This is not a joke. For the second straight year, Iowa's starting tailback for the bulk of the regular season will miss the Insight Bowl*. From UI Sports Information:
IOWA CITY, IOWA – - University of Iowa running back Marcus Coker has been suspended from participation in the 2011 Insight Bowl for disciplinary reasons.
The issue involves University of Iowa policies and has resulted in Coker being in violation of the UI Student-Athlete Code of Conduct.
The sophomore from Beltsville, Md., will not travel with the team to Tempe, site of Iowa’s Dec. 30 game against Oklahoma.
You have got to be fucking kidding me. Angry Iowa Running Back Hating God, you are an unbelievable bastard.
With Mika'il McCall's suspension also (by all accounts) remaining in effect for the Insight Bowl, that leaves the top of the depth chart wide open at running back. Jordan Canzeri? DeAndre Johnson? Jason White? Damon Bullock? Hope you're ready for your close-up, guys. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just be outside, slamming my head into a car door.
* God willing, this episode has a better ending than Adam Robinson's issues last December, but let's just say we're not going to hold our breath, given Iowa's hilariously awful history with running backs. Goddammit.
UPDATE: Marc Morehouse provided a little more information about the suspension, including a quote from athletic director Gary Barta:
This action would have to be routed through Iowa athletics director Gary Barta, who spoke briefly on the subject during the Iowa women’s basketball game Tuesday night.
“I can’t say anything beyond what was in the release,” Barta said. Barta said he talked about the situation with Ferentz, as they would with anything of this nature.He was asked if this was a team/coach decision or department decision, “It was a department decision. It was a violation of our Student Code of Conduct.”