Iowa football notebook. Injury report, update on redshirts and recruiting in Georgia
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football team could be at close to full strength when it faces Illinois in the home finale on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz expressed hope and optimism that junior receiver Brandon Smith and senior cornerback Michael Ojemudia both will be able to play on Saturday.
“Injury-wise, I think it's encouraging that both Brandon Smith and Mike Ojemudia are back working, and I don't want to say they're full speed, but at least they're moving in the right direction,” Ferentz said. “Hopefully, they'll be able to play at least partially on Saturday. We'll see how the rest of the week goes, but it's encouraging from that standpoint.”
Smith has missed the last three games because of an ankle injury, while Ojemudia missed this past Saturday’s 23-19 victory over Minnesota because of an undisclosed injury.
Smith still ranks third on the team with 33 catches despite missing three games. His 407 receiving yards also ranks third on the team, and he and junior Ihmir Smith-Marsette lead the team with four touchdown catches apiece.
Seeing Red: Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday that junior running back Ivory Kelly-Martin and true freshman offensive guard Justin Britt will both take a redshirt this season.
Each has appeared in four games this season, which is the cut off to be eligible for a redshirt.
“We're watching it, obviously,” Ferentz said. “I think Justin Britt is right on that line right now and Ivory is also on that line. But we've already made a decision, and I think Justin right now looks like we're going to be able to keep him out, which is a positive.
“At this point, if we can do that, that's something we'd like to do. And then the other guys have one, two, three games available. And all hands on deck right now.”
Sophomore defensive backs Kaevon Merriweather and Julius Brents also could be redshirted, but no decision has been made.
Merriweather started the season opener at free safety, but then injured his foot in practice the day before the Rutgers game and was out long enough to have lost the starting position to sophomore jack Koerner.
Merriweather has only appeared in one other game since starting in the season opener.
“We'll see what happens,” Ferentz said. “I think I'm correct in saying Julius is still at one. Is that right? I should be asking you guys these questions. And I think that is at two maybe. So do the math on that one.
“But yeah, we're watching it. I think we have saved Julius's year, right, if my math is correct. So yeah, that's good. We're not thinking about that. That's not why he wasn't playing.”
Georgia recruiting pipeline: True freshman running back Tyler Goodson doesn’t just standout because of his talent.
Where he comes from also makes Goodson unique.
He is one of few recruits from the state of Georgia to play at Iowa under Ferentz.
Ferentz was asked on Tuesday if Goodson’s early success could help with recruiting in Georgia, which is rich in talent.
Goodson made his first career start against Minnesota this past Saturday and led Iowa with 94 rushing yards.
“If we can do it, it's all about getting the right guys certainly, but it's like anywhere we go, we typically recruit out of state,” Ferentz said. “We can't survive solely on Iowa players. I wish we could. So we recruit out of state. We're usually fourth, fifth in line, that type of thing, or further back typically. You've got to really be good in the evaluation process, I think, and then things have to fall right for you, and in this case they did.”
Iowa running backs coach Derrick Foster grew up in Alabama and earned a master’s in public administration from Valdosta State University in Georgia in 2013.
Foster played a key role in convincing Goodson to leave the southeast to be a Hawkeye.
Iowa linebacker coach Seth Wallace also has a connected to Georgia from coaching at Valdosta State.
“I give Derrick a lot of the credit there,” Ferentz said. “Seth has some background there coaching at Valdosta, but Derrick has done a good job the last couple years working that area, and he had a good rapport with Tyler and it really worked out well.”