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2 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017

OFFENSE SE ­ ..... 89 Matt VandeBerg 6-1 195 SR. Remember when ... 12 Brandon Smith 6-3 205 FR. TE ..... 87 Noah Fant 6-5 232 SO. 39 Nate Wieting 6-4 250 SO. LT ..... 77 Alaric Jackson 6-7 320 #FR. 52 Boone Myers 6-5 310 SR. LG ..... 52 Boone Myers 6-5 310 SR. 59 Ross Reynolds 6-4 300 JR. C ..... 78 James Daniels 6-4 295 JR. 61 Cole Banwart 6-4 295 #FR. RG ..... 69 Keegan Render 6-4 310 JR. 66 Levi Paulsen 6-5 305 SO. RT ..... 79 Sean Welsh 6-3 295 SR. 74 Tristan Wirfs 6-5 315 FR. TE ..... 38 T.J. Hockenson 6-5 243 #FR. 86 Peter Pekar 6-4 252 SR. WR ..... 84 Nick Easley 5-11 203 JR. 6 Ihmir Smith-Marsette 6-2 175 FR. QB ..... 4 Nate Stanley 6-5 235 SO. 8 Tyler Wiegers 6-4 225 JR. RB ..... 25 Akrum Wadley 5-11 195 SR. 28 Toren Young OR 5-11 220 #FR. 21 Ivory Kelly-Martin 5-11 195 FR. FB ..... 45 Drake Kulick 6-1 240 SR. 36 Brady Ross 6-1 245 SO. PK ..... 91 Miguel Recinos 6-1 192 JR. 3 Keith Duncan 5-11 173 SO. DEFENSE LE ..... 98 Anthony Nelson 6-7 260 SO. 90 Sam Brincks 6-5 275 JR. LT ..... 95 Cedrick Lattimore 6-5 295 SO. 91 Brady Reiff 6-3 260 SO. RT ..... 99 Nathan Bazata 6-3 287 SR. 96 Matt Nelson 6-8 285 JR. RE ..... 40 Parker Hesse 6-3 257 JR. 94 A.J. Epenesa 6-5 270 FR. OLB ..... 44 Ben Niemann 6-3 233 SR. 26 Kevin Ward 6-1 217 SR. MLB ..... 43 Josey Jewell 6-2 236 SR. 34 Kristian Welch 6-3 232 SO. WLB ..... 41 Bo Bower 6-1 235 SR. 31 Aaron Mends 6-0 227 JR. LC ..... 15 Josh Jackson 6-1 192 JR. 8 Matt Hankins 6-1 175 FR. SS ..... 19 Miles Taylor 5-10 203 SR. 27 Jake Gervase 6-1 210 JR. FS ..... 30 Amani Hooker 6-0 210 SO. 9 Geno Stone 6-0 195 FR. RC ..... 11 Michael Ojemudia 6-2 200 SO. 5 Manny Rugamba 6-0 185 SO. PT ..... 7 Colten Rastetter 6-2 210 SO. 2 Ryan Gersonde 6-4 185 FR. File Photo/The Daily Iowan PR 15 Josh Jackson KR 21 Ivory Kelly-Martin Wide receiver Riley McCarron carries the ball for the Iowa Hawkeyes during their game against the Fighting Illini in Champaign, Illinois, at Memorial 89 Matt VandeBerg 25 Akrum Wadley Stadium on Nov. 19, 2016. Iowa defeated Illinois, 28-0. DS 97 Tyler Kluver H 7 Colten Rastetter 50 Jackson Subbert 2 Ryan Gersonde Publisher: 335-5788 Design Editor: Classified Ads/Circulation For the most extensive weekly Iowa football preview show in the Jason Brummond David Calderon Manager: state and photo slideshows after the game go to Editor-in-Chief: 335-6030 Photo Editors: Juli Krause Grace Pateras Ben Smith, Lily Smith Production Manager: Managing Editor: 335-5855 TV Sports Director: Heidi Owen daily-iowan.com Katelyn Weisbrod Mary Kate Herion Advertising Manager: Creative Director: 335-5855 Copy Chief: Renee Manders On The Line Contest Gage Miskimen Beau Elliot Advertising Sales: EnTER Go to daily-iowan.com/ontheline Pregame Editor: Web Editor: Bev Mrstik and place your college Courtney Baumann Tony Phan ThE football predictions. Sports Editors: Business Manager: Pregame Design by Courtney Baumann Adam Hensley, Asst. Pete Ruden Debra Plath Poster Design by Heidi Owen GOT QUESTIONS FOR THE PREGAME STAFF OR A STORY IDEA FOR A FUTURE ISSUE? @DIPregame STAFF EMAIL US AT [email protected] web extras @dailyiowansports The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 - 3 4 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 COVER STORY Still Young, still waiting Toren Young’s journey to this point has featured unexpected twists and turns. BY ADAM HENSLEY | [email protected]

