Hawkeyes short-handed again as injury list grows
Chad Leistikow, Hawk Central
Published 12:59 p.m. CT Sept. 24, 2019 | Updated 3:06 p.m. CT Sept. 24, 2019
IOWA CITY, Ia. — After the first of two scheduled idle weekends of the Iowa football season, the 14th-ranked Hawkeyes' injury list actually got longer, not shorter.
Kirk Ferentz dropped that bit of concerning news Tuesday in the lead-up to Saturday's 11 a.m. home game against Middle Tennessee State.
"We're really not making any significant progress or significant news on the injury front," Ferentz said, moments after revealing that starting right guard Kyler Schott would miss several weeks with a foot injury he suffered Sunday during practice.
Schott will be replaced in the lineup by Cole Banwart, a seven-game starter in 2018 who returned to the field (from a leg injury) on a rotational basis in Iowa's 18-17 win at Iowa State. So that one-for-one trade-off isn't a major concern; what
is concerning is that the Hawkeyes will continue to be without left tackle Alaric Jackson (a third-year starter); defensive tackle Brady Reiff (a starter); and defensive backs Matt Hankins, Kaevon Merriweather, Julius Brents and Riley Moss (all starters in the past year).
"We're getting closer. But closer to what? Who knows?" Ferentz said. "A lot of ambiguity right now."
So, Iowa will largely trot out the same defense it did against Iowa State. The biggest concern now would be suffering another injury in the secondary before Hankins (hamstring) or Brents (knee) can return.
"It's concerning every week. It was extremely concerning last time we played," Ferentz said. "I looked over today and half our two-deep in the secondary was in street clothes watching practice. But that's football. We're not dwelling on that. We're working with the guys on the field.
"The good thing is it creates opportunity for other players. That's how we've looked at it. ... At some point, we'll get guys back. But it's just been slow."
If there's some good news on the injury front, the guys who have been playing are feeling fresher.
In other words, the idle week helped.
“My body feels way better than it did after Iowa State, I’ll say that,” starting strong safety Geno Stone said. “… My body feels like it’s Week 1 again."
Another encouraging bit of news is that Jackson seems to be trending well in advance of Iowa's Oct. 5 game at Michigan. That was something offensive line coach Tim Polasek
mentioned on our Hawk Central radio show last week, too.
"He is one guy that's making ... an active move forward," Ferentz said. "That's encouraging, and that's just the nature of injuries sometimes. You're kind of stagnant or plateaued and all of the sudden, the guy will take a jump."
A new name on Iowa’s depth chart is Jermari Harris at cornerback.
And last week, defensive coordinator Phil Parker mentioned Dane Belton as coming on strong. Both are true freshmen and names worth watching, considering Iowa's decimated secondary. It wouldn't be a shock to see either guy play against Middle Tennessee; neither has seen game action yet and can play up to four games without losing a year of eligibility.
“Dane, he’s been working at the safety and the cash. He’s another good body that can move around,” starting senior cornerback Michael Ojemudia said. “(Jermari) is a long corner, a really smart guy. He’s coming along faster than other guys. I think if his name is called, he’ll do a good job. He understands the defense.”
Parker showed his players film this week of USC using a third-string quarterback to upend then-No. 11 Utah. The lesson: Be ready if your name is called. It's a good lesson already put into place by the Hawkeyes this year.
“When he puts any one of us in the game,” Ojemudia said, “he expects us to execute.”
One injured Hawkeye who has declared himself healthy: Mekhi Sargent.
One of Tuesday’s best player quotes goes to Iowa’s No. 1 running back. Sargent gutted out a 13-carry, 58-yard performance in Ames despite a significant right wrist injury after a practice fall late in game week.
Sargent said he wasn’t worried about the pain or ball security because he was left-hand dominant and got a good pregame tape job on the wrist. Still, he carried the ball with both hands and took several hard hits in a physical game. He never fumbled.
“There are going to be hits and bumps in the road. You’ve just got to go out and play football,” Sargent said. “I didn’t sign up to be a baby or catered to. Just play football. I was confident going into the game.”
Sargent said the wrist feels “normal” now. That’s good news.
https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/s...-stone-mekhi-sargent-kirk-ferentz/2425014001/