Hawkeyes: The new offensive coordinator from Iowa fulfills preseason commitments
IOWA CITY — The first game of the Tim Lester era at Iowa provided an uneven glimpse at the impact of the Hawkeyes’ new offensive coordinator.
Iowa managed just six points on two Drew Stevens’ field goals in the first half and amassed a measly 127 yards on 39 plays.
In the second half, the Hawkeyes erupted for 34 points, scoring touchdowns on five of their six drives, and gashed the Illinois State defense for 365 yards in 32 plays.
Iowa’s 251 passing yards, 241 rushing yards, 492 total yards and 23 first downs either tied or set a new high-water mark for the Hawkeyes in the debut of an offensive coordinator since Bill Snyder’s debut in 1979.
Despite the Jekyll and Hyde introduction, Lester’s impact on Iowa’s offense became apparent over the course of Iowa’s 40-0 win over the Redbirds.
Ahead of the season, Lester described himself as running a mostly balanced offense between the run and the pass though he said it mostly depends on the opponent.
