What Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said about Michigan football after it beat the Hawkeyes
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Like a hot knife through butter, the Michigan football offense sliced and diced its way down the field to an opening drive touchdown. And the Wolverines never looked back against the Hawkeyes in Week 5.
The offense’s performance was perhaps surprising given how stout the Iowa defense has been historically and this year as well. The Hawkeyes entered the game with the nation’s best scoring defense and had been particularly good against the run. Before Blake Corum and company came into Kinnick Stadium, the Hawkeyes had the No. 6 rushing defense.
After the game, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said he believed the Wolverines took control of the game at the start. And while he felt good about his team’s effort, he admits: Michigan was just better.
“I’m never discouraged by our players. I thought the effort was there,” Ferentz said. “I thought we had a good week of preparation and practice. I thought the guys were wired in, and we knew what we were up against, what we had to do today to be successful.
“Credit our opponent; they did a good job of setting the tone and made it difficult for us in offensive and defensive phases, special teams maybe not as much, but they did a good job there.”
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Of course, he had to discuss what Blake Corum did to his team.
While Iowa State had some success in Week 2, amassing 129 rushing yards on 40 carries, Corum surpassed that on his own, with 136 yards on 29 carries on Saturday. Michigan, as a team, rushed for 172 yards on 40 carries. The Cyclones aside, no other team had surpassed 70 yards against the stout Iowa front.
Ferentz expected Corum to come in and have a good game on the ground, but he credited Michigan’s vast array of skill players with making the Wolverine offense difficult to defend.
“He’s an outstanding back, first and foremost. Really good football player,” Ferentz said. “That didn’t surprise us. You look at the film, you can see that. And then they’re good up front. Those guys last year and this year are really blocking well. They have good tight ends that block well.
“The other part of the equation is they threaten you outside. They have really good receivers and a quarterback that can get it out to them.
“You have to choose your poison a little bit defensively, and if you load up too much in one area, you’re going to be vulnerable in another spot.”
Michigan will stay on the road, heading to Bloomington to face Indiana in Week 6 with yet another Fox “Big Noon Kickoff” game.
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