IOWA CITY -- It's understandable for Iowa fans to have a guttural, emotional reaction in a 12-10 loss to an inferior Minnesota team. Especially when one of the greatest players of the Kirk Ferentz era makes an incredible play that most in attendance believe should've been considered a score to take the lead with 1:40 left in the game.
What needs to be considered in that reaction is an offense that continues to be as inept as what many considered the officiating crew on Saturday afternoon.
In the first half, the Deacon Hill-led squad looked about as good as it has all season. Hill was 7/13 through the air for 96 yards, and he scored his first rushing touchdown of the season on a one yard sneak. The run game was less effective -- just 19 yards on 19 carries. Hill also had a ball poked out of his hand that was recovered by the Minnesota defense, but the Hawkeyes were still able to take a 10-3 lead into the half.
Compared to last week's performance against Wisconsin (6/14 for 37 yards), Hill looked as though he was a brand new quarterback.
Then the second half came around, and the offense didn't score a single point. In fact, they barely accrued any yardage on offense.
Over the third and fourth quarters, they managed just 12 yards of total offense.
Not only did the running game continue to struggle -- nine carries for negative nine yards to be exact -- but Hill went 3/14 through the air, including a game-sealing interception for the Gophers with 1:06 to go. Hill also had the ball ripped away on another strip-sack fumble with 3:54 remaining in the third quarter. That turnover resulted in one of the Gophers' four field goals on the day.
"I don't think [Minnesota] changed much in the second half," Hill said postgame. "I just think we didn't execute. I didn't execute. So it's kind of simple as that."
"[The two fumbles] were inexcusable. I have to hold onto the ball whether a guy is hitting me or not. I've got to hold onto the ball. That is on me, no one else. I have to eat that one. On the interception, I was just trying to get to the sticks. I had Nico (Ragaini), and I just missed on it. I wish I could have it back, but I can't."
Though Iowa's special teams and defense remain elite under the tutelage of LeVar Woods and Phil Parker, the offense continues to sink to new lows under Brian Ferentz.
"We have to find answers," Ferentz said. "[Minnesota] clearly made Deacon uncomfortable, and that led to some bad things or us. We'll have to find a way to protect him a little bit better and get the ball out of his hand a little quicker. He's got some ownership in that, too."
"Those are some things we saw back in August, and I thought he had moved past it, but there was a little bit of a revert today. So we have to get him back on his feet and playing a little quicker, more decisively. And we'll have to find a way to get the running game going again, because that's going to take some pressure off him."
Regarding potential solutions, Ferentz dismissed the idea of a quarterback change at this point in the season. While Hill continues to struggle on the field, Iowa's head coach continues to go to bat for him, and Ferentz is adamant that Joe Labas -- who led the Hawkeyes to a Music City Bowl victory last season -- will not see snaps as the starter.
"For 25 years, we've watched guys in practice, we evaluate what they do in practice and then move forward," he said. "Certainly game performance is a big part of it. If it's close, neck-and-neck, then you rotate guys in and take a look at them. I don't think we're insane. You go with what you see in practice, and you try to make the best decision at all positions, not just quarterback. Typically there's a clear one and a clear two. I'm not saying that in a demeaning way to the guys, but that's just what it is and you go with it from there."
"We're going to play the guy that we think gives us the best chance, and that's what we've done for 25 years. You just do what you think is best for the team. That's my number one obligation. We certainly had a bad day today. You've got to get back up on your feet and go to work, because if you surrender it's definitely over."
These are familiar explanations and excuses by Ferentz, but with every familiar utterance from the programs head man, the chants of "Fire Brian" will continue to become more and more familiar in Kinnick Stadium.
