Where Iowa football stands with injuries following Week 10 win over Wisconsin

IOWA CITY — Kirk Ferentz talked about a month ago about having a “record-short medical meeting” because the team was so healthy.

“We’re probably about as healthy as I can remember ever,” Ferentz said on Oct. 1.

Now in the beginning of November, Iowa has not been quite as fortunate on the injury front.

“What a week, huh,” Ferentz said with a smile as he started to answer an injury-related question after his team’s 42-10 win over Wisconsin.

Ferentz already said tight end Addison Ostrenga and wide receiver Reece Vander Zee “will not be out there” for next week’s game at UCLA. Ostrenga has been out since Iowa’s Oct. 5 game against Ohio State, and Vander Zee exited last week’s game against Northwestern with an injury.

“Hopefully bye week, we’ll see,” Ferentz said.

Quarterback is a particularly precarious position from an injury standpoint. Marco Lainez, who was seen with a cast on his left hand, needed surgery after suffering an injury during the week.

“It’s going to take a little while,” Ferentz said. “It’s unfortunate. ... No. 2 quarterback is the only guy that gets reps besides the one. Finally going to get some work, down that goes. A great young guy. I feel badly for him having to go through that.”

Fellow quarterback Cade McNamara appears to be in the “wait and see what happens” category after he suffered a concussion last week against Northwestern.

If McNamara and Lainez are not available, Iowa’s only healthy quarterbacks for the UCLA game would be Brendan Sullivan and Jackson Stratton. (The emergency quarterback appears to be Kyler Gerardy, a walk-on freshman defensive back from North Scott.)

Elsewhere, tight end Luke Lachey was in uniform, but did not see any game action. He was listed as questionable going into Saturday’s game. Iowa also was without cornerback John Nestor, who has been a second-team player on the depth chart throughout the season.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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