Iowa football starting 0-2 is bad enough without midseason attrition and off-the-field issues
By Tyler Devine
IOWA CITY, Iowa – As if starting the season 0-2 wasn’t bad enough, the Iowa football team also is dealing with off-the-field issues and attrition, neither of which are ideal for a team coming off of a tumultuous offseason.
Within the last week, redshirt freshman running back Shadrick Byrd, redshirt freshman linebacker Yahweh Jeudy and sophomore Calvin Lockett all have entered the transfer portal.
Jeudy and Lockett both are Florida natives, while Byrd is from Alabama.
Head coach Kirk Ferentz said he believes not having spring practice and distance from home played a role in the players’ decision to transfer.
“I think there were two commonalities with all three of the players,” Ferentz said. “They’re all from distance, they’re far from home. And, I guess, maybe another commonality is they’re all fairly young players. Lock’s a little bit older than the other two. They’re a distance from home, so that’s part of it.
“And I think there’s similarities, all three weren’t in the two-deep either of the first two weeks. All that being said, it’s disappointing because all three were doing well. They’re all good people and good players and I think have good potential.”
Iowa’s second leading receiver, senior Ihmir Smith-Marsette, is suspended for Saturday’s game against Michigan State after he was arrested for operating while intoxicated early Sunday morning.
The 6-foot-1, 179-pound Smith-Marsette accounted for 10 touchdowns last season between rushing, receiving and kickoff returns.
“It’s very disappointing,” Ferentz said. “Ihmir is very remorseful and I think he fully realizes the potential danger of the situation, first and foremost, not only to himself but other people. It’s just a regrettable decision that he made. So, he’ll deal with it. I’ve known Ihmir for four-plus years right now, he’s a tremendous person, he’s been a great team member.
“Me personally, I think this is very uncharacteristic of him, it was surprising. But it was something he did. It was a bad decision. And it’s all of us in life, you make a bad decision, you have to live with it.”