Iowa RBs might be back to full strength

IOWA CITY - Perhaps the biggest sign that this season is just sort of breaking right for the Hawkeyes is that their four running backs are pretty much healthy and should be available this weekend.

The 'pretty much” is tossed in their for sophomore Akrum Wadley. Early in the third quarter of last week's victory at Indiana, the 5-10, 185-pounder suffered an ankle sprain and left the game. Tuesday, he said he hasn't practiced, but does expect to play.

'It's getting better,” Wadley said. 'I'll be able to go. I didn't practice yesterday or today, but I'm getting better. I'm rehabbing.”

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said Wadley's status for Minnesota (4-5, 1-4 Big Ten) might not be decided until Friday or Saturday.

'If he can't, he can't, and we've certainly been down that road a couple times this year,” Ferentz said. 'But if we have them all, that's great, and we'll play them all if they're healthy.”

The good news on the running back front is senior Jordan Canzeri is poised to return. Canzeri, Iowa's leading rusher with 698 yards, carried four time against Northwestern on Oct. 17 before he suffered a high-ankle sprain. He's sat out the last two games, but was medically cleared and in gear on the sidelines last weekend.

'We wanted to be really conservative with Jordan,” Ferentz said. 'I think he could've played last week. We just wanted to stick to the plan. I think we're all convinced right now he's full speed, and that's a good thing.”

Iowa has proceeded with caution when it's come to running backs and ankles. In week 2 against Iowa State, junior LeShun Daniels suffered a high-ankle sprain. He played the next three weeks, but didn't look like himself. He sat out two weeks and has gained 60 and 78 yards in his two weeks back.

'I think we put him (Daniels) out there and he thought he was OK and he wasn't,” Ferentz said, 'and then we had an average back out there, and that's not good for him, not good for anybody.”

Iowa's running back rotation this season has been like a relay. Instead of passing a baton, Canzeri, Wadley, Daniels and sophomore Derrick Mitchell have traded good health. Still, Iowa has gotten incredible production out of the position (and, yes, a lot of that is credit to the offensive line), with all four running backs combining to rush for 1,623 yards and 21 TDs on 309 carries.

For comparison, Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott, the best RB in the Big Ten, has rushed for 1,244 yards and 14 TDs on 193 carries. Iowa also is the No. 2 rush offense in the Big Ten (205.0 rushing yards per game) and is on pace to average more than 200 yards in games for the first time since 2002.

If they're all healthy, how will that work? They don't seem to mind. The Hawkeyes are undefeated (9-0, 5-0) and ranked No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Everyone is just happy to get a piece.

'In practice, we all do equal reps,” Daniels said. 'On game day, it's up to the coaches and we're all behind that. I'm not nervous. We're just excited that everyone is back together and we all have a chance to go out there and make plays.”

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