map more."
Ask Ohio State players and coaches about their No. 1 ranking, and they'll talk about the added effort OSU gets from opponents every year, just for being the Buckeyes. But there couldn't be a more clear differentiation between a team on top and a team trying to get there than Saturday's game between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 13 Iowa.
It's no more than Ohio State's third or fourth biggest game of the season, and the third time in five weeks ESPN's "Gameday" crew, the official modern-day acknowledgement of a "big game," has followed the Buckeyes. For Iowa, "Gameday" is on campus for the second time ever, and this occasion is the most-hyped home game since No. 1 Iowa hosted No. 2 Michigan in 1985.
"Ohio State has a lot of experience with games like this, but for Iowa, it's pretty unusual," said former Hawkeye tight end Marv Cook, who grew up just outside Iowa City, played in the 1985 game and now works in town for Morgan Stanley.
"This is the next step. Iowa football is really good, but we want to be like Michigan, we want to be like Ohio State. We've been tapping on the door a little bit, but we've never pushed through."
When teams are tapping on your door, you have to answer. That, OSU defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock was willing to admit, can be exhausting.
"Having big games like this pretty much every week, it's very difficult," Pitcock said. "It tests you physically and mentally. How can you prepare each week and get ready for a big game which drains you so much physically and emotionally? We love those kind of challenges and have fun doing it."
This will be Iowa's ninth game against a No. 1 team, and the Hawkeyes are 0-7-1 so far. They're 0-3 at home in those games, losing to Minnesota in 1941, Ohio State in 1964 and Miami in 1992.
Ohio State started as the No. 1 team in the preseason for the seventh time in school history, and none of those teams made it through unbeaten or on top. The last to try it was the 1998 team, which reached 8-0 before losing to Michigan State.
"You're getting the full-go from every team," said Michael Wiley, the running back on that '98 team, "but at the same time, you're playing at a much higher level because you want to keep that No. 1."
He said the topic of their top ranking rarely came up among the Buckeyes, not until some people started calling them the best college team they'd ever seen.
"I think it jinxed our season," Wiley said. "We might have talked about that once or twice, then we lost to Michigan State a week or two later."
What's Wiley see in this team?
"I don't see any team better than them," Wiley said. "They're similar to the '98 team. Every week we stepped out there like nobody could beat us."
By the way, No. 1 Iowa beat No. 2 Michigan, 12-10, in that big game in 1985 to remain undefeated. Two weeks later, the Hawkeyes lost, 22-13, at Ohio State.

 

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UI's Hubbard Park site of ESPN visit
Hubbard Park, just south of the Iowa Memorial Union on the University of Iowa campus, will serve as the primary location for "ESPN GameDay" coverage and several other ESPN television and radio programs leading up to the Iowa-Ohio State University football game Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.
Several equipment and satellite trucks are expected to begin arriving at the site today and will assemble the "ESPN GameDay" set today and Friday.
"ESPN GameDay" hosts Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard will broadcast from Hubbard from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday and again from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday before moving to Kinnick Stadium for further coverage. Also Saturday, ESPN's "GameDay" radio show, which features hosts Dave Revson, Gerry DiNardo and Todd McShay, will broadcast live from the park from noon until 7 p.m.
Gates to the "ESPN GameDay" site will open no earlier than 3 p.m. Friday and no earlier than 7 a.m. Saturday. No camping is allowed in or around the park.

Diamondbacks plan baseball tryout Sat.
The Iowa City Diamondbacks 14U baseball team will host tryouts from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at West High.
Eligible players cannot turn 15 before April 30, 2007. For more information, call Patrick Clemence, 358-9972.

Golf scramble to benefit City teams
A four-person scramble will be Sunday at Pleasant Valley golf course to benefit the boys and girls golf teams at City High. Tee times begin at 9 a.m. Cost is $55 per player and that includes a cart and a box lunch. Call Jerry Hora at 351-0665 for information or to register.

Best-shot tourney at Lake Macbride
Lake Macbride Golf Course is having a three-person best-shot tournament Oct. 21, with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.
The entry fee is $25 for non-members. Call 624-2500 to enter.

