3 Takeaways from the Iowa / Purdue Game

Last week against Penn State, I kept thinking Iowa was going to pull it out. There was not much evidence to support this, but had Iowa not had one of the most ridiculous interceptions at the goal line, my confidence could have paid off. This week was the opposite of that. Yeah, I felt good going into the game, but then the game started and I just didn't see any way Iowa was going to overcome a David Blough that was throwing dimes all over the yard and the rest of the Purdue Boilermakers. Last week, I was wrong, and unfortunately, this week I was right. That game exhausted me, so only three takeaways this week.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette Is Taking Years Off My Life
Smith-Marsette started off the game with a really nice kick return, although it was negated by a penalty. Later on in the game, the Hawkeyes tried to utilize ISM's speed on a jet sweep, but the man refuses to go anywhere but as far outside as possible. It doesn't matter if there is a massive hole just waiting for him, he is going to go outside that wide receiver block and give himself absolutely no room to make anything happen. He will make fantastic catches and drop balls that hit him between the numbers. He wanted to return a kickoff when he caught it eight yards into the end zone and was visibly upset that his upman wouldn't let him. I go back and forth on whether Iowa needs a player like him or would be better off if he never saw the field again.

Purdue Found Riley Moss
In Riley Moss's first start, Minnesota found and abused him throughout the game. They threw two bad passes late in the game, so somehow Moss had a bad game and was also named Freshman of the Week since he had two picks. This was definitely a case of stats not telling the whole story. He was bad in that game, but none of Iowa's next three opponents decided to take excessive advantage of it. Purdue was not as kind as they definitely saw a weakness and exploited it, and exploited it...and exploited it. Riley Moss is a true freshman so he has plenty of time to grow, but he is not a starting caliber corner at this stage in his career. Iowa appeared to replace him with Ojemudia in the second half, and that has to be the plan moving forward, at least until Hankins returns.

Iowa REALLY Wanted to get Austin Kelly a Touchdown
Iowa is to getting Austin Kelly a touchdown as Gretchen Weiners is to making fetch happen. Stop trying to make fullback touchdowns a thing Iowa; it's not going to happen.

Who am I kidding? I'm an Iowa fan. There are only two types of touchdowns that matter, fullbacks and tight ends. Keep plowing Kelly forward.