Ending on a cliff Erick Iowa loses another crucial player due to a knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season.
CITY OF IOWA — This season, Kirk Ferentz has provided numerous depressing injury updates. Another arrived during the weekly news conference on Tuesday.
What was feared when Erick All stepped onto the Camp Randall Stadium field on Saturday has come to pass. The Iowa tight end and Michigan transfer has sustained a season-ending right knee injury that will necessitate surgery for a complete repair, dealing another blow to an already struggling Hawkeyes offence.
Ferentz’s top two pass receivers and starting quarterback will be seen in street clothes for the foreseeable future. The losses of Cade McNamara, Luke Lachey, and now All significantly hampered an already-underperforming unit that was attempting to assist an Iowa defence that was shouldering it all.
“Erick All, it looks like his season is over,” Ferentz remarked on Tuesday. “We were concerned about that on Saturday, and the tests confirmed our suspicions.” It’s just really unfortunate. He’s done an excellent job as a new member of the team. Just a fantastic addition. Such a pleasant, hardworking individual with a wonderful attitude.”
All’s final reception of the season was a 5-yard grab over the middle early in Saturday’s 15-6 win over Wisconsin. All took a stride with his right leg before linebacker C.J. Goetz struck square on All’s right knee, sending the tight end to the turf in pain. All of them were eventually taken to the locker room and returned in sweatpants with his other injured comrades.
Following Lachey’s broken ankle against Western Michigan in Week 3, all of them had contributed to stabilise things in the passing game. All had been Iowa’s leading receiver for four straight games entering Saturday, and despite his early exit (two catches, 19 yards), he finished as the team’s leading pass catcher versus the Badgers.
The Hawkeyes will now need to find another target to provide some cover for quarterback Deacon Hill in the next games. Iowa does not presently had a pass catcher with more than 85 receiving yards on the season. Steven Stilianos and the injured Addison Ostrenga (who missed the Purdue and Wisconsin games) are the next in line at tight end.
“I thought Steven was one of our most improved guys last spring,” Ferentz said in a statement. “We technically played with our tight ends (numbers four, five, and six) the other night (at Wisconsin), the three guys who were out there.”
“Again, you probably wouldn’t sleep well knowing that was the case the night before, but those guys all played well.” (Steven) did an excellent job. Johnny (Pascuzzi) performed an excellent job. And (freshman Zach) Ortwerth joined the army on Saturday. He’s in there playing, and I thought he did well for his first outing.”
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