Brendan Sullivan making strong case to be Iowa’s top gunslinger

IOWA CITY, Ia. — The junior quarterback made the most out of his first start with the Hawkeyes, and led them to their largest margin of victory in Big Ten play this season.

Brendan Sullivan pretty much picked up where he left off from week nine in Iowa’s win over Northwestern, when he filled in admirably against his former team after Cade McNamara went down with an injury. He used his dual-threat capabilities against Wisconsin Saturday night, led Iowa on a jaw-dropping, seven touchdown drives and to bowl eligibility.

He also also scored two total touchdowns. Sullivan thought it should’ve been three, but the officials ruled him down at the one-yard line on his longest run of the evening. Still, he couldn’t have asked for a better performance against the Badgers, thanks to a solid week of preparation, and plans on keeping it pushing.

“It was good, a lot more confidence was being built, obviously knowing that you’re going to start you gotta have some confidence,” Sullivan said. “So being able to get more reps, and seeing the things I need to see was crucial.”

Sullivan had full command of the offense, and looked like a seasoned veteran behind center. Everything was clicking on all cylinders, and everyone got in on the action. With Kaleb Johnson leading the way out of the backfield, Iowa (6-3) put up the most points in Big Ten play this fall. Not to mention it was the fourth time this year that the Hawkeyes scored 40 or more points.

Sullivan completed seven of his 10 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. The Michigan native also recorded 58 yards on the ground and a score. Most importantly, Sullivan didn’t turn the ball over, and is blossoming in Tim Lester’s scheme,  which is something that Coach Kirk Ferentz appreciates.

“I think there’s enough flexibility probably in any system, you kind of lean towards what a guy can do,” Ferentz said. “The obvious dimension right now is his running ability, and that came in handy tonight, and he (Sullivan) made a great throw on the ball down there, which was a huge play for us.”

Sullivan connected with wideout Jacob Hill in the third quarter for a seven-yard touchdown. However, his longest completion of the day went for 52 yards to tight end Zach Ortwerth. The big boys up front mauled the opposition at the point of attack, and dominated in the trenches. In return, that gave Sullivan time to operate in the pocket, and it was easy for him to hand the ball off to Johnson with all of the gaping holes.

Once the smoke cleared, Iowa led Wisconsin (5-4) in total offense, plays, first downs, third down efficiency, yards per play and time of possession. It’s mind-boggling that the Hawkeyes didn’t even need any special team heroics from kicker Drew Stevens.

Scoring 40-plus points in two-straight conference games means Iowa’s offense is making huge strides, and with Sullivan at the helms it appears the best is yet to come. McNamara is still sidelined with an injury, with no timetable for his return, and Ferentz didn’t dive into whether or not he has a quarterback controversy on his hands.

With a short week, and a road trip to the Rose Bowl against UCLA looming, it’s a no-brainer that Ferentz should continue to roll with Sullivan as the starter. After all, his stats are encouraging, and he plays with moxie, which has been lacking at the position for quite some time. There’s no denying that has been the missing ingredient to Lester’s recipe.

Regardless, Sullivan appreciates everything he has learned from his teammates in the quarterback room, as well as the coaching staff. The bond Sullivan has with McNamara, and Marco Lainez is more like a brotherhood in his eyes. There’s no animosity about who’s starting, because they support each other and share the same goal, which is to help the offense be successful.

“For me it really didn’t change too much, I prepare the same way with Cade and Marco from their end, and seeing things on the sideline definitely helped a ton,” he said. “Just giving me their perspective, I was helping out as well, it was a fun room this week, and we were all collaborating.”

The six-foot-four, 220-pounder won’t be sneaking up on anyone though. Opposing Defensive Coordinators have enough film to fully scout Sullivan now, so he has to keep his head on a swivel, and not stay complacent. Iowa has an opportunity to finish strong down the stretch in the final three games of the regular season, with a Heisman hopeful at running back and Sullivan directing the offense.

There’s also a new wave of energy with the fans following the victory, and Sullivan just wants to build off that momentum, and carry it into Friday’s matchup with the Bruins.

“Obviously we won 42-10 today, so that’s the only thing I care about, it’s what puts a smile on my face, and the team played well.”