Shonn Greene Delivers an Iowa Season to Remember

The University of Iowa’s dismantling of the Minnesota Gophers football team Saturday night, 55-0, wasn’t so much a football contest as it was a seismic statement of intent and a fitting fulfillment of promise. 

The Iowa Hawkeyes finally arrived on the stage where they were meant to shine, relishing every sliver of spotlight they could steal in this blazing finale of the Big 10 season. 

Ultimately, Iowa remains one of the hottest football teams in the nation, winning five of its last six contests, including a last-second victory over then-No. 3 Penn State on Nov. 8.

Iowa laid waste to a Gopher football team that had a brilliant start to its season. Unlike Iowa, however, the Golden Gophers faded almost without a whimper in their worst loss since 1983, when Nebraska upended them by an 84-13 margin. 

Said Iowa defensive tackle Mitch King: “...It was our day.” Iowa fans poured over the border to arrive en masse and cheer on their heroic Hawkeyes. Indeed, at times it seemed to be a home game for the Iowa faithful.

There was plenty of glory to spread around but top honors must be accorded to Shonn Greene, Iowa running back, who again rushed for over 100 yards as he has for every game this season. 

He set an Iowa single season rushing record of 1,729 yards and there is still a bowl game to play.

The man is a force of nature—a pure running back with the talent of all the greats at his disposal. His force and precision and his instantaneous reversals, pirouettes and spins leave defenses stunned and helpless against him, even when they know he is coming. 

If you presume to try to tackle him, be prepared for pain because Greene isn’t going down just because you are standing in his way. 

He will go around, by you and through you depending on his mood. In the end, you will pay one way or another because when Greene hits you according to teammate Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, it seemed “Like somebody hit me in the chest with a shotgun.”

He is hands down the best running back in the nation. He has taken the Iowa offense and placed it on his shoulders and run away with it. Backs like Greene do not come along often anywhere—but especially not at Iowa. 

Iowa peaked at the end of the season due in part to the tremendous boost that Greene gives the offense. Just the idea that he may get the ball and may run at the defense changes the prospects for the passing game. That fact played a significant role in the upset of Penn State in Iowa City three weekends ago.

Greene’s presence alone adds dimension and depth to the Iowa attack. That the rest of the team finally matured and honed latent skills to keep pace is to Iowa’s credit.  Greene’s abilities may have set the stage, but the Iowa offense eventually learned their marks and contributed to an overall team success.

This victory, however, says as much for Iowa’s defense as it does for their offense.  The stingy Norm Parker play calling kept the Gophers off the scoreboard and pretty much off the field. 

The damage was immediate and intense, allowing only 134 yards on 51 plays. The defense also intercepted two Gopher passes for 115 yards, one coming all the way back for a touchdown.

It is unfortunate that the superlative Hawkeye emergence has no bearing in the final BCS standings and analysis. One must hope that it carries plenty of weight when it comes to selecting Iowa to participate in one of the prestigious New Year’s Day bowls. 

In the end it was an impressive and decisive victory for the Iowa Hawkeyes; but, the question remains—what does it mean?

Does it mean Shonn Greene will win the Heisman? Realistically, no. The Big 12 quarterbacks seem to have that market cornered. No room for tailbacks in this elite club…too bad, really. He has been named the Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year.

Does it mean that Shonn Greene who Saturday night carried the ball 22 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns and who carried the ball in 12 consecutive games for over 100 yards will win the Doak Walker award for the best running back in major college football?  

If it doesn’t, then something is very wrong in college football land. He has been announced as a finalist for this award. The announcement of the winner will be made on Dec. 11, 2008.

This will probably be Greene’s last season in a Hawkeye uniform. He will almost undoubtedly turn pro because of financial need and because he will turn 24 in August. 

Running backs don’t last all that long in the pros. Time is not on his side, although his fans, his teammates, and his coaches would love to see him return next year.

But he has done it all for one glorious season when Iowa had a chance to be the best because the litany of their losses—a one-point loss to Pittsburgh, a five-point loss to Northwestern, a three-point loss to Michigan State, and, finally, a three-point loss to Illinois—illustrates how close they came to perfection. 

Greene delivered a season to remember...

For Greene and for the Hawkeyes, time hangs heavy until the bowl selections are made. For the Iowa faithful much nervous energy is wasted fearing momentum may slip away—an annual problem for teams just hitting their stride.

Iowa deserves to play on New Year’s Day with the big boys with Greene in the backfield, ready for another—and perhaps final—taste of glory as an Iowa Hawkeye.

(Photo by AP)