Iowa City — Three Hawkeyes will miss Saturday’s game, according to a sobering injury update released by head coach Kirk Ferentz on Tuesday as Iowa gets ready for its intense rivalry matchup against Wisconsin.
Jaden Harrell, Jaziun Patterson, and T.J. Washington Jr. were all listed by Ferrentz as being unable to make the trip to Madison. It’s a devastating blow, particularly after a bye week that many had hoped would provide momentum and health. The timing couldn’t be worse.
It hurts that Washington is not there. He has been one of Iowa’s more reliable backs in 2025; defenses have to respect his combination of patience and burst. Patterson has also played a crucial role in keeping the weight on the ground. Losing both simultaneously forces Iowa’s coaching staff to reshuffle the backfield rotation midweek.
Harrell’s absence creates a void in the linebacker corps on defense, which may push inexperienced or younger players into more significant roles than they were previously accustomed to. During his press conference, Ferentz spoke calmly and somewhat resignedly about these losses. He stated bluntly, “We don’t see Jaz (Harrell) coming back on Saturday.” T.J. Washington is also unlikely to make it. The last time we played, Jaden… left the game. I don’t think he will return either.
Of course, quarterback Mark Gronowski is the other significant question that has persisted throughout this week. Although early reports suggested the injury was more serious, Ferentz now claims Gronowski has been cleared medically after leaving the Indiana game due to a knee injury. However, that does not imply that he is yet prepared for prime time. Ferentz said, “It’s more about getting him at ease and confident in-game.” Iowa has hedged its bets by continuing to rotate all three quarterbacks—Gronowski, Hank Brown, and Jeremy Hecklinski—in practice. According to Ferentz, the starting lineup could be decided as late as Friday.
That uncertainty, while understandable in the wake of injury, adds drama to what already would be a boisterous rivalry game. Despite the losses, there is still hope. Xavier Williams, a freshman running back, seems to be headed for a comeback, Ferentz said. Next up is Reece Vander Zee, a sophomore wide receiver who hasn’t played in a game this season. If he can physically manage the workload for the week, the coach said there’s a chance he could play.
Let’s face it, though: this is a game of rivalry. The stakes are higher. Wisconsin will aggressively exploit Iowa’s weaknesses even in the absence of those three injured players. The ball will be run by them. They’ll test the edges of the defense. If the Hawkeyes are unable to provide enough balance, they will attempt to make Iowa’s offense one-dimensional.
Such injury announcements are always hurtful to fans. You picture the tackles that won’t be made, the carries that won’t be made, and the lack of leadership in the huddle. “Dude, you don’t want to be skinny this week,” you think. However, that is a part of Big Ten football’s grit. Late in the season, depth pays off.
If I were the coach of Iowa, I would look for mismatches, make conservative calls early, and rely on structure. Gronowski’s knee may still feel funny, so don’t push him into hero mode. Leave manageable drives to Hecklinski or Brown. To prevent the staff from overexposing backups, carefully mix in the run game.
Additionally, defensively, use zone coverages and additional middle-field assistance to cover Harrell’s absence. However, stories are easily absorbed by rivalry games. Sometimes guts, not forecasts, win them. Therefore, even though this injury news raises concerns, it also poses a challenge: can Iowa persevere without important players? Madison on a Saturday night will provide a lot of answers.
