Skip to content

Ad Disclosure

Brian Ferentz on using Nate Stanley’s legs against ISU: You’re trying to take what they give you

Dave Holcomb

By Dave Holcomb

Published:

Coaches don’t like losing at all, but if they’re going to lose, usually, they’ll tell you they’d like to go down swinging with their best players. Then again, sometimes the opposition takes away those best players, leaving an offensive coordinator with the decision of forcing a play to their best player — the superior athlete — or “fooling” the defense with a playcall to a lesser-known offensive weapon.

That is the forever difficult question offensive coordinators always face, and Iowa OC Brian Ferentz discussed it during his press conference Wednesday night.

“That’s what you’re always trying to do,” Ferentz said. “You’re trying to live in a world where you’re taking what the defense gives you to some extent while still trying to have your best player’s involved.”

The example he used was Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley using his legs to scramble for multiple first downs in Week 3. During two separate drives on key third-down attempts against Iowa State on Saturday, Stanley scrambled for at least seven yards to gain the first down and extend the drive. Both of those possessions ended in points during the 18-17 victory.

RELATED: Iowa DC Phil Parker seeking more growth and depth along defensive line

Iowa went 10-for-18 on third downs in the victory, but don’t expect Ferentz to install the quarterback draw as a regular playcall.

“If we’re trying to run QB draws the rest of the year thinking that’s our whole running game, that’s probably not very smart,” he said. “But the other night, that was available so you’re trying to take what they give you.”

The Hawkeyes are on a bye this week and will next play Middle Tennessee State on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Dave Holcomb