Iowa QB Cade McNamara’s injury is concussion, Kirk Ferentz says

IOWA CITY — Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara has a concussion and will not be available to play against Wisconsin, head coach Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday in his weekly news conference.

The ex-Michigan quarterback “hasn’t been able to phase back in at all yet” after suffering the concussion in last weekend’s 40-14 win over Northwestern, Ferentz said. He is “sore in other places, too.”

“He hit the turf pretty hard,” Ferentz said. “It’s just part of playing that position. It’s a tough position to play.”

McNamara took big hits on a roughing-the-passer penalty in his penultimate drive as Iowa’s quarterback and on the pick-6 that preceded the switch to Brendan Sullivan. He remained in uniform after halftime, but did not have his helmet with him.

“It wasn’t like any symptoms really presented themselves other than he was sore and shook up, certainly,” Ferentz said. “But then at halftime they diagnosed it and held him out. I’m not sure when they diagnosed the concussion actually, but he just wasn’t fit to play at halftime.”

McNamara will miss time because of injuries in three consecutive seasons. He had season-ending knee injuries with Michigan in 2022 and with Iowa in 2023. Ferentz said McNamara will “hopefully” be back next week, but “we’ll see.”

“With some luck, hopefully he’ll start turning the corner,” Ferentz said. “He’s going to go to class today and give that a try.”

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Sullivan, the ex-Northwestern quarterback, will start in place of McNamara. Redshirt freshman Marco Lainez is the second-team quarterback on Iowa’s depth chart, and transfer walk-on Jackson Stratton is another option at the position.

Sullivan performed better than McNamara on Saturday, completing 9 of 14 passes for 79 passing yards, 41 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. McNamara completed 7 of 13 passes for 73 yards and one interception.

Other injuries

Ferentz also ruled out wide receiver Reece Vander Zee, tight end Addison Ostrenga and cornerback John Nestor for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin due to their injuries.

Vander Zee’s injury, which he suffered during the Northwestern game, is a “lower-leg deal,” Ferentz said after Saturday’s game. Nestor missed the Northwestern game with a “soft tissue” injury. Ostrenga has not played since the Oct. 5 game against Ohio State; he has been wearing a sling on his right arm.

The 26th-year head coach did have some positive injury news, though. Kyler Fisher, who missed the Northwestern game with an illness, has returned to practice.

Offensive lineman Beau Stephens also has returned to practice and has a “chance to play if he can get through this week,” Ferentz said.

“We’ll try to just ease him back,” Ferentz said. “I don’t think he’s ready to play a full game conditioning-wise. But he’s a really good football player and playing well, so it’ll be nice to get him back into the mix, that’s for sure.”

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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