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 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 five 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 haven't suffered too many injuries, but four transfers and a third-year defensive back will miss the opener. Transfers Tyler Brown, Trent Wilson, Lance Beeghley, and Lance Ingold are all out, alongside defensive back Kyler Gerardy, which will test Iowa's depth early.
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.
Lance Beeghley, wide receiver (undisclosed injury)
The Iowa program snagged Beeghley from the transfer portal after he spent two seasons with Southern Methodist University (SMU). Beeghley was a three-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class out of New Braunfels, Texas, and set multiple high school records before committing to SMU. Beeghley did not see any game action with the Mustangs and transferred to Iowa this offseason. Unfortunately for Beeghley, his first season in Iowa City could be over before it starts after suffering an injury at the beginning of August.
During Iowa Football Media Days in August, Kirk Ferentz announced that Beeghley "could miss a big part of the season," with the possibility of missing the entire season. A potential season-ending injury is never good, but it hurts even more when it happens before the season starts. Hopefully, for the Hawkeyes and for Beeghley, he can recover quickly and get back on the field.
Kyler Gerardy, defensive back (undisclosed injury)
Unfortunately for third-year defensive back and Iowa native Kyler Gerardy, his season could also be over before it begins. Gerardy was also mentioned by Ferentz as a player who could miss significant time and potentially the entire season after suffering an injury during fall camp. Ferentz did not clarify what Gerardy's injury is, but noted that it is significant enough to keep him out for a while.
Gerardy has seen limited action in two seasons with the Hawkeyes, but saw action in four games last season on defense and special teams. He logged 29 snaps on defense, recording his first solo tackle against Wisconsin, and five snaps on special teams last year.
Lance Ingold, defensive line (undisclosed injury)
One of the many players the program brought in to compete for snaps on the defensive line could be out until midseason after suffering an injury in fall camp. Defensive lineman Lance Ingold transferred to Iowa after spending two seasons with Northern Illinois, Iowa's first opponent of the 202 regular season. In his redshirt freshman season last year, Ingold was primarily a reserve player, tallying 17 total tackles and 1.5 sacks for the Huskies.
Ingold was slated to be a depth/developmental piece for the defensive line group this season, and could now miss half of the season with an injury.
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