The revamped Iowa offense was a focus all offseason as folks throughout the globe questioned how first-year offensive coordinator Tim Lester would revitalize a unit that will have prompted one other international pandemic had it been allowed to proceed any longer. By way of 4 video games, issues are going fairly properly. The Hawkeyes are 3-1 and averaging 32 factors.
However what if I instructed you the reply to Iowa’s woes wasn’t Lester however any individual who was already within the constructing? A participant so explosive that he ought to include a warning label. A again so able to getting out of a good spot that it could make Andy Dufresne blush.
That is proper, I am speaking about Kaleb Johnson.
The very fact of the matter is that whereas Iowa’s passing offense has improved in 2024, it is extra the results of having an extremely low bar to clear. Final season, the Hawkeyes averaged 118.6 yards with a passing effectivity score of 91.15. Up to now this season they’re averaging 147.5 yards with a score of 120.16. These numbers nonetheless rank seventeenth and 14th within the Large Ten.
However due to Johnson, it hasn’t mattered.
By way of 4 video games, Johnson has rushed for 685 yards and 9 touchdowns. His 171.25 yards per recreation rank second nationally behind Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, and it isn’t the byproduct of being a workhorse. Johnson actually carries the ball rather a lot — his 82 carries are the third most within the nation — however he is averaging 8.35 yards per try anyway. His explosive rush charge of 20.73% ranks Nineteenth amongst backs with a minimum of 7.5 yards per carry, but it surely’s much more spectacular than that Nineteenth-place standing suggests.
Solely two backs with a better explosive rush charge than Johnson have had greater than 50 carries. None have had greater than 70. Once more, Johnson is at 82. For visible learners, take a look at how Johnson compares whenever you chart each workload and explosiveness.
You see that crimson dot on the higher proper with no one within the neighborhood? That is Johnson. The opposite backs with the identical degree of explosiveness are far to his left as a result of fewer carries, whereas the gamers to his proper can’t match his explosive charge.
He has really been phenomenal for the Hawkeyes, and what makes all of it extra spectacular is that, in contrast to loads of backs, he is doing this towards stacked bins. Iowa has run a mean of twenty-two.0 performs per recreation towards defenses with a minimum of eight gamers within the field. That is almost a 3rd of the performs the Hawkeyes have run.
How’s Johnson performing towards these eight-man fronts? Get able to LOL, of us, as a result of on 22 carries, Johnson has rushed for 229 yards and 6 touchdowns. That is proper, when defenses load the field, Johnson is averaging 10.4 yards per carry and scoring a landing 27.3% of the time.
For context, the nationwide common for FBS working backs towards the identical fronts is 4.0 yards per carry and a 12.8% landing charge.
It is exhausting to think about Johnson will carry out on the similar charge as Iowa will get into the meat of Large Ten play, however I would not put it previous him. Kaleb Johnson is superior, and it is time the world knew it.
USC’s silver lining
There isn’t any purpose to be pleased after dropping a recreation. Dropping sucks, and there is nothing that anyone can say that’ll ever change that. Nevertheless, simply because dropping sucks, that does not imply there aren’t optimistic issues to remove from a loss!
I watched USC open its season with a win over LSU in Las Vegas. It was a recreation the place Miller Moss and the Trojans hung robust and made nice performs to select up the win. However, you understand what? I used to be extra impressed by what I noticed from the Trojans of their loss to Michigan.
I’m shopping for into the adjustments Lincoln Riley and that program are attempting to instill. I watched Michigan run everywhere in the Trojans within the first half, going for 199 yards earlier than halftime. Consider how dangerous USC’s protection had regarded within the first few years beneath Riley. However even then it had by no means allowed so many dashing yards in a half.
My takeaway then was: Right here we go once more; this staff will get punched within the mouth and lays down. Then the second half started, and this staff hadn’t laid down. It stood up and started punching again. The Trojans shut the Wolverines offense down for almost your complete half till Kalel Mullings went Unimaginable Hulk on them as a part of Michigan’s game-winning landing drive. The offense bounced again, too.
I believed the sport was over once more when Moss threw the pick-six. Nope, the Trojans responded with 14 factors to take the lead within the Large Home. They didn’t maintain on. They misplaced, and dropping sucks.
However this staff can take a punch and throw them proper again at you.
B1G Time stat of the week
B1G as hell.
Husker heartbreak
As I stated, dropping sucks, and Nebraska followers do not want me to inform them that — not after the most recent heartbreaker in Lincoln. Nebraska went into Friday evening’s tilt towards Illinois able to rejoice this system’s resurgence and the four-hundredth consecutive house sellout.
Each seat had a butt in it, however the one resurgence they noticed was a resurgence of the identical errors which have plagued this system for years. There have been close to misses on third down and misses on subject objectives. There have been additionally 10 penalties for 89 yards, together with loads of silly, pointless ones. This was nothing new. Two weeks prior, the Cornhuskers have been known as for 12 penalties for 105 yards towards Colorado, but it surely did not matter as a result of they have been so a lot better than the Buffaloes.
This time, it value them. Illinois gained in extra time, dropping Nebraska’s document in one-score video games to 5-22 since 2020 and marking their twenty fifth consecutive loss towards a ranked opponent. That is the second-longest dropping streak towards ranked groups among the many Energy 4, trailing solely Rutgers’ 40-game dropping streak.
