C.J. Beathard Named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard has been named the Co-Offensive Player of the Week in the Big Ten. Sure, he won an award but the importance of his performance for Iowa Saturday in Ames was nothing short of huge.

I told a friend during the game that if Jake Rudock were our quarterback, the game wouldn't have been close. I mean no disrespect to Rudock with that comment. Here's why. Jake isn't and never was a quarterback that could make game-changing plays with his feet. There aren't many quarterbacks in college football that can. Thankfully, Iowa has one of them. C.J.'s athleticism was on display multiple times. The two biggest ones that come to mind came back to back, midway through the second quarter. In the photo above, C.J. somehow avoided what would have been a devastating safety with Iowa already trailing at that time. The very next play he scampered 44 yards to get Iowa out of the hole. You could see the confidence of the entire team the rest of that drive which eventually ended with a touchdown. A crucial time in the game with Iowa State having just scored a touchdown, following an Iowa three-and-out.

Yes, we're only two games into 2015 but I think it's clear Iowa's coaches made the right decision in January. Turning the controls over to C.J. Beathard seemed like a good move to me then and after the first eight quarters of the season, it still does. Two games in Beathard is 30 of 49 for 426 yards and four touchdowns, with no interceptions. He's also averaging 51.5 yards rushing. Not too shabby. He's the first Iowa offensive player to be named Big Ten Offensive player in the week since both Marvin McNutt and James Vandenberg were recognized in 2011.

I don't want the heads of Iowa coaches get too big, though. The fake field goal at the end of the first half... are you kidding me? Your kicker needs to run 22 yards to score, because when the play ends there won't be any time left. You have to have some time on the clock and a timeout to run the fake, in my opinion. Then again, I'm just an armchair coach, which is definitely a good thing.

Iowa 2-0 and a night game this Saturday against 2-0 Pittsburgh. Yes, so far this season has been a lot of fun.