Ronnie Harmon is honorary captain
Former Iowa all-American running back/wide receiver Ronnie Harmon has been selected to be Iowa's honorary captain for Saturday's game against Ohio State. The 13th-ranked Hawkeyes face the top-ranked Buckeyes in a nationally televised game with kickoff set for 7:13 p.m. in sold out Kinnick Stadium.
Harmon was a four-time letterman (1982-85), two-time Hawkeye MVP (1984-85) and helped lead Iowa to the 1985 Big Ten title and appearance in the Rose Bowl. He was a two-time member of the first all-Big Ten team (1984-85). He also served as a team co-captain his senior year.
His top game as a runner came against Illinois in 1984 when he scored three touchdowns and rushed for 191 yards. He rushed for 1,166 yards as a senior and 907 yards as a junior. He is Iowa's seventh leading all-time rusher with 2,271 yards. His 192 career points are ninth on Iowa's career charts

 

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Secondary first in Big Ten[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Iowa's pass defense efficiency 12th nationally[/FONT]​

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]By Susan Harman
Iowa City Press-Citizen [/FONT][/FONT]​

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[/FONT][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Miguel Merrick said they've been average. Marcus Paschal said they've done a pretty good job. Kirk Ferentz said they are improving, but they're thin. The two senior safeties and the Iowa coach were talking about the Hawkeyes' defensive secondary, which leads the Big Ten in pass defense efficiency and is 12th in the nation.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Surprised?[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Opponents have completed 46.8 percent of their passes, the best percentage among Big Ten defenses, and the Hawks have intercepted five while giving up four passing TDs. Among Big Ten teams, only Wisconsin has given up fewer yards through the air.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This lofty ranking isn't the bogus sort of stat that came in the Frank Lauterbur years, when opponents could rush to impressive victories without ever having to throw a pass. Still there is uneasiness about Iowa's secondary, and there's nothing better than the arrival of Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez, et al., to fuel the paranoia.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Let's see. A mobile, mature quarterback (Smith) with a strong arm, who has his choice of throwing to a world-class speedster (Ginn), the team's leading receiver (Gonzalez) who torched Texas for eight catches, or a relative newcomer (Brian Robiskie) who is the son of an NFL assistant coach and who caught Smith's scrambling, highlight-reel, 37-yard TD pass against Penn State. That lineup would worry even the most rock-ribbed fan.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Iowa will be without top reserve safety Devan Moylan, and Paschal has been in and out of the lineup with injuries but will play against the Buckeyes on Saturday night.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"We're pretty much where we've been -- thin," Ferentz said. "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain, right? That's kind of where we're at here.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"I think we're growing and improving back there. We've given up a couple plays. We did the other day. We came out of coverage on that one scramble (by Illinois' Juice Williams). Which is something we better get corrected this week because we saw what happened in that Penn State ballgame where Smith improvised a little bit and then threw it down the field for a long touchdown."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Iowa's defensive backs know what they're up against, and they know they'll be in the spotlight Saturday night.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"You have to study these guys much harder," cornerback Charles Godfrey said. "You have to see what you can do to make yourself better against these guys because they do have speed. It's very different. You might back up some or you might go up and play them."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Iowa's linebackers can help, too.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Coach (Norm) Parker says to jam up receivers whenever we can, so that's one of the biggest keys right there," linebacker Mike Klinkenborg said.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"As a receiver you want to run and get open," linebacker Mike Humpal said. "Any time you get bumped and hit a little bit, it just takes you off of your route a little bit and makes it a little bit more difficult. Banging those guys around a little bit will help the deep guys out."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But true to defensive coordinator Norm Parker's philosophy, Iowa's defensive backs say they are not going to change their basic coverage to handle Ohio State's talented receivers.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"We're going to be playing as we've done all year," Paschal said. "Our linebackers have been doing a good job getting hands on receivers week in and week out.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Total team defense is the only thing that's going to be able to contain a guy like (Smith)."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]With a quarterback capable of eluding even the most ferocious rush, the defense is challenged to be wary of Smith escaping while also maintaining its coverage for what must seem like an eternity.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"You have to have discipline," Godfrey said. "He has a very good arm, so once he starts scrambling you have to stay with your receiver. You can't let him go. (Smith) can throw the ball 60, 70 yards on the run."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"You do (have to worry about Smith running), but in the back end we've just got to do what we've got to do, and then the defensive line and the linebackers take care of things like that," Paschal said.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ohio State made Texas pay for doubling Ginn when Gonzalez caught eight passes for 142 yards. After Gonzalez caught six balls against the Hawks in last year's 31-6 rout, Iowa might want to double both of them. But it won't.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"It's a little easier if you can just focus on one guy or just lean hard to the right or lean hard to the left," Ferentz said. "But Ohio State doesn't let you do that."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ferentz said Iowa realizes Smith will complete some passes to the G-men and others. It's going to happen.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"We just can't give them anything easy like we did the other day (against Illinois) or like happened in Saturday's ballgame with Ohio State," Ferentz said. "We can't give up those type of plays and expect to win the ballgame."[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[osugrad21]