hen one door closes, another door opens. For Iowa running back Toren Young, this statement rings Wtrue. The Madison, Wisconsin, native grew up a Badger fan, but during his recruiting period, he realized his childhood dreams might not come to fruition. “Going into high school and knowing that I had the dreams to play college football, I knew I had to be open-minded,” Young said. “I knew that playing at home might not be a possibility.” Young’s high-school statistics rose exponentially as he moved up each year. As a sophomore, he ran for 1,134 yards and 11 touchdowns. By his senior year, the 5-11, 220-pound tailback racked up 2,779 yards and 28 touchdowns at Monona Grove High School. His accolades mirrored his on-field success — in his senior year alone, Young was named to the Blue-Grey All-American team and first- team All-State, earned conference and area Player of the Year, and was a finalist for the Elroy “Crazy Leg” Hirsch Award. Despite being swamped with accolades, recruiting did not follow suit. “I wasn’t a highly recruited kid,” Young said. “I got letters here and there and took a couple of game visits to places.” The Badgers never offered. Instead, Young looked elsewhere, but it wasn’t a forced decision. If anything, Wisconsin’s failure to offer Young a scholarship was a bless- ing in disguise. He visited Iowa numerous times and attended a few games during the recruiting process, falling in love with both the campus and the Hawkeye program. “I felt like it was the perfect fit for me,” Young said. “I felt the stuff I believe in — being hard-nosed, tough, physical — that’s what this pro- gram exemplifies. I knew I could be a fit here.” In his first season at Iowa, Young redshirted. The Hawkeyes churned out 2,000-yard rushers in 2016, LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley, and many viewed Young as a tailback groomed to move into that two-back rotation once Daniels graduated. “He’s more of a strong back like LeShun or Shonn Greene,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said during the spring season. “[I] hate to start throwing names out of guys who are accomplished players, [but] Marcus Coker is another name that comes to mind.” To put that in perspective, Daniels scored 18 touchdowns over the course of the previous two seasons, Greene — the 2008 Doak Walker Award winner — ran for 1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2008, and Coker rushed for 1,384 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final season as a Hawkeye in 2011. At Iowa’s spring practice in West Des Moines in April, Ferentz high- lighted Young as one of the redshirt players that improved drastically since he first arrived on campus. “Early on, when I came in, I had high pad level,” Young said. “Being a physical back and priding yourself on being physical, you can’t run high. [My coaches] really coached me on getting my pad level down.” Power running stems from a low pad level — the running back gets Nick Rohlman/The Daily Iowan See Cover story, 14 Iowa’s Toren Young celebrates after a run during the game between Iowa and North Texas at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 16. Iowa won, 31-14. The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 - 5 6 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 one on one

Daily Iowan football editor Courtney Baumann caught up with kicker Miguel Recinos, a junior from Mason City.

Daily Iowan: What fictional place would DI: What would your alter ego’s you like to visit? name be? Miguel Recinos: That’s really tough… You Recinos: Some days I think know Ministereth? That looks really cool. Colten [Rastetter] is the I’ve always wondered what it would be like exact opposite of me. The to stand on top and look down. specialists, we tease each other, so there are times DI: What would your go-to karaoke that everything I have an song be? opinion on, one of the guys Recinos: I really like the song “Youth” by will be opposite. Glass Animals but that’s pretty high range. I don’t know if I have the ability to belt that DI: What would your dream out anymore. Maybe in my choir days, but house look like? now I’m getting a little rusty. Recinos: I’d say my dream house would be in a small Iowa town … DI: What could you give a 20-minute pre- It would be a decent size. I don’t sentation on with no preparation? like the mansion thing, I feel like Recinos: Goalkeeping, 100 percent. that would be too much to keep track of. People always talk about DI: If you could make one rule everyone that, but that’s a lot of space. If had to follow, what would it be? you’re cleaning the house, that’s a Recinos: Get a little physical activity in ev- huge time investment. I’d say a de- ery day. cent size, probably two floors, just the main and the basement. DI: “Jeopardy” or “Wheel of Fortune”? That sounds good to me. Recinos: Pr0bably Jeopardy. That’s a tough one. DI: What job would you be DI: What wild animal would you want as terrible at? a pet? Recinos: I Recinos: Depends. If it’s fictional, Game of don’t Thrones has made me think dragon, but if know, it’s real, assuming it doesn’t eat me alive, media. I’d say wolf.

