This week, it isn’t IU’s quarterback that’s in question — it’s Iowa’s.
Junior Jake Rudock will start for the Hawkeyes. Sophomore C.J. Beathard will play, too.
Beyond that, the Iowa quarterback situation when the Hawkeyes and the Hoosiers ( 3-2, 0-1) play at noon Saturday in Iowa City, Iowa, is unknown.
Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz has been holding the specifics of the two-quarterback situation close, saying Tuesday he still wasn’t sure how the two-quarterback system would work.
Despite the possibility of facing two quarterbacks, IU Coach Kevin Wilson said the two are similar enough that preparing for two won’t be too different.
He’s expecting the Iowa (4-1, 1-0) offense to look consistent no matter whether Rudock or ?Beathard, who are both pocket passers, is taking the majority of the snaps.
“They’re going to do what they do, and they execute it really well,” Wilson said. “And I’m sure that Coach (Greg) Davis and (Ferentz) will get the guy they think is going to give them the best chance to win, and it’s kind of nice they got two guys they can do it with.”
Iowa’s offense ranks 91 among 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams averaging 372.4 yards per game and is 97th in scoring offense, averaging 22.6 points per game.
The quarterback debate began when Rudock got hurt in the first half against Pittsburgh and missed the entire second half as well as the Purdue game the following week.
Rudock has thrown for 3,181 yards and 23 touchdowns in 17 games during the past two seasons for the Hawkeyes and has completed 85 of 127 attempts this season.
In roughly six quarters of play, Beathard has completed 26 of 48 passes and thrown for 363 yards.
Freshman linebacker Tegray Scales said the Hoosiers aren’t worried as much about facing two quarterbacks and are instead more concerned with stopping Iowa’s run game.
The Hawkeyes are led by the one-two punch of senior Mark Weisman and junior Jordan Canzeri, who have combined for 412 yards this season.
The Hawkeyes have gotten off to a relatively slow start rushing the ball, but sophomore Clyde Newton said history shows the Hawkeyes are still going to be a run-heavy team despite some early struggles.
“We understand that they’re an old-school football team, and we know they’re not going to change their ways,” he said. “They’re going to hit the hole. You know where it’s ?going.”
The Hoosier offense has a tendency of passing to set up the run, but Iowa is exactly the opposite.
Newton said he expects Iowa to continue pounding the ball with the run game in an attempt to tire the IU defense.
When the Hawkeyes think they’ve got the Hoosiers tired, that’s when Newton said he expects Iowa to test the Hoosier defensive backs.
“I think it’s more about your eyes,” IU freshman safety Chase Dutra said, describing play recognition. “We just can’t let our guard down.”
Wilson said Iowa’s ?rushing numbers don’t indicate just how good the Hawkeyes can be.
He said opponents typically stack the box against Iowa, meaning it opens it up for the passing game.
Regardless, he expects the Hoosiers will need to be on top of their games this week to win back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 3, 2012.
That win, coincidentally, was also against Iowa.
“If you play well, it’ll be a dog fight,” Wilson said. “If not, you’ll get your butt beat by a really good program.”
