Some answers to some Hawkeye cliffhangers

IOWA CITY — It's been since Dec. 5 that we've visited with the Hawkeyes and head coach Kirk Ferentz. As thrilling as the Big Ten championship game was, a few cliffhangers remained open.

First and foremost, No. 5 Iowa (12-1) probably learned in its 16-13 loss to No. 3 Michigan State on Dec. 5 just how important senior running back Jordan Canzeri is to the offense. He had two carries for 12 yards before he left the game in the first half with a sprained ankle. You can't extrapolate what Canzeri might or might not have done, but the game did come down to MSU running back L.J. Scott reaching over the goal line for a TD with 27 seconds left.

Tuesday, Canzeri said he's playing in the Rose Bowl against No. 6 Stanford (11-2) on Jan. 1.

'It's the Rose Bowl,' Canzeri said. 'It's an amazing game and an amazing experience and one that I'll never forget. I want to be able to help my team win. I want to be out there in the fight with my brothers. That was the motivation, I wanted to get back as soon as possible to be with my team.'

Canzeri leads the Hawkeyes with 976 yards rushing on 178 carries. If he gains 24 yards in less than 22 carries in the Rose Bowl, he'll be the first Kirk Ferentz era running back to rush for 1,000 yards with less than 200 carries.

Canzeri, who is practicing, said this ankle sprain wasn't as bad as the one that cost him the better part of three games in late October, early November.

'Based on what I've seen I'm encouraged,' Ferentz said Tuesday. 'You just never know. We're 10, 11 days out [from the game], so that's encouraging. Time is on our side. Hopefully, he'll have the pop and explosion we need to be successful at that position, but we're encouraged now.'

— Defensive end Nate Meier fought through groin, shoulder and neck injuries just to play in the B1G title game. He's not practicing right now, but will when the team begins practice in California on Friday.

'I've been banged up since the Maryland game, I've been trying to fight through that and get healthy,' said Meier, who leads Iowa with 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. 'I feel like in these two weeks getting healthy is the main thing and getting back to 100 [percent].'

— Offensive tackle Ike Boettger started the first six games of the season before he suffered a high-ankle sprain on Oct. 10 against Illinois. He has yet to return to the lineup and that is the plan for the Rose Bowl, Boettger said.

He's available and able to play, but his ankle isn't and hasn't been 100 percent so he won't play unless absolutely necessary.

'I'm not where I want to be, I'd say I'm getting closer,' Boettger said. 'I might've tried to come back a little too early. It's been a tough second half of the year, but with all the success the team has had, it's just been a pleasure to watch all of the players doing a great job.'

— Junior cornerback Desmond King's plans for next season were a cliffhanger after the B1G title game. He left his status at this statement: 'The season's not over for me,' King said. 'When the time comes, I'll let everyone know.' Then, in Atlanta for the Thorpe Award announcement, King told ESPN college football reporter Joe Schad that he was leaning toward a return to Iowa.

King has won every award a defensive back can win, including the Thorpe, Tatum Award and Big Ten defensive back of the year. He became Iowa's 23rd consensus all-American last week.

Tuesday, Ferentz said it hasn't been a pressing issue, but information is being gathered to help with a decision. King has submitted his name to the NFL College Advisory Committee. It will issue him a draft evaluation of 'potential first round,' 'potential second round' or neither, which is effectively a recommendation to stay in school.

Ferentz said the team expects to hear from the committee sometime later this week. The deadline to apply for early entry into the NFL draft is Jan. 18, 2016.

King was requested for interviews Tuesday, but did not show up.

'We'll get all the information, so he's got accurate information and go from there,' Ferentz said. 'The big thing I want any player to do is make a well-informed decision, not one based on voodoo, those Magic 8 balls, or the guy down the street, or Uncle Tim, you know, or whatever it may be.'

— There also was no news on defensive end Drew Ott. Iowa and Ott have applied for a medical hardship waiver. Several factors go into this, but injury hardship waiver can only be granted if three separate conditions are met: The injury must occur during the player's four years of eligibility, the injury must occur before the start of the second half of the season in question and the player played in 30 percent or less of his or her team's season.

Ott appeared in six games this year, missing the 30 percent rule.

The Big Ten's six-member academics and eligibility subcommittee decides Ott's case. The subcommittee next is scheduled to meet Feb. 22-23, 2016 in Rosemont, Ill., but this week, Michigan linebacker Mario Ojemudia, a four-year player who suffered a season-ending injury, had his petition denied.

If the Big Ten's subcommittee denies a player's request, he can appeal the decision to the NCAA's committee on student-athlete reinstatement.

Ferentz said Iowa is willing to go the distance on this.

'I expect it's going to go a while . . . we're going to appeal it right to the end and hopefully, we'll get that opportunity,' Ferentz said. 'If we don't, we don't. The good news for (Ott), he's got a great future, he'll continue to play football and be great.'

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