Hawkeyes down to the nub at cornerback

TAMPA, Fla. — You know that freshman cornerback Manny Rugamba hurt his collarbone in the first half against Nebraska. You probably don't remember what happened.

The Iowa freshman suffered a shoulder/collarbone injury on the backside of a play and was helped off the field holding his right shoulder. Rugamba missed the second half. Head coach Kirk Ferentz hoped Rugamba, who made his first career start in week 10 against then-No. 3 Michigan and earned Big Ten freshman of the week with an interception, would bounce back for the Outback Bowl.

Ferentz announced Wednesday that Rugamba had an X-ray that showed a break in the shoulder/collarbone area and so he'll miss Monday's Outback Bowl against Florida.

That leaves Iowa with not very many cornerbacks.

Of course, there's senior Desmond King, who'll make his 51st career start. Then, it's probably sophomore Joshua Jackson, who finished the Nebraska game. The only other corner is redshirt freshman Michael Ojemudia.

'We're pretty much out of guys,' Ferentz said. 'That's just the way it is. ... We're out of guys. I suppose we could move somebody from the inside outside, but I'd have to think about that one for a while.'

That's probably not going to happen, but Iowa is good at safety with three experienced players in Brandon Snyder, Anthony Gair and Miles Taylor.

So, how did it get to 'we're pretty much out of guys'?

Senior Greg Mabin and his 35 career starts were lost for the season after he suffered a broken ankle during practice leading up to Michigan. Then, Rugamba suffered his injury. Before that, senior Maurice Fleming, seeing a crowded depth chart, graduated from Iowa and transferred to West Virginia, where he broke up nine passes and collected an interception this season.

You might need a refresher on Jackson, a 6-1, 185-pounder. He started the year as a No. 2 corner before being passed by Rugamba on the depth chart. He still saw action throughout the season, in nickel and dime packages. Nebraska targeted him eight times with three completions for 44 yards. Jackson had a TD pass thrown against him, but he also broke up three passes.

'Well, OJ (Ojemudia) and I are really the only guys listed back at corner, so depth is ... I wouldn't say it's the deepest,' Jackson said with a laugh after the Nebraska game, in which he saw a season-high 58 snaps. 'We do our part and coach always preaches about 'next man in,' so no matter who's in there, he has to be ready to carry the load to the best of his ability.'

When he entered the Nebraska game, Jackson knew the Huskers were going to go after him.

'Of course,' he said. 'You know it's coming. You really just have to stay focused. They're going to make plays, you're going to make plays. You really just have to narrow it down, focus on your fundamentals and techniques and play the best you can play.'

Defensive coordinator and secondary coach Phil Parker doesn't do a ton of personnel packages, but he did often play three corners on obvious passing downs this season. That likely will be limited. Ojemudia (6-2, 190) climbed to second-team corner in spring practice, but also was passed by Rugamba. After Rugamba's injury against Nebraska, Ojemudia did see three plays in this role. So, he's done it, but that is a short resume.

The positive spin? This gives Jackson a chance to impress and get his foot in the door at one of the open corner spots for 2017. King and Mabin will have combined for 86 career starts. Rugamba likely will be at the foundation of the rebuild. Jackson and Ojemudia have the Outback Bowl to put out a solid performance and stake a claim.

Ferentz made it clear Wednesday that no one's redshirt was coming off for this. And, really, the only corner that would be is maybe true freshman Cedric Boswell.

This was during a joint news conference with Florida head coach Jim McElwain, whose team has gone through a season-long storm of criticism at quarterback, where journeymen Luke Del Rio and Austin Appleby have struggled while fans have drooled over true freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask.

McElwain has fielded these questions even going into this week. Burn a redshirt on a quarterback in a bowl game against a top 25 defense?

Umm ...

'It's just like the (Florida) quarterback situation,' Ferentz said with a laugh. 'I did read about that, by the way. I don't know who's giving that advice, but we're not going to pull a redshirt off anybody.'

QUICK SLANTS

— Running back LeShun Daniels wore a red 'no contact' jersey during the Hawkeyes' practice Wednesday. He's not believed to be injured, so let's file this in precautionary.

— Senior offensive tackle Cole Croston, who missed the final four games of the season with an ankle injury, practiced as the first-team right tackle on Wednesday, with junior Ike Bottger, the usual right tackle, sliding inside to left guard.

— Junior defensive tackle Nathan Bazata rotated in practice with senior Faith Ekakitie. Bazata started the first eight games of the season before suffering an ankle injury against Wisconsin. Bazata started against Nebraska and saw 28 plays to 57 for Ekakitie.

— Gair jumped into the Michigan game after Taylor went through concussion protocol and started the final two games. Ferentz said Gair will start, and Taylor likely will play.

— Defensive tackle Jake Newborg (knee) and freshman running back Toren Young (wrist) didn't practice Wednesday.

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l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com