Week 6 — Learn to love the Stanzi

Posted on Oct 10, 2009 by Marc Morehouse.

Caption: Iowa's Brandon Wegher leaps over Michigan defenders for a touchdown during the second quarter of their game at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, in Iowa City. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

You’ll have to excuse Ricky Stanzi for the occasional sway and stumble. That happens when you have the weight of an entire team on your back.

Stanzi is pretty much Iowa’s offense. He’ll “aw shucks” it and, certainly at times, you might not want to admit it, but it was never more true than in Saturday night’s 30-28 victory over Michigan.

The junior completed 20 of 38 for 283 yards, an interception returned for a TD and two TD passes, and led an Iowa offense that didn’t finish enough, but still wound up taking a sweet knee after free safety Brett Greenwood picked off UM’s Denard Robinson with 46 seconds left.

The No. 12 Hawkeyes (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) moved to 6-0 for the first time since 1985. The Wolverines fell to 4-2, 1-2.

After missing three games with an ankle injury, tight end Tony Moeaki caught six passes for 105 yards and two TDs, including a 42-yarder with 12:56 left in the fourth quarter that ended up being the winning points.

Iowa’s defense was bloodied, but still forced five turnovers out of the Wolverines, including Greenwood’s game-sealer, game-winner and game-finisher.

The Hawkeyes travel to Wisconsin (5-1, 2-1) next week. The Badgers fell 31-13 at Ohio State.

Say what you want about Stanzi. He made mistakes, but he carried an offense that never really found its footing Saturday night before 70,585 at Kinnick Stadium.

On their first possession of the second half, the Hawkeyes drove for a 40-yard Daniel Murray field goal, giving the Hawkeyes 23-14 lead 10:45 left in the third quarter. It was his third field goal of the game (28, 41 and 40), a career-high for Murray. He also missed a 53-yarder just before halftime.

After trading possessions, Michigan put together its most impressive drive of the night.

The Wolverines went away from spread option trickery and delivered a punch in the mouth to Iowa’s defense, driving 57 yards on 10 plays with running back Brandon Minor breaking in from the 1 to pull UM within 23-21 with 4:23 left in the third quarter.

The Wolverines rushed nine of the 10 pays for 53 yards. Minor was the workhorse, going seven carries for 44 yards and the TD.

Just when it looked as though the Hawkeyes would take command, Stanzi missed.

Michigan’s Greg Matthews fumbled a punt and Iowa’s Willie Lowe recovered at UM’s 16. Iowa couldn’t take advantage.

With first down at Michigan’s 6, Iowa went pass incompletet, 3-yard pass to running back Brandon Wegher and 2-yard Wegher run. This set up fourth-and-1 1/2.

After a timeout, Stanzi rolled right to buy some time and then totally missed Moeaki, who was just breaking open. Michigan linebacker Stevie Brown nearly picked it off.

The best thing Michigan did with the ball from its 1 1/2 was punt it. Zoltan Mesko, first-team all-Big Ten last season, unleashed a 61-yarder that Colin Sandeman picked off the turf and returned 20 yards to UM’s 42.

What took so much effort last time looked so easy this time.

On first down, Stanzi ran a naked bootleg. His first option along the sideline was covered. He second option, short in the flat, was covered by a linebacker. His third option was gold.

Running a drag route across the middle, tight end Tony Moeaki broke open late. Stanzi’s wait paid off. Moeaki caught a perfect pass and split the entire Michigan defense for a 42-yard score and a 30-21 lead with 12:56 left in the game.

What was so close and yet so far away last time took just one play and 10 seconds this time.

Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier took a hit from Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn and left the game with about 12 minutes left.

The Wolverines brought in Denard Robinson, another true freshman quarterback. He ran the “wildcat” down the Hawkeyes’ throat and into the end zone. The 6-foot, 185-pounder took shotgun snap after shotgun snap and simply ran the ball. When the smoke cleared, he rushed eight times for 47 yards, including a 3-yard TD that pulled Michigan within 30-27 with 3:16 left.

Robinson accounted for every one of the 59 yard-drive.

