View from Stands: Iowa State

Oct 4, 2022 - 3:46 PM

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Pregame

With kickoff set for 2:30, we target getting to our parking lot around 11:30. We hit the mark almost on the nose arriving as 11:30 rolls over on the clock. A different scene welcomes us today. In past seasons being in the lot 3 hours before kickoff, we would be one of the first 3 or 4 cars to arrive. Today the lot is more than half full and filling up quickly. We get a spot and set up our area. It is a beautiful day for football and tailgating.

Part of our tailgating setup includes a TV, so we are able to watch KU’s opponent next week, TCU. When I first start watching the game, the score is 20-3. Surprising. What I did not put together at first is it is only halfway through the first quarter. Behind me are a couple of guys trying to start a “We want ‘Bama“ chant which is met with a few laughs, but no real enthusiasm from others. As people come and go we continue to see TCU just curb stomp the Sooners. As the Sooners continue to lose and lose big, concern starts to build a little for next week's game. But that is getting ahead of things, you have to enjoy the present.

The marching band, both current and alumni, start to gather and get ready for the march down to the stadium.

As the Sooner stomping continues, 2:00 pm arrives, we break down our setup and head to the game.

Tim Reddin

The line to get in the game is not long. When you do not have a bag, the line you can use is quick.

Tim Reddin

The fans have taken heed of the advice to arrive early and enjoy happy hour pricing on concessions. There are lots of fans in the stadium early. This will not be a late arriving crowd. We are in our seats early to see the team's entrance and flyover and as a result, we catch the marching band's performance. The band is introduced and runs in through the stadium’s north tunnel entrances, down the stairs, and onto the field. I know they have done this in years past. I remember it during the Mangino years. I do not remember it in recent years. Is that because I usually get to my seat right before the hype video and team entrance and have just not been here to see it, or have they brought it back after not doing it for a while? I don’t know.

The crowd is ready and excited for the game but you can tell they are a bit reserved because they know Iowa State is another test KU needs to pass. Or is that just how I feel as the game is about to start?

First Quarter

• Kevin Mar officiating crew, well this isn’t starting well. People complained all week about no respect from AP voters. What about respect from our conference and giving us a better crew?
• I love winning the opening toss and deferring to the second half
• Who is killing us with screen passes? WV? Houston? Now Iowa State is to start the game!
• Hold on Berryhill, Yes. A sack early in the game for the hold.

• Everyone around me sees Jared Casey wide open down the sideline and so does Jalon.
• Bean is in the game! Nice run. But it looks like it is a legit hold against Casey.
• I like seeing Jason working in from time to time.
• Funny to hear the critics around me. When things are bad, the coaching is bad. When things are good, still the coaching is a problem (in the end several coaching decisions are concerning, but they did not know that yet).
• 4th and 7, damn it!
• Despite a long Iowa State drive, the crowd is pumped up after sack.
• Off the upright!!!!!!!
• Bean again? He doesn’t run it this time. That ends the quarter.

Second Quarter

• Between the quarters, a 360-degree picture is taken inside the stadium. If you want a good look at the crowd and maybe find a friend in the stands, go check it out.
• Play is blown dead, that is not a fumble. Kevin Mar was very emphatic.
• Option to Neal is nice. Despite what I hear later, there is no way that is the first option of the season. I saw the same play against Tenessee Tech when Jalon held it too long.
• It is close but Hishaw stretches out for the TD. I cannot see if he made it from my seats, but the replay on the board shows nothing to cause the score to be reversed. I love playing from the lead! 7-0.

• I am hearing rumors about an announcer talking about Hishaw’s third leg on the stretch for the touchdown. I have not seen anything online about this slip of the tongue.
• The scoreboard operator is struggling today, it is currently 1 & 10, but the scoreboard says 3 & 9.
• Nice punt Ries Vernon. Iowa State pinned deep.
• During the TV timeout, a student named Naz gets 3 shots at kicking a field goal from the goal line off of a tee. $500 for each made kick. How many would you make? The first attempt looks good to the crowd but it goes under the crossbar, no good. The second attempt never gets off the ground. The third attempt is good. Give Naz his $500!
• Cobee!!!!!! I have to admit, I saw him go up for the ball but did not realize he caught it. I thought it was just a great pass defense. But when I see the sideline erupt I ask my daughter if he caught it. Wow! What a catch.

• Shade has reached our seats. It was not that hot, but it feels good to get out of the sun. I do not need sunburn on half of my face.
• Illegal downfield is reviewable? I would have said ‘No’ and if Matt Campbell is mad about it, I understand. On the flip side, this is a Kevin Mar crew and horrible calls are to be expected and it was completely wrong, so justice is served in the end. Rock Chalk.
• What is going on now? Has Iowa State called time out? Are they going to review the review? No idea, but they are starting to play again.
• Why are we not spreading them out? Spread them out!! We can still run the ball, but make them defend more of the field when we are so close to the goal line.
• TD Jalon. See how easy that was when you spread your players out more? 14-0

• The student side yells “Rock Chalk” and the alumni side yells “Jayhawk”. It is as loud and enthusiastic as it has been in a long time.
• I feel like I am missing something, why is Iowa State running so much? They are torching us with the pass.
• Penalty for delay of game on Iowa State after kickoff. I think this penalty is a result of either the crowd or the officials. I never heard them blow a whistle indicating the ball is ready for play. Was the crowd that loud or is this just Mar and his poor crew not giving a clear signal of the ball being ready for play? Either way, the offense did not realize the play clock started when it did.
• Argh. Cobee didn’t need to do that, the kid was never catching the ball. Cobee thought he got beat and panicked (or better put, did what he was coached to do when you get beat deep).
• Iowa State TD. That felt quick.

