Iowa football shouldn't have to deal with many injuries heading into 2024 season

Iowa has avoided injury for the most part in the preseason aside from a few tweaks here and there. The biggest thing is that the Hawkeyes have some injuries they are coming off of from last season.

The two biggest injuries that players are coming off from last season are Cade McNamara's ACL tear in October of 2023 and Luke Lackey's foot surgery in September of 2023.

Lachey chose to stay with Iowa another year after his injury and the Hawkeyes are happy with that choice. If there is anything Iowa knows how to do on the offense, it is produce quality tight ends and Lachey is just the latest product.

Lackey coming back is a great asset for McNamara as they showed good chemistry before Lachey's injury in 2023. There are already a lot of questions about McNamara and how will perform, but now you add that she is coming back from an ACL tear, a tough injury to come back from, it makes things that much harder.

Even though it is not because of an injury, Iowa will be without their wide receiver Kaleb Brown in the first game of the season against Illinois State due to a one-game suspension. Brown was arrested in June on OWI charges after operating while driving and possessing a fake ID when he backed his vehicle onto a lawn and began spinning his tires.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz chose to suspend Brown for one game and he will serve that suspension against Illinois State.

The only other injury for Iowa at this time actually is not a player, but a coach. Iowa's defensive coordinator Phil Parker is currently recovering from an injury he sustained at practice that some have described as a freak accident. Parker talked about how someone bumped into him and was hit at a bad angle and unfortunately ripped off the rotator cuff and tore the labrum and bicep.

Parker did end up having surgery on his shoulder which is why he did not attend Big Ten Media Days. However, Parker expressed how this will not stop him from coaching from the sideline, he just needs to pay more attention to what he is doing.

Parker also talked about how Xavier Nwankpa and Koen Entringer are both recovering from some small injuries during fall camp, but they are both progressing well and should be ready for the season opener

Iowa should be at full strength at the start of the season as long as no one sustains any injuries in practice, or re-aggravates any old injuries, leaving this Iowa team strong to start the season.