Iowa football injury report: Keagan Johnson still battling ‘nagging injury’

IOWA CITY — Iowa wide receiver Keagan Johnson’s “nagging injury,” as football coach Kirk Ferentz put it, does not seem to be done nagging him yet.

Ferentz was not optimistic when asked whether Johnson will be available for Saturday’s Big Ten opener against Rutgers.

“I don’t think so,” Ferentz said. “He hasn’t practiced yet this week. So we’ll see, just day-to-day.”

Johnson played Saturday for the first time this season in Iowa’s 27-0 win against Nevada, but he was limited to 15 snaps. The sophomore was not in uniform after the third lightning delay.

“It’s a nagging injury,” Ferentz said Tuesday. “There’s really nothing to say right now.”

Fellow wide receiver Nico Ragaini also made his 2022 debut after missing time with an injury and appeared in 32 snaps. When asked Tuesday if he’s at 100 percent yet, Ragaini said he’s “getting there.”

Other injury updates

Linebacker Jestin Jacobs and defensive back Brendan Deasfernandes “have a shot” at playing against Rutgers, Ferentz said. Neither have played since the Sept. 3 season opener.

“I think they’ll be back,” Ferentz said. “We’ll see.”

Jacobs’ injury is soft tissue, which Ferentz said is “hard to predict.”

Ferentz is “hoping” defensive lineman Noah Shannon will be available as he nurses an injury.

“We're hoping by middle of the week, he'll be ready to go,” Ferentz said.

The miscellaneous injuries in 2022 have been “one of the frustrating things” for Ferentz.

“You think as you get older, you would handle these things a little bit better, but I’m not sure I do,” Ferentz said. “You want everything to be perfect, and it’s an imperfect game. And then when you factor injuries in, that makes it a little bit less perfect even more. That’s probably terrible grammar, but you know what I’m saying.”

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