Fant and Ivory Kelly Martin both left Minnesota game with heads hit...the lb Hockaday was on crutches for second half....other lb Niemann may be out again.."another lb out for targeting...two cbs who were out versus us may still be out:
Before they suffered knee injuries, Niemann (outside) and Hockaday (middle) were proving to be Iowa's two best linebackers. Iowa Coach Seth Wallace didn’t totally rule either player out for Saturday’s game, but offered an encouraging quote on their recovery.
“Both guys have a real good shot next week against Maryland,” he said. “I’m not saying it’s out of the woods this week for either one of them. But yeah, definitely next week.”
But vs Indiana?
Kristian Welch on Saturday is in line to become at middle linebacker through six games, with Hockaday (left knee) likely out and Amani Jones (targeting penalty) suspended for the first half.
But Wallace opened the door to the possibility that true freshman Dillon Doyle, the son of Iowa strength coach Chris Doyle, could see the field. Since enrolling in January, Dillon Doyle (6-foot-3, 227 pounds) has been ascending quickly and has been on middle-linebacker standby in case the veterans didn’t pan out.
Hockaday’s emergence has allowed Doyle to play in only one game this season. He could play in up to four without burning a year of eligibility under the NCAA’s new red-shirt rule.
"We’re fortunate with the rule change,” Wallace said. “If we need to, I feel comfortable — our staff feels comfortable — that Dillon Doyle could run our defense from a linebacker standpoint. So, we’re good there. And you never know, you may see him this Saturday."
Freshmen cornerbacks grew up quickly.
True freshmen cornerbacks Julius Brents and Riley Moss impressed the Hawkeye staff so much at Minnesota that they might be out there again Saturday — even as Matt Hankins (multiple injuries) and Michael Ojemudia (hamstring) are nearing full strength.
“They just kept playing and they kept playing,” Wallace said of Brents and Moss, who combined for three interceptions in their first career starts. “And by the end of the game, you could have looked at either one of them and said they were player of the game for us defensively.”
High praise indeed. So with four guys healthy this week, who starts?
"With two guys coming back from injury, you’ve got to be real careful with where they’re at; what their percentage of health is,” Wallace said. “And then you’ve got to look at how much they’ve practiced during the course of the week.
“We’re seeing an explosive (Indiana) offense that has had a lot of success throwing the ball. When you’re talking about defensive backs, they’ve got to see those pictures during the course of the week in order to feel comfortable. And so do the coaches, for that matter. I think it’
...there is concern that Fant might not be available for Saturday’s game at Indiana (11 a.m. CT, ESPN2). Fant was injured running a fourth-quarter jet sweep against Minnesota. As he was tackled, Fant’s head slammed to the turf; he staggered a bit to the sideline and did not return.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz on Tuesday did not clarify whether Fant or running back Ivory Kelly-Martin, who took a helmet-to-helmet hit in the fourth quarter, was going through concussion protocol. But he did say that a decision about their status against the Hoosiers would be determined Friday.
Before they suffered knee injuries, Niemann (outside) and Hockaday (middle) were proving to be Iowa's two best linebackers. Iowa Coach Seth Wallace didn’t totally rule either player out for Saturday’s game, but offered an encouraging quote on their recovery.
“Both guys have a real good shot next week against Maryland,” he said. “I’m not saying it’s out of the woods this week for either one of them. But yeah, definitely next week.”
But vs Indiana?
Kristian Welch on Saturday is in line to become at middle linebacker through six games, with Hockaday (left knee) likely out and Amani Jones (targeting penalty) suspended for the first half.
But Wallace opened the door to the possibility that true freshman Dillon Doyle, the son of Iowa strength coach Chris Doyle, could see the field. Since enrolling in January, Dillon Doyle (6-foot-3, 227 pounds) has been ascending quickly and has been on middle-linebacker standby in case the veterans didn’t pan out.
Hockaday’s emergence has allowed Doyle to play in only one game this season. He could play in up to four without burning a year of eligibility under the NCAA’s new red-shirt rule.
"We’re fortunate with the rule change,” Wallace said. “If we need to, I feel comfortable — our staff feels comfortable — that Dillon Doyle could run our defense from a linebacker standpoint. So, we’re good there. And you never know, you may see him this Saturday."
Freshmen cornerbacks grew up quickly.
True freshmen cornerbacks Julius Brents and Riley Moss impressed the Hawkeye staff so much at Minnesota that they might be out there again Saturday — even as Matt Hankins (multiple injuries) and Michael Ojemudia (hamstring) are nearing full strength.
“They just kept playing and they kept playing,” Wallace said of Brents and Moss, who combined for three interceptions in their first career starts. “And by the end of the game, you could have looked at either one of them and said they were player of the game for us defensively.”
High praise indeed. So with four guys healthy this week, who starts?
"With two guys coming back from injury, you’ve got to be real careful with where they’re at; what their percentage of health is,” Wallace said. “And then you’ve got to look at how much they’ve practiced during the course of the week.
“We’re seeing an explosive (Indiana) offense that has had a lot of success throwing the ball. When you’re talking about defensive backs, they’ve got to see those pictures during the course of the week in order to feel comfortable. And so do the coaches, for that matter. I think it’
...there is concern that Fant might not be available for Saturday’s game at Indiana (11 a.m. CT, ESPN2). Fant was injured running a fourth-quarter jet sweep against Minnesota. As he was tackled, Fant’s head slammed to the turf; he staggered a bit to the sideline and did not return.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz on Tuesday did not clarify whether Fant or running back Ivory Kelly-Martin, who took a helmet-to-helmet hit in the fourth quarter, was going through concussion protocol. But he did say that a decision about their status against the Hoosiers would be determined Friday.
