Tag: Kaleb Johnson

Three stars from Iowa football’s wild rivalry win over Nebraska

Three stars from Iowa football’s wild 13-10 rivalry win vs. Nebraska.

Iowa football (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) closed out the 2024 regular season with a hard-fought 13-10 victory over rival Nebraska (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) with a game-winning 53-yard field goal as time expired.

The Iowa victory is another one to chalk up to the defense and special teams as the Hawkeyes‘ offense struggled to gain momentum throughout the night. Regarding offensive yardage, the Cornhuskers outgained the Hawkeyes, 334-164. Nebraska even recorded 20 first downs compared to Iowa’s five.

Despite the stagnant Iowa offense for most of the game, the combination of a miraculous 72-yard catch-and-run touchdown from junior running back Kaleb Johnson with two field goals off fumble recoveries sparked just enough firepower to lead an Iowa victory.

With the Hawkeyes fresh off another exhilarating victory over Nebraska, here are the three stars that helped Iowa finish the regular season on an exhilarating note.

Kaleb Johnson

Kaleb Johnson was bottled up for most of the night by the rugged Nebraska defensive front as he recorded only 45 rushing yards on 17 carries on the ground.

Johnson was most impactful through his role as a receiver out of the backfield, where he recorded two receptions for 73 yards, including a magical 72-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Jackson Stratton early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 10 apiece.

His game-tying touchdown adds to his impressive highlight reel from a historic season with the Hawkeyes this year.

Max Llewellyn

While the Hawkeyes’ defense was strong throughout the night to keep Nebraska within striking distance, Llewellyn finished with a tame two tackles and a sack.

However, he shined when it mattered most by forcing a critical strip-sack fumble recovery of Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola at the Cornhuskers’ 36-yard line with 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

With the game tied at 10, the clutch takeaway by Llewellyn set up Iowa for the game-winning field goal to secure victory over the Cornhuskers.

Drew Stevens

As a kicker, it’s often easy to overlook the position’s importance in games. Friday night, Stevens was easily one of the most impactful Hawkeyes as his 20-yard field goal in the third quarter put the Hawkeyes on the board and his 53-yard field goal sent Kinnick into a frenzy.

Regarding his game-winning field goal, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule attempted to “ice” the junior kicker with a timeout just before the snap, in which Stevens nailed the negated attempt anyway.

When the try actually counted, Stevens squeezed the ball just within the right upright as time expired to secure the Iowa victory.

Stevens finishes the regular season converting on 17-for-20 (85.0%) field goal tries and 36-of-36 (100%) on PATs.

Iowa will now await its bowl game destination, which is still to be determined based on the results from Saturday’s slate of games and next week’s conference championship games.

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New mock draft has the Texans adding a running mate for Joe Mixon

The Texans are building up their running back room in the latest 2025 NFL mock draft heading into Week 13.

If the Houston Texans are going to keep the same offensive approach behind second-year coordinator Bobby Slowik, they’ll have to emphasize the run game.

Joe Mixon, who’s inching closer to becoming the first Texans’ running back since Carlos Hyde in 2019 to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, remains the workhorse for Houston’s rushing attack. He’s posted four 100-yard outings and continues to be a touchdown machine.

He’s also set to turn 30 next year and might begin to lose steam over the final three years of his new contract. Alleviating pressure off second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud is essential for Houston’s offense to thrive and while Mixon has provided that in 2024, it must carry over into the final three years of his rookie deal.

One mock draft would tend to agree.

In Ā Daft on Draft’s new mock draft, the Texans bolster their running back room with the selection of Iowa tailback Kaleb Johnson at pick No. 22. A Doak Walker Award finalist, Johnson’s physical north-to-south running approach would be an ideal fit in Slowik’s offense.

Joe Mixon has had a productive season for the Texans this season, but he will be entering his ninth season in 2025. We all know the shelf life of a running back and why a contingency plan is needed. Kaleb Johnson isĀ an excellent scheme fitĀ and gives the Texans that plan for life after Mixon.

In his first year as the Hawkeyes’ top runner, Johnson’s productivity has carried Iowa toward another potential eight-win season. Not only does he lead the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,492), but he also leads the conference in yards per attempt (6.7), rushing touchdowns (21) and carries (223).

The junior has also rushed for 100-plus yards in eight of his 11 appearances this year. He’s considered by multiple analysts as the No. 2 running back prospect behind Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, who landed with the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick.

The Texans must build a new offensive line to protect Stroud, but that’s where free agency could factor in. Adding a cost-friendly running back on a potential five-year deal might benefit Houston tenfold should Johnson eventually surpass Mixon as the long-term RB1 in Houston.

Omarion Hampton now just one of three finalists for prestigious award

Is Omarion Hampton the frontrunner for college football’s top running back award?

