PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Nate Stanley reaped the rewards of a six-touchdown game last week against Indiana. The junior second-year starter was named the Walter Camp Player of the Week and the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Stanley’s career-high six touchdowns in the 42-16 win at Indiana was the second best total in Iowa history. In the last four games, he has thrown for 14 touchdowns. Stanley has exceeded 300 yards passing in three of his last four games, and his 15 touchdown passes are the second highest total in the Big Ten behind Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins. He’s spreading the ball around to an improved group of wide receivers and tight ends. In just 19 career starts, he’s already tied for 11th in Iowa history with 41 touchdown passes. Iowa’s offensive line has given Stanley time to throw, giving up a Big Ten-low six sacks this season.
–TE T.J. Hockensen has formed a formidable duo with TE Noah Fant this season for Iowa. In last week’s win at Indiana, Hockenson was tied for the most catches with four for 107 yards (his second career 100-yard receiving game) and two touchdowns. One of the scoring receptions went for a career-long 54 yards. He also is proving to be an effective blocker, which was exemplified with a highlight-reel pancake block downfield against the Hoosiers. Hockensen is averaging 17.9 yards per catch, leads the Hawkeyes with 394 receiving yards and ranks second in catches with 22.
–S Jake Gervase had a nice game last week against Indiana. His eight tackles tied for the team lead with LB Kristian Welch and he added an interception, his first of the season, on the final defensive play of the game for Iowa, and one pass breakup. With injuries forcing Iowa to play young and inexperienced cornerbacks, Gervase has steadied the back end of the defense. The redshirt senior is second on the team with 34 tackles in six games.
–WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette is leading the nation in kickoff returns with a 37.4-yard average and is second in the Big Ten with a 19.2-yard average per reception. The sophomore had a 60-yard kickoff return last week in the 42-16 win at Indiana. His only catch against the Hoosiers went for two yards, but he’s an athlete on the outside who’s a threat to break a big play that Iowa has lacked the past few years. “Ihmir is doing a nice job back there as our kick return guy,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz told hawkeyesports.com. “The flipside is that when you know you have a guy back there that has a little knack, they seem to find a way to block a little harder because they know that opportunity is there.”
SERIES HISTORY: Iowa and Maryland each have won one game in the series that began after the Terrapins joined the Big Ten. Iowa lost at Maryland and won in Iowa City in 2015, the last meeting between the teams in separate divisions in the Big Ten.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “The message I have given our team is whenever we get everybody back healthy, the good news is, we should be a stronger team based on the experience some of these players are getting.” — Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz
