McCall in the plans, if Ferentz can pull the trigger

IOWA CITY -- Freshman running back Mika'il McCall will play. That's the plan. Iowa wants to win now and it's all available bodies on deck.

And make no mistake, McCall, a 6-0, 215-pound true freshman, is an available body. He suffered a broken ankle in week 1 and was deemed out for the season, but he healed and has been out for warm-ups the past four games. On his radio show last week, coach Kirk Ferentz said he was going to play.

And that is the plan. Really.

"No not at all. We're playing to win right now," Ferentz said when asked if Iowa was still trying to preserve McCall's medical hardship waiver. "The decision has been made [to play McCall]."

Now, Ferentz said, he just has to find the right time and get over his phobia of young players in big games.

"The problem last week was not Mika'il, it was the head coach," Ferentz said. "The head coach needs a push, so I'm working on it.

"I said it [McCall would play] during the week, and then I guess I must have changed my mind. But it has nothing to do with Mika'il or anybody else, it's just me. I've got to get over it and we've got to go. He's a good player."

Iowa running back Marcus Coker is the Big Ten's leading rusher this week with 122.33 rushing yards a game. He also leads the Big Ten in carries with 211, 16 more than No. 2, Wisconsin's Montee Ball. His 211 attempts also are sixth nationally. Coker has averaged 26.5 carries over the last four games.

He says his body is fine. The Sunday morning routine for him is an ice bath and a hot shower. He doesn't even use ibuprofen.

"Sunday's are pretty good, it's Saturday nights," Coker said. "I get a good night's rest and Sunday I'm pretty good."

He was asked if he feels the difference between a 20- and 30-carry week.

"At first I did, but now it's just another day in the office," he said.

In 2008, Shonn Greene set Iowa's season rushing record with 1,850 yards. He ranked fifth in the nation in attempts with 307.

Ferentz plans to pump the brakes on Coker's attempts. If he can get over the freshman phobia.

"We're going to try to get somebody else in the game, but sometimes I need a push, I guess," he said. "It's one of those deals. Finding that good time is really -- I can see that being really tough here the next three weeks, but we're trying to get there."