IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -Marvin McNutt thought about playing basketball at Iowa before deciding to focus his attention on becoming the Hawkeyes next starting quarterback.
He isn’t doing either these days and No. 12 Iowa couldn’t be happier about it.
McNutt, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound sophomore from St. Louis, made the switch from quarterback to wide receiver late last season. That move paid dividends last week in a win over Arkansas State.
McNutt caught his first two career touchdown passes, of 41 and 43 yards, and finished with 121 yards receiving as Iowa (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) slipped past the Red Wolves 24-21.
McNutt ranks second on the Hawkeyes with 12 catches and is first with 20.2 yards per reception. He’ll undoubtedly be one of the players Michigan (4-1, 1-1) watches closely when the Wolverines face Iowa on Saturday night.
o,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Marvin has got good, physical size and he’s got good hands.”
McNutt was a pitcher, first baseman and outfielder in high school. On the basketball court, he played everywhere from point guard to power forward.
But McNutt was best known for what he did on the football field.
He was named Hazelwood Central’s starting quarterback six games into his junior year and led it to six straight wins and a spot in the state title game. That piqued the curiosity of many of the top Division I football programs in the Midwest, which only intensified after McNutt earned first-team all-state honors as a senior.
Football was far from McNutt’s only option. His combination of size, hands and skills also drew interest from basketball teams in the Missouri Valley conference, and McNutt said Southern Illinois, Indiana State and Missouri State extended scholarship offers for hoops.
McNutt ultimately chose to play football at Iowa. Though he kicked around the idea of playing basketball for coach Todd Lickliter – who could use the help – he decided his future was on the gridiron.
Just not at quarterback, as it turned out.
After redshirting as a freshman, McNutt went to fall camp in 2008 behind incumbent starter Jake Christensen and sophomore backup Ricky Stanzi. Though the starting spot was up for grabs until late September, McNutt wasn’t much of a factor in the race.
Stanzi won the job. Iowa also had two promising quarterback recruits in James Vandenberg and John Wienke, and the coaching staff viewed wide receiver – a position that’s been a sore spot in recent years because of dismissals and injuries – as McNutt’s best chance to help out.
McNutt’s experience at quarterback helped lessen the learning curve at wideout, and after impressive performances in spring and fall camp he worked his way into a starting role.
“Mentally, even if I didn’t run the right route, I might have gotten there the right way,” McNutt said. “It really helped a lot because you just know the big picture of the offense. You know where you’re supposed to be and what you can do to help.”
McNutt is far from a finished product. He’s still working on the finer points of the position, especially running routes, and the conditioning required for wide receivers is far different that what’s needed for quarterbacks.
But Iowa can use all the playmakers it can find. The Hawkeyes are just 82nd nationally in scoring offense at 24.8 points per game – despite rolling off to its best start since 1995 – and McNutt is a big target with soft hands and the potential to get better with time.
“He definitely brings a spark,” Stanzi said. “He’s really starting to come into the position and learn all the little things.”
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