Iowa tight end Luke Lachey ‘has a chance’ of playing against UCLA, but Cade McNamara remains out

IOWA CITY — Iowa tight end Luke Lachey “has a chance” of playing in the Hawkeyes’ game against UCLA on Friday after missing last week’s game with an injury, head coach Kirk Ferentz said in his Tuesday news conference.

Quarterback Cade McNamara will be out again this week, however, Ferentz said.

“So hopefully during the bye week we can get him back and running a little bit,” Ferentz said of McNamara, who started Iowa’s first eight games of the 2024 season.

Lachey, Iowa’s leading receiver this season, exited the Hawkeyes’ Oct. 26 game against Northwestern and did not return. He was officially questionable for the Wisconsin game and was in uniform, but he did not see any game action.

“He’s practicing,” Ferentz said of Lachey. “A little bit limited right now, but practicing, and we’ll see how it goes this week. I think he’s close, but we have to plan to go without him.”

McNamara suffered a concussion in the first half of the game against Northwestern before being replaced by Brendan Sullivan. The 6-foot-4 Sullivan has filled in admirably for McNamara, completing 69.2 percent of his passes this season.

Ferentz already had ruled out tight end Addison Ostrenga and wide receiver Reece Vander Zee. If Lachey is not able to play, sophomore Zach Ortwerth would again be Iowa’s top tight end. Ortwerth had a team-high three receptions for 66 yards in Iowa’s 42-10 win over Wisconsin.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

Sign up for our curated Iowa Hawkeyes athletics newsletter at thegazette.com/hawks.