“Last year I was more so playing off talent and not knowing so much how to read defenses or being patient,” Sargent said. “Now I feel like my knowledge of the game, understanding concepts makes me feel more comfortable.”
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz also liked what he saw from Sargent.
“(Sargent) is more decisive (and) you can see he’s a lot more confident out there,” Ferentz said. “From the sideline (the run game) looked pretty good. It looked more like what we’re shooting for. I thought all the backs that were in there ran decisively.”
Nate Stanley threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 20, including a 16-yard keeper for Iowa.
The Hawkeyes got off to a slow start, but that was erased by the consistent ground game and some big plays from Stanley, who finished 21 of 30 in Iowa’s sixth straight season-opening win.
“(Stanley) did a real nice job, and we were just talking about the two runs — though we have to work on him getting down a little sooner. It was great to see him pull the ball down and run. It’s tough on a defense if a guy will do that.”
Iowa opened the scoring with a 21-yard field goal by Keith Duncan, but trailed in the second quarter after RedHawks quarterback Brett Gabbert — brother of NFL quarterback Blaine Gabbert — picked apart the Iowa secondary on a 77-yard scoring drive. Gabbert finished 17 of 27 for 186 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
The Hawkeyes used a combination of Sargent and Toren Young on the ground and Stanley finding 10 different receivers to counter and slowly pull away. Sargent had 14 carries and Young finished with nine for 48 yards and one touchdown.
“At halftime, we had Iowa’s attention,” Miami coach Chuck Martin said. “Those two drives in the third quarter, we didn’t make them earn it. Did they wear us down? Yes. But a lot of that was mental, too.”
Two moments stood out in particular for Iowa, for different reasons. Starting left tackle Alaric Jackson left the game in the first quarter with an apparent right knee injury. Conversely, Michigan transfer Oliver Martin caught his first pass with the Hawkeyes, a nine-yard touchdown from Stanley. He finished with two catches for 14 yards and the score.
THE TAKEAWAY
Miami: Despite how the game got away from the RedHawks, Gabbert had multiple shining moments. It remains to be seen if Miami’s quarterback competition is finished, but Gabbert helped himself, especially with the touch he displayed on his touchdown passes.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Tennessee Tech at Miami, 2:30 p.m., 980, 1450
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