Big Ten Daily (Oct. 2): Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson Sends Strong Message to Ohio State
If you can't join 'em, beat 'em. That's the mindset Iowa running back is taking into Saturday's game against Ohio State.
Johnson, a native of Ohio, was a three-star prospect out of Ohio. Although he was ranked as the No. 20 player in the state, he never received an offer from the hometown Buckeyes. But in an interview this week, the Hawkeyes running back said he wouldn't have played for Ohio State, anyway.
“Even if they offered me, I wouldn’t have went," Johnson said while speaking with reporters. "I want to beat them. That’s my goal. I wanna beat the top dogs. I don't wanna be with them. I want to beat them."
Beating Ohio State would be a monumental victory for Iowa — especially in Columbus. The Buckeyes have run through their entire schedule thus far, posting an average margin of victory of 42 points.
Johnson has given Iowa some hope, though. The junior running back has piled up 685 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. He has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in each of Iowa's first four games, including a 206-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 31-14 victory over Minnesota on Sept. 21.
Without question, Johnson has made Iowa's offense better this season. Is it enough to upset his hometown team?
That's the goal he's taking with him in his return to Iowa.
Lincoln Riley offers redshirt rule solution
USC coach Lincoln Riley isn't a fan of the current redshirt rule in college football. As the landscape of collegiate athletics changes, he believes the rule needs some tweaking.
Recently, defensive lineman Bear Alexander and linebacker Raesjon Davis both decided to utilize their redshirt season after the Trojans played their fourth game of the season. After announcing their intent to redshirt, they plan to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
There's no doubt Riley is irked by the situation.
“I think guys should have five years,” Riley said. “Do whatever you want, play as much as you want or as little as you want, and the only way you get an extra one is if you have two season-ending injuries and miss the whole season.
“I think it should be that plain and simple and be done, and then nobody’ll have to worry about this other crap about how many games you’ve played and all that. I understand why it’s there, but I still think it’s a little bit behind the times.”
USC is 3-1 following last weekend's win over Wisconsin. With games against Penn State, Washington, Nebraska and Notre Dame on the schedule, there's still a chance the Trojans could be a College Football Playoff contender.
But in today's era of college football, student-athletes are making decisions that are in their best interest rather than what's best for the team.
We'll see if Riley's message about the redshirt rules is heard by the NCAA.
Related Big Ten stories
WATCH BIG TEN BASKETBALL MEDIA DAYS: Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Media Days will be held in Chicago from Wednesday, Oct. 2 through Thursday, Oct. 3. CLICK HERE
ALL-BIG TEN PRESEASON TEAM ANNOUNCED: The 2024-25 All-Big Ten basketball team was announced on Tuesday. Purdue guard Braden Smith was the only unanimous selection. CLICK HERE
