Iowa QB C.J. Beathard could be thorn in Stanford’s side
Iowa QB C.J. Beathard could be thorn in Stanford’s side
Quarterback C.J. Beathard said Tuesday it would be “awesome” to beat Stanford on Friday and bring the Rose Bowl trophy back to snow-bound Iowa City.
More than any other Hawkeye, however, Beathard is the man the Cardinal have to contain.
In his first year as the starter, the junior has thrown for only 15 touchdowns, but he has completed 61 percent of his attempts and thrown just four interceptions.
Like Stanford’s Kevin Hogan, Beathard is adept at running as well as passing for first downs.
What makes that skill so impressive is that he has been hampered by a strained groin since the Pittsburgh game in Week 3.
The layoff since the Big Ten title game loss to Michigan State on Dec. 5 has helped, he said.
Bobby Beathard retired from the NFL in 2000, two years after making the mistake of drafting quarterback Washington State’s Ryan Leaf with the second overall pick for San Diego.
Bobby’s brother, Pete — C.J.’s grand uncle — was the quarterback for USC in its 42-37 win over Wisconsin in the 1963 Rose Bowl, one of the greatest bowl games of all time.
Trailing 42-14 in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin rallied behind quarterback Ron Vander Kelen to score 23 straight points, only to fall short.
Beathard and Vander Kelen shared Player of the Game honors.
Rudock moved to Michigan as a graduate transfer and had a fine year for head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Beathard attended the 2008 Rose Bowl when his uncle Pete was quarterbacks coach for Illinois.