Peterson: Let's not forget the role Tom Manning played in Iowa State's win against Iowa

Tom Manning gave the answer I anticipated, but I had to ask anyway.

Since people sometimes (often?) criticize offensive coordinators when things don’t go well, how many of those people also provided praise after Iowa State’s game-winning, 99-yard drive against Iowa at Kinnick Stadium last week?

Ha.

Negative noise often is louder than the positive — especially, in this case, when we're talking about people in charge of calling plays for high-level football programs in a stadium full of emotional fans.

“I understand the position I have,” Manning said Wednesday night. “That’s just the way it is. That’s how it’s always been.”

I figured that’s what he’d say. He’s been at this gig a while. He’s been a tight ends coach in the NFL. He’s been in charge of Iowa State’s offense for all but one season of the Matt Campbell regime.

Still, I wondered.

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“It is what it is, man,” Manning said. “I try not to pay attention to it, either good or bad.

“My job is to do the best I can, do the best we can collectively as a staff, to try to put our kids in the best position to feel comfortable, and to be successful.

“I understand there’s passionate people, and people passionate about our football team, and that’s awesome.”

Wednesday was the first time Manning talked publicly about the Cyclones' eye-opening drive that included six third-down conversions, just one negative-yardage play, no penalties and most important — no turnovers.

“Really, our players did a great job executing,” Manning said. “We picked up a couple third downs with great reads by the quarterback and really good efforts by wide receivers to get open.

“Really, it’s just a credit to our kids. They did a great job of executing when it was really important.”

More: Peterson: In 99-yard drive, Hunter Dekkers became 'the guy' for Iowa State football

The drive ended with Xavier Hutchinson catching an 8-yard touchdown pass with 8:47 remaining.

Hutchinson enters Saturday’s 1 p.m. game against Ohio University with 19 catches for 226 yards and four touchdowns. He shares the Big 12 lead for touchdown receptions. He has caught 10 more passes than any of his teammates. He and quarterback Hunter Dekkers have formed a pretty good pitch-and-catch relationship.

“Xavier is an elite football player,” Manning said. “He’s an elite human. He goes about his business professionally. He’s an incredible young man. I’m not surprised he had a great (game Saturday).

“He’s a guy that’s motivated to be a great player. He has all the habits and talents that hopefully will allow him to play really good football the rest of the way.”

Hutchinson and Dekkers get much of the credit for that drive; they combined for the winning touchdown, but how many people outside the locker room knew Zach Ross came in at guard during some line packages? How many people went back to chart how many plays went to the left, right and behind center Trevor Downing?

“That's why it's really hard to play offensive line,” Campbell said. “You don't get a lot of notoriety. I've always said this in the recruiting process —  it's really hard to play because it's like long snapper. It's like playing kicker, it's like playing punter. Man, you don't notice them until something good or bad happens. And usually when something good happens, it just kind of flies by the wayside — you expect those good things to happen.”

So who was better during that drive — the offensive line or Manning?

“That 99-yard drive obviously starts with a great plan, and the plan was outstanding," Campbell said. "It’s great execution, so a lot of credit goes to our kids, the offensive line, Hunter — and (Hutchinson) made some big plays.

“And I think our staff has traditionally done a phenomenal job of putting our kids in great position to be successful. There’s a chess match within the game.”

And last Saturday, it was Iowa State that finally could say: “Checkmate.”

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson embarked on his 50th year of writing sports for the Des Moines Register in December 2021. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Peterson: Tom Manning — the coach behind Iowa State's 99-yard drive