Ever since overtaking British Brooks on the depth chart in 2023, North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton has done nothing but turn heads.

Hampton rushed for 234 yards against App State in a 40-34, double-overtime victory during Week 2 of the 2023 college football season. Now in November 2024, Hampton is thriving in his junior season: third amongst all FBS rushers with 1,475 yards, 14 touchdowns to lead the ACC and nine 100-yard games, including a pair of 200-yard outtings.

Hampton is one of the best running backs in college football ā€“ and he was recently recognized for that.

On Tuesday, Nov. 26, Hampton was named one of just three finalists for the Doak Walker Award ā€“ along with Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and Iowa‘s Kaleb Johnson.

The Doak Walker Award is annually given to the nation’s best running back, a title Jeanty and Johnson can also make their cases for. Jeanty leads the FBS with 2,062 rushing yards and SHOULD be the Heisman Trophy winner, while Johnson has 21 rushing touchdowns and 1,492 rushing yards, which puts him second behind Jeanty and just above Hampton.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DC2dF1pRCTB/?img_index=1

Hampton climbed the UNC record books after his career-high, 244-yard performance against Wake Forest.

Hampton scored his 35th career touchdown against the Demon Deacons, moving into a tie with Marquise Williams for third all-time. Hampton also surpassed Kelvin Bryant for fifth-place on North Carolina’s career rushing yardage list, plus he is one of just three Tar Heels (Amos Lawrence, Mike Voight) with multiple 200-yard games.

I’d love to see Hampton win the Doak Walker Award, but it’s hard not to recognize Jeanty as the winner. Given that Hampton and Jeanty are both juniors, expect to see them face off in the NFL next fall.

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Iowa superstar RB named Doak Walker Award finalist

Kaleb Johnson is a Doak Walker Award finalist.

Junior running back Kaleb Johnson’s remarkable 2024 season was properly rewarded on Tuesday.

Johnson was named as a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. Presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding collegiate running back, the award was created in 1989 and named after the 1948 Heisman Trophy winner from SMU, Doak Walker.

Johnson joins Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton.

Johnson has been enjoying a storybook 2024 season with the Iowa Hawkeyes. After contributing each of his first two seasons on campus, Johnson has erupted to the next level during his junior season.

During the 2024 season, the 6-foot, 225 pound running back has carried 223 times for 1,492 rushing yards and an Iowa single-season record 21 rushing touchdowns.

Johnson has also caught 20 passes for 115 yards and one score.

Johnson has scored at least one touchdown in 11 straight games, which is the longest stretch in Iowa history. Johnson has seven multi-touchdown games this season and four with three scores.

A native of Hamilton, Ohio, Johnson arrived in Iowa City as a three-star signee in the 2022 class. According to 247Sports, Johnson was the nation’s No. 435 player overall, the No. 35 running back and the No. 15 player from Ohio.

In addition to being named a Doak Walker Award finalist, Johnson was also named a Maxwell Award semifinalist, a Walter Camp National POY semifinalist and a midseason All-American by CBS Sports, Sporting News and The Athletic.

The 2024 Doak Walker Award honoree will be announced Dec. 12.

Iowa returns to action in its regular season finale on Friday, Nov. 29 with a rivalry date against theĀ Nebraska Cornhuskers. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT with the game televised on NBC.

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Three stars in Iowa football’s Week 13 win vs. Maryland

Three stars from Iowa football’s dominant 29-13 win vs. Maryland

Iowa (7-4, 5-3 Big Ten) responded out of their Week 12 bye with a sound 29-13 victory on Saturday over Maryland (4-7, 1-7 Big Ten) from SECU Stadium in College Park, M.D.

The Hawkeyes generated 344 yards of offense against the Terrapins, including plenty of success via the run game. On the ground, Iowa ran 58 times for a total of 288 yards and two touchdowns.

While not utilized as much, the passing game from redshirt sophomore Jackson Stratton was efficient by finishing 10-of-14 for 76 yards.

Defensively, Iowa returned to their stingy style of play. The Hawkeyes held pass-happy Maryland to a season-low 129 passing yards and tallied two interceptions. The Hawkeyes’ pressure throughout the game also forced seven tackles for loss and three sacks.

As the Hawkeyes return home from Maryland, here are the three stars that helped guide Iowa to another win.

Jackson Stratton

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Statton, while not heavily relied on for offensive production, had an effective day through the air, completing 10-of-14 passes for a total of 76 yards. Stratton avoided Maryland pressure throughout the contest by taking only one sack.

Given the precarious quarterback situation that the Hawkeyes have found themselves in lately due to injuries, having a safe and consistent game out of the signal-caller is very much appreciated.

