Iowa Football: Nate Stanley is 2017 Offensive MVP

Iowa football trudged through an up and down season. The offense wasn’t perfect, but it wouldn’t have been successful with this year’s offensive MVP.

Iowa’s 2017 season showed signs of promise for the Hawkeye faithful. First-year offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz gave fans what many thought they lacked under previous coordinator Greg Davis: Explosiveness.

Iowa’s big play opportunities came much more frequently than last year, with senior running back Akrum Wadley proving to be a game-changer at running back. However, this award goes to the Most Valuable Player, not just the best.

2017 Offensive MVP: Nate Stanley, QB, Sophomore

The man who replaced fan-favorite CJ Beathard following his graduation did not disappoint in his first season as a starter. The sophomore who hails from Menomonie, Wisconsin, passed for 2,333 yards and 26 touchdowns to only six interceptions, numbers most fans would be pleased with. Stanley also finished with a solid 135.3 passer rating, which ranked 55th among quarterbacks with at least 14 passing attempts per game.

Perhaps Stanley’s shining moment in the 2017 season came during Iowa’s thrashing of the then sixth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Stanley completed 20 of 31 passes for 226 yards and five touchdowns against the Buckeyes vaunted pass rush. The lasting image for many is Stanley’s touchdown pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson, with Ohio State defensive end Sam Hubbard, grasping for his ankles.

Some may and will argue that this honor should go to Akrum Wadley and I can agree with them. The separating factor was how effective the passing game was for Iowa was compared to last year. Many of Iowa’s struggles came when teams stacked the box and dared the Hawkeyes to beat them throwing, and last year Iowa didn’t have the horses to make it happen. This year Stanley would make teams pay if they did just that.

Stanley also seemed to step up when the games mattered the most. Against Iowa State and Ohio State, Stanley fired five touchdowns in each game, both of which ended with a Hawkeye victory. He was also efficient in Iowa’s last-second heartbreaker against Penn State and the Hawks blowout win over Nebraska on Black Friday.

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After a very solid sophomore season, all eyes will be on Stanley next year to see what he can bring to the table. He will also be re-joined with tight ends Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson, and receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette. Look for the Iowa offense to be making some noise in the near future.