Hawks need all of their weapons for Wolverines

Iowa is going to need all of its weapons against a Michigan team that scores points in bunches. The availability of receiver Keenan Davis still is up in the air.

“He is in the final phases of being able to get out there,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Today will be the first day with us and not the trainers. He will be with both.

“I don’t know if he will be good enough to play Big Ten football Saturday.”

Davis dressed and warmed up Saturday, but was held out of the Minnesota game. He remains the second-leading receiver for the Hawkeyes with 30 catches for 463 yards and four touchdowns.

“He’s a very talented player and obviously we all want him back,” Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg said. “Hopefully that will be this week.”

Vandenberg completed 16 passes against Minnesota. Third receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley caught 5 for 35 yards. Tight ends — including offensive lineman Woody Orne — had 3 catches for 37 yards.

Seven went to receiver Marvin McNutt for 101 yards despite the fact the senior faced a lot of double teams.

“You’ve got to be able to take what the defense gives you,” Vandenberg said. “Everybody realizes what a weapon he is.”

Ferentz said he expected defensive tackle Thomas Nardo and linebacker Anthony Hitchens should be ready to play.

True freshman running back Mika’il McCall also is cleared to return, and Ferentz will look for a chance to get him involved.

“Last week was the first week he was fully engaged,” Ferentz said. “So good luck finding a good spot to put him in a game like that. Now he is a couple weeks into it, so we will feel better.”

LINEBACKER SHIFT: Ferentz said he expected senior Tyler Nielsen will remain the middle linebacker and sophomore James Morris will stay on the outside.

The two flipped spots for the Minnesota game and that change was reflected on the depth chart again.

“I think at least going into this week, what you saw on the chart we released is what we plan on doing,” Ferentz said. “Go from there.”

HYDE RETURNS: Junior Micah Hyde has returned punts for Iowa all season, but has only seven returns for 34 yards, an average of 4.9 yards per return. That would rank Hyde seventh in the Big Ten if he had enough returns to qualify.

“The way people punt now … it’s really getting tougher and tougher to return punts,” Ferentz said. “He’s not a hundred percent comfortable back there, but he’ll be fine.”

Print Friendly

Tags: Iowa football, Kirk Ferentz

Category: Iowa Hawkeyes Football