Last Call -- Minnesota

Topics covered here: Clock ticking on Iowa juniors and their decisions for the NFL; Brandon Wegher's rib injury; Dace Richardson's sixth year (with crazy guess on OL 2010); Norm Parker's improving health; Iowa's BCS ranking; Inside the numbers; Next for Iowa; and LB Troy Johnson earns Big Ten POW.

Junior jump? -- Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn might have a decision to make.

You've seen the 6-foot-4, 283-pound defensive end terrorize the Big Ten this season. Two weeks ago at Ohio State, OSU D-ends Cameron Heyward (who has said he would return for his senior year at OSU) and Thaddeus Gibson were the DEs everyone talked about going in. Clayborn outperformed both, racking up 12 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack to a combined eight tackles and half tackle for loss.

In Iowa's 12-0 victory over Minnesota, Clayborn was "The Matrix," anywhere and everywhere. He had five tackles, but did so much damage -- 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries.

After his pass breakup, which he nearly picked off for an easy TD return, Iowa radio analyst Ed Podolak noted Clayborn's footwork, saying Clayborn moved his feet with the agility of a running back.

He has 9.5 sacks (tied for second in the Big Ten and 14th nationally) and 18 tackles for loss (third in the Big Ten, eight nationally).

"I just wanted to provide a spark for the defense this year," said Clayborn, who plans to spend Thanksgiving break relaxing at home with his pit bull puppy "Ace." "I had a great season, but you can always improve."

So, the question was asked, will you return to the Hawkeyes next season? Clayborn would be a fifth-year senior in 2010. 

"I don't want to talk about that right now," he said. "I don't want to talk about it."

The Hawkeyes have three juniors who'll likely have the NFL decision on their minds -- Clayborn, offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga and cornerback Amari Spievey.

Bulaga said last week he's made no decision on the NFL. His mom and dad are handling calls and taking the mail on the subject. Spievey hasn't talked about it, but his mom, Ramonda, talked about the subject with the Des Moines Register.

Last week, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper listed Bulaga as the No. 2 junior offensive tackle and Spievey the No. 4 junior corner.

They might not be talking publicly, but the wheels on such a decision are definitely in motion.

Iowa will learn about its bowl destination on or around Dec. 6. Bowl practices will also start around that time. Then, there's the game somewhere between Jan. 1 to Jan. 5.

The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft is Jan. 15, leaving Hawkeyes players around two weeks to clearly focus on the decision without football or school also on their minds. The Jan. 15 deadline is convenient for the NFL -- after bowl games and before the mid-February draft combine -- but not so much for college players, some of whom have had their seasons extended by two weeks.

Players can ask for evaluations from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, a totally private process. Those take time, too.

Whichever way they turn, make no mistake, the wheels are turning here.

Word on Wegher -- No, true freshman running back Brandon Wegher doesn't have cracked ribs. He's actually got something more painful -- an injury to the intercostal muscles. These muscles aid in your breathing process. Yes, running backs need to breathe, too.

"It's awful, I had that. It's awful," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "You're better off having cracked ribs. The X-rays have all been negative. You're better off, from my experience (with a broken rib)."

Wegher appeared to suffer the injury against Michigan State, when he took a viscious shot while gaining 23 yards on a screen pass. The Michigan State game knocked a total of four Iowa players (OL Dace Richardson, WR Colin Sandeman, FS Brett Greenwood and Wegher) out of nine games.

So, with an injury that's made it painful to breathe, in his last three games, Wegher has rushed for 207 yards on 59 carries (3.5 a rush) with four TDs. He tied the freshman record for TDs with his seventh on Saturday (a 1-yard dive against the Gophers, Iowa's only TD). Jewel Hampton set the record last season with seven.

Richardson return? -- Senior OL Dace Richardson rode out onto the field for senior day on a golf cart. He suffered a broken bone in his ankle against Michigan State and hasn't played since.

The conversation with Richardson is will he apply for a medical hardship waiver and return for a sixth year of eligibility?

The 6-6, 305-pounder played just one game in 2007 and missed all of 2008. He would likely be eligible for a sixth year, with the baseline being two seasons missed due to injury.

"We haven't had that discussion. It's his choice all the way," Ferentz said. "I think he's a slam dunk (for a sixth year), but we haven't even gone down that road. It's his choice. It's easy to be tough with someone else's body."

Right now, the plan is for Richardson to be ready to play in Iowa's bowl game. That wouldn't threaten a sixth year if he does play.

Why not? Here's my "off the top of my head" O-line for next season, assuming Bulaga and Richardson are gone: LT -- Riley Reiff (started three games at LT when Bulaga went through the thyroid condition this season), LG -- Nolan MacMillan, C -- Josh Koeppel, RG -- Julian Vandervelde, RT -- Woody Orne.

The second OL in yesterday's team warmup was RT Markus Zusevics, RG Dan Doering, Koeppel, LG Adam Gettis and LT Kyle Haganman.

So, there how's that for left field?

Norm improving -- Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker has been coaching from the press box since a foot infection flared up before the Indiana game. He was hospitalized that week and has ridden a wheelchair to and from press box coaching locations since.

