Kaleb Johnson, Defense Spark Hawkeyes

Iowa Football Takes Down Purdue in Saturday's Homecoming Game

Iowa's Kaleb Johnson (2) runs the ball against Purdue on Oct. 7, 2023 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

Kaleb Johnson was glad to meet with the media.

Coming to the podium after Iowa’s 20-14 win over Purdue on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium checked the final box in Johnson’s comeback from an ankle injury that kept the running back out for the last three games.

Johnson rushed for 134 yards, 67 on his first-quarter touchdown run, in his first game back after an ankle injury made him a spectator in the last three weeks.

“I just love being back,” Johnson said. “It just gives me a chance to do what I do.”

The Hawkeyes (5-1 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) had 181 rushing yards, almost 80 more than their season average. They averaged 5.2 yards per rush, a chemistry between the offensive line and the backfield that hasn’t been seen much this season.

The gaping hole that Johnson raced through on his touchdown was perfection in his mind.

“I was thinking in my head, ‘I’m gone,’” Johnson said.

The run eliminated the pain of the last few weeks. With Johnson out, the Hawkeyes turned to Leshon Williams and others to carry the ball. It showed Iowa’s depth at the position, but Johnson would have rather been the lead ball carrier.

“I was kind of hurting inside,” Johnson said. “But at the same time, I was cheering on Leshon Williams and all the other running backs. I just loved to see them progressing, too.”

Johnson was cleared to return to practice this week, a move that surprised Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz.

“He came back a little quicker than maybe I anticipated based on what I heard or was hearing a couple weeks ago, but (his recovery) has been steady,” Ferentz said. “I was skeptical Monday and Tuesday, quite frankly — for a running back with an ankle injury, you always worry about that. But he looked like he was a hundred percent, and it was good to get him back.”

Iowa needed a running game because quarterback Deacon Hill, in his first start, looked the part. He was just 6-of-21 passing for 110 yards. Hill, who admitted he was “jittery” in his new role, was often overthrowing receivers, although there were plenty of drops as well.

“Well, you guys saw him throwing,” Ferentz said. “I'm certainly not an expert on quarterback play. From throwing baseballs, I know this — if you press or try to do too much sometimes, the ball sails and I'm guessing that's probably what it was.

“But I thought he kept his composure, and a couple of them, we didn't help him on again. Got to make the makeable plays and we didn't always do a great job of that. But he hung in there.”

Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes’ defense constantly harassed the Boilermakers (2-4, 1-2). Purdue outgained Iowa 343-291, and had almost an 11-minute edge in time of possession. But quarterback Hudson Card was sacked six times, and Iowa had 12 tackles for loss.

The Hawkeyes came into this game with just three sacks all season.

“I had a feeling eventually it was going to come,” defensive end Joe Evans said. “Just continue to keep pushing it, pushing it, pushing it in practice. And one of these days it was going to fall for us.”

“Those guys just got after it up front,” linebacker Nick Jackson said. “They’ve got a chip on their shoulder every day. They finally got to experience that ‘getting back home.’ Shoot, they’ve been living for that all year.’”

Evans said the defensive linemen met as a unit this week, with no coaches.

“We just said it was important to go out and play for each other,” he said. “Have some fun. Of course, winning is fun.”

The Hawkeyes, really, had been living for a game like this all year. Great running, great line play on both sides, and enough harassment on defense to keep an offense off balance.

The Boilermakers aren’t a good team, and the tests are coming, starting next week at Wisconsin.

“Any time you get out there and get a win, it feels good,” Jackson said.

There was more than a good feeling for Johnson. He was playing again.

“I got it done,” he said. “I’m out on the field.”