Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara to miss rest of 2023 season with knee injury

IOWA CITY — Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara will miss the rest of the 2023 season with a left knee injury, football coach Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday.

McNamara suffered the ACL injury in the first quarter of Iowa’s 26-16 win over Michigan State. He had to be carted from the medical tent to the locker room and later was seen on the sidelines with crutches and heavy wrapping around his left knee.

McNamara will have surgery to repair the ACL “sometime next week,” Ferentz said.

“If there is good news, it’s a clean injury,” Ferentz said. “Sometimes it can be a little bit messy, but it looks clean. … He’s been fighting some other stuff too, so at least maybe this will give him a chance to just get totally healthy again.”

The Michigan transfer has one more year of eligibility. Ferentz said McNamara’s intentions are to “come back and play next year” for the Hawkeyes.

“So that’d be great,” Ferentz said. “It’s a long road in front of him, but it’s a lot better than it was 30 years ago, that’s for sure.”

McNamara’s two other notable leg injuries — the knee injury in 2022 that required surgery and the quad injury that sidelined him during fall camp — both were to his right leg.

“He’s had more than his share of obstacles and challenges from a health standpoint,” Ferentz said. “Your heart goes out to guys when they’re fighting hard to have a chance to go out and compete and don’t have that opportunity due to health challenges.”

With surgery expected to happen this month, Ferentz “can't imagine he will do much in the spring.”

“Hopefully he’ll have June, July and then August full speed to go,” Ferentz said. “Hopefully both legs are healthy, and he’s able to be the Cade McNamara he wants to be.”

Deacon Hill, a transfer from Wisconsin, has assumed the QB1 role in McNamara’s absence. Hill went 11-for-27 with one touchdown and one interception against Michigan State. Five drops did not help Hill’s numbers.

Joe Labas, Iowa’s starting quarterback in the Music City Bowl, is behind Hill on the depth chart. Labas has not appeared in game action yet this season. He was 14-of-24 with one touchdown and no interceptions in the 21-0 win over Kentucky last year.

Labas, like Hill was last week when backing up McNamara, is “one play from going in,” Ferentz said.

Injuries have quickly added up for the Iowa offense.

Iowa already is without top tight end Luke Lachey for “most likely” the entire season. Top running back Kaleb Johnson has not played since Iowa’s Week 2 win over Iowa State. Johnson is “getting a little work right now” and “got a chance to play” Saturday against Purdue, Ferentz said.

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