It isn't uncommon to face some injury adversity at some point during the season, and the Hawkeyes are entering the 2026 season mainly healthy.
After a rigorous offseason and fall camp, the first official depth chart of the season has been released, with multiple surprises. We still don't know who will take the first snaps under center as the starting quarterback, the offensive line has shifted slightly thanks to Cael Winter's strong offseason play, and two newcomers won starting jobs on the special teams. Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, two transfers who were projected to make an immediate impact are also sidelined with injuries.
Iowa has two notable injuries for Saturday's game against Northern Illinois
Things could easily change before kickoff on Saturday, but we finally have a clearer view of what the squad will look like when they take the field. Luckily for the program, they have not suffered too many injuries, but two key transfers won't be out there.
Iowa's only notable injuries for Saturday with "out" designation are SS Tyler Brown and OL Trent Wilson.
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) September 1, 2026
Projected starting safety Tyler Brown and offensive lineman Trent Wilson were given "out" designations, causing Iowa's depth to take a hit early on.
Tyler Brown, safety (soft tissue injury)
Brown was in the mix all offseason for a starting spot in the secondary, but he has not been on the field since the spring. He has been dealing with a soft tissue injury and missed all of fall camp. Ferentz initially claimed that Brown was "iffy" for week one, but he was not on the first depth chart and officially carries an "out" designation. With Brown likely sidelined, Zach Lutmer will start at free safety, with transfer Anthony Hawkins getting the start at strong safety. With Lutmer sliding to free safety, Jacob Wallace is getting the start at the CASH position.
Before transferring to Iowa from James Madison, Brown tallied 80 total tackles, including five tackles for loss, and six passes defended for the Dukes last season. Iowa has good depth in the secondary, but it will be tested early with Brown on the sidelines.
Trent Wilson, offensive lineman (undisclosed injury)
Iowa added depth to the offensive line in the offseason with a talented 2026 recruiting class, and via the transfer portal. The program snagged Trent Wilson from James Madison, adding a versatile player who played a key role for the Dukes OL last season. Wilson tallied 382 total snaps at left and right guard, and was projected to be in the mix for a starting role this season before suffering a minor injury. With Kade Pieper shifting to right guard and Leighton Jones winning the starting left guard spot out of camp, Wilson has time to recover from his injury so he can boost the depth of the unit.
Wilson's injury hasn't been released, but he is listed as out, with the program hoping he returns next week before a critical rivalry matchup against Iowa State at Kinnick Stadium under the lights.
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