The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 141 BY RYAN TICE Head coach Kirk Ferentz has been thought to be on the hot seat several times during his 17 previous years at Iowa. Those cries might have never been louder than prior to the 2015 campaign. After a 28‑11 stretch from 2008‑10 that included a trio of bowl victories and two top‑20 finishes, the Hawkeyes stumbled to a 26‑25 mark over the next four years. The longtime coach rewarded the school's loyalty by setting a program record with a 12‑0 regular season in 2015. Although the Hawkeyes lost a competitive contest to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship and were blown out by Stanford in the Rose Bowl, it was a season to remember and one that quieted any rumors about Ferentz. The chances for a strong encore — and possibly even a return trip to Indianapolis — are good, thanks to 13 returning starters on offense and defense and a very manageable schedule that misses both Michigan State and Ohio State. Four of Iowa's five toughest games come at home — and an early No‑ vember date at Penn State following a bye week is far from daunting. The Hawkeyes certainly caught some breaks last year — they went 6‑1 in games decided by nine points or less, and that suc‑ cess in close contests will be hard to dupli‑ cate — but many of their key cogs are back to defend the West Division crown. Perhaps none is more important than fifth‑ year senior quarterback C.J. Beathard, who showed why Jake Rudock was cast off prior to the 2015 campaign by fighting through injury after injury to pilot a productive Iowa offense. Over the last two years, he has completed 60.6 percent of his passes with 22 touchdowns against seven interceptions while also rushing for 393 yards and six scores. He could contend to be the league's best quarterback this fall. Leading rusher Jordan Canzeri is gone af‑ ter producing 984 yards and 12 touchdowns, but every other component to the ground at‑ tack is back. Only four rushers behind Can‑ zeri had more than two attempts, but they combined for 1,541 yards and 23 scores, and run behind an offensive line that is bringing back three starters. The offense was hit hardest by departing pass catchers, but top receiver Matt Vande‑ Berg is back after a 65‑catch campaign that netted 703 receiving yards and four scores. Fifth‑year senior tight end George Kittle only caught 20 balls last year, but scored six times. Defensively, five of last year's starting back seven return and, although U‑M's Jour‑ dan Lewis can make an argument for the honor, the general consensus is that Iowa star Desmond King is the nation's top cor‑ nerback — and in the conversation for its top overall player. He'll be in his fourth year as a starter after picking off eight passes and breaking up 13 more attempts to tie for fifth nationally with 21 passes defended. In addi‑ tion to his 72 tackles, he racked up 118 return yards after his pickoffs, including an 88‑yard touchdown, averaged 14.2 yards on 17 punt runbacks (seventh nationally) and logged a 24.4‑yard clip on 29 kickoff returns. Middle linebacker Josey Jewell is a po‑ tential star after his first full year starting re‑ sulted in 126 tackles and four interceptions. Fellow junior Brian Niemann also started all of last year and was productive. They will be playing behind a line that is strongest in the middle, where returning start‑ ers Jaleel Johnson, a fifth‑year senior, and redshirt junior Nathan Bazata both opened every game while combining for 87 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and seven quarterback hurries. It's no wonder they gave up only 11 rushing touchdowns in 2015. Last fall proved that Iowa's decision to stick with Ferentz was the right call, and the coach's decision to go with the young gun over Rudock worked out for the Hawkeyes (and their former quarterback). There are not nearly as many question marks entering 2016, when Iowa should be considered the favorite to represent the West in Indianapolis again. Notes Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel ranked his top five non- quarterback or running back Heisman Trophy candidates this offseason and Iowa cornerback Desmond King was listed second … With King receiving so much attention, teams are more likely to test fifth-year senior Greg Mabin on the other side; he's a 6-2 third-year starter who defended 10 passes last year. ❑ Hawkeyes In Position To Follow Surprising 2015 With More Success IOWA • NOV. 12 • GAME 10 2016 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2015 Result Sept. 3 Miami (Ohio) — Sept. 10 Iowa State W, 31-17 Sept. 17 North Dakota State — Sept. 24 at Rutgers — Oct. 1 Northwestern W, 40-10 Oct. 8 at Minnesota W, 40-35 Oct. 15 at Purdue W, 40-20 Oct. 22 Wisconsin W, 10-6 Nov. 5 at Penn State — Nov. 12 Michigan — Nov. 19 at Illinois W, 29-20 Nov. 25 Nebraska W, 28-20 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: U-M leads 41-14-4 First Meeting: Iowa 28, U-M 5 (Nov. 10, 1900, at Detroit) Last Meeting: Iowa 24, U-M 21 (Nov. 23, 2013, at Iowa City, Iowa) Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz, 127-87 at Iowa (18th year) and 139-108 overall (21st year) Off./Def. Systems: Multiple/4-3 2015 In Review: 12-2 overall, 8-0 Big Ten (1st West Division) Final 2015 Ranking: No. 9 in Associated Press and No. 10 in coaches' poll Returning Starters: 13 (6 offense, 7 defense) Last Bowl Appearance: 2015 (Rose, vs. Stanford, L 45-16) Big Ten Conference Championships (last): 11 (2004) RETURNING LEADERS Passing: C.J. Beathard (2,809 yards, 17 TD, 5 INT) Rushing: LeShun Daniels (646 yards, 8 TD) Receiving: Matt VandeBerg (703 yards, 4 TD) Tackles: Josey Jewell (126) Sacks: Jaleel Johnson and Ben Niemann (4) Interceptions: Desmond King (8) PLAYERS TO WATCH Offense: C.J. Beathard, 5th-Sr., QB — Ranks second among the Big Ten's returning signal-callers with 2,809 passing yards and 17 touchdown throws in 2015 … Unanimous second-team All-Big Ten choice in his first full year as the starter … Was picked off just five times while rushing for 237 yards and six scores … Has notched a 13-2 record as the team's starting QB, including 9-1 against Big Ten foes. Defense: Josey Jewell, R-Jr., LB — Started every game at middle linebacker en route to second-team All- Big Ten laurels … Notched a team- best 126 tackles, while at least tying for second with four inter - ceptions, 10 passes defended and 7.5 tackles for loss … Was MVP of Iowa's bowl game at the end of the 2014 campaign, posting 14 tackles in a loss to Tennessee. Senior cornerback Desmond King ranked second nationally with eight interceptions en route to winning the 2015 Jim Thorpe and Jack Tatum awards, which are given to the country's top defensive back. PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF IOWA