Running on E at LB

IOWA CITY -- Iowa isn't out of inside linebackers. Two players will lineup next to junior Tyler Nielsen today.

Which two is the hard part.

The last you saw Iowa's defense, true freshman James Morris was in the middle and redshirt freshman Shane DiBona was on the weakside during Wisconsin's game-winning TD drive last week. The way the Badgers had it going, the linebackers could've been Butkus and Nitschke.

Senior middle linebacker Jeff Tarpinian a probably not with the stinger neck/shoulder injury that has kept him out most of the last three games. His replacement, senior Troy Johnson, left in the fourth quarter last week with a stinger. He said he'll be OK and did practice this week.

Senior weakside linebacker Jeremiha Hunter left last week's game with a knee injury. He returned, but had to leave again late in the game.

On his radio show Wednesday, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said Tarpinian has a "chance" and that Hunter was "questionable."

During an interview Wednesday, Tarpinian said his injury hasn't improved.

"It's something they [coaches and trainers] thought would get better and it hasn't, unfortunately," the fifth-year senior said. "I'm still working on it and doing whatever I can, but it's still not really improving as much as I would've hoped or anybody would've hoped."

So, maybe Tarpinian and probably not Hunter leaves Iowa with Johnson, Morris, DiBona and senior Lance Tillison, who played some last week, too, at the two inside spots with junior Tyler Nielsen on the strongside.

Tarpinian is at practice everyday, lending his brain to things. He is an academic all-Big Ten, so that has to help. This week, the linebacker focus has been on Morris and DiBona, from the sounds of it.

"James and Shane are young guys, but they're picking up things quickly," Tarpinian said. "They're talented athletes and they're picking up things quickly now, especially now with a little more sense of urgency right here."

What did the injuries at linebacker do to the defense last week?

The Hawkeyes held Wisconsin to season lows of 142 rushing yards and 3.74 yards a carry. It just didn't feel like it to Ferentz.

"Adam Robinson outrushed both of their backs together," Ferentz said, "from the sideline, it sure didn't feel that way. It felt like they ran for 250. When you're playing, that's just the feel of the game."

Montee Ball, Wisconsin's No. 3 running back, ran over a host of Hawkeyes on his way to the winning TD, an 8-yard run that will be on the front end of Wisconsin's season highlight video. In pass coverage, Ball consistently beat Iowa's linebackers, leading UW with five receptions for 41 yards, including a 7-yarder on fourth-and-4 at Iowa's 34.

"We need to have better fits in the run game and we need to be better in the passing game," Nielsen said. "We have to cover receivers better."