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Injury bug hits Hawks for Saturday[/FONT]​

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]By Andy Hamilton
Iowa City Press-Citizen [/FONT][/FONT]​

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[/FONT][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Kirk Ferentz said his Iowa football team won't be at full strength for Saturday night's showdown with top-ranked Ohio State, but the Hawkeyes seem to be in better shape from an injury standpoint than they were at the beginning of the week.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"At least the arrow's going up," Ferentz said Wednesday night on his Learfield radio show. "That's one good thing. It was a little disheartening to talk about it on Sunday and Monday and even Tuesday morning when we had our medical meeting. But we got through (Tuesday) and some guys seemed to be responding very favorably."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ferentz didn't specify the injuries. The Hawkeyes had a handful of players who either didn't play Saturday against Illinois or missed parts of the 24-7 victory.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ferentz said Tuesday that left tackle Dace Richardson and center Rafael Eubanks wouldn't practice that afternoon. Ferentz ruled out defensive end Alex Kanellis on Tuesday after the sophomore underwent an appendectomy Saturday.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ferentz said Wednesday that reserve safety Devan Moylan, who suffered a hamstring injury at Illinois, is the only other player who has been ruled out for Saturday's game.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"I'm not sure we'll be at full strength Saturday, but I think we have a chance to be close, and I'm sure they have some problems, too," Ferentz said on his radio show. "That's one thing about football -- we all kind of think about, 'Boy, we're a little short here or a little short there.' Everybody kind of goes through the same thing this time of year; it's just part of the game. I'm optimistic we'll have guys ready and be ready to roll."[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[osugrad21]

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Iowa: Contender or Pretender?

Chris Dufresne
September 28, 2006

There comes a time in a program's life when it has to put down that drink and get out on the dance floor.

Iowa, they're playing your song.
We know "aw-shucks" Iowans don't like this kind of pressure, but No. 1 Ohio State is making a Buckeye beeline toward town for one of the most important games in the history of the Hawkeye haystack.

They've even remodeled for the occasion ? a two-year, $88-million restoration of Kinnick Stadium now complete. The coolest part of the demolition, naturally, was when they blew up the press box and put the highlights on the Internet.

The school is calling the face lift "the largest such undertaking ever for Iowa athletics."

Actually, the largest undertaking comes to Kinnick on Saturday.

To be considered among college football big boys, Iowa has to win.

Frankly, this is the moment the program has been churning toward since Kirk Ferentz was hired in 1999.

"Obviously," Ferentz said, "there's a real buzz on campus right now, like you'd expect when the top team in the country comes to town."

Iowa has been a fine program, historically yielding periodic crops of success in the shadow of Big Ten silos Ohio State and Michigan.

Iowa has produced one Heisman Trophy winner, Nile Kinnick, in 1939.

It finished second in the polls in 1958 and went to three Rose Bowls under Coach Hayden Fry.

In 1985, when Ferentz was an Iowa assistant on Fry's staff, No. 1 Iowa beat No. 2 Michigan in Iowa City but didn't finish the job, later losing to Ohio State and then to UCLA in the Rose Bowl.

Since its first game in 1892, Iowa has never won a national title.

It is 0-9-1 against top-ranked schools.

It is time to quit being a zero.

Iowa is No. 13 in this week's coaches' poll and No. 14 in the Harris Interactive index, the two rankings systems used in the Bowl Championship Series standings formula.

A win over No. 1 Ohio State, coupled with a win at No. 6 Michigan on Oct. 21, and Iowa could be in BCS title-game business.

Ferentz, of all people, doesn't seem ready to make this great leap forward.

Big game?
Didn't No. 1 Ohio State just play No. 2 Texas a couple of weeks ago?

