IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football team’s depth at running back took a hit on Friday, but it’s not considered a critical blow.

Redshirt freshman C.J. Hilliard announced Friday on Instagram that he planned to transfer from Iowa before the start of the 2015 season.

The Cincinnati native wasn’t expected to make a significant contribution this season. Hilliard ended spring practice buried on the depth chart behind junior LeShun Daniels, senior Jordan Canzeri, sophomore Derrick Mitchell, sophomore Akrum Wadley and redshirt freshman Marcel Joly.

“C.J. Hilliard has elected to transfer to another institution closer to home to continue his academic and football pursuits,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said in a statement. “C.J. had a tremendous attitude in our program and we wish him the best.”

C.J. Hilliard signed a letter of intent with Iowa in February 2014 and then was redshirted last season. The Iowa coaches were hoping that C.J.’s younger brother, star linebacker Justin Hilliard, would join C.J. at Iowa. But instead, Justin Hilliard signed with Ohio State in February and is now entering his freshman season with the Buckeyes.

C.J. Hilliard is the second player to leave the Iowa program this week. Ferentz announced on Tuesday that Jalen Embry, a freshman defensive back from Detroit, had decided to leave the team.

Embry was withheld from competition last season.

"Jalen has elected to continue his academic and football career at a junior college and leaves Iowa in good standing; both academically and through his citizenship,” Ferentz said. “Our staff and Jalen’s teammates wish him the best."

Hilliard and Embry are among nine players who have left the Iowa team since the end of the 2014 season. The others are quarterback Jake Rudock, linebacker John Kenny, defensive ends Reggie Spearman and Daumantas Venckus-Cucchiara, defensive backs Malik Rucker and Solomon Warfield and offensive lineman Reid Sealby.

Of those nine players, Rudock, Spearman and Kenny are the only ones who played significant roles at Iowa. Rudock started 25 games over the past two seasons, but has since transferred to Michigan, where he is competing for the starting position as a graduate student.

Kenny played a key role as a fullback last season before transferring to Arizona early in the summer. He will have to sit out the 2015 season.

Spearman started the first seven games at defensive end last season. However, he saw less playing time down the stretch and has since transferred to FCS member Illinois State, which is Iowa’s opponent in the 2015 season opener on Sept. 5 at Kinnick Stadium.