Iowa Hawkeyes looking more balanced than a year ago

The Iowa Hawkeyes have won 14 straight regular season games, nine in a row at home, and look even more balanced than they were a year ago…

It’s still early in the season, and a final non-conference test against North Dakota State remains, but the Iowa Hawkeyes look even more balanced than they were a season ago when they went undefeated into the Big Ten championship game.

Kirk Ferentz teams are always better when there is great veteran leadership across the board, and he has it in spades this season, starting with quarterback C.J. Beathard.

Beathard, a senior, is one of the most well-rounded and polished quarterbacks in college football. He does everything really well, but this season, it’s clear that he has an even better command of the offense than he did as a junior, and that’s saying something.

Beathard sort of has a reputation as a ‘game manager’ type, but we’re starting to see him emerge as a legit NFL-caliber quarterback, someone that could be highly valued come next Spring.

The success of a guy like C.J. Beathard begets success for other guys in the offense, most notably at wide receiver in fellow senior Matt VandeBerg. Take a look at what these two did against the Iowa State defense on Saturday last week…

While the success of the quarterback is key for this offense, the success of the running game might be even more so. Fortunately for Ferentz and the Hawkeyes, this Iowa running game is everything fans have dreamed of through the years of watching guys leave early, get kicked off the team, change commitments, or whatever other factors come into play.

Part of the great balance of this Iowa team right now is the running game’s diversity, starting with lead ball carrier LeShun Daniels. Daniels is a bruiser when he needs to be, but he also has really good feet and quickness, and can make plays in space. Akrum Wadley is a speedy back who has also proven he’s capable of making plays inside the tackles.

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But what running back wouldn’t succeed behind this massive Iowa offensive line?

For a college team, this Iowa group is just in sync. They’re all on the same page week after week, and we’ve seen the fruit of that preparation over the course of the last year-plus.

The Hawkeyes have been scoring almost at will so far this season, which isn’t unexpected in the early goings, but there have been times that Iowa has gotten ‘lucky’ at the start of the year in some seemingly easy non-conference games.

It doesn’t get any easier this week with FCS power North Dakota State coming into Kinnick Stadium. This Iowa team is going to need to remain focused, continue its great balance offensively, and prove that they are ready for Big Ten play with a statement win.

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