The Quickest Slant (with Ferentz transcript)

-- No RB Adam Robinson this week, coach Kirk Ferentz said. He suffered his second concussion in less than a month against Ohio State Saturday on the hit from safety Jermale Hines in the fourth quarter. This pushes freshman Marcus Coker into his third-career start.

Coker's 7.8 yards per carry against Ohio State was the highest against the Buckeyes this season for any back of consequence. Wisconsin's John Clay is the only 100-yard rusher OSU has allowed with 104 yards. Miami's Damien Berry had 94 yards and 5.9 yards a carry. Illinois' Mikel Leshoure had 80 yards on 19 carries.

Ferentz said he sent tape of the Robinson hit to the Big Ten, but more for a possible pass interference infraction on the play. Ferentz said he believed it was "a good football play" and wasn't questioning its legality. "To me, the only thing in question was the pass interference or not. I've got an opinion on that." He said he hadn't heard from anyone Iowa about the legality of the hit. "Football is a tough, aggressive game, those things are going to happen."

-- No LB Jeff Tarpinian this week. The neck/shoulder stinger will keep him sidelined until Iowa's bowl game. The decision was made last week to shut him down for the regular season.

-- Asked if Coker's performance in the first quarter Saturday -- seven rushes for 43 yards and fueling Iowa's lone TD drive with 30 rush and an 11-yard reception -- made some headway for them to think about using him in the second and third quarter, too.

"I think every player, they're building credit or spending on a credit card, going into the red, with everything they do, performance-wise, practice and games," Ferentz said. "I think with every exposure we've had with Marcus, which has been fairly limited, every exposure has been impressive. The defense we played the other night was a very tenacious, fast-closing defense and a hard-hitting defense. To see him perform in that environment, I thought that was awfully impressive.

"He's building and gaining our confidence. I assume he's becoming more confident individually, too. He should feel good about what he did."

-- Ferentz has been told by Iowa's medical staff that Robinson's concussion should be cleared before the bowl game.

He added that Iowa has most more gametime this season because of concussion (Robinson and RB Paki O'Meara) than any other year. But he contends head injuries are part of the game.

"Concussions are part of football," Ferentz said. "I know they're talked about more than they were before, but I don't want to turn this into 'Days of Our Lives,' 'General Hospital.' . . . It's just part of the game."

-- Ferentz was asked a question about RB Brandon Wegher. He hasn't spoken to the wayward running back since August.

"That's up to him [whether he returns or not]," Ferentz said. "I've been kind of busy for the last however many weeks. We conversed in August or whenever I told you our last conversation was, that's when it was. My thoughts have been on trying to coach the guys who are here working every day. That's where it's at. If he joins our team in January, I don't know. To do so, you have to be academically eligible and all those things. I'm really not thinking about that right now. I'm worried about making sure Marcus is able to go Saturday."

-- Cedar Rapids bought the Crowne Plaza and the hotel close for some time. Iowa stays there on Friday nights during the season.

Ferentz thanked the Crowne staff -- "It's like going to your aunt's house when you go up there. It's just been great. The hospitality has been outstanding."

What will Iowa do? "We're going to be looking for a home."

-- And hot off the e-mail:

The BCS is holding three Big Ten teams under consideration for BCS bowls: Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin.

This doesn't ensure two Big Ten teams in the BCS, so the bowls will be frozen just so the BCS/ESPN bowl selection show can have some drama to it.

I tried to get Iowa AD Gary Barta on the phone to ask about timeline. He had his assistant call me back and say it's too early to talk.

Anyway, I see this going to Dec. 5 when that show airs. If it's earlier, let's just call it a Christmas miracle. (By the way, this won't help bowl travel in this economy, but hey, ESPN -- and Fox before it -- paid to have their little slice of exclusivity. I hope it's worth it.)