You wondered if something like this Willie Lowe story would pop up this spring ... and it has

Thirteen is a lot of players to be hospitalized for damaged muscles that can be harmful to the kidney.

If you're Iowa football, you may have been hoping for too much if you thought all 13 players who were hospitalized for rhabdomyolysis this winter would return to spring practice healthy, ready to go, and without complaints.

Senior-to-be defensive back Willie Lowe made some news Tuesday night.

Joe Schad of ESPN.com reported that Lowe has requested his release from Iowa. Here's the story.

Lowe said he's having headaches and is still down 20 pounds. Schad said a source close to the player said Lowe will undergo an independent medical evaluation to determine the possible long-term effects of the rhabdomyolsis.

Some will instantly cast doubt on Lowe. Some will instantly claim Iowa hastily tried to put this rhabdo story in its rear-view mirror with an investigation that basically faulted no individual. Neither charge will be pleasant, and no one making such accusations of either kind probably know what they're talking about.

I'm not a doctor, nor do I know what's in Lowe's heart. Or anyone else's. But to say this isn't especially good for the university or its football program may be an understatement. One would think some of this will clear up as we see who among the known rhabdo victims are practicing this spring, and at what sort of intensity.

This is all stating the obvious, I know, but sitting on the fence seems like a pretty prudent play right now.