Iowa uses pass to win without running game

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has always believed that a strong running game is needed for a team to be successful but this season’s Hawkeye squad is is running counter to that old adage. The Hawkeyes are 7-2 and closing in on another New Year’s Day appearance despite an anemic ground game that averages only 82-yards per game. He says you do whatever it takes to get the job done. He says in a perfect world it would be good to be balanced, but he says it’s not a perfect world and you have to let the state of your team dictate philosphy.Helping cover up the lack of a run game is a Hawkeye defense that has been dominant during a five-game win streak. Ferentz says it all starts with a senior laden defensive line. He says it parallels what the offensive line was able to do in 2002. He says they’re playing like seniors and playing smart and he says the line playing well just makes everything easier for the rest of the defense.Iowa visits Minnesota this week and in their last trip to the Twin Cities the Hawkeyes destroyed the Gophers and left with the Big Ten title while the fans left with the goal posts. Ferentz says this will be a different game as they don’t have many seniors and are far from a well-oiled machine.Iowa is 6-1 in the Big Ten, a game behind co-leaders Michigan and Wisconsin.