Depth Chart Monday

Senior defensive end Drew Ott and sophomore offensive tackle Ike Boettger were not listed on the depth chart released Monday by Iowa sports information.

Ott (right knee) suffered a knee injury during a punt in the third quarter of No. 17 Iowa's 29-20 victory over Illinois last weekend. Boettger appeared to injure his left ankle early in the third quarter. Neither player returned to the game. Ott watched from the sideline on crutches with his knee wrapped in ice. Boettger, who appeared to turn his left ankle out (high-ankle) while preparing to step into a block, also made it back to the sideline and had his lower left leg wrapped in ice.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz told the UI's athletics website Sunday night that the extent of Ott's injury remains unknown and he would undergo an MRI on Monday. In Saturday's postgame, Ferentz called Boettger's injury a lower-leg injury and didn't know his status.

Ferentz also said in Saturday's postgame that left offensive tackle Boone Myers (neck/shoulder stinger) remained questionable. Myers also wasn't listed on Monday's depth chart and looks as if he'll miss his third consecutive game.

In the absence of Boettger and Myers going into this weekend's game at No. 21 Northwestern (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten), James Daniels (6-4, 285) could become the first true freshman tackle to start during Ferentz's 16-plus seasons as Iowa's head coach. In 2003, true freshman Mike Jones started six games at left guard. In '07, true freshman Bryan Bulaga made five starts at left guard.

Asked Saturday, Ferentz said he didn't think he'd ever started a true freshman at tackle. He recalled when he made the choice to put Jones in the lineup going into the 2003 game at Ohio State.

'I called him on a Sunday night (during bye week),” Ferentz said. 'I think he was at his grandmother's house. Little things you remember, but, ‘Do you want to play?' ‘Yeah, I'll play,' and that was it, but it was guard.”

Redshirt freshman Parker Hesse will start for Ott. Hesse started in week 3 against Pitt after Ott suffered a dislocated elbow against Iowa State.

Just a reminder, the Monday depth chart usually reflects who finishes the previous game. Players can and do improve health-wise during the week. Ferentz did, however, indicate Sunday that Ott and Tevaun Smith will be out this week.

- True freshman wide receiver Jerminic Smith remains No. 1 at split end. He caught four passes for 118 yards against Illinois. He's in the starting lineup for senior Tevaun Smith, who suffered a sprained knee in week 4 against North Texas. Ferentz has said Tevaun Smith won't return until after Iowa's bye week (Oct. 31 vs. Maryland at Kinnick Stadium).

- Running back LeShun Daniels (high-ankle sprain) was held out last week and isn't listed on the depth chart. Sophomores Akrum Wadley and Derrick Mitchell Jr. are listed as backups to senior Jordan Canzeri, who Monday was named the Big Ten's offensive player of the week after a school-record 43 carries and 256 rushing yards.

Daniels suffered the ankle injury at Iowa State.

- Senior TE Jake Duzey, who suffered a torn patellar tendon at the end of spring practice, didn't play last week after limited action against North Texas and Wisconsin.

- Junior Ryan Ward (6-5, 290) is listed behind junior Cole Croston at left tackle. Croston made his second career start last week in place of Myers.

- Senior Melvin Spears (6-2, 268) is listed behind Hesse.

- By the way, you guys remember the top 45 I did? Well, No. 8 (Boettger), No. 7 (Myers), No. 5 (Ott) and No. 2 (Tevaun Smith) aren't on the depth chart going into a game against a ranked opponent on the road. That and No. 1 (C.J. Beathard) conducted postgame interviews with ice wrapped around his left hip and right groin.

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