Vandenberg ready to step up for Hawkeyes

Erik Tjaden
Senior Writer
June 29, 2011

As a freshman, Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg was thrown into some pretty heavy situations as a backup to Ricky Stanzi, including having to start against Ohio State and Minnesota after Stanzi went down with injury.  Now that Stanzi is gone, Vanderbeng feels ready to step into the starting role and lead the Hawkeyes to victory.  Says the Iowan signal caller, "It's something I've been looking forward to for a long time. Like I've been telling people, if I'm not ready now, I'm never going to be ready."

Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeye coaching staff will not ask Vandenberg to be amazing but rather to be an efficient distributor of the ball to players like Marvin McNutt and Marcus Coker.  If he can pass well enough to keep the pressure off Coker, the Iowa offense should do just fine.

Source: ESPN