And, in terms of Iowa, wasn't there more at stake in that 1985 Michigan game?
"Just do the math, one and two, that adds up to three," Ferentz said of the teams' rankings then. "And right now Ohio State's one but we're somewhere in the teens."

Only game time will tell whether Iowa is ready for Saturday's challenge.

Some thought last year was the year, but it wasn't.

Iowa was coming off a three-year stretch where it went 31-7 and finished all three seasons in the top 10 ? joining USC, Oklahoma and Georgia as the four teams to do so.

Some touted Iowa as championship material ? even as NASCAR Kirk threw up caution flags.

"We're not an elite team," Ferentz said at the time. "We're not even close."

He was right. Iowa couldn't even get past Iowa State. Quarterback Drew Tate got knocked silly against the Cyclones and that led to a 7-5 season that included a blowout loss at Ohio State, an overtime home defeat to Michigan and an Outback Bowl loss to Florida.

"We're probably a better football team than we were a year ago at this time, but we're hardly a great football team," Ferentz said.

That may be the "aw-shucks" talking.

Iowa hopes it's not the truth.

 

[osugrad21]

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Punter turns it around

Dan Parr - The Daily Iowan

It took a stiff Champaign, Ill., wind to turn Hawkeye punter Andy Fenstermaker's season around.
He nearly doubled his season total of punts inside the 20-yard-line, leaping from four to seven, in the 24-7 Iowa win. He also used the whipping air flow to his advantage, keeping the ball up long enough for the defensive coverage to limit returns. Of Fenstermaker's eight punts, the Illini returned just one - and they actually lost a yard on the play. For the season, just six of Fenstermaker's 19 punts have been returned, for a total of a meager 10 yards.

"The way he punted the other day really gave us a chance," head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "[Saturday against Ohio State] is the kind of game where you need that kind of performance from everybody."

The senior from Mount Pleasant said he felt as though he hadn't lived up to the lofty expectations placed on him in the first three contests, especially after the team added him to its list of scholarship players during the off-season.

"Specialists over the past many years that this coaching staff's been here have set the standard high," he said. "We value special teams here. I didn't consider the performance that I had one that should be compared to the previous people that had been here.

"It's coming around. Coaches have had faith in me. As long as we can improve, week in and week out, that's what we're striving for."

Improvement on special-teams is needed now more than ever, as Iowa prepares to defend Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr., who holds the fifth-best punt return average in the Big Ten, scorching teams for 8.7 yards per return.

Last season, in a 31-6 loss to the Buckeyes, Fenstermaker punted seven times with an average 43.4 yards and placed three inside the 20. Ginn caught two punts but did not return either.

Iowa running back Shonn Greene, a member of the punt coverage unit, may be presented with the tough task of stopping the turf-burning Ginn in the open-field.

"[Ginn and kick returner Anthony Gonzalez] are good returners, but we're just going to stick with our normal game plan and execute that," Greene said. "They do bring a lot of excitement and all that, but we're going to treat it like the normal routine.

"Naturally, everybody knows [about them]. Everybody in the back of his head knows. We just got to go out there and execute and focus on doing what we do best."

With the same special-teams game plan in place, Fenstermaker said his biggest concern isn't who is returning his punts but repeating the performance of one week ago.

"I just take it in stride," he said. "We'll see if we can't replicate what we did last week � Everything will fall into place, if you take care of your job out there. As far as being concerned about [Ginn], he's always a threat when he's out on the field, but the focus is just to get the job done when we're out there."

 

[osugrad21]

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Harmon to be honorary captain for Saturday's game

Former Iowa All-American running back Ronnie Harmon has been selected as the team's honorary captain for Saturday's game against Ohio State. He will accompany captains Ed Miles, Miguel Merrick, Drew Tate, and Marshal Yanda to midfield for the coin toss and be with the team on the sidelines and in the locker room.

Harmon was a four-time letterman (1982-85) and two-time Hawkeye MVP (1984-85), and he helped lead Iowa to the 1985 Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl appearance. He was a two-time member of the All-Big Ten first team (1984-85).

The former running back is Iowa's seventh all-time leading rusher with 2,271 yards. His 192 career points are ninth on the school's career charts.

 

[osugrad21]

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Fans are asked to plan ?smart?

