Iowa always seems to be the butt of the jokes when it comes to having poor offenses and it’s not totally unjustifiable during the past few years under head coach Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeye offense has been the phase of the game that has held them back recently.

With the way star running back Kaleb Johnson is toting the rock, those jokes may turn into myths this season.

Iowa’s offense has taken a jump under first-year offensive coordinator Tim Lester. Iowa averaged just 15.4 points per game and 235.4 yards per game last season under then offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz (Kirk's son). This year, Iowa is averaging 29.2 points and 357.5 yards per game.

It’s not that Lester reinvented Iowa’s offense. The Hawkeyes simply are executing better on the field thanks to Johnson and the supporting cast around him, which has largely remained healthy.

At their core, the Hawkeyes want to run the football. That hasn’t changed under Lester. The only thing that’s changed is that Iowa has gotten better at doing that. The Hawkeyes are averaging over two more yards per carry and over 100 more yards per game on the ground compared to last year.

“They’re a physical outfit,” Michigan State defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa said. “They pride themselves on running the football. They pride themselves on moving the front, moving the line of scrimmage and feeding the (running) back. That’s who they’ve been.

“Obviously, this is my first time facing them as a football coach, but I’ve always had some appreciation for how they play the game. They make it physical at the line of scrimmage. They’re going to test your technique at the line of scrimmage and they’re going to run the ball. They don’t hide what they do.”