DI: What’s an irrational fear you have? Recinos: Space is a good one. The idea of if you’re exposed to it, it’s over. There’s nothing you can do about it. with miguel recinos The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 - 7 8 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 AROUND THE BIG TENpower rankings

It’s my brother’s senior Homecoming this weekend, too. Go (Shawano) Hawks.

COURTNEY BAUMANN [email protected] Offensive Impact 1) Penn State (5-0): 8) Nebraska (3-2): It would be so great to see Saquon Nebraska is the worst. It just sits Barkley in a Packers’ uniform. Too uselessly between the Midwest Name: D.J. Moore, Maryland bad he’s going No. 1 and GB is win- and the West. I don’t consider it a Position: Wide receiver ning Super Bowl LII. part of anything geographically. Year: Junior

Moore has 30 receptions for 403 yards so far 2) Wisconsin (4-0): this season with 5 touchdowns through the The only team I can even remotely 9) Minnesota (3-1): air. That’s an average of 13.4 yards a catch. see Bucky losing to the rest of this The boat is sinking, P.J. season is Michigan. Badgers are 100 Plus, he’s added 46 yards and a touchdown in percent winning the West title. three rushes on the ground. Now, that’s an 10) Northwestern (2-2): impact. Anytime Adam talks about the 3) Michigan (4-0): Wildcats being a “dark horse” a The Wolverines’ rest of the season Northwestern nerd fails an exam. could be tough; they have Penn State, defensive Impact Wisconsin, and Ohio State in the second half. It’ll be fun to watch. 11) Indiana (2-2): The state of Indiana is also the Name: Josey Jewell, Iowa worst. It is very similar to Nebraska Position: Middle linebacker 4) Ohio State (4-1): in the way that it is not useful Senior You shut out Rutgers. Congrats, Ohio whatsoever. Year: State. Jewell leads the Big Ten in defense, and it isn’t 12) Illinois (2-1): even close. He has had back-to-back 16-tackle 5) Maryland (3-1) “I can’t wait for the next two years to games and is No. 4 in total tackles in the NCAA Can someone please explain to me be over so I can finally have my own with 60. He’s tied for fifth in solo tackles, posting how we got to the point where I have recruits.” — Lovie Smith, probably 31. Add in 2.5 sacks, an interception, a fumble Maryland ranked No. 5? recovery, and 4 pass breakups, and you’ve got an Outlaw on your hands. 13) Purdue (2-2): 6) Michigan State (3-1): A list of places I will never return Yep, better than Iowa. to: West Lafayette. GAME TO WATCH 7) Iowa (3-2): 14) Rutgers (1-4): The only reason the Hawkeyes are Somehow put up 209 yards against Michigan state at No. 8 michigan still in the top half is because they’ve Ohio State. Still didn’t score any When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday shown they can be better. points. Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Mich. Watch: ABC

10 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 - 11

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 - 13 14 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 COVER STORY continued from 4