Perhaps they will each be ranked once they meet on Oct. 5 and the streak will finish for one among them?
Regardless, there’s nonetheless a lot purpose for optimism with the staff shifting ahead. Dylan Raiola confronted his hardest check to date and carried out fairly properly. Whereas he was overwhelmed with strain in extra time, he completed the sport with 297 yards passing and three touchdowns. His lone interception resulted from an unimaginable defensive play on an amazing throw. He continues to point out poise past his years, and so long as he is round, this staff can compete with anyone within the league.
However till they lastly recover from that hump, I am unable to blame Nebraska followers for questioning if it will ever occur.
B1G Time meme of the week
What a weekend for Large Ten acclimation. USC loses its first Large Ten convention recreation regardless of permitting solely 32 yards passing, and Washington goes from years of high-scoring shootouts to permitting a fiver.
Who is aware of what we’re in for when Oregon and UCLA sq. off this week? Each groups rush for 400 yards and one squeezes out a 3-2 win?
Hear, summer time has ended, it is nearly October, and I do not know that I’ve talked about Ohio State on this column apart from in passing. There simply hasn’t been any purpose to! Ohio State has dominated its nonconference schedule with out giving us any trace what it’ll seem like towards actual competitors. And I do not say that within the “the Buckeyes should show it” sense.
I say it within the “Ohio State is so good that it runs a fundamental play and any individual goes untouched for 86 yards as a result of it is so a lot better than the staff it is enjoying” method.
Three scorching takes
Blazing — Jackson Arnold will likely be Michigan’s QB subsequent 12 months: Hear, I wrote Saturday evening that Michigan has discovered its offensive id and must lean into it, however that is a 2024-only proposition. Off the sector, the Wolverines higher be scrounging up all of the NIL cash they will discover to hit the switch portal exhausting this offseason and land a QB as a result of the reply is not within the room proper now.
Lo and behold, about an hour after I filed my story on the Wolverines, Oklahoma benched Jackson Arnold after a nasty begin towards Tennessee. Arnold has not performed properly for the Sooners, but it surely stays my opinion that he isn’t the largest downside on that offense, and his benching leads me to imagine there is a sturdy probability he’ll be within the portal after the season. The quantity of suitors lining up for him will help my opinion, and Michigan must be a kind of suitors.
Will go away a scar if touched — Will Johnson will end with extra touchdowns than any Michigan receiver: On a associated observe, Will Johnson scored his second landing of the season towards USC. That is yet another than any Michigan receiver presently has. The main huge receiver on the Wolverines offense to date is Semaj Morgan, who has caught 12 passes for 62 yards and that lone landing.
In opposition to USC, Morgan led the Wolverines in receptions with three for six yards. It was the third time in 4 video games Morgan completed with a number of receptions and fewer than 10 yards. If you have not figured it out but, the Michigan passing offense is giving sturdy “Iowa 2023” vibes.
The feels heat — Luke Altmyer will make an All-Large Ten staff: I wrote in regards to the performances of Altmyer and the Illini following their win over Nebraska, however I wish to drive the purpose house a bit additional. Considered one of my greatest gripes with QB play on the faculty degree is there are method too many examples of gamers who are available in with prospect pedigree, play properly early and by no means enhance. QB improvement has been a delusion way over actuality.
So once I see a man enhance his recreation from one season to the subsequent like Altmyer has, I wish to give them credit score. Altmyer is just not alone on this regard. Penn State’s Drew Allar and Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis have each taken steps ahead as properly.
Grammatical error of the week
You realize seeing this hurts Michigan alumni to the depth of their souls. The one factor worse can be realizing they acquired a World Warfare II truth incorrect throughout that feast dialog.
I see you, Indiana and Rutgers
The Large Ten has six groups ranked within the high 20 of the AP Ballot High 25 this week, but it surely ought to have extra. Indiana and Rutgers should be ranked forward of groups like Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. I am sorry I would not have an AP poll, but when I did, each of you’d be on it.
Going with my intestine
Each week I decide the Large Ten video games towards the unfold based mostly on nothing however my intestine response to the quantity. No digging into numbers — simply vibes, child. I even observe my document to embarrass myself publicly. Odds by way of SportsLine consensus.
No. 19 Illinois at No. 9 Penn State: Penn State crushed Illinois in Champaign final season, successful 30-13. Nevertheless, Illinois turned the ball over 5 instances within the recreation, and it nonetheless took the Nittany Lions a very long time to place the sport away. As I stated earlier, each Drew Allar and Luke Altmyer have improved this season, and whereas I am skeptical Illinois goes on the highway to beat a ranked opponent two weeks in a row, this recreation ought to be nearer than anticipated. Illinois +17.5
Washington at Rutgers (Friday) — Rutgers -2.5
Minnesota at No. 12 Michigan — Michigan -9
Maryland at Indiana — Indiana -7
Nebraska at Purdue — Purdue +10
Wisconsin at No. 13 USC — USC -14
No. 3 Ohio State at Michigan State — Ohio State -25
No. 8 Oregon at UCLA — UCLA +24
Final Week: 8-3
2024 Season: 31-19