This set up the third onsides kick the Hawkeyes have seen this season. This one was no problem. Kicker Bryan Wright dribbled it out of bounds, giving Iowa a first down at Michigan’s 45.

The Wolverines used their final timeout with 2:25 left. 

You’ll have to excuse Ricky Stanzi for the occasional sway and stumble. That happens when you have the weight of an entire team on your back.

Stanzi is pretty much Iowa’s offense. He’ll “aw shucks” it, but it was never more true than in Saturday night’s XX-XX victory over Michigan.

Stanzi stood in the pocket, looked right and threw it right into the arms of Michigan cornerback Donovan Warren, who returned it untouched 40 yards for a 7-0 Michigan lead with 14:14 left in the first quarter.

But Stanzi, facing down the pressure of having absolutely no running game and some pretty shaky pass blocking, made enough plays to lift Iowa to a 20-14 halftime lead.

One pass, six points the other way.

It was Stanzi’s third pick six of the season. The next drive started with a timeout. Iowa couldn’t get the play in on time. As far as starts go, Iowa looked like the road team, a nervous, nervous road team.

Stanzi taketh away and then he gaveth.

On third-and-13 from Michigan’s 35, Stanzi called an audible with three seconds left on the playclock. Whatever he saw, he saw it perfectly.

Stanzi took a short drop and hit TE Tony Moeaki just a few yards off the line of scrimmage. Moeaki trucked in untouched from 34 yards for a 7-7 tie with 9:20 left in the first quarter.

Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier returned the favor on the Wolverines’ next possession, rolling right and throwing right to Iowa LB Jeremiha Hunter who picked it off and returned it to UM’s 19.

On third-and-2 from the 11, Stanzi tried WR Marvin McNutt but Warren, the player of the first half, made a great play in the end zone to breakup a pass that McNutt had two hands on. Daniel Murray kicked a 28-yard field goal and the Hawkeyes had a 10-7 lead with 5:55 left in the first quarter.

The Forcier everyone in the Big Ten has been talking about showed up on the possession.

He accounted for 45 of a 72-yard scoring drive that SB Brandon Minor finished with a 3-yard charge, making it 14-10 Michigan with 1:12 left in the first quarter. That rush TD snapped Iowa’s streak of 33 quarters without yielding a rushing TD.

After Iowa went three-and-out, Forcier had the ball fly out of his hand and Hunter recovered at Michigan’s 46.

But again, Iowa was held to a field goal, a 41-yarder from Murray this time that pulled Iowa to 14-13 with 12:50 left in the second quarter. That was first down at UM’s 19 and UM’s 46 and only six points generated. That’s the kind of thing that catches up to a team.

After pretty much sputtering for nearly an entire half, Stanzi locked in.

Mark down 10:09 left in the second quarter. That’s when Stanzi’s feet finally touched turf.

On third-andd -6 from Iowa’s 26, Stanzi hit Stross for a diving 33-yard completion to Michigan’s 41. And then, after a 14-yard loss on a botched shotgun snap set up a third-and-24, Stanzi winged a pass to WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, who split coverage and beat Warren, for a 47-yard gain to Michigan’s 8.

Three plays later, RB Brandon Wegher jumped in from the 1 for a 20-14 lead 5:49 left before halftime.

Iowa’s rushing duo of Wegher and Adam Robinson had just 21 yards between them. Iowa finished half with just 3 yards.

With no rushing game, Stanzi has a lot of pressure on his shoulder pads. He carried it well late in the second half, after, of course, his early-game nuttiness.

Stanzi finished the half 12 of 21 for 200 yards, INT and TD. Forcier finished 5 of 9 for 74 with an interception. Iowa’s defense made it close with three turnovers, including a fumble caused by DT Karl Klug and covered by DE Adrian Clayborn at Iowa’s 30 with 1:19 before halftime.

UM’s Brandon Minor had 48 rushing yards and a TD. DE Brandon Graham had two sacks and was close to two more. Iowa had no answer for Graham, who made Bulaga and Calloway look silly on different plays in the first half.