File Photo/The Daily Iowan File Photo/The Daily Iowan Iowa running back Toren Young dives for the end zone during the spring game at Kinnick Stadium on April 21. Iowa running back Toren Young gets tackled during the spring game on April 21. lower position and initiates the contact out specifically for Young. him on the depth chart. through a hole for 15 yards. Next, he fol- rather than running upright and waiting On Sept. 16, Iowa squared up with “We got a good running-back crew, and lowed that run with an 11-yard gain, setting to be hit. North Texas for its final nonconference there are two really good backs in front of Iowa up at the North Texas 2-yard line. After working hard to get his technique game of the season. The game was closer me, so I’m just sitting back learning a lot But with the clock winding down and Iowa right, Young may have expected to be No. than fans had hoped and expected. from them,” Young said. “They always tell not wanting to run up the score, Ferentz opt- 2 on the depth chart. Ultimately, though, For most of the contest, neither team me when my number’s called to be ready.” ed to take a knee and run out the clock. Young has had to wait longer than expect- could establish consistency. Running back The pair chewed away at the clock, Fans licked their chops for another ed to put his power-running style on dis- Akrum Wadley scored on a long catch and keeping North Texas’ offense off the Hawkeye touchdown, but Young was more play; he found himself lower on the depth run, but an unsportsmanlike-conduct field (two of the Hawkeyes’ touchdown than happy not to get the ball one last time. chart than anticipated. penalty erased his touchdown. drives in the second half took at least “I’m just happy we won the game,” he Iowa added another running back, graduate Wadley exited the game in the first 6:52), and helping Iowa’s offense score said later that day. “Taking a knee is a transfer James Butler, during the off-season. half, having tweaked his ankle, leaving 21 unanswered points. Butler never re- smart decision.” The Hawkeyes aren’t known for taking Butler as the lead ball carrier. turned to the game, and he continues to Taking a knee put Young’s first Hawkeye graduate transfers, but Butler’s situation Young saw his first carry of his Hawk- miss time because of that injury, leav- touchdown on hold, but as the old saying was unique; he arrived on campus with eye career on Iowa’s final drive of the half ing Iowa with Wadley, Young, and Kel- goes, good things come to those who wait. a respectable résumé: 3,316 yards and 30 — a 5-yard rush in an attempt to relieve ly-Martin to work with. Young hasn’t seen the field since the touchdowns over the course of three sea- Butler from his sudden up-tick in carries. When the final whistle blew, Young’s win over the Mean Green, despite Butler’s sons with the Wolfpack. In the second half, however, an injury carries stood at 19. He gained 78 yards on absence; Wadley took almost every snap Young’s mindset didn’t change, even decimated Butler’s workload. He put to- the ground, including a 15-yard run, aver- against Penn State and Michigan State, after losing his potential spot to a new gether his best game of the season — a aging a solid 4.1 yards per carry. with a handful of carries going to Kel- Hawkeye. If anything, Butler’s arrival 16-carry, 77-yard performance — before “The young guys, certainly, who jumped ly-Martin. The Hawkeyes couldn’t mus- brought added competition in the run- he followed Wadley off the field. in did a great job, too; they really helped us ter much on the ground in both games. ning-back unit. Iowa turned to two unproven, untested out,” offensive lineman Sean Welsh said. Searching for answers in the running “You got to come in here every day ready to running backs: Young and true freshman Young almost punched the ball into the game, Ferentz might change things; work,” Young said. “From the beginning, bring- Ivory Kelly-Martin. end zone on Iowa’s final possession after Young might find his way back onto the ing Butler in, that makes it more competitive Opportunity knocked against North the Hawkeyes took over following corner- field as soon as this weekend against Il- here, which is good for the offense as a whole.” Texas, and Young was ready, thanks to back Josh Jackson’s interception with un- linois. Hawkeye football preaches a next- embracing a studious role and taking der two minutes remaining. “I’ve got an open mind at every posi- man-up mentality, something that played notes from the veteran backs ahead of In Mean Green territory, Young rushed tion,” Ferentz said. The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 - 15 16 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 by the numbers illinois BY PETE RUDEN | [email protected]

After a 2-0 start, Illinois looked as if it might be headed in the right direction. But after going 0-2 since, including a 28-6 shellacking against Nebras- ka, the standard for this Illini team has declined to its usual resting spot. The Illinois offense has been underwhelming, and the defense has neither been able to get off the field nor keep teams from scoring. While getting wide receiver Mike Dudek back from a torn ACL has certainly given the passing game a boost, the quarterback play has been less than stellar, racking up three times as many inter- ceptions as TD passes. Still looking for their first conference win, the Illini have shown there is work to be done before they climb into the top half of the Big Ten standings. With that being said, here’s a look at Illinois, by the numbers: Average offense per game

The Illinois offense has not been good this season. Its offense has been unable to move the ball down the field this season, and that’s a big problem. The Illini rank last in the Big Ten in terms of total offense, trailing Rutgers, the next bad team, by nearly 40 yards a game. 267.3It has also scored only 7 touchdowns on the season, also last in the Big Ten. While Dudek and running back Mike Epstein have been solid this year, recording 195 receiving yards and 263 rushing yards, respectively, neither ranks in the top 10 in the conference in receiving or rushing. The lack of offense has also led to the Illini having the worst scoring offense in the Big Ten, putting up just 17.8 points a game. The 71 total points they have put up trails No. 12 Michigan State by 27. Interceptions thrown

