Iowa running backs shine in win over Albany

In a game when Iowa’s passing attack struggled, the running game was on point. As a team, I had over 300 yards on the ground, and a bulk of that came from an unexpected source.

In his first appearance for the Hawkeyes, redshirt freshman Xavier Williams led the way with 11 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown.

“Our offensive line, receivers, tight ends did a great job blocking tonight so really I was just doing my job hitting the hole hard when it presented itself,” Williams said. “So it was a good deal all around. I was expecting to get a little (playing time), but I wasn’t really sure what to expect first game. I wasn’t sure what the rotation would look like, so I was really just trying to stay ready for whatever.”

“I mean (Xavier) is a physical back,” said Logan Jones, an Iowa offensive lineman. “He is going to go out there and hit somebody. I thought he did a great job today. All of our running backs did. I’ve seen that from him since he first got on campus. You look at him, you look at his quads, and they are gigantic.”

“The idea of being a good player is if you get an opportunity to step in there, do something with it,” said Kirk Ferentz, Iowa football’s head coach. “I think we were all confident (Xavier would) step in and play well, but he’s still got to do it, so good start for him.”

Terrell Washington Jr. added 70 rushing yards, and Jazz Patterson also had 47 yards on seven carries.

“We always run the ball hard as hard as we can. As a unit, we call each other the stable. All of us can play,” Washington Jr. said.

“I think we’re a pretty tight-knit group,” Williams said. “I mean there’s talent all around in our running back group. There’s not a huge fall off, I don’t think, really at all. I think everyone is together, everyone is trying to get each other to take that next step, and everyone is happy for each other when everyone succeeds. We definitely have a good thing going on.”

The Hawkeyes now prepare to take on undefeated Iowa State on Saturday.