In a season-ending 52-14 win against rival Louisville, Levis ran 14 times for 113 yards and four touchdowns. More: Leistikow: Hawkeyes in an appreciative mood ahead of Citrus Bowl matchup vs. So even when Iowa gets Kentucky into passing situations, that might not be an advantage. The Hawkeyes must use their all-Big Ten middle linebacker in Jack Campbell or athletic outside linebacker Jestin Jacobs to shadow Levis on passing downs. They would be better off trusting the coverage on the back end and making sure that Levis doesn’t beat them with his legs.
Additionally, Iowa is going to need some splash plays from its defensive line against an offensive line that was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award. This could be a big spot for youngsters like Logan Lee or Lukas Van Ness to have a disruptive game. Watch Video: 4 minutes with Kentucky coach Mark Stoops ahead of Citrus Bowl No. 2: Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson against Iowa’s banged-up secondary. Iowa’s defense allowed an average of 13.0 points per game in a 6-0 start, when cornerbacks Riley Moss and Matt Hankins were starting regularly. Moss, the Big Ten’s defensive back of the year, missed 3½ games with a torn PCL in his left knee. Hankins suffered a right shoulder injury against Purdue that never fully healed and dealt with a nagging hamstring injury, too. He was eventually shut down for the season. #Air hawk game freeįree safety Jack Koerner missed time with a sprained ankle.
3 cornerback Terry Roberts will miss the bowl game with a bone bruise.īottom line: In the last seven games, Iowa’s defensive stats were pretty pedestrian - an average of 24.4 points per game allowed.
Moss is back, but the Hankins absence can’t be underestimated.Īnd now comes another top receiving threat in Robinson, who has a staggering 94 catches for 1,164 yards this season.
With two other key Kentucky receivers out for this game after they were involved in a car accident, Robinson is undoubtedly the first, second and third options for Levis and the Kentucky passing game. Stopping Robinson will have to be a team effort. Since the institution of its 4-2-5 base defense, Iowa has had some success going against cat-quick slot receivers over the years. That puts a lot of emphasis on the play of cash defender Dane Belton, a native of nearby Tampa who will have a large contingent of family and friends in attendance. Moss and Jermari Harris will be involved, too, and sound tackling from safeties Koerner and Kaevon Merriweather will be critical.
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