By LUKE MEREDITH
Source: Associated Press
Posted: Saturday, August 30, 2008 3:46:00 PM EST
Published: Saturday, August 30, 2008 5:38:35 PM EST
Posted: Saturday, August 30, 2008 3:46:00 PM EST
Published: Saturday, August 30, 2008 5:38:35 PM EST
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -- Iowa running backs Shonn Greene and Jewel Hampton looked like stars on Saturday, giving the Hawkeyes a 1-2 punch they could really use the rest of the way.
But quarterback? That's still anyone's guess.
Shonn Greene ran for 109 yards and a touchdown, freshman Jewel Hampton added two late TDs and Iowa cruised past Maine 46-3 on Saturday.
Greene, who spent last season at a junior college because of academic issues, scored on a 1-yard plunge on the Hawkeyes' first possession, capping a 69-yard drive, and Iowa was on its way its biggest win since thumping Ball State 56-0 in the 2005 opener.
Led by Greene, the Hawkeyes overpowered the Black Bears (0-1) with 245 yards rushing. Hampton added a 19-yard TD run on his first career carry and a 22-yard touchdown with 3:29 left.
"He's a different kind of runner than we've had. That part's kind of neat and different and exciting," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said of the bruising Greene, who rushed for 205 yards for Iowa in 2006. "It's great to have him back."
Iowa will have to hope Greene and Hampton can keep it up, because the Hawkeyes still haven't decided on a true starting quarterback. They rotated Jake Christensen and Ricky Stanzi against Maine, and while both played well at times, neither stood out.
Christensen, who started all 12 games in 2007 and had a tenuous hold on the No. 1 job after fall camp, was replaced by Stanzi after throwing a second-quarter interception. But Christensen bounced back in the second half, helping the Hawkeyes put the game out of reach.
Christensen was 9-of-15 for 122 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Stanzi was 9-for-14 for 90 yards, playing most of the second quarter and re-entering the game in the fourth quarter.
"I thought they did a lot of good things...and we'll see what the tape looks like and what next week looks like," said Ferentz, who added that Christensen wasn't pulled because of the interception. "We'll do whatever is fair and whatever is best for the team."
Iowa led 22-3 at halftime and turned the game into a blowout in a 15-second stretch early in the fourth quarter. Paki O'Meara capped a 10-play-drive with a 1-yard run to make it 32-3, and after an interception by a Pat Angerer, Hampton scored to make it 39-3 with 14:43 left.
Hampton finished with 68 yards on nine carries, showing flashes of both speed and quickness.
"We just have to deflect some of the praise he's going to get," Ferentz said of Hampton. "He's going to think it's easy around here."
Jhamal Fluellen ran for 104 yards to lead Maine, which lost its fourth straight to a Football Bowl Subdivision team after winning at Mississippi State 9-7 in 2004.
The 43-point loss was Maine's worst in seven meetings against FBS opponents.
"We were hoping they'd stink up the joint and we'd have a chance," Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said. "That didn't happen."
Bradley Fletcher came down with an interception off a tipped ball the first time Maine got the ball, and Christensen found Brandon Myers for a 4-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0 with 3:37 to go the first quarter.
Christensen was 5-of-9 for 60 yards in the first half. But when he missed, he missed badly -- including an under thrown pass to Paul Chaney Jr. that Maine picked off at its own 3.
A.J. Edds bailed out Christensen with a safety that made it 16-0 with 12:31 to go in the second quarter, and Stanzi got the call for the rest of the half. He led the Hawkeyes to a pair of field goals to push Iowa's lead to 22-0.
"We came out and jumped on them pretty quick," said Edds, who added a sack and two tackles for losses. "We kept pushing. Offensively and defensively, we finished strong."
Maine's Bryan Harvey hit a 40-yard field goal as half ended for the Black Bears' only points. Adam Farkes was 9-of-22 for 83 yards and two interceptions for Maine.
Iowa will likely rotate Christensen and Stanzi again next Saturday when the Hawkeyes host Florida International. But when asked if he thought he'd start his 14th straight game against FIU, Christensen got straight to the point.
"I think I will," he said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
But quarterback? That's still anyone's guess.
Shonn Greene ran for 109 yards and a touchdown, freshman Jewel Hampton added two late TDs and Iowa cruised past Maine 46-3 on Saturday.
Greene, who spent last season at a junior college because of academic issues, scored on a 1-yard plunge on the Hawkeyes' first possession, capping a 69-yard drive, and Iowa was on its way its biggest win since thumping Ball State 56-0 in the 2005 opener.
Led by Greene, the Hawkeyes overpowered the Black Bears (0-1) with 245 yards rushing. Hampton added a 19-yard TD run on his first career carry and a 22-yard touchdown with 3:29 left.
"He's a different kind of runner than we've had. That part's kind of neat and different and exciting," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said of the bruising Greene, who rushed for 205 yards for Iowa in 2006. "It's great to have him back."
Iowa will have to hope Greene and Hampton can keep it up, because the Hawkeyes still haven't decided on a true starting quarterback. They rotated Jake Christensen and Ricky Stanzi against Maine, and while both played well at times, neither stood out.
Christensen, who started all 12 games in 2007 and had a tenuous hold on the No. 1 job after fall camp, was replaced by Stanzi after throwing a second-quarter interception. But Christensen bounced back in the second half, helping the Hawkeyes put the game out of reach.
Christensen was 9-of-15 for 122 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Stanzi was 9-for-14 for 90 yards, playing most of the second quarter and re-entering the game in the fourth quarter.
"I thought they did a lot of good things...and we'll see what the tape looks like and what next week looks like," said Ferentz, who added that Christensen wasn't pulled because of the interception. "We'll do whatever is fair and whatever is best for the team."
Iowa led 22-3 at halftime and turned the game into a blowout in a 15-second stretch early in the fourth quarter. Paki O'Meara capped a 10-play-drive with a 1-yard run to make it 32-3, and after an interception by a Pat Angerer, Hampton scored to make it 39-3 with 14:43 left.
Hampton finished with 68 yards on nine carries, showing flashes of both speed and quickness.
"We just have to deflect some of the praise he's going to get," Ferentz said of Hampton. "He's going to think it's easy around here."
Jhamal Fluellen ran for 104 yards to lead Maine, which lost its fourth straight to a Football Bowl Subdivision team after winning at Mississippi State 9-7 in 2004.
The 43-point loss was Maine's worst in seven meetings against FBS opponents.
"We were hoping they'd stink up the joint and we'd have a chance," Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said. "That didn't happen."
Bradley Fletcher came down with an interception off a tipped ball the first time Maine got the ball, and Christensen found Brandon Myers for a 4-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0 with 3:37 to go the first quarter.
Christensen was 5-of-9 for 60 yards in the first half. But when he missed, he missed badly -- including an under thrown pass to Paul Chaney Jr. that Maine picked off at its own 3.
A.J. Edds bailed out Christensen with a safety that made it 16-0 with 12:31 to go in the second quarter, and Stanzi got the call for the rest of the half. He led the Hawkeyes to a pair of field goals to push Iowa's lead to 22-0.
"We came out and jumped on them pretty quick," said Edds, who added a sack and two tackles for losses. "We kept pushing. Offensively and defensively, we finished strong."
Maine's Bryan Harvey hit a 40-yard field goal as half ended for the Black Bears' only points. Adam Farkes was 9-of-22 for 83 yards and two interceptions for Maine.
Iowa will likely rotate Christensen and Stanzi again next Saturday when the Hawkeyes host Florida International. But when asked if he thought he'd start his 14th straight game against FIU, Christensen got straight to the point.
"I think I will," he said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
