Quick news conference notes -- Arizona (videos and transcript)

-- Offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga is officially "day-to-day," but coach Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday it's a when and not an if for the 6-6, 315-pound junior to return to the lineup.

The 6-6, 315-pound junior didn't practice Tuesday.

"He's day-to-day right now," Ferentz said. "Day-to-day. We'll know more tomorrow, I'll know more Thursday and right on through. We'll see how it goes."

Ferentz was asked if there was a diagnosis on Bulaga, who was hospitalized for a few days last week after practice on Tuesday.

"He had an illness," Ferentz said. "They're doing checks right now. It's just a matter of meeing certain levels and getting OKs to move forward. Right now, obviously, he's not practicing."

Bulaga hasn't practiced since last Tuesday. Ferentz would like to see him practice as soon as possible. He doesn't have a set rule where if you don't practice by Wednesday or Thursday, you're out for the next game. It's a case-by-case basis, but he would like to see a player on the field on Wednesday.

With a player like Bulaga -- all Big Ten, preseason all-American -- he probably doesn't need to see a lot at practice.

"It really depends on when he's cleared," Ferentz said. "Probably, the big thing there again is it's not a matter of if he'll be cleared, it's when he's cleared. I'm getting nervous, though. Most players play better if they practice and most players don't play well when they don't practice. That's not 100 percent true, but it's pretty close."

As it turns out, the world didn't end when they found out last week that Bulaga wasn't playing.

"I know it's a big thing and I don't mean to minimize it, but we're not going to call off the season," Ferentz said. "We're not going to change or whole gameplan. That would really be rare. Quarterback, maybe, but we can't just shut it down because one guy is out. Other than him, no one wants him out there more than me and Reese, but that's just football. You can't dwell on those things."

-- Ferentz said the Hawkeyes are fighting the flu, but they have no confirmed cases of H1N1. Fullback Wade Leppert didn't dress for the ISU game because of the flu.

-- Asked if he thought quarterback Ricky Stanzi pressed early in games, Ferentz said yes. He said Stanzi also struggles the same way in practices.

Coach Ferentz - 09 15 09