Brandon Wegher left the Iowa football team for personal reasons before the season started, and on Dec. 10, he requested a release from his scholarship, said Fred Mims, the associate athletics director for student services and compliance.

Mims said Iowa granted the release, with the stipulation that the sophomore running back cannot transfer to a Big Ten school on scholarship. Nebraska, which joins the Big Ten next season, is included in that stipulation, Mims said.

Wegher, a 5-10, 210-pound sophomore, rushed for 641 yards and an Iowa freshman-record eight touchdowns in 2009. Going into fall camp, he was believed to be in contention for a major role in the backfield — along with fellow sophomores Jewel Hampton and Adam Robinson. But Wegher left the team on the second day of camp and hasn’t been heard from since.

When asked on Nov. 23 if Wegher had a chance to return to the team, head coach Kirk Ferentz said,

"That’s up to him. I’ve been trying to coach our team. I’ve been kind of busy the last however many weeks. We conversed back in August, like I said. Whenever our last conversation was, that’s when it was. My thoughts have been on trying to coach the guys who are here working every day, and that’s where it’s at."

Without Wegher and with Hampton tearing his ACL in Week 3, the Hawkeyes have been shorthanded at running back. Adam Robinson has missed two games with a concussion, but Ferentz said he should be ready for Iowa’s Insight Bowl matchup with Missouri on Dec. 28.

True freshman Marcus Coker has filled in nicely as the team’s No. 2 back. He has 303 yards over his last four games, 403 yards on the season.

— by Scott Miller