Herman finds his place in Hawkeye offense
Brad Herman described his first two years in Iowa City as a struggle.
The 6-5 tight end was nothing more than an afterthought in his freshman and sophomore seasons in the Hawkeye offense, recording just one catch for three yards.
Herman surpassed that production in one game Saturday, recording three catches for 57 yards — both career-bests — in Iowa’s 37-7 win over Eastern Illinois in Kinnick Stadium.
He waited less than three minutes to assert himself as one of the newest forces in the Hawkeye attack, catching a 35-yard pass from Ricky Stanzi on the team's opening drive. Herman was tripped up on the Panthers' 2-yard line, falling just shy of the endzone. But that play — Iowa's longest from scrimmage on the day — helped spring Adam Robinson's first touchdown run of the season.
"The endzone just seemed so far away," Herman said with a laugh. "I was trying as hard as I could. I fell short, but I'll get it next time."
Herman's contributions were far from over, though.
He also snagged two-straight throws from Stanzi in the second quarter, recording gains of five and 17 yards to add to his career day.
"You just have to be ready every play [with Stanzi]. You just have to think you're getting the ball [on] that play," Herman said. "When he whips it to you, catch it. If you keep catching it, he'll keep throwing to you."
Stanzi threw another ball Herman's way on the very next play, but this time the newly-emerged duo didn't connect.
The person least surprised with Herman's performance Saturday may have been his senior quarterback. Stanzi said "no one" really talked about Herman coming into the season, adding that the junior had done a great job throughout preseason camp.
"We've been connecting for a while now since he's been in the starting lineup," Stanzi said. "[Herman's performance] wasn't anything that I didn't expect to happen. I thought he was going to play very well and he did."
Stanzi lauded Herman's ability to get open and read the coverage during the game, particularly with the other responsibilities attached with playing tight end like picking up the opposing team's blitzes.
But blocking wasn't always one of the Metamora, Ill., native's strengths. In fact, he said his blocking — or lack thereof — was what limited his previous involvement in the team's offense. Herman arrived in Iowa City with the idea that his pass-catching abilities alone would allow him plenty of opportunities, he said, but he soon learned that was a mistake.
With two years of experience in the Iowa system, Herman said he now has the right mentality. Starting tight end Allen Reisner said Herman "really stepped up" and showed that he had made great strides from last year.
Herman credited last year's starter — Tony Moeaki, now with the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL — with helping him understand the philosophy he needed to be successful.
"He wasn't always on his aiming point, but he was just determined to go out there — 'It doesn't matter who lines up against me, I'm going to kick that guy's butt,'" Herman said of his former teammate. "That's the mentality I'm trying to take this year."
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