Seth Wallace might get another head coaching opportunity based solely on the merits of today's halftime speech for two quarters it looked like the Hawkeyes had turned back the clock to last year with an incapable offense an outstanding defense even at a cerene special with a pun return touchdown called back on a penalty but the final 30 minutes finally giving Hawkeye fans a glimpse at what this team might be capable of under new offensive coordinator Tim Lester Wallace the former c-hawk wide receiver has been on staff at Iowa for 10 years for the first time coaching with a bright lights pointed squarely in his Direction interim head coach into the first swarm of 2024 and like they've done the last two seasons Iowa's defense steals the headlines in the first quarter Jamari Harris diving in for the interception the six of his Iowa career next Redbird Drive TJ Hall gobbles up a fumble recovery but those turnovers only result in three points for Iowa Drew Stevens struggled at the end of last year but leg swinging Stevens looks like a new man sends the Hawks to halftime with a six nothing lead the kid from North austa right down the Fairway opening drive of the second half Cade mamero rolling right to the end zone who is that sliding young man it's reys vandery true freshman played quarterback last year in high school but Hawkeye fans are going to get acquainted with another Northwest Iowa product this kid is the real deal by the way that's the first Hawkeye touchdown since Deacon Hills one-yard TD Plunge in the first half against Nebraska last November but Iowa might have a lot more weapons at the disposal under Lester later in the third another firste Hawk Jacob Gil Gil the thrill 31 yards the Northwestern transfer with his first touchdown in the black and gold a 6 nothing halftime lead is suddenly an 18 nothing game to the fourth Rees vandery Rees mode between two Redbird Defenders the first freshman receiver from Iowa since Amir Smith marett who has two touchdowns in a single game Iowa receivers with three touchdown catches today they only had three all of last season who is this team the passing game newly Elite the running game still Elite Caleb Johnson we only learned today that he was held out of the first half for a team in fraction nobody holding him back in the fourth though 64 yd touchdown run to put the game on ice but it's about to go into the deep freeze with six minutes left an 18 yd TouchDown for KJ 92 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone 119 on the day winner winner Wallace dinner the Hawkeyes dropped 40 on Illinois State most lopsided shut out for Iowa since 2018 a second half that gives Iowa fans a second chance for hope when stuff wasn't going our way at the beginning we were kind of you know really our Tempo wasn't very good and I think once we were able to gain some momentum and gain some Tempo um that really set us up really good for the second half that felt good that felt good it felt real good man so I'm just so glad to be back on the team be back with the team you know helping us win the way that they responded was um you know was really pretty special to see the second half I think is a better indicator of you know kind of the team that we are and um you know what we're capable of and we've got a lot to clean up we certainly do a great second half certainly but it is Illinois state the Hawkeyes have a chance to prove that this offense Is For Real when they swap out one ISU redb bird for another as the Cyclones come to kenck next Saturday reporting from kinnick stadium in Iowa City Owen Sebring Iowa news now Sports I'm J