NASHVILLE – Bowl games still count. At least for those who are at the heart of the Iowa football program.
And a host of reasons why they are important have been exposed during The Hawkeyes’ 21-0 rout of Kentucky in Saturday’s Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium.
They count for team veterans and program stalwarts like cornerback Riley Moss, who in his 51st The career game helped Iowa stifle Kentucky’s passing game and record the first-ever bowl shutout by a Big Ten team against one from the SEC. Like linebacker Seth Benson, who had seven tackles in his 48e career game. Like linebacker Jack Campbell, the Butkus Award winner who had 10 tackles in his 44e and last game as Hawkeye. They and other Hawkeye seniors like Noah Shannon, John Wagoner and Monte Pottebaum, had the opportunity to end their Hawkeye careers with a victory, helping to partially erase the taste of a 24-17 loss to Nebraska in of the regular season finale.
They mean a lot to a guy like Sam LaPorta, who missed that Nebraska game with a knee injury and hampered in midfield on the senior day at Kinnick Stadium after meniscus surgery. He desperately wanted to play black and gold one more time. And he was able to recover to play in his 46e and last game at Iowa, catching five balls for 56 yards and even taking three snaps as a Wildcat quarterback in a memorable performance.
“I mean, you should have seen me come off the field. I was crying like a little baby,” LaPorta said in his post-game media briefing, at which point he was beaming and cracking jokes with a Music City Bowl champions t-shirt over his jersey. stained with grass. “Just really emotional. You pour a lot into this program. I said this a few weeks ago, but the more you put into it, the more you get.
When you get recruited (you ask yourself), ‘What can this program do, what can this team do for me?’ I think it’s the exact opposite once there. The more you invest, the more the program will do for you.
The tragedy:Jack Campbell’s grandfather hit by a car, killed the day before the game
Those bowling games are important to a guy like Dallas Craddieth, a fifth-grade senior who plans to transfer to a smaller school next year but wanted to get dressed up one last time with his Hawkeye brothers. The acclaimed former four-star rookie never started a game for Iowa, but he made a big hit on kickoff coverage against the Wildcats. That moment stood out for head coach Kirk Ferentz to mention in his post-game opening remarks, and it would stick with Craddieth for the rest of his life.
As for Ferentz, he’s still old school on bowl games. It was his 20e bowl bid as Iowa coach. He has always considered the development stage in December to be essential to his program.
And, boy, was it on Saturday with so many young guys emerging as promising stories.
Let’s start with quarterback “Broadway Joe” Labas (LaPorta’s nickname, a reference to Nashville’s bustling Broadway music scene). A guy who had mostly taken scout team reps for a year and a half as Hawkeye, but was thrust into the starting quarterback position on Saturday. Ferentz watched Labas fumble his first pre-game warm-up and was a little nervous. But the coach would soon see a ball landed and without turnover and that Labas “has some juice for him too”.
Without that bowl game, Iowa doesn’t have those three weeks to bring Labas in like he did. He will now go into the spring as Cade McNamara’s top replacement with more confidence.
Let’s continue with Xavier Nwankpa. The true freshman safety wouldn’t have had his first career start if not for that bowl opportunity and Kaevon Merriweather’s pick to retire to prepare for the NFL Draft. The highly acclaimed former Southeast Polk rose to the occasion in December, with defensive coordinator Phil Parker calling it one of the best stories of the month. Then on Saturday, Nwankpa’s 52-yard interception return touchdown gave Iowa a 14-0 second quarter lead and essentially cemented the Hawkeyes’ eighth win of the season.
“It definitely sets the bar for me, where I need to go, where I need to improve,” Nwankpa said. “So keep playing games, having fun all spring long, and getting ready for next fall.”
Continuing with money defender Sebastian Castro and cornerback Cooper DeJean, who were perhaps the two most impactful Hawkeyes on many Saturdays. DeJean was a bit of a player a year ago, but emerged in the build-up to the Citrus Bowl and played a role at the end of that 20-17 loss. On Saturday, he was named Music City Bowl MVP after several difference-making special teams plays and a 14-yard interception return touchdown that gave Iowa a 21-0 lead.
The prospect of bringing cornerback Jermari Harris back from injury to play against DeJean next year, with Nwankpa and Quinn Schulte at safety and Castro at money, is suddenly a hugely promising development. The emergence of Nwankpa in December makes this excitement real.
“I’m not saying he’s Cooper, but if you remember Cooper wasn’t known a year ago,” Ferentz said. So again, that’s what we can look at. You watch guys gain confidence.
The defensive line should be loaded next year, even if Lukas Van Ness turns pro. Deontae Craig, Yahya Black and Aaron Graves are young up-and-coming stars, and Logan Lee and possibly Joe Evans will be back to lead the room.
Special teams will once again be elite, with American first-team punter Tory Taylor announcing his return for one more season.
To come back:Tory Taylor reveals he will stay in Iowa next season
Iowa looks strong at running back and tight end on offense, and the arrival of McNamara combined with the emergence of Labas puts the Hawkeyes on a stronger footing at quarterback.
There are still plenty of question marks in the offseason, especially after a shaky offensive line performance again on Saturday. Uncertainty at the coordinator and wide receiver level will have answers in due time.
But this Saturday in Nashville, it was all about winning.
There was simply a lot to make the Hawkeyes feel good about, now and going forward.
“I know the program is in good hands,” LaPorta said. “These young guys are really going to move forward.”
So yes, bowl games still count.
Just really happy for our guys. Especially our elders,” Ferentz said. What a way to send them. It’s a great group, and I can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve done.
Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow covered the sport for 28 years with The Des Moines Register, USA TODAY and Iowa City Press-Citizen. Follow @ChadLeistikow on Twitter.
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