Kaleb Johnson

Greg Fiume/Getty Images

Junior running back Kaleb Johnson had a monstrous game on Saturday, carrying the ball 35 times from scrimmage for 164 yards and a touchdown. While serving a minuscule role in the receiving portion of the stat sheet, Johnson also caught one pass for six yards.

Johnson’s bell-cow role in the backfield allowed the Hawkeyes to put together long first-half drives and possess the ball for a total of 37:41 of game time.

Johnson’s performance elevates his impressive season rushing total to 1,492 yards and 21 touchdowns on 223 carries for an average of 6.7 yards per play. Johnson’s touchdown against Maryland set the new Iowa single-season rushing touchdowns record.

Iowa Defense

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Hawkeyes’ defense returned to their typical form by putting a stranglehold on the Maryland offensive attack for much of the day, surrendering 227 yards and forcing two interceptions.

Highlighting Iowa’s defensive showing were the performances of fifth-year linebacker Jay Higgins and fifth-year defensive lineman Ethan Hurkett.

Higgins led the defense with eight total tackles (four solo), one pass deflection, and an interception. Meanwhile, Hurkett had a dominant performance on the defensive line with six total tackles (four solo), two sacks, and three tackles for loss.

Considering the Hawkeyes’ poor performance against UCLA in Week 11, the dominant showing from Iowa on Saturday was a pleasant sight.

Iowa finishes the regular season with a rivalry matchup on Friday, Nov. 29, against Nebraska (6-5, 3-5 Big Ten) in the Pioneer Heroes Game from Kinnick Stadium.

Game time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (CT) and will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock. The game will also be available on air from the Hawkeyes Radio Network.

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Kaleb Johnson sets Iowa single-season rushing touchdowns record

Kaleb Johnson is Iowa’s all-time single-season rushing touchdowns record holder.

Junior running back Kaleb Johnson’s magical 2024 season with the Iowa Hawkeyes reset the record books on Saturday afternoon.

With Johnson’s 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of Iowa’s Week 13 battle at Maryland, Johnson broke Iowa’s single-season rushing touchdowns record.

It was Johnson’s 21st rushing touchdown of the 2024 season, breaking the mark Shonn Greene set with his 20 rushing scores during the 2008 campaign.

Entering Saturday at Maryland, Johnson had carried 188 times for 1,328 rushing yards in the 2024 season.

Johnson, a native of Hamilton, Ohio, can now set his sights on the Hawkeyes’ all-time career rushing touchdowns record. Iowa’s Tavian Banks (1994-97) and Sedrick Shaw (1993-96) each finished their Hawkeye careers with 33 rushing touchdowns.

With his touchdown against Maryland, Johnson now has 30 rushing touchdowns in his Iowa career.

Greene owns the Iowa record for the most single-season rushing yards with his 1,850 during 2008.

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Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson named a Doak Walker Award Semifinalist

The special year continues.

The historic and special year for Iowa Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson continues. Not only is the back setting Iowa records and putting on a show, but he is also receiving national recognition from outlets from all over the country.

Kaleb Johnson has been named a semifinalist for one of the most prestigious awards given to college football running backs, the Doak Walker Award.

Johnson’s historic year is among the best in all of college football and has earned him a place among some of the best in the sport.

The Doak Walker Award is given out each year to the top running back in college football across the nation. The namesake comes from Doak Walker, the former SMU running back.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have won the Doak Walker Award once before. Shonn Greene brought the award back to Iowa City in 2008 when he ran for 1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Kaleb Johnson has ran for 1,328 yards this year and 5.6 yards per carry but is tied with Shonn Greene for the Iowa Hawkeyes’ single-season rushing touchdown record with 20 touchdowns also.

Johnson needs just one more plunge into the endzone in the Hawkeyes’ final two games against the Maryland Terrapins and Nebraska Cornhuskers to etch his name at the top of a historic list in the Iowa football program.

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Tim Lester credits WRs for Iowa run game success

Iowa football has had a ton of success on the ground. Offensive coordinator Tim Lester credited his wide receivers.

There’s plenty of credit to go around for what the Iowa Hawkeyes have been able to get accomplished in the run game over the course of the 2024 season.

Junior running back Kaleb Johnson is tied for second nationally in rushing yards with 1,328 to join UCF’s RJ Harvey in that distinction. Johnson has already broken Iowa’s single-season touchdown record and has tied Shonn Greene’s single-season rushing touchdowns mark with two games left to play.

As a team, Iowa ranks 19th nationally in rushing yards per game with 208.1 per contest. It’s a massive leap from last season when the Hawkeyes ranked 107th in the country with just 115.9 rushing yards per game.

On Tuesday, first-year Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester shared what he feels has spurred on the Hawkeyes’ record-setting rushing season.

