Receivers Keagan Johnson, Nico Ragaini warming up for Iowa-Nevada game
The pair went through pregame warmups and appears primed to play against the Wolf Pack.
Iowa wide receiver Nico Ragaini catches a pass in warmups before a football game between Iowa and Nevada at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Ragaini did not play in Iowa’s first two matchups this season. (Jerod Ringwald/The Daily Iowan)
September 17, 2022
Iowa’s offense will likely get a personnel boost Saturday at Kinnick Stadium. Wide receivers Keagan Johnson and Nico Ragaini have gone through pregame warmups and seem primed to play against Nevada.
WRs Keagan Johnson and Nico Ragaini on the field for warmups pic.twitter.com/LXtDQ7UTJI
— Kennington Lloyd Smith III (@SkinnyKenny_) September 17, 2022
The pair missed the Hawkeyes’ first two games of the season with undisclosed injuries. At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said Johnson and Ragaini were both back at practice — though he never declared them active or inactive for Saturday’s game.
The Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown, who is the sideline reporter assigned to Saturday’s Iowa-Nevada game, reported Johnson and Ragaini will play.
Wednesday, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said Nico Ragaini and Keagan Johnson have practiced all 3 days. BTN reporter @MeghanMcKeown_ said this morning both should play tonight. A huge lift for a unit that has played only 1 scholarship WR in 2 games (outside of Brody Brecht’s 4 plays).
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) September 17, 2022
Johnson hasn’t played since the Hawkeyes lost the 2022 Big Ten Championship Game to Michigan, 42-3, on Dec. 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The last concrete update Iowa Athletics provided on Johnson’s health came on Jan. 1. Before the Hawkeyes lost to the Kentucky Wildcats, 20-17, in the 2022 Citrus Bowl, Iowa Athletics ruled Johnson out of the contest with a “non-COVID-19-related illness.”
Without Johnson and Ragaini, the Hawkeyes have played their way into last place in the 131-team FBS in total offense. Iowa has averaged seven points per game and had just two scholarship receivers available for its first two matchups.
Walk-ons Alec Wick and Jack Johnson joined sophomore Arland Bruce and redshirt freshman Brody Brecht in Iowa’s four-man rotation at receiver.
The Hawkeyes’ passing attack currently ranks 127 in the country, averaging just over 100 yards per game. Quarterback Spencer Petras has thrown for 201 yards and two interceptions this season. Bruce is Iowa’s leading receiver with six catches for 77 yards.
Saturday’s Iowa-Nevada game will begin at 6:40 p.m. at Kinnick Stadium. Thunderstorms are in the forecast beginning around 10 p.m.