Every Friday, the editorial staff of touchdownactu dissects you the weekend poster in college football. To follow the future players of your favorite NFL franchises and to vibrate to the rhythm of rivalries and ancestral traditions.
Week 7: Iowa-Purdue
A rivalry of the Big Ten conference, a rivalry of the West division of this conference: East and West divisions each with 7 universities. The Big 10 or B1G as it will be emblazoned, is the oldest of all the conferences in American sport. Created in 1896, it brings together universities such as Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State or Maryland. Purdue University, located in the state of Indiana, has been competing in B1G since its inception and Iowa joined them in 1900. So there are a lot of stories and also history in this. confrontation. Regarding the NFL, these two programs have trained a lot of players (44 cumulative 1st round draft), with in particular for Iowa: George Kittle (49ers), Micah Hyde (Bills), Noah Fant (Broncos) or Brandon Schreff (WFT) . On the Purdue side, the most famous of all is undoubtedly Drew Brees (ex Saints) while the latest is receiver Rondale Moore (Cardinals).
Iowa has the ball
Some universities are known for training specific positions, such as defensive backs at LSU. For years and the arrival of a coach since 1999, Iowa has been known to provide the NFL with offensive linemen and tight-ends. So it’s no surprise that the two stars of the team play on the offensive line and in the tight-end position. Tyler Linderbaum plays the sometimes ungrateful, because little looked at, position of center. However, he did not escape the eyes of the NFL scouts and his rating currently places him as a possible choice for the 1st round of the 2022 draft. Recruited as a defensive tackle, this athletic player has changed sides of the ball, for the bigger one. happiness of his university. Yes Sam Laporta would not be compared to George Kittle, however, he legitimately represents the tradition of successful TEs among the Hawkeyes. His reliable hands and athleticism make him a beefy catcher, an offensive option. But because he plays for Iowa, an attack that likes to hammer his opponents to the ground (29 assists for 37 runs on average in 2021), he also knows how to block, although he will still have progress to make for the NFL level.
Running is precisely the job of Tyler Goodson. Used from his freshman season, he signed 638 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2019. 7 Touchdowns in 8 games in 2020 (season truncated by the pandemic) and in 2021, he continues to show his talent with great regularity with 5 touchdowns in 6 games. This production greatly helps the quarterback Spencer Petras, a pitcher with few errors and able to handle an attack. The latter will have to remain vigilant because a player has the ability to come and tickle him often, more or less nicely.
George Karlaftis is a beautiful baby of 1m93 for 125 kilos. A size giving him a lot of power while his past as a thrower in athletics (weight, discus and javelin) allows him to know how to move with agility. Born in Athens, Greece (arrived in the USA at the age of 11), he is now considered a possible 1st round of the 2022 draft. More on this great player here. His demolition work is supported on the defensive line by an excellent duo of defensive tackles: Branson Deen and Lawrence Johnson. The defensive line is clearly the strong point of this defense. But when this Purdue defense manages to stop the Iowa attack, all will not be won because the Australian punter Tory Taylor (Iowa) is one of the best in the country, with his very powerful leg and a well-established special team, to stop the ball from running in the opposing 5 or 10 yards. So Purdue’s attack may not often have a favorable starting position.
Purdue has the ball
Here again, a player whose profile you can find on our site. As this “If I were a hope” series is only interested in players with the potential to be chosen in the top 50 of the 2022 draft, you already have an idea of the level of the receiver. David Bell. Tall and strong (1m88 for 92 kilos), he is the specialist par excellence in “contested wrestling”, those where you have to fight with a defender on the coat to catch the leather. He also has secure hands and that makes his quarterback happy Jack Plummer. Prototype of the quarterback with the “ideal physique” at 1m96 per 100 kilos, he is a pitcher from the pocket making few mistakes. Do not ask him, on the other hand, to gain yards with his legs! In addition to David Bell, he often looks for the very good tight-end Payne Durham. Bell and Durham will therefore be closely watched and this is good for Iowa: the strength of their defense lies in cover.
In 6 games in 2021, the Iowa defense has already intercepted the opposing quarterback 16 times! A rare and impressive result, the best of all college football in the 1st division (130 universities) in 2021. 4 interceptions for the only one Riley Moss (CB) and no less than 8 other players with at least one interception! Unfortunately for them (and for him), Riley Moss got injured while celebrating his interception against Penn State last Saturday (October 09). If the duration of his unavailability is not yet known, he is announced as a package for this match against Purdue, by his university. The Hawkeyes will always be able to rely on Matt Hankins (CB) et Jack Koerner (S), 5 interceptions between them. They can also count on a formidable trio of linebackers.
Jack Campbell and Seth Benson are two machines to tackle everything that passes nearby: an average of 15.5 tackles per game between them (over the 6 games in 2021). Yes Dane Belton offers a lighter size, it also brings more speed to pursue a runner from one side to the other. Better air defense science too, since he’s a converted safety linebacker. On the front curtain, the always active Zach VanValkenburg (13.5 tackles for losses in his last 14 games) and the youngster Lukas Van Ness (4 sacks in 6 matches in 2021) are responsible for disrupting the opposing offensive lines.
Match Saturday October 16 at 9:30 p.m.
Bonus of the week
With a degree in psychology, when coach Hayden Fry arrived in Iowa City in 1979, he decided that the visitors’ locker room should be painted pink! A color that is supposed to reduce aggressiveness and promote tranquility: these are the attributes that we want in the opponent. So in Kinnick Stadium, on the visitors’ side, even the toilets are painted pink. Coach Fry had 238 victories with Iowa between 1979 and 1998, would there be a connection?
Since 2017, the University of Iowa has a new tradition: the “Iowa Wave” where at the end of each first quarter at home, players, coaches and fans turn towards the top floors of the home. children’s hospital, adjacent to the stadium. Dressed up and supported by their families and caregivers, children enjoy watching Hawkeyes games. And above all, to receive a little comfort in their struggles with serious illnesses, with this wave of support.
All the feels ????????
There’s nothing like the @HawkeyeFootball Kinnick Wave pic.twitter.com/1TPTEPYDfR
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 9, 2021
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