Iowa loses two starters for the Pinstripe Bowl
At his Wednesday press conference, Head Coach Kirk Ferentz made a coupe of startling announcements regarding the availability (or lack there of) of multiple players.
Senior safety Miles Taylor, who has started nine games for the Hawkeyes this season, had an undisclosed surgery following the Nebraska game that will keep him out of the bowl game. Reserve running back Toks Akinribade will also miss the game due to an undisclosed medical procedure.
The loss of Taylor, while unfortunate for the senior, could actually help the Hawkeyes chances of winning their first bowl game since 2010. Taylor was benched mid-season for Amani Hooker, but Hooker later suffered an injury that knocked him out of the final three games of the regular season. It appears that Hooker will be healthy and ready to go for the Pinstripe bowl, and if that’s truly the case, Iowa is getting an upgrade at the strong safety position.
The biggest surprise of the press conference was not the Taylor news, however. It was the announcement that Alaric Jackson won’t play in the bowl game due to a violation of team policy.
“First of all, I think all of you know certainly we like to do things here with a code of conduct,” Ferentz said. “We have team policies. The bottom line is we expect our players to give the kind of effort, display the kind of attitude that is more to having a good culture, Hawkeye football culture.”
“(Jackson has) done a good job in the interim. He’s worked hard so far to meet the goals we’ve put in front of him. As long as he continues to do that, he’ll be with the team but not dressed for the ballgame.”
Jackson started every game this season at left tackle, and there is no one else on the active roster that has any starting experience at the position. As of now, it looks like Tristan Wirfs will swing over to the left side, while sophomore Levi Paulsen will make his first start of the season at right tackle.
So Iowa's starting OL vs. Boston College will be LT-Wirfs, LG-Render, C-Daniels, RG-Welsh, RT-Levi Paulsen.
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) December 20, 2017
Ferentz wants to keep Welsh where he's at his best, inside.
It’ll be a tough task for a reshaped offensive line to handle a stout Boston College defense. Hopefully Brian Ferentz will be able to draw up a game plan that keeps Nate Stanley upright.