Stanley keeping Hawk receivers well fed

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IOWA CITY — The second pass of Nate Stanley’s day easily dropped into the hands of Ihmir Smith-Marsette for a 58-yard touchdown.

Remember when Stanley, Iowa’s three-year starter at quarterback, wasn’t accurate on the long pass?

Yeah, that was a long time ago.

It’s been a long time since someone other than Stanley has started for the Hawkeyes.

Go back to how he was just described.

A three-year starter.

That’s a rarity in college football these days.

Quarterbacks are mercenaries. Lose your job in one place, find a job in another. Don’t win a job in one place, find some place where you can start right away. Pack your bags, because someone always has a home for you.
Stanley has avoided being that traveling arm, and has become a comfortable fit. Being the Hawkeyes’ starter is his job, and it’s been his for a while.

All three of Iowa’s touchdowns in Saturday’s 30-0 win over Rutgers in the Big Ten opener at Kinnick Stadium came on Stanley throws — the down-the-middle parachute drop to Smith-Marsette in the first quarter, a 7-yard dart to Tyrone Tracy Jr., in the second quarter, and then a 23-yarder to Smith-Marsette in the third quarter.

Stanley’s statistics through the first two games of the season — 37 completions on 58 throws, 488 yards, six touchdowns, zero interceptions — are the numbers from a steady arm on a confident man.

You are well-fed if you are a receiver of Stanley’s throws. Ten receivers caught at least one pass in last Saturday’s 38-14 win over Miami (Ohio). Eight caught at least one on Saturday.

“He’s playing at a very high level,” Smith-Marsette said. “He’s spreading the ball around to a lot of different receivers.

“Stanley is just on another level.”

Brandon Smith, who caught two passes for 22 yards on Saturday, smiled when he was asked about Stanley.

“He’s our leader,” the wide receiver said.

Ask Stanley to talk about himself, and no, that’s not going to happen.

“Everyone has a role on the team,” Stanley said. “And that’s no different from me.”

College football loves its slinging quarterbacks, the ones that deliver defining moments.

Stanley isn’t that. There’s a coolness to him that maybe doesn’t get appreciated enough.

Stanley has thrown at least one touchdown pass in seven consecutive games. Saturday’s three-TD day was his 16th career multi-touchdown game. He has 10 career games with at least three passing touchdowns — only Chuck Long, with 11, has more.

Stanley is now third in Iowa history with 58 career touchdown passes. Four more, and he passes Drew Tate for second. Seventeen more, and he’ll pass Long for the top spot.

“He really looks like he's comfortable and in control,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Those two things — that's something you can't hand a player. It's a really tough position to play. It's tough in our offense, what we ask our quarterbacks to do so you know, he's worked hard and been through highs and lows and a lot more highs than lows, fortunately.

“I think right now we're seeing a guy who really feels good, and the guys around him are doing a good job, too.”

Stanley will point to his offensive line as a reason for his success — every good quarterback better do that. He’ll do the same with his receivers.

There is no ego for Stanley to check because it doesn’t exist. But he is aware that he is in command.

“He’s been more vocal, telling us what he wants out there,” Smith-Marsette said. “Him telling us what he wants is a huge step forward.”

Stanley’s career has been about steps — small at times, big at other moments.

It’s happened from the first snap of his career until the final one he took on Saturday.

He was sacked on that play.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Stanley says in a cliched tone, and you figure it’s going to happen, because it’s been happening all along.


guest column, guest opinion, Hawkeyes, Iowa Hawkeyes, John Bohnenkamp, Nate Stanley, opinion, sports, Stanley

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