Iowa Football Injury Update: Can Hawkeyes Handle the Absence of an Offensive Star?

Iowa was bit by the injury bug a bit this week with one offensive star likely sidelined on Saturday, while a few other players are day-to-day.

Iowa's tight ends have been quiet this year, but Week 3 presents an opportunity to round the passing game into much more complete form. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Iowa Hawkeyes have been on the right side of injuries through two games for the most part, but entering Week 3, the Hawkeyes are seeing some bumps and bruises bubble up.

Fortunately, none of the injuries are looking to be long-term or significant time missed, but they will see some players missing time, while others are working through things on a day-to-day basis.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz gave some injury updates during his weekly press conference.

Tight end DJ Vonnahme unlikely to play versus Northern Iowa

The biggest news from the press conference comes by way of tight end DJ Vonnahme. Per Kirk Ferentz, it appears that he is unlikely to be ready to go for the Week 3 game.

"Injury-wise, Tyler Brown is starting to get some work. I don't know that he'll play this week, but at least he's working back. Vonnahme, I doubt will be ready on Saturday, at least at this point, I don't expect that.


"Then we have a handful of guys that have done very well, are really sore right now. We'll see how that progresses as the week goes on and play that by ear. But we'll take it day by day on that one," Ferentz said of Iowa's injuries.

Running back Kamari Moulton is day-to-day

Kamari Moulton left the game against Iowa State banged up in the fourth quarter. He is listed on Iowa's depth chart as the top running back this week, but Ferentz did provide some insight that Moulton is working through things on a day-to-day basis.

"We'll see. He's one of the day-by-day guys. We probably have a handful of them right now. It was a physical game. Guys are sore. We'll see," Ferentz said of Kamari Moulton's health.

Can Iowa handle these injuries?

Yes. Yes, they can. These injuries are very manageable for two reasons for the Hawkeyes. Let's talk about the elephant in the room first. Iowa is playing Northern Iowa. If there is any game on the schedule to hold out guys and be conservative, it's this one. This isn't the matchup to rush guys back for.

At tight end, expect to see heavy doses of Addison Ostrenga, Thomas Meyer, Zach Ortwerth, and possibly even some Mason Woods this weekend in place of DJ Vonnahme. The group provides a strong combination of blocking, catching, size, and speed that can fill in without issue.

Iowa isn't ruling out a return of L.J. Phillips this week to help bolster the running back room. He is progressing well, but Kirk Ferentz did say there is still some more progress to be made.

"He's getting better. I don't think he'll make it this week, but we'll see. I'm not going to say no yet. It's a lower-leg thing, so just getting the confidence to play that position, a little bit different. We'll see. He's making good progress," Ferentz said of L.J. Phillips.

These injuries also happen to be at two of Iowa's deepest and most-talented positions on the roster. At running back, Xavier Williams and Nathan McNeil have already gotten work this year and are more than capable of shouldering the load.