Opposing Sideline: Iowa QB Spencer Petras Ready for Second Season, Indiana's Aggressiveness

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras struggled in his first few starts last year, but much of that has been dismissed because of a lack of preparation with COVID. Big things are expected of him in 2021 after a normal summer, and it starts on Saturday against No. 17 Indiana.

Editor's Note: This is the third installment of our reports on the No. 18-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, who are Indiana's opponent in the season opener on Saturday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Spencer Petras remembered who the opponent was the last time he was the starting quarterback in front of fans.

“Shasta High School in 2017,” said the Iowa quarterback, who played at Marin Catholic High School in California.

Petras has played as a quarterback in front of fans before at Iowa, but it was in five games in 2018 and 2019 when the outcome had long since been decided.

Petras became the Hawkeyes’ starter last season, but all eight of his starts were played in front of almost-empty stadiums because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s why he’s looking forward to Saturday’s season opener against Indiana at Kinnick Stadium. The game starts at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on the Big Ten Network. Iowa is a 3.5-point favorite as of Friday morning, according to the gambling website FanDuel.com.

“The focus is on the task at hand,” Petras said. “But it will be fun to throw a touchdown, and hear the crowd cheer again. That’s something we missed last year.”

Petras, a fourth-year junior, had an up-and-down season in 2020. He threw for 1,569 yards and nine touchdowns, but he also had five interceptions, three coming in a loss to Northwestern in the second game of the season.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said Petras’ inconsistency came from no spring practice and a hurried preparation for the eight-game Big Ten-only schedule.

Now, Ferentz said Tuesday, Petras has settled in.

“It's a night-and-day comparison, really,” Ferentz said. “Last year he went into the season pretty much cold -- no spring ball, no camp. And now he's got eight games under his belt. But he's also had a lot of time to practice beyond those eight games and watch himself perform and learn more about himself.

“And he really has done a good job in all regards, starting with the leadership part of it. He's totally committed. Has been. And I think that experience has just allowed him to play a little faster now, a little bit more decisively. And for the most part he's been pretty accurate and done some good things.”

“I think a big thing is just confidence,” Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum said. “Last year, there were a lot of things he missed — spring football, fall camp. Now he has a whole year under his belt, (as well as) spring football and fall camp. There’s just more confidence he has in himself, and the team around him.”

“Especially having a season starting under my belt, I’m definitely a lot more confident with what to expect, what it takes to win,” Petras said.

Petras will face an Indiana secondary that ranked first in the Big Ten and second in FBS play last season with 17 interceptions.

“The main thing, I think, is they take advantage of their opportunities,” Petras said. “They don’t leave them out there. These guys take the opportunities that you give them. So it’s really important that balls are placed correctly. And if they’re not, it could be a turnover. For us, as a football team, if we don’t turn the ball over, we win the game 90 percent of the time. That’s an important stat.

“Turnovers can kill a team, and be a huge part of the ballgame.”

Petras said his biggest improvement has come in his pre-snap routine.

“I think I recognize things a lot faster,” he said. “That’s a thing that comes with time. I can spot little details that mean little things. I’m faster, more efficient. A lot of that comes with preparation, watching tape.

“Post-snap is probably more important, because that’s where you need to react and make decisions.”

Ferentz said he has seen a different Petras in fall camp.

“He's operating quicker and more decisively,” Ferentz said. “I don't know if ‘relaxed’ is the right word to describe him. He's got a hyperactive note to himself. But he's doing a good job. He's doing a really good job.

“And the fact that he's one of our leaders, voted as a captain, that tells you how people see him too. He's done a really good job. He's totally invested. There are many things that I appreciate about him. That's one. He's totally invested.”

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