• Ugghh. They get the two-pointer! At this point that feels like an important point. 14-8
• Missed FG. Early in the preseason, I said the place-kicking lack of consistency would not be a big deal because we would rarely be in a position where a field goal will matter, well this game may prove me wrong.
• A guy behind me calls for a blitz on the last play of the half and he gets it.

Halftime

• I never understood the opponent’s band playing at halftime. Why does any team allow this? If you need to fill extra time, have the home band play a little more or have some other ceremony, but give no quarter to your opponent.
• One plus to having the Iowa State band play is it seems there is some baton girl drama. Once the performance is complete, two of the three baton girls appear to want nothing to do with each other. Body language speaks a lot.
• The stadium lights have been turned on. There is no way they are needed. Do they help the TV coverage?
• Last marching band note for the day. Since it is homecoming the KU Alumni Band plays as part of the halftime performance and I always get a kick out of the drummer with the yin and yang drum.

Tim Reddin

Third Quarter

• This is why I like deferring when winning the opening coin toss. A touchdown coming out of halftime will be very helpful.
• Emilien fights for a first down. Nice effort.
• The scoreboard operator still having trouble. After Emilien gets the first down, as the next play starts, the scoreboard says 3rd and 48.
• I haven’t taken notes in a while, not much is happening except doubt and tension building.
• No touchdown for Iowa State. Nice hit Kenny.
• A thought hits me about Kenny. Last year it felt like every time Kenny made a big hit, he was headed to the medical tent. This season I don’t think he has been there once. I am sure there are several factors contributing to this. First, he has more help this year and he is not making/taking as many hits, and second, he and the entire team are better physically prepared.
• Held them to a field goal. Thanks Kenny. 14-11
• Junior Jayhawk reporter segment! The young girl asks a player, I forget which, who has the smelliest shoes on the team? The player says “OJ”, and the crowd chuckles. The junior reporter then asks “Why are you smelling his shoes?” and the crowd eats up the joke as the player tries to back peddle and say you don’t have to be too close to catch the smell. Good time, every time.
• Great return Savion!!

• Hishaw just totally trucked that guy right in front of us. Wow! That Hawkeye will feel that tomorrow.
• Skinner was open the whole way. Jalon, how did you miss him? Big opportunity missed.
• The crowd around me is getting restless as we decide to punt and not go for it on fourth down.
• Great special teams play. Ries Vernon places it well and KU downs it inside the 1, though from my angle combined with the hop by Skinner(?) I thought it would be ruled a touchback. The defense has 99+ yards to play with.
• Kenny is a heat-seeking missile today. Another great hit/stop by him.
• As the third quarter ends, the defense is getting tired. They have been out there a long time this quarter and all day.

Fourth Quarter

Tim Reddin

• A lead can, we hold it?
• Low snap, lousy throw by Dekkers.
• Come on defense, hold them now!
• Damn!! 1st down
• 95 yards later, a pick!!!!
• No! They are looking at it. The defense comes up big again, but the officials give the ball back to the Hawkeyes.
• The kid hits it off the upright again!
• Punt and recovery. Locklin does for the second time this season. What’s the trick?
• I could not see the muff and recovery by Locklin. That spot along the sideline is hard to see when the players are there, but their reaction tells you everything you need to know.
• What happened to offensive play calling? Let Jalon cook! Is Iowa State doing something to cause Jalon to make the wrong read?
• Hishaw is down after fumbling. The stadium is almost completely silent. While the training staff is attending to him, I keep thinking about the play and wonder “what happened to forward progress being stopped, and the play being over?” Maybe it was too quick to make that call, but Hishaw’s forward progress was stopped before the fumble.
• My daughter says Hishaw pointed at his hip right after he went down. Did he dislocate his hip? Is it the same injury as last season? No idea, it will be a big loss to the team, he was turning into a beast. I hope he is ok long term.
• Sack! Eddie Wilson and Lonnie Phelps bring the heat and bring down Dekkers. We needed that from the defense.
• Man, they look tired.
• 5:21 left and a spontaneous “Let’s go Jayhawks” breaks out.
• Oh, I am nervous.
• The offense again is not able to help the defense much. Three and out for minus 8 yards. On the plus side, they did run a little more the 2 minutes off the clock.
• Can the defense hold off Iowa State one more time?

• So last season as my daughter and I sat through each game until the bitter end with a few thousand of our closest friends, we kept saying “I just wish the games were competitive”. Even if we blow it at the end here, we are getting what we asked for.
• Missed field goal number 3! Even from my depth perception challenged angle the kick never had any chance of going in. KCTicoSports > Brian Hanni

• 5-0!! Challenge met, if in an ugly manner.

• WIN YOUR CLUNKERS!!

Postgame

Students decide they need to celebrate on the field again as the stadium PA announcer chides them with “please leave the field, we now expect to win”. Of course, no one pays attention.

I originally was going to include a long opinion here about the fans on the field and how it is not wholly their issue, but the stadium design and lack of good post-game tradition, but that can be a separate post if you want to read it.

What is fun is having a harder time getting out of the stadium than getting in. This is new, at least when looking back on the last decade. Everyone stayed to the end and is now trying to leave. Nice to see everyone here today.

Tim Reddin

A 2:30 kickoff in early October leads to a nice view of the stadium after another win.

Tim Reddin