COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Within the first 9 minutes, 14 seconds of the second quarter right here Friday evening, Maryland’s offense had run solely three performs.
In that very same span, Iowa’s offense had scored 4 touchdowns.
That was a staggering reflection of how helpless the Terrapins had been towards the ball-hawking Hawkeyes on Capital One Area at Maryland Stadium.
It was an entire domination of the second quarter, and a complete performance from fifth-ranked Iowa with a 51-14 victory earlier than 45,527 followers. 1000’s of these had been carrying Hawkeye gold and stayed to the top, with “Let’s go Hawks” chants ringing out in an in any other case emptied stadium.
Replay:Iowa football crushes Maryland 51-14 to improve to 5-0
“We’ve been working actually laborious at follow. I believe you’re simply beginning to see enchancment,” quarterback Spencer Petras stated. “It’s compound curiosity. The tougher you’re employed over time constantly, the outcomes will present. And I believe it confirmed up at present in all three phases.”
To ship a 31-point second quarter — particularly for a slow-paced offense like Iowa’s — is sort of unthinkable. Nevertheless it actually was arrange for achievement, as Arland Bruce IV’s 8-yard catch on a wide-receiver display took the soccer to Maryland’s 1 as the primary quarter expired.
Petras — who has taken the baton properly from Nate Stanley for QB Sneak U. — burrowed into the top zone from 1 yard out, and Iowa had a 10-7 lead simply 3 seconds into the second quarter.
Then the defensive avalanche started. A tough special-teams sort out by Sebastian Castro on star Maryland receiver Dontay Demus Jr. — which introduced out the medical cart — prompted a fumble that Jay Higgins recovered on the Terps’ 10.
Two performs later, Bruce was hauling in his first profession landing go (from 8 yards out) on one more terrific red-zone play name from offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz. Bruce ran a protracted crossing sample over the center and easily beat his man, and Petras discovered him.
Be mindful these 14 factors in 53 seconds had been on the heels of a powerful Taulia Tagovailoa-led Maryland drive. That was as essential as something for Iowa, that the proficient quarterback stood on the sidelines and watched his group go from a 7-3 result in a 17-7 deficit. After which on his first probability to do one thing about it, Tagovailoa was intercepted by Jack Koerner — on a tipped go by Jack Campbell — on Maryland’s very subsequent play.
How good was it to be a Hawkeye within the second quarter? Koerner fumbled on his return, however teammate Dane Belton emerged from the underside of a pile of Terps with the soccer. Six performs later, Petras was once more sneaking into the top zone for a 24-7 result in cap a brisk 26-yard scoring drive.
Nonetheless, if you happen to’re Maryland … there was loads of time to take a breath. The Terps did, however solely briefly, by truly calling a run (which went for 11 yards; to that time, they’d tried simply three rushes). However on the following snap, Belton snared one more interception from Tagovailoa, organising the Hawkeyes on the Terps’ 45.
Iowa punched in its fourth TD of the quarter, seven performs later, with fullback Monte Pottebaum forcing his approach in from 2 yards out. After a Maryland punt and one other good drive leading to a Caleb Shudak subject purpose with 29 seconds left within the half, Iowa had accomplished its beautiful 31-point quarter with a 34-7 lead.
And simply to twist the knife, Tagovailoa’s Hail Mary go (effectively wanting the top zone) to finish the half was picked off by Terry Roberts — giving Iowa a plus-five turnover edge. Because the Large Ten Community’s Dave Revsine tweeted: “I’m certain there’s a approach this primary half might have gone worse for Maryland, however I can’t consider one off hand.”
Remarkably, Iowa’s 31 factors got here with simply 96 second-quarter yards.
Iowa ran 25 performs and chewed up 12:20 in possession time within the second quarter. Maryland had 28 yards on 9 performs with 4 turnovers.
The 31 factors by Iowa had been probably the most since a 37-point first quarter towards Akron in 2002; and probably the most in a Large Ten recreation since scoring 35 towards Illinois in a memorable 1985 rout.
Simply saying: Each these seasons had been very, very particular, too.
Iowa has now received 11 straight video games and stands 5-0 this season. It’s the third 5-0 begin of the Kirk Ferentz period. The others (2009 and 2015) turned out fairly effectively.
And the way about this for a stat: In Ferentz’s first season in 1999, Iowa’s highest recreation complete for the season was 31.
“I don’t know if I wish to name it a dominant efficiency, however we had been enjoying at a excessive stage,” Ferentz stated. “That was so good for us to see.”
Spencer Petras constructed on his greatest recreation … together with his greatest recreation.
