Iowa TE Luke Lachey thrilled to be back playing game he loves
Ohio native credits his teammates for helping him cope with season-ending knee injury
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Sept. 16, 2023.
That is a day that Iowa tight end Luke Lachey will always remember because that’s when the game that he loves so dearly was taken away from him because of an injury.
Lachey suffered a lower leg injury late in the first quarter against Western Michigan in the third game of the 2023 season. The injury caused an abrupt end to what was showing signs of being a spectacular season for Lachey as he had 10 receptions for 131 yards in slightly less than nine quarters when it happened.
The pain and sadness from that day still is fresh in Lachey’s mind, but he has ways to help deal with the adversity.
“It also helps, it’s one of my best friend’s birthday,” Lachey said Tuesday. “So, it helps. But obviously it’s going to be in the back of mind for a long time.”
Lachey will make his much-anticipated return when Iowa faces Illinois State in the season opener on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.
“I’m super antsy to get back out there for this first one,” Lachey said. “I feel like there will be a lot of different nerves going back out there.
“But at the end of the day, it’s just football. So, I’m just really excited to get back out there.”
Lachey was hurt on an incomplete pass from Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara on a third down late in the first quarter, a play before kicker Drew Stevens missed a 41-yard field goal. Kinnick Stadium fell silent as Lachey had to be helped off the field, as he was unable to put any pressure on his right foot.
Lachey was considered one of the top collegiate tight ends in the country when the injury occurred and there was speculation that he might enter the 2024 NFL draft.
And though it isn’t how Iowa fans wanted the 6-foot-6, 247-pound Lachey to put off entering the draft, they’re thrilled to have him back for one more season, and Lachey is thrilled to be back for one more season.
He was recently named a team captain for the Illinois State game, and he is expected to play a significant role in Iowa’s offense under new offensive coordinator Tim Lester.
“I’m super excited for it,” Lachey said of Saturday’s season opener. “No timer on my phone. But it’s all over the building. So, I see it there. I just can’t wait.”
Lachey has never gone this long without playing football since he started playing the sport as a young kid growing up in Ohio.
As the son of former NFL All-Pro offensive lineman Jim Lachey, Luke grew up around the game.
So, it felt strange and lonely at times to have it taken away for so long.
“I’ve never had an injury like that that kept me out for that long,” Luke Lachey said.
Lachey said his Iowa teammates and coaches did all they could while he was injured to include him team activities.
He traveled to all but one of the road games and he still attended practices, team meetings and training table with his teammates.
But he also felt lonely and isolated at times, especially on the day of games.
“Sure, you battle with it,” Lachey said. “But my teammates did a real good job of including me. And being able to travel to every game besides Penn State made it easier. I was with my teammates and still got to eat with them and have dinner.”
Perhaps the toughest part for Lachey was watching the games by himself in the press box.
“So, that’s a bit lonely,” Lachey said. “It was really weird.”
It will also be weird for Lachey and his teammates to not have Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz on sideline for Saturday’s game.
Kirk Ferentz and receiver coach Jon Budmayr will both serve a one-game suspension stemming from a recruiting violation involving Cade McNamara.
Kirk Ferentz has tried to downplay his suspension, saying it will be business as usual on game day.
“Really, in all seriousness, and I don’t mean this to low key it, but it’s probably what you do during the week is more important, I think, and then certainly during camp and just year long, just trying to make sure everybody’s kind of keeping their eyes on the target, what we think is important,” Kirk Ferentz said. “Once you get to game day, I say this in all honesty, players do win the games. They’re the ones out there competing. We can’t do that. There are times when we maybe do something that’s helpful, but overall, it’s how the players play. It really is.”
But for the players, not having the longest tenured head coach in the country on the sideline on game day might take some getting used to.
“It’s tough,” said Lachey, who has 46 career receptions for 662 yards and four touchdowns. “But we’re really just trying to focus on what we have going on this week in the game.”
Iowa Assistant Head Coach Seth Wallace will serve as the acting head coach on Saturday.
“As far as this week, it’s been the same as it’s always been,” Lachey said. “We’ve been approaching it the same and I have full trust in coach Wallace and how he’s going to handle things.”