IOWA CITY, Iowa — Xavier Williams rushed for 122 yards and a landing, and Kirk Ferentz moved right into a tie because the Huge Ten’s all-time winningest coach as Iowa defeated Albany 34-7 on Saturday night time.
Ferentz, in his twenty seventh season as coach of the Hawkeyes, received his 205th sport with this system, tying Ohio State’s Woody Hayes on the convention’s all-time checklist.
The milestone, although, wasn’t a lot of a subject within the post-game celebration within the locker room.
“You understand how humble he’s,” quarterback Mark Gronowski mentioned. “I mentioned one thing to him about it, and he simply form of shrugged it off.”
“It was simply good to get the win,” Ferentz mentioned. “That is what we got here for.”
Iowa’s offense managed the sport after a sluggish begin, even when Gronowski struggled in his debut with this system.
Gronowski, who transferred from South Dakota State, threw for simply 44 yards, however threw for a landing and ran for an additional earlier than leaving the sport with cramping points within the third quarter.
That put extra work on Iowa’s working sport, and Williams got here by means of.
Williams took over for injured starter Kamari Moulton within the first half. Williams had 41 yards on his first two carries, then had a 43-yard run within the second quarter, taking the recommendation that Moulton had given him.
“He just about mentioned, ‘Go on the market and go loopy,’” Williams mentioned.
“X stepped up,” Gronowski mentioned. “He is a tough man to deliver down.”
Williams is the primary Iowa freshman to file a 100-yard sport in his debut since Shonn Greene rushed for 116 yards towards Ball State in 2005.
“He performed like a veteran man,” Ferentz mentioned. “He did not look misplaced, in any respect, and he did an amazing job.”
Iowa outgained Albany 310-43 on the bottom.
“The offensive line performed an amazing sport, by means of and thru,” Gronowski mentioned. “300 yards, you may’t ask for something higher than that.”
Albany took a 7-3 lead within the second quarter when Jack Shields threw a 9-yard landing go to Lasalle Rose Jr. However the Hawkeyes shortly responded, driving 65 yards on seven performs on their subsequent possession, ending the drive with Williams’ 3-yard landing run.
Gronowski threw a 2-yard landing go to Kaden Wetjen on Iowa’s subsequent drive to place the Hawkeyes up 17-7 at halftime.
Gronowski had a 1-yard landing run within the third to provide the Hawkeyes a 24-7 lead. Drew Stevens had a career-long 55-yard area objective within the fourth, then backup quarterback Hank Brown scored on a 1-yard run for the ultimate margin.
Ferentz, the longest tenured energetic head coach in faculty soccer, is 205-124 all-time at Iowa, and has a 217-145 profession file.
Saturday’s win was the twenty third in a season opener for Ferentz at Iowa.
Gronowski, who received two FCS nationwide championships at South Dakota State, got here to the Hawkeyes to revive a passing sport that was one of many nation’s worst the final two seasons.
Gronowski, who underwent shoulder surgical procedure within the winter after coming to Iowa, began slowly, finishing simply two of his first eight passes. He completed the sport 8-of-15 passing and had 11 carries for 39 yards.
“This will likely be good for him to get by means of this and transfer ahead,” Ferentz mentioned.
Albany: At Delaware State subsequent Saturday.
Iowa: At No. 22 Iowa State subsequent Saturday.
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