“I do believe thatā€”and I have told Kaleb this a hundred times, Iā€™ve told the offensive line this a hundred times, Iā€™ve told the tight endsā€”our wide receivers are blocking. Itā€™s an impressive thing to see and itā€™s hard. I donā€™t know if that was done or I donā€™t know what the formations were in the past, but itā€™s a huge part of this offense,” Lester said.

Lester said the headache that coordinators run into when trying to implement this offensive scheme is that teams just can’t or don’t block effectively. In Iowa’s case, they’ve even had 10 hats involved at times.

“Our guys have done such an unbelievable job at being involved. Weā€™ve got nine guys blocking and shoot, our quarterback, we have 10 sometimes. The quarterback will get in and run block. Itā€™s really just the all-in mentality of the group…

“The schemes have helped. Having Sully run around a little bit has definitely lightened the load a little bit, but, man, those receiversā€¦ when Kaleb gets through the first line and all of a sudden we crack on a safety and then the cornerā€™s got to crack replace and itā€™s too late because my man two is gone,” Lester said.

As Lester knows, many of the explosive plays happen when wide receivers get involved down the field.

“The explosiveness of our (run game), because you have to be explosive on offense. Now, Iā€™d love to be explosive in both, but weā€™ve been explosive running the ball, which is really hard to do, but itā€™s what we do right now and weā€™ll continue to expand and you always work on your weaknesses. Just make sure your strengths are always going to be your strengths and work on your weaknesses.

“But those guys really, I think theyā€™ve done an unbelievable job. Also, the shifts and motions have helped. Weā€™ve put them in positions where hopefully we can slow up linebacker play a little bit,” Lester said.

The hope is that it will continue to help open up the passing game, too. At times, it has.

“I know we ran a lot of 13 last year and weā€™re running 12 and 11, but weā€™re blocking it just like weā€™re in 13. I mean, those guys are in there and thatā€™s why on a quick play-fake, Jacob Gill ran right by everybody and right down the middle of the field, because heā€™s willing to go in there and throw his body on the line in the run game.

“I wish weā€™ve had more of those. Theyā€™ve blocked hard enough to earn some more of those. I need to call them and call them at the right time. Those guys I really think have been a key to the explosiveness weā€™ve been able to have in the run game,” Lester said.

Iowa closes its 2024 regular season with a date at Maryland on Nov. 23 and then Senior Day versus Nebraska on Nov. 29.

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Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson named Walter Camp Player of the Year semifinalist

Kaleb Johnson’s historic season is garnering national award attention.

There is no question that Kaleb Johnson is putting up an all-time historic season for the Iowa Hawkeyes this year. The junior running back is having the best season of his career and one of the best that Iowa has ever seen a running back have.

After starting the year as part of a running back stable that rotated backs, Johnson has become a household name as one of the best running backs in all of college football.

That distinction continues as Kaleb Johnson has been named a Walter Camp Player of the Year semifinalist.

The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given out each year and it is given to the best college football player in the country. This award remains an elusive one that the Iowa Hawkeyes have yet to lay claim to.

Kaleb Johnson, a product of Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio, has broken out this year in a big way. He has set personal bests in yards, carries, and touchdowns. Johnson has also tied Shonn Greene for the single-season rushing touchdown record.

On the year, Johnson has carried the ball 188 times for 1,328 yards at an average of 7.1 yards per carry with 20 rushing touchdowns. He has added in 19 receptions for 109 yards and one receiving touchdown.

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Iowa star named Maxwell Award semifinalist

Say hello to the Maxwell Award semifinalist.

In the middle of a career year with the Hawkeyes, junior running back Kaleb Johnson has been named as a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award. The award is presented to college footballā€™s Player of the Year as voted by the Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors, and selected national media.

Johnson, who is Iowaā€™s first Maxwell Award semifinalist since quarterback Ricky Stanzi in 2010, is having a record-breaking year for the Hawkeyes with a school-record 126 points scored on 21 total touchdowns.

In terms of his running game, Johnson’s 20 rushing touchdowns ties Shonn Greeneā€™s single-season record set in 2008. Johnson’s 1,328 rushing yards in 10 games this season currently ranks second nationally and is already the seventh-most in program history.

Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Semifinalist voting for the Maxwell Award began Tuesday and will close on Nov. 23. Three finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 26, and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time.

In addition to being named as a Maxwell Award semifinalist, Johnson was also added to the Doak Walker Award Watch List.

Iowa is one of seven schools to have at least one Maxwell and Bednarik Award semifinalist (Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas). Hawkeye linebacker Jay Higgins was selected as a Bednarik Award semifinalist, which goes to the most outstanding defensive player.

Iowa (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) is currently on its bye week and returns to play against the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday, Nov. 23, from SECU Stadium in College Park, Md.

Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. CT and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network as well as the Hawkeye Radio Network.

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