Iowa Quarterback Ricky Stanzi
Hawkeyes Junior Won't Win Heisman, But He Sure Does Win Games
Oct 31, 2009
The Iowa quarterback has thrown almost as many interceptions as he has touchdowns, he gets sacked with regularity, and the offense he leads isn't setting any records for productivity.
Nope, Ricky Stanzi won't be winning a Heisman Trophy any time soon. He's not even likely even gain any all-Big Ten Conference honors. His statistics, after all, are remarkably ordinary — except for one.
Iowa happens to be 9-0 and is ranked No. 4 in the Bowl Championship Series standings. Some might argue that the Hawkeyes have remained undefeated despite Stanzi's inconsistent play. But he certainly is building a reputation for persistence.
Stanzi's had some rough, rough days — some that would lead to a spot on the bench for other quarterbacks. Yet, Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz has stuck witth Stanzi for two seasons now, and in 2009, the 6-foot-4, 218-pound junior has not yet failed to come up with the "W."
Stanzi was never shakier than he was in the third quarter of his team's game vs. Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Iowa City. But when all was said in done, the Hawkeyes had chalked up yet another victory.
Stanzi Overcomes 5 Interceptions
Stanzi tossed a career-high five interceptions — including four in the third quarter, when Iowa was trying to drive into a brisk wind. Iowa's undefeated season, as a result, was in grave jeopardy against the upset-minded Hoosiers (4-5).
Indiana had a 24-14 lead and the ball on the Iowa 49-yard line in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. But the Hawkeyes made a big third-down stop and forced a punt.
They were still in a precarious position, having to start the ensuing drive from its own 8-yard line. Yet Stanzi rolled out and hitting Marviin McNutt with a 92-yard touchdown pass.
After the Hawkeyes forced another punt, Stanzi lofted a 66-yard TD toss to Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, and just like that, Iowa was ahead 28-24. The Hawkeyes then locked up the win with its defense, as well as the running of Brandon Wegher.
Stanzi's Season Has Been Roller Coaster Ride
Stanzi's persistence paid off for the second time in two games. A week earlier, he went just 11-for-27 passing for 138 yards vs. Michigan State. But he threw a game-winning 7-yard TD pass to McNutt on the final play to give his team a 15-13 victory.
The season's been a bit of a roller coaster ride for Stanzi. He's completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 2,052 yards and 14 touchdowns. But he's been intercepted 13 times — and three of the picks have been returned for TDs.
Iowa's perfect season and 13-game winning streak has largely been attributed to is defense. And there have been occasions when the Hawkeyes have had to overcome sub-par performances by their QB.
Stanzi struggled terribly vs. Penn State on Sept. 26, going 11-for-26 for 135 yards with two interceptions, but Iowa pulled off a 21-10 road victory. His two interceptions nearly led to what would have been a humiliating upset loss to Arkansas State on Oct. 3, but the Hawkeyes held on for a 24-21 victory.
Yet Stanzi's been like one of those iron-jawed boxers with a big knockout punch. He takes plenty of punches, but keeps plodding forward until he can land the decisive blow.
Stanzi Has Been Sacked 20 Times
The up-and-down campaign can't all be attributed to Stanzi himself. Iowa's also had to deal with key injuries, first with the receiving corps, and then with the offensive line and the running backs. That's probably affected Stanzi as much as anybody else on the team.
Stanzi's taken heavy punishment, both literally and figuratively. He was sacked three times by Indiana, raising his season total to 20 and his per-game average to 2.2. That's not a statistic one usually finds with a 9-0 team.
On the other hand, that's nothing new for Stanzi. He was sacked 22 times last season, when he guided Iowa to a 9-4 campaign that included a 31-10 victory over South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.
So even if Stanzi's not going to lead the NCAA in passing efficiency or make an All-America, he can be expected to keep battling. And in 2009, he's four victories away from guiding his team to a perfect season. Not many QBs can claim to have done that.
