As the Iowa football team (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) prepares for their TransPerfect Music City Bowl matchup vs. Missouri (9-3, 5-3 SEC) from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., head coach Kirk Ferentz provided a few updates on Hawkeyes players with lingering injuries.
Ferentz discussed the recovery statuses of freshman wide receiver Reece Vander Zee and redshirt junior offensive lineman Gennings Dunker.
Vander Zee has not played since exiting Iowa’s Oct. 26 win vs. Northwestern and being spotted in a walking boot, while Dunker missed Iowa’s final two games of the regular season at Maryland and against Nebraska with an undisclosed injury.
Ferentz shared an optimistic outlook for the two Hawkeyes, indicating that they are tracking to return in Iowa’s bowl game against Missouri.
“Yeah, both those guys are on track right now,” Ferentz said. “Not sure where they’re going to be this week, but I think we are a lot closer.”
“Reece got to work—we worked a little bit on Friday—he was out there, so that looks really encouraging. Dunk’s probably a couple days away yet, but he’s doing really well, on a good path. Both those guys are eager to play.”
Ferentz had indicated before the Nebraska game that Dunker was close to a return and likely would have played if the game had been the following week.
“He’ll be fine, yeah. He’s improving well. I don’t think he’s going to make it by Friday. It’s too bad. He’s worked so hard. He’s done a great job.
“He’ll be back for the bowl. I imagine if we were playing next week, he’d probably be ready for that one,” Ferentz said of Dunker’s status ahead of the Hawkeyes’ regular season finale against the Huskers.
It also sounds like substantial progress for Vander Zee who Ferentz said was a ways off before the Nebraska game.
“Still a ways away. Hopefully we’ll get him back for the bowl game. Starting to turn the corner a little bit there,” Ferentz said of Vander Zee before the Nebraska tilt.
With star junior running back Kaleb Johnson having declared for the 2025 NFL draft and out of the equation against Missouri, Iowa will need every ounce of the remainder of its offensive personnel. Both Dunker and Vander Zee tracking for returns is great news for the Hawkeyes.
The TransPerfect Music City Bowl is set to kick off at 1:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and will also be available on the radio through the Hawkeye Radio Network.
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