Outside Kinnick Stadium prior to an Iowa football game
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has no idea what bowl game the Hawkeyes may play in but says it will be one they deserve. The Hawks will try to finish the regular season on a winning note when they take a 7-4 record to Minnesota.
Ferentz says for the most part “you get what you deserve and its fair to say so far that’s what they’ve gotten. He says the best thing they can do is worry about their play.
In all four losses the Hawkeyes have led in the fourth quarter but the defense has failed to stop game winning drives in all four. Ferentz says the fourth quarter offense has not been good enough either as the two complement each other. He says if you can move the ball and give the defense some rest, that figures into it too.
Running back Adam Robinson will not play against the Gophers after suffering a second concussion in last week’s loss to Ohio State and freshman Marcus Coker will get his second start. He says everything Coker has done so far has been impressive and it was “awfully impressive” to see Coker play well against Ohio State.
Heading into the season the Hawkeyes had three experienced running backs but will start a freshman in the finale and injuries to the linebacking corps has led to freshman James Morris starting at middle linebacker. Ferentz says injuries tend to hit some positions during the course of the season and you have to deal with it and do the best you can.
Iowa’s defense has dominated the Gophers the past two years and in both games the Hawks posted a shutout. Ferentz says they have played well and a couple of the years they have been fortunate, as they could not score on offense. He says it will not be an easy game against the Gophers.