By Steve Batterson | Thursday, September 28, 2006

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2006/09/28//sports//doc451b60ab0a517204369147.txt#rate IOWA CITY ? With a later-than-usual kickoff, Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz is hoping that Hawkeyes fans will practice moderation as they prepare for Saturday?s 7:10 p.m. game against top-ranked Ohio State.
?I?m hoping that our fans will pace themselves and come to Kinnick with a good plan of their own,? Ferentz said. ?This is a chance for our fans to showcase what a great football environment we have to the country, and I hope that fans are smart about it.?

Several changes from the university?s normal policies are being made for Saturday?s showdown between the two 4-0 teams because of the evening kickoff.

University parking lots will open at their normal times ? either 6 p.m. on Friday or 7 a.m. on Saturday based on the regular opening time throughout the season ? but tailgating will be prohibited in all university lots following Saturday?s game.

Additional law enforcement personnel will be present to enforce the no-tailgating mandate.

The Hawkeye Express train will begin shuttling fans from its Coralville boarding site off of U.S. Highway 6 across from Coral Ridge Mall one hour earlier than usual, beginning at 3 p.m. and will provide return service until 90 minutes after the conclusion of the game.

Gates at Kinnick Stadium will open 90 minutes before kickoff.

Fans also are welcome to attend ESPN?s GameDay broadcasts, which will originate from Iowa City for the first time since 1996.

The cable network telecasts will be staged from a spot in Hubbard Park located across the street from the Iowa Memorial Union. GameDay broadcasts with host Chris Fowler and analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard will occur from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Friday and from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday.

That group will broadcast live from Kinnick Stadium from 6 to 7 p.m. and again after the game on Saturday from a grass area near the southeast corner of the stadium.

GameDay on ESPN Radio also will originate in Iowa City this weekend, broadcasting from the Hubbard Park site from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday. Former WHBF-TV sports reporter Dave Revsine will host coverage along with Gerry DiNardo and Todd McShay.

 

[osugrad21]

Blade

PRO STYLE: Ohio State freshman wide receiver Brian Robiskie is the son of former NFL player and current NFL coach Terry Robiskie. The younger Robiskie had a 37-yard touchdown reception against Penn State, and is third on the Ohio State team with 10 catches for 130 yards. He grew up around the NFL, and saw how it is done. "It was a blessing for me to see the way the guys in the NFL practiced and worked on the field and in the weight room," Robiskie said. "My father always told me to never quit when I'm on the field. He has helped me so much by not pressuring me about football, but he is always ready to sit down and talk to me when I have a question." PAIR PRAISED: Ohio State coach Jim Tressel usually avoids the superlatives, but not when talking about his duo of senior defensive tackles. Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson, the only returning starters from last year's stellar defensive unit, have Tressel gushing. "As far as I am concerned, they are the best two defensive tackles in the country," Tressel said. "And in addition to being terrific players, they are both excellent leaders. Our front four is the strength of our defense and Quinn and David set the tone." Pitcock is off to a big start with 5.5 tackles for loss and four sacks through the first four games. He has 14 total tackles. Patterson, who had a career-high seven tackles against Penn State, has 13 this season, with two tackles-for-loss. ACTING JOB: When Ohio State defensive back Malcolm Jenkins intercepted a pass against Penn State and took it back 61 yards for a touchdown, the replay showed that Jenkins entered the end zone alone, having spiked the ball one stride before he reached the end zone. Tressel joked about the gaffe this week. "We do talk a lot about "Act like you've been there before," but you know, I thought about it, and Malcolm had never been there before," Tressel said. "I'd like to think that we'll learn from it and that won't ever happen again. We talk a lot about handing the ball to the official and find the other 10 guys that made it possible and celebrate with them, and apparently we've got to get better at that." FLIGHT PLAN: The Buckeyes will leave Columbus tomorrow afternoon on a private charter, headed for Saturday's game in Iowa. Ohio State flies to Cedar Rapids, then travels by bus that evening for the 30-minute ride to Iowa City for an 8 p.m. walk-through in Kinnick Stadium. Ohio State will spend the night in Cedar Rapids, and the team plans to fly back to Columbus late Saturday night. GRADUATION RATE: According to figures released yesterday by the NCAA, 55 percent of Ohio State football players graduated in the last six years studied. Federal calculations place the rate at 49 percent. The study included 93,000 Division I athletes, almost all on scholarship, who entered college from 1996 to 1999. Nationwide, 77 percent of athletes in all sports graduated during the same period.