This just won't stop. Adam Robinson's ankle has exploded:
Redshirt freshman running back Adam Robinson likely will miss the rest of the regular season after suffering an ankle injury in Saturday's win against Michigan State.
He registered career-highs in both attempts (27) and rushing yards (109) against the Spartans.
"There's a chance we could get him back," Ferentz said, "but a running back with a bad ankle, it's not a good thing."
Ferentz likened Robinson's injury to the one that kept tight end Tony Moeaki out for several games this year.
This, of course, means the running back depth chart is as follows:
I'm Paki O'Meara!
And that's it for healthy bodies. Jeff Brinson is still on crutches--though that didn't stop Ned--and Jewel Hampton has expressed no desire to play with a knee that's still about six months away from recovery. Pansy.
There are options, though none of them involve handing the ball to Casey McMillan and diving out of the way as he swats hapless defenders into Row 40. You know the NCAA would just make it illegal at halftime.
No, it looks like true freshman Brad Rogers is going to get some consideration. You may remember him from this season's recruiting class, checking in at 5'8" and a robust 230 pounds. Those numbers on a 2-star prospect don't sound like someone who's ready to step into a Big Ten backfield from day 1, but as Kirk Ferentz explained at his presser today, Rogers has made strides:
Q. Are Brad Rogers and Josh Brown in the mix?
COACH FERENTZ: Everybody is in the mix. If they are out there they are in the mix right now. I would say Rogers is ahead of Brown right now.
Q. What about Jeff Brinson?
COACH FERENTZ: He’s not – I think that probably could be the rest of the season he’ll be out, too.
Q. Nine games into a season, you would still take off a redshirt?
COACH FERENTZ: We traveled there last week, could not have for foreseen that kind of complication, but we traveled him and told him he may be going in the ballgame so be ready. Probably because he’s from Toledo, got four tickets to the game, so worked out perfectly.
But you know, if he’s got to go in, he’ll go in and do a good job. Really he’s impressed us over the last eight weeks. He came in a little heavy and a little out of shape but that’s not unusual for first-year players. He’s really worked hard and he looks 100% better than did he two months ago, so I’m really impressed with his attitude and his work ethics.
100% better than 2 stars is, like, 4 stars. Problem solved, bitches.
If Rogers can play, of course, he's in for a few carries; recall that Rogers was traveling to East Lansing with the team as a reward for his play in practice even before A-Rob was hurt. Further, Wegher hasn't shown any indication of being ready to take 20 snaps a game and be productive (though, as we mentioned earlier, it doesn't help that there's an unblocked tackler immediately on him every damn time). And as for O'Meara, well, that UNI game remains the only time this season an Iowa running back has lost a fumble. Not exemplary work, there.
So it'll probably be a tailback-by-committee approach from here on out until one of the Three Wise Men (note: we cannot vouch for the wisdom of any of the three running backs) establishes himself as the de facto number one. Let's hope the injury trend stops here; there aren't many people left on the offense that Iowa can afford to lose from here on out.