Hawkeyes set record for fewest rushing yards allowed in this bowl.
By FRANK PASTOR
Published January 2, 2004
TAMPA - During the offensive and defensive meetings before Thursday's Outback Bowl, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz told his players they needed to play with rage.
Ferentz provided the motivation more than a week earlier, when he scheduled his team to practice in full gear its first three days here.
"We never go full gear," cornerback Jovon Johnson said. "That really ticked us off, so we just came out, practiced hard and performed in the game the way we practiced."
Iowa's defense took out its anger on Florida, limiting the Gators to 57 rushing yards, fewest in Outback Bowl history, and 1 second-quarter yard in what Johnson called, "by far, our best game of the season."
Aside from Kelvin Kight's first-quarter touchdown reception (the result of missed communication in the secondary) and a 67-yard scoring drive late in the fourth, the Hawkeyes dominated the Gators offense, holding it to three points between the second and third quarters while Iowa scored 27 unanswered points to win 37-17. Florida crossed midfield only twice in the first half and five times in 16 possessions against the Big Ten's third-ranked defense.
"At times, we showed spurts, I felt, but we just couldn't sustain anything," Florida coach Ron Zook said.
Florida's 17 points tied for its third fewest of the season. Tennessee defeated the Gators 24-10 Sept. 20, UF beat Georgia 16-13 Nov. 1 and Ole Miss downed Florida 20-17 Oct. 4.
Iowa did it with a base 4-3 defense with a nickel package and little blitzing. The defense works because players carry out their individual responsibilities, and everyone contributes.
Defensive ends Tyler Luebke, Howard Hodges and Matt Roth had sacks. Johnson intercepted a pass. Free safety Sean Considine had a team-leading nine tackles. Linebacker Grant Steen's helmet-to-helmet hit on Florida receiver O.J. Small set a physical tone for the second half.
"For the most part, we line up and play the way we play," Ferentz said. "It's not the most exciting thing to look at, maybe, but at least our guys understand, and they knew where the hot spots were."
For Florida, the hot spots were tight end Ben Troupe, a Mackey Award finalist, and quarterback Chris Leak, the Southeastern Conference's freshman offensive player of the year.
Iowa's defensive line contained Leak by driving Florida's tackles back and staying in its rushing lanes. When Leak tried to run, a linebacker was waiting to greet him short of the first-down marker.
"Iowa has a great defense," said Leak, who lost 15 yards on nine carries. "They've done a great job all year. We just didn't make the plays when we had the opportunity."
Troupe, possibly the nation's best tight end this side of Miami's Kellen Winslow Jr., entered the game with 39 receptions. The Hawkeyes held him without a catch for the first time all season by having a linebacker jam him to the outside, where he was picked up by another defensive player.
"He made great plays on other teams, but if you look at the film, no one really focused on him," strong safety Bob Sanders said. "No one took it to him."
