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IOWA CITY After freshman running back Jonathan Parker made a splash at Purdue on Sept. 27, Kirk Ferentz knocked a microphone off a podium in the postgame. It went thud. The Purdue postgame area is a dungeon. Seriously, Big Ten, society has reached a point where running water and cinder blocks shouldn t be considered amenities. The podium was rickety and Ferentz barely touched it and blam. It was time to wrap it up. It was hot. A shower, a Powerade and a seat on the charter were calling. One more irritating question came stemming from the Parker discussion. It was about the perception that Ferentz doesn t enjoy using young players.

I m not worried about peoples perception, I m worried about our football team getting better, Ferentz said.

And so back to Parker, a 5-8, 180-pounder from St. Louis, Mo., who moves like quicksilver. If Ferentz does or did have any pause in using younger players, you might not have seen what he did at Purdue four touches for 93 yards nor would you have seen his 60-yard TD run off a jet sweep in the Hawkeyes 45-29 victory Saturday over Indiana. Parker sort of drove into the ditch as he left the garage. Against Ball State on Sept. 6, he fumbled the ball away twice. Back into the garage? No, quite the opposite.

There was a headline I saw somewhere that suggested we hadn t lost faith or are getting faith back in him, Ferentz said. Just for the record, he had two tough plays in that Ball State game, but I don t think anybody was ever down on Jonathan.
I want to make sure that I clarify this: He really practiced well last December when we were getting ready for the bowl. That s when we saw him start to come. And I thought he had a really good spring, good camp. So when you ve got a young guy out there, a guy who hasn t played, he s going to go through some tough times. Two like that, probably not desirable, but it happens.
It just wasn t for a lack of trying or concentration, so we re staying with him just because he s been working so hard and doing good things in practice and that s all you can evaluate. 

Not only is Iowa sticking with Parker, coaches are trying to find more ways to put the ball in his hands. Against Indiana, Iowa ran a quick pitch for Parker for a gain of 3 yards. It was the first time Iowa showed that this season. Also, with C.J. Beathard in at quarterback, Iowa ran an option, with Beathard sprinting toward the edge of the defense and Parker trailing. Beathard never made the pitch, but said that it really was an option. Parker is in the playbook now. He s really, really in the playbook now.

That was my plan coming to college, to get in the game, said Parker, who leads the Big Ten in kick returns (seven for a 27.43 average). I hope to see more and more to come. I m not satisfied yet and I appreciate coaches trusting me. 

According to Ferentz, Parker should be thanking himself for not shriveling up after Ball State.

Coming off Ball State, it was one of those things where you re a football player, Parker said. It happens to the best of you. You just continue to work hard. I got back in at running back today and just did what I had to do. Just football. 

Parker opened eyes at Purdue. He gained 93 yards on four touches, including a 47-yard kick return that kick-started Iowa s first TD drive. Against the Hoosiers, it was 90 yards on five touches (that s 20.3 yards a touch in the last two weeks), including the jet sweep. That sweep play has become a more than a novelty in offensive coordinator Greg Davis playbook. It constrains the defense. It has to defend Parker and that takes eyes and bodies off other elements of the offense. The fake helped open running lanes at Purdue. The fumbles are a memory. That s what happens in football sometimes. What happened Saturday was Parker followed a brilliant block and split defenders for 60 yards and his first career TD.

Just go, go, go, Parker said when describing his state of mind when seeing all that green in front of him. Don t stop, go, go. 

Now, the conversation is exciting possibilities for a freshman running back.

He s just been working hard. He s really carrying himself like a winning football player and it s really fun to watch, Ferentz said.

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