After Minnesota, Feretnz said Parker is improving.

"He's making progress," Ferentz said. "Technically, he could've been back out on the field. He's back wearing shoes and all that kind of thing. The whole goal here wasn't to go backward. He's like (running back Adam) Robinson and a couple other guys. If don't screw it up here, we have a chance to get everybody back and healthy. Thats' the first time I've thought of him and Adam Robinson in the same line."

Last summer, Parker had a toe amputated due to infection. It was his second such ampuation. In 2004, he lost a toe due to complications with diabetes.

Latest BCS rankings -- The Hawkeyes are No. 11, just ahead of Oklahoma State (12) and Penn State (13). Most bowl opinions lean toward the Hawkeyes, OSU, PSU and Boise State (sixth BCS) fighting for two BCS at-large berths. Iowa and Penn State can do nothing to improve their BCS status. They're done playing. OSU has a date with Oklahoma remaining. Boise has games against Nevada and New Mexico State.

Teams have to be in the BCS top 14 to be eligible for a BCS at-large berth.

It should be pointed out that Penn State is ahead of Iowa in all the other polls, including the AP (Iowa 13 and PSU 12).

Johnson earns Big Ten POW -- Iowa linebacker Troy Johnson was named Big Ten co-defensive player of the week for his play in Iowa's 12-0 victory over Minnesota last Saturday in Kinnick Stadium. He becomes the eighth Hawkeye to be named Big Ten POW this season. He shared this week's defensive honor with Penn State linebacker Navorro Bowman.

Johnson is a 6-2, 235-pound junior from Lakeland, Fla. He was a starter for the first time in his career, filling in for Jeff Tarpinian who suffered a knee injury against OSU. Tarpinian was in for starter Jeremiha Hunter, who sprained an ankle against OSU.

Johnson had 11 tackles and a sack. He also forced a fumble and fell on it for the recovery and was credited with breaking up a pass.

Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn won league honors twice this season. He was defensive player of the week following his play in Iowa's win over Michigan State and he won special team laurels against Penn State. Linebacker Pat Angerer won defensive honors in the Penn State game. Punter Ryan Donahue shared the special team honors against Arizona while Hunter won co-special team honors after the Northern Iowa game. Defensive back Tyler Sash won co-defensive honors after Iowa's win at Iowa State and tight end Tony Moeaki won the offensive award following Iowa's win over Michigan.

It's the third time Iowa has had eight Big Ten Players of the Week. It also occurred during the 1997 and 2002 seasons. The Hawkeyes had seven during the 2003 and 2008 campaigns.

Inside the numbers

171 -- This was Iowa's total offense Saturday against the Gophers, the worst output since 137 yards in a 2005 loss at Ohio State.

1 of 13 -- The Hawkeyes converted their first third down attempt Saturday and then didn't hit another one. Believe it or not, the last time Iowa converted just one third down was last season, when the Hawkeyes went 1-for-10 on third down in a 38-16 victory over Wisconsin.

0 -- The number of crutches under quarterback Ricky Stanzi's armpits Saturday. The junior suffered a high-ankle sprain against Northwestern and had surgery the following Monday (Nov. 9). Iowa is still hoping for a bowl game return. During pregame, Stanzi threw some passes but couldn't transfer weight to his right foot.

135 -- Middle linebacker Pat Angerer finished with 135 tackles this season (he joked about picking up "assists" yesterday by jumping on pile after pile). Stats from the bowl game will count, but Angerer's total, as it stands, is the most for an Iowa leading tackler since Abdul Hodge had 158 in 2005. 

687 -- WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos leads the Hawkeyes with 687 receiving yards. Barring a career DJK day (his top yardage effort was 181 vs. Minnesota in 2008), Iowa will go nine straight years without a 1,000-yard receiver. Kevin Kasper was the last Hawkeyes receiver to top 1,000 yards with 1,010 in 2000. This isn't a big deal. The 1,000-yard receiver is scarce for Iowa, with just three (Kasper, Quinn Early in '87 and Keith Chappelle in 1980) in its history.

164.7 -- The Hawkeyes finished the regular season as the Big Ten leader in pass defense and pass efficiency defense (91.9).

Plus-3 -- Iowa finished with a plus-3 turnover margin, its lowest margin since a minus-11 in 2006.

9 -- DE Broderick Binns led the Hawkeyes with nine pass breakups this season. CBs Shaun Prater and Amari Spievey finished with eight.

17 -- There were more combined punts than points in Iowa's 12-0 victory over Minnesota.

775 -- RB Adam Robinson padded his freshman rushing record with 72 yards on 12 carries vs. Minnesota, before he left in the second quarter after an ankle injury. (It's not considered serious and he should be fine for the bowl.) Ladell Betts set the record with 679 yards in 1998.

Next -- Bowl game. Fiesta could be Boise State or Oklahoma State vs. the Hawkeyes. The Orange Bowl could be Georgia Tech vs. the Hawkeyes. The Capital One Bowl could be Mississippi and the Hawkeyes.

No real insight from me on this. I did hear last week that Penn State was in line for a BCS bid, but it's way too early to know.