Iowa linebackers face reality and lots of ibuprofen

IOWA CITY -- When the reality of injury hits, linebackers are always the last ones to know. Acceptance is the hardest part, too.

Sophomore middle linebacker James Morris didn't want to come off the field in the third quarter. His defensive mates were in the middle of a goal-line stand, which is basically a mating call for linebackers. But Morris' sprained right ankle, the one that sat him for the first time in his career last week, was twisted in a pile.

He took a few steps toward the huddle and then he spun and jogged gingerly toward the sideline.

"I didn't [want to come off the field]," Morris said. "I couldn't really have done a whole lot. It was one of those things where you're facing a reality, like 'I'm not doing us any good out here, unfortunately.' "

Iowa probably can't afford to face too many more realities at linebacker.

Senior Tyler Nielsen sat out the Hawkeyes' 45-24 victory over Indiana after surgery for a broken hand last Sunday. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said the injury was similar to what former Hawkeye linebacker Jeff Tarpinian suffered in camp last season.

"Tarpinian made it back in eight days," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "He [Nielsen] was trying to break Tarpinian's record."

Maybe some gallows humor on Ferentz's end, but no Iowa linebacker is crying "woe is me." They gear up, they go.

"Everyone is banged up, whoever's healthy goes in," said junior Tom Donatell, who started for Nielsen after starting for Morris last week. "We really trust the next guy to go in and do his job. We know he's going to give a full effort."

The efforts came from all over the place at linebacker. True freshman Quinton Alston played most of the second half for Morris. Donatell had six tackles and nearly pulled off a SportsCenter-worthy interception, a one-handed stab while toeing the end line. Morris had 10 tackles, including a half tackle for loss.

Sophomore Christian Kirksey remains the "ironman" linebacker, leading Iowa with 12 tackles Saturday. He's the only linebacker to start all seven games this season.

"I'm proud of all the young guys we're playing," Kirksey said. "I'm still a young guy myself. I'm still trying to improve."

Yes, Iowa did move A.J. Derby from quarterback to linebacker on Tuesday. Derby, a 6-4, 232-pounder, covered a kickoff and made the tackle. This could be a sooner-rather-than-later thing.

"Ever since [Pat] Angerer and [A.J.] Edds left us, it seems like we have been short-handed," Ferentz said. "I don't know if it is, but it feels that way. It's kind of been that way this year, too. We're more than thin out there."

Sophomore Anthony Hitchens sat out a third week with a knee injury. The linebackers in mop-up Saturday were true freshman John Lowdermilk and Marcus Collins along with walk-on Terrance Pryor.

OK, so the roll call for next week's game at Minnesota (1-6, 0-3 Big Ten) is . . .

Nielsen? "I think he's got a good shot," Ferentz said. "He just couldn't grip enough today to go."

Morris? "We have a lot of guys who have been nicked up for a month," Ferentz said. "It's football season, that's the way it goes. I think everybody is fine."

Ferentz was a team captain as a linebacker at Connecticut during his playing days. The brave front is fully engaged. It's all they have to fight reality.