Iowa Announces Return Timeline for Injured TE

With their current 6-2 (4-1) record, the Iowa Hawkeyes are in perfect position to make a run at a top three placement in the B1G, already on the verge of eclipsing their 8-5 finish last season as the #6 Oregon Ducks are slated to come to Iowa City after the bye week.

Patience Paying Off

In the heat of everything that has recently gone right for the Hawkeyes, many were quick (and fairly so) to forget the team's middling start to the 2025 campaign. Just three games ago, Iowa was 3-2 and staring down a potentially bowl-less run; at that point, every game looked like an insurmountable task.

The team wasn't simply losing, either. In just their third time out on the year - in what would become their first loss, most unfortunately at the hands of the Iowa State Cyclones - starting tight end Addison Ostrenga went down with an Achilles' tendon injury in the first quarter. Shortly thereafter, Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz confirmed that the TE underwent surgery and, as a result would miss the entire rest of the season.

After tallying just one catch for eight yards before his injury, Ostrenga wasn't able to find a groove before being restrained to recovery on the sideline.

"It's really unfortunate," Ferentz said of the injury at the time. "Addison is a great young guy, and you hate to have anybody certainly lose playing time, and he's one of our senior guys, leader, and just a tremendous young person."

Thankfully for the Hawkeyes, and in much more recent news, the tight end is set to return next season for another shot at starting and statistical relevance.

Kirk Ferentz says Addison Ostrenga plans to return next season. He suffered a season ending Achilles tendon injury vs. Iowa State.
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) October 21, 2025

Breaking the Silence

According to Des Moines Register reporter Tyler Tachman on X (Twitter), HC Ferentz confirmed Ostrenga's plans after weeks of silence following his initial exit. The news comes in perfect timing for a football program biding their time during the bye week, while the rest of the B1G shift and shake as conference duels are decided across the country.

Ferentz, in the last two seasons especially, has come under much fire for his inability to win ranked despite Iowa's generally good standing. His "big win" total is one thing, but the coach's clear relationship with his players positively outlines the black and gold program in a way unlike most others.

With Ostrenga on the mend and set to return, the Hawkeyes now have more to look forward to beyond their expectedly strong finish this season, with an exciting turnover into the next.

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