Following the left leg injury to Iowa's starting quarterback Cade McNamara on Saturday against Michigan State, and backup quarterback Deacon Hill was thrown into the fire, playing his first meaningful snaps since he was in high school. The Wisconsin transfer took the reigns and led Iowa to a 26-16 Big Ten win.
"Obviously I wish it would've come under different circumstances," Hill said at Tuesday's media availability. "I love Cade, and I want the best for him. But it's kind of how football is. There are injuries, it's part of the game. So now it's just my turn, and I've got to keep working like I have."
"I recognized him in the locker room after the game for stepping in and doing a great job," Kirk Ferentz said. "The players were really responsive. He's very popular with the players. He'll do just fine. The guys want to play for him, they respect him and they're all pulling for him."
Going forward as the starter full-time is different, but it won't exactly change the way Hill prepares this week.
"It's obviously a different feeling knowing that I'll be playing on Saturday," he said. "But I don't think my prep has changed a lot. I've talked to Coach (Jon) Budmayr, and we've got a routine going since the first week. Establishing that routine and keeping that thing moving forward is probably what I need the most."
"I'll probably be a little more nervous [for the game]. I think anybody would. I think it's just keying in on what the fundamentals are, and what the fundamentals of our game plan is and just leaning on that."
Though the preparation for the most part will stay the same for the former three-star recruit, Hill added that he and the wide receivers have been getting extra work in to avoid the five drops the group experienced with him under center on Saturday.
"I think the biggest thing is getting reps," he said. "I've grabbed Nico (Ragaini), (Diante) Vines, Seth (Anderson) and all of them after practice to get some throws in. I think I've been throwing 30-40 balls to Vines after every practice so far this week and we'll continue to do it the rest of the week.
"Throwing and catching is a two way street. So if I screw up a little they're going to help me out and I've got to help them out. We're just trying to adjust to each other, and I think we've got it dialed down pretty good. I'm not too worried about it. I have all the belief in the world in those guys."
Starting center Logan Jones says the confidence in one another abounds between Hill and the rest of the team, too.
"I'd say the only thing he lacks right now is the experience that Cade had," he said. "Him going into the game, there was no difference for me, I would say. Everybody on the team is very confident that he's going to get the job done and I think he did a great job this past Saturday."
Jones says Hill's mobility may even be an added advantage considering McNamara was hampered by his previous thigh injury.
"He can scramble a little bit more than Cade may have been able to," he added. "We're going to continue to try to give him as much time as he can. It's all about helping each other out. He rolled out quite a bit last week and got the defense guessing a little bit and that definitely helped."
On top of the mobility, Hill's arm strength has blown his teammates and coaches away.
"Deacon just chucks that thing," Jones said. "I was like 'Oh my gosh!' He's a big dude throwing the ball that far. If I tried to do that, my shoulder would probably give out. He can throw the ball deep, I like watching that. I asked Spencer (Petras) if he could throw the ball further than Deacon, and he was like 'I don't know, man,' and Spencer can launch the ball, too."
"He can throw the football," Ferentz added. "That's not an issue with him, that's his strength. He's made some good plays, and he's made some that weren't so good, but that's the inexperience. That's how you learn and get better. So yeah, he'll make some good throws. He can throw the football."
How far does Hill think he can throw it?
"Probably 73 or 74 yards."
Moving from the backup to the full-time starter for a Big Ten program certainly carries a lot of weight, and Hill is aware of that. Amid all the noise, he's doing what he can to stay down to earth and in the moment.
"I think it's a big deal, obviously it would be for anyone," he said. "I think staying grounded and focused on the task at hand is the biggest thing -- eliminating all other distractions. Just focusing on ball is the biggest thing. I've always been very into football, like, it's my life. Especially now more than ever. Just being with the guys and being focused on the gameplan is the biggest thing."
