MINNEAPOLIS – Exactly eleven months ago, on Saturday, Iowa ran for eleven yards against Minnesota.

What happened in a 12-10 home loss to the Gophers was absurd, and so was what happened to them Saturday night at Huntington Bank Stadium, but in a good way.

The story of Iowa’s one-third of the regular season is not that there’s a Dr. Jekyll half and a Mr. Hyde half in every game. No, so far it’s bigger and much better than that.

It’s a team with a leading running back who consistently puts up fantastic yardage numbers and consistently displays a flair for big plays that’s so entertaining, you forget the team is still working on its passing game.

The offensive line bears little resemblance to last year’s unit, which could neither protect nor apply pressure adequately. They take care of their own business.

That runner? Kaleb Johnson hits every gap, running to daylight and beyond. On Saturday, he had five runs of 20 yards and one of 40. After three straight games of two touchdowns, he upped his performance against the Gophers by one touchdown in Iowa’s 31-14 win.

Johnson rushed for 206 yards on 21 carries, or nearly 10 yards per carry. That was better than his season average before the game, but not by much.

Last year, the offensive line was a hub. So far this season, it’s helping to turn the yard-o-meter. Johnson has rushed for 685 yards in four games. Iowa had 272 on Saturday. There were plenty of games last season where the modest 272 yard total was welcome.

For example, the 11 rushing yards and 127 total yards against Minnesota.

“I really took last year’s game personally,” Johnson said in an interview with NBC after the game on the field. “I carried my team on my shoulders and won.”

But Johnson is not a me-me-me guy. “I love my O-line. I love these guys,” he said before the interview ended, heaping praise on his blockers as he left the field and spoke with Iowa reporters.

“They come together, are big and strong, finish blocks and everything,” Johnson said. “That opened up the gaps for me and I did my thing today.”

They’re in sync, the linemen and the 6-foot-3, 220-pound running back. They came out of the tunnel for the second half trailing 14-7 after losing the upper hand in this game thanks to a brutal second quarter.

Johnson ran for 17 yards on the opening drive of the third quarter and scored a 15-yard touchdown to tie the game. On Iowa’s next possession, he ran 40 yards to the end zone for a 21-14 lead. He ran for 33 yards on the first play of his team’s final scoring drive.

Iowa State University standout linebacker Jay Higgins, who was part of a defense that dominated in the second half, has watched Johnson run during games.

“There are gaps on the big screen,” Higgins said. “We try to keep that to a minimum in training when we play him, but it’s good to see that on Saturdays.”

Johnson somehow made it look easy and mundane. Again, the top five deserve a lot of credit.

Left tackle Mason Richman has made 43 starts in his career, and he probably hasn’t smiled as much after any of his first 42 as he did after Saturday’s game.

“I think we all go in there and block our asses,” Richman said.

“I think it’s a combination of the chemistry that exists between them and the work ethic that they’ve shown,” said Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara, who was running alongside Johnson, looking for someone to block him on Johnson’s second touchdown run.

Considering Iowa’s pathetic offense over the last two years, the results these blockers and their backs are getting seem like an exorcism.

College football never lacks for great running backs. But Johnson was different, a bruiser who wore down defenses with tough short drives and demoralized them with his routine long-distance runs.

“I can’t remember anybody doing what he did in four games,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. When Ferentz praises a single player with such a declarative statement, something really different is happening here.

“I just always want to do more,” Johnson said. “I’m never satisfied.”

Last year, they had 11 rushing yards against Minnesota. On Saturday, they had 272. “That’s much better, isn’t it?” Richman said.

Yes, still like daylight.

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