Part of the reason Illinois’ offense has not been able to do anything big is because of turnovers. Illini quarterbacks have combined for 6 inter- ceptions, while only tossing 2 touchdowns. Former starting quarterback Chayce Crouch has accounted for 4 of the picks, throwing 1 touchdown in the process. He is tied for 6fourth in the conference in interceptions, behind Nebraska’s Tan- ner Lee, Rutgers’ Kyle Bolin, and Northwestern’s Clayton Thorson. At the same time, though, Crouch has thrown only 77 pass- es, meaning he has not made the most of his opportunities in any way. Jeff George Jr., who is set to start against Iowa, has thrown 1 touch- down and 2 interceptions in his limited play. He has, however, accumu- lated a quarterback rating of 131.9, giving the Illini hope. Needless to say, when Illinois takes on Rutgers on Oct. 14, it likely won’t be a pretty game to watch. Opponent third down conversion percentage

In addition to their disheartening offense, the defense has hurt the team as well by not getting off the field on third down. Every other team in the conference has an opponent third-down con- version percentage under 46, while teams convert against Illinois on more than half of their attempts. 53.2The sheer number of conversions by opponents translates directly to the number of points given up, and Illinois sits in the bottom third of the Big Ten, giving up 25.8 points per game. File Photo/The Daily Iowan Meanwhile, Iowa ranks fifth in the Big Ten, converting on 40.8 per- Iowa defensive back Greg Mabin tackles Illinois wide receiver Mike Dudek in MemorialS tadium on Nov. 15, 2014, in Champaign, Illinois. The Hawkeyes cent of its third downs. defeated the Fighting Illini, 30-14. The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 - 17 18 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa ONon THE the LINE line Matchups Courtney Baumann Adam Hensley Pete Ruden Gage Miskimen Mary Kate Herion Jason Brummond Fan Picks MATCHUPS PREGAME EDITOR (15-9) SPORTS EDITOR (15-9) Asst. SPORTS EDITOR (19-5) CREATIVE DIRECTOR (0-0) DITV SPORTS DIRECTOR (16-8) ui alum (18-6) Fan Picks

iowa Iowa IOWA iowa Iowa iowa Iowa (78%) Remember last week when Nate Stanley completes Maybe this time we’ll all Hi, I’m Gage. I’m a They play U of I so ... I miss Ron Zook. I’m sure PlS don’t lose again. Pls. Illinois at Iowa Jason predicted Wadley would his first deep pass of the be right. little late to the party. My he’d think Miguel Recinos run for more than 0 yards in season. I’m calling it now. financial-aid check just is a heckuva RB. the first half? Ha. went through.

Michigan Michigan Michigan Michigan Michigan MICHigan michigan (89%) State’s a fluke. Connor Cook and his Uhhhh ... Khakis? At the end of the movie300 , I love you, Jim. Over-under on number of It’s nice that the fans can Michigan State at massive ego aren’t here all of the remaining Spartans times “Surrender Cobra be rational, yet still salty No. 8 Michigan to help the Spartans. get struck down by a wave of Guy” is shown: 17.5. about last weekend in arrows. This is like that. this poll.

Flori da LSU Flori da Florida LSU Flori da Florida (56%) LSU at No. 21 Tim Tebow would never The Gators are overrated Update: Tim Tebow should LSU does not deserve to Still not over last year’s Gainesville native Tom LSU is geauxing down. say stupid things like Cam this year. Chomp on that. STILL be starting for the win a game ever again bowl game. Petty’s top hit “Free Fallin” Florida Newton. Jets. after last week. Troy? sums up LSU. TROY?

UTAH Stanford Stanfo rd Utah Stanfo rd UTAH stanford (56%) Stanford at Y’all ever seen “The Book of What even is a Ute? Utah is more overrated I hate you, Christian Just in case Christian I don’t have fond memo- The Utes against the Trees. Mormon?” than the OKC Thunder will McCaffrey. McCaffrey reads this. ries of Stanford. What the actual heck. No. 20 Utah be this season.

West Virginia TCU TCU TCU tcu TCU tcu (89%) No. 23 West Virginia This is becoming my “Why Ah yes, another Big 12 Remember when TCU won Kenny Hill career stats: 6,040 Horned Frogs are native to Big 12 is tough to Beau Bowman wrote Mary not?” row. game with no defense. the Rose Bowl? Classic. yards, 41 TDs, 21 intercep- Borneo on Mount Kinabalu. predict. Except for the Kate’s pick. This is his at No. 8 TCU tions, 1 public intox, 1 transfer. In 2015, an earthquake on Cyclones. They’re not credit. Johnny Manziel’s protégé. Kinabalu killed 18 mountaineers. good. The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017 - 19 20 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, October 6, 2017