Petras was dealing Friday evening. I took discover early of a 10-yard go to Nico Ragaini which may not get a lot consideration, nevertheless it was a robust throw and moved the chains on second-and-10 in a 0-0 recreation.
Petras’ command of the offense actually shined within the third quarter, with a slick 67-yard landing go to Tyler Goodson — whose midfield juke and dash to paydirt was true highlight-reel materials — to push Iowa’s result in 41-7.
Petras then led Iowa to factors for an eighth straight drive with a dime to Charlie Jones up the left sideline for 31 yards. That arrange Shudak’s third subject purpose and a 44-7 benefit.
“Spencer, he’s finished an ideal job and improved tremendously from final yr,” Goodson stated. “He simply seems extra comfy. Throughout the week, you may simply see how dialed in he’s, simply from staying after follow and watching additional movie to ensure he is aware of what keys to take a look at.”
For the sport, Petras accomplished 21 of 30 passes (a 70% price) for 259 yards and three touchdowns, his final toss being a 7-yarder to Tyrone Tracy Jr. for six. Petras led 9 straight scoring drives earlier than handing the keys to Alex Padilla (1-for-7, 22 yards) within the fourth quarter.
Even third-stringer Deuce Hogan (1-for-1, 2 yards) obtained within the recreation.
Petras’ five-touchdown recreation general came on the heels of a 15-of-23, 224-yard game towards Colorado State through which he related on 5 passes of 25-plus yards and earned a 90-plus score from Professional Soccer Focus.
Petras has now received 11 straight video games as Iowa’s beginning quarterback. His 11-2 profession mark ties him with 2002 Heisman Trophy runner-up Brad Banks. That is very notable.
“I wasn’t on the group final yr, and I noticed a whole lot of criticism about him,” Bruce stated. “However every little thing I’ve seen has been nice, ever since spring after I obtained right here. I’ve by no means understood the criticism. Nice job by Spencer.”
Six, depend ‘em, six interceptions for the Iowa protection.
The 5 ordinary starters in Iowa’s secondary crossed 100 profession collective begins Friday. That’s an indication of a protection that is aware of what they’re doing, one which received’t be overwhelmed by dealing with a quarterback that was averaging 335 passing yards a recreation and had been intercepted simply as soon as.
Cornerback Matt Hankins was making his thirty second begin; free security Koerner was making his twenty fourth. Add in Moss (20), Belton (17) and Kaevon Merriweather (8), and that’s 101 begins between them. So it was becoming that six totally different Hawkeye defensive backs — Moss, Belton, Koerner, Merriweather, Roberts and Quinn Schulte — had interceptions Friday.
The six picks had been probably the most by a Hawkeye group in a recreation since 1982, when Iowa had seven towards Wisconsin. Iowa now has 12 interceptions this season and 76 for the reason that begin of the 2017 season, greater than any group within the nation.
When you understand the place the ball’s going, it’s simpler to choose it off.
“It was sort of like enjoying at recess,” Moss stated. “We had been simply flying round enjoying soccer, no worries on the planet.
“We obtained all these picks due to what we had been doing in follow. … It’s actually cool to see that repay.”
Maryland’s undisciplined play was a giant issue.
We wrote coming into this one which the Terrapins had been a closely penalized group and never nice on special-teams protection. That stuff would possibly sound trivial, however it might probably present up in massive methods.
On Maryland’s first drive, a false begin on fourth-and-1 — with the Terps lined as much as go for it — pressured a punt. Maryland had a third-and-1 false begin on its subsequent drive, making it third-and-6. What occurred subsequent? Tagovailoa’s first interception of the sport, Riley Moss’ third theft of the yr. That choose doesn’t occur with out that false begin (or the John Waggoner go stress). Iowa turned that penalty into three early factors.
Later within the second quarter, Maryland nostril sort out Ami Finau made a foolish, late (and low) sort out on Petras that was a roughing-the-passer name on second-and-20. Iowa obtained seven factors out of that drive. In one other occasion, a Maryland participant slapped the again of Sam LaPorta’s helmet after the play for a silly unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty.
This was a type of video games the place Hawkeye followers ought to recognize their group’s normally well-prepared, disciplined method to video games. On this case, Maryland’s regular meltdowns had been an actual motive that this recreation obtained out of hand early.
Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has coated sports activities for 26 years with The Des Moines Register, USA TODAY and Iowa Metropolis Press-Citizen. Observe @ChadLeistikow on Twitter.
https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports activities/faculty/columnists/chad-leistikow/2021/10/01/iowa-football-vs-maryland-umd-spencer-petras-taulia-tagovailoa-big-ten-hawkeyes-defense/5919655001/ | Inside Iowa soccer’s 31-point quarter in street thumping of Maryland