With Iowa’s best wideout sidelined, the Hawkeye offense needs to find some receiving.
By Courtney Baumann
Matt VandeBerg started the 2016 season with 19 catches for 284 yards along with 3 touchdowns. Unfortunately for the senior wide receiver, that is also how he will probably end the season.
VandeBerg sustained a foot injury in practice Monday and underwent surgery on Wednesday morning.
Nothing has been said about exactly what type of injury it is or how long VandeBerg’s recovery will be, but even just a simple foot fracture will take at least six to eight weeks to heal. That being said, it seems unlikely that he will be healthy enough to return by the end of the season.
For the time being, it is vital for the Hawkeyes that another receiver step into the spotlight and make a difference.
When it comes to injuries, Iowa’s philosophy is “next man in.” However, no one seems to be sure who exactly the next man in will be, and Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz did nothing to clear up the situation.
“Anytime there’s an injury, it affects that individual the most, and that’s first and foremost in our minds, but as we all know, it’s part of football, so it provides opportunity for other players,” Ferentz said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. “They’re going to have to step up and get the job done for us, and I’m sure they will.”
This week’s depth chart only featured two wide-receiver positions instead of the three that are usually noted. The starters listed were Jerminic Smith and Riley McCarron, while the two-deep were Jay Scheel and Ronald Nash. True freshman Devonte Young was left off of the chart this week.
The most likely option to step up in VandeBerg’s place would be Smith, who is Iowa’s second leading receiver thus far. He has caught 7 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, but he has yet to live up to his potential.
Another obvious option would be Scheel, who was at one time a four-star recruit from Mount Auburn, but he spent his redshirt freshman season mostly sidelined because of an injury.
George Kittle will be there, too. The senior last season caught 20 passes for 290 yards and tacked on 6 touchdowns. The tight end is on pace to top those numbers this year, with 10 catches for 192 yards and 2 touchdowns.
With VandeBerg out, though, it is likely that teams will have better coverage of Kittle, meaning the younger players such as Smith and Scheel need to be the ones to make a difference.
Players on both sides of the ball know they will need to work harder to fill the gap VandeBerg left.
“Losing one of our key guys on offense, one of our weapons, one of our guys he can go to in the game, is going to be tough,” senior cornerback Desmond King said. “But it gives another chance for someone else to come in, make a play, and contribute to the team.”
While Ferentz and the rest of the Hawkeyes are confident that someone will emerge this season, finding the chemistry quarterback C.J. Beathard and VandeBerg had won’t happen overnight. Or even over two nights.
The two have been together since the 2013, when Beathard was a redshirt freshman and VandeBerg was a true freshman.
Of course, Beathard has been working with the other receivers for a while, too, but he has not shown he is as connected to them as he and VandeBerg are.
Beathard is saddened not only by the loss of his favorite target but by VandeBerg’s loss as well.
“There was a lot going into it,” Beathard said. “I’ve been with him for four years — there’s four years of chemistry going back. It’s not a selfish thing; more than anything, my heart feels for him and all the work he’s put into getting ready for the season. Only four games into the season, that’s tough for him.”
Beathard hopes his teammate will find his place on the sidelines by taking up more of a coaching position and helping the other receivers while he is out of commission.
“You can lead on and off the field,” Beathard said. “He’ll still be there at practice helping lead the receivers, and it’ll be more of a coach’s role at this point.”
As of Tuesday VandeBerg had yet to comment on his injury.
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