With rumors and reports swirling this week surrounding a pair of Hawkeyes, Iowa associate athletics director for strategic communications Matt Weitzel released a statement on the statuses of graduate quarterback Cade McNamara and graduate cornerback Jermari Harris to the Des Moines Register.
Weitzel said that Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz misspoke during his Tuesday press conference when stating that McNamara had been cleared to play.
“There are several players who will not compete in Saturday’s game against Maryland because they have not been cleared medically (or by the medical team). As is customary in the Big Ten, a list of those players is released two hours before kickoff. The Hawkeye football program will release that list (Saturday) but will address the status of two players because of significant media interest and misinformation.
“The decision of whether a student-athlete can compete after sustaining an injury is made by the medical team. It is not uncommon following a concussion for an athlete to be cleared to practice but then not compete. Recovering from a concussion is a step-by-step process and there can be setbacks.
“Cade McNamara has not been cleared to play against Maryland. His status was a topic of discussion during Tuesday’s weekly news conference. In reviewing the transcript and the Q & A, Coach Ferentz misstated that Cade had been cleared to play, he had been cleared to practice.
“The second player of interest is Jermari Harris, who will not play in Saturday’s game due to a medical issue. We hope all our student-athletes can play next week in our regular season finale at Kinnick Stadium, however, a player’s health and wellbeing are always our top priority.” – Weitzel, University of Iowa.
Speculation was building earlier this week that McNamara had thrown his final pass as an Iowa Hawkeye.
McNamara suffered a concussion during the Hawkeyes’ 40-14 win over Northwestern on Oct. 26 and has not played since.
McNamara clarified his injury status on Friday in a social media announcement where he said the rumors about his status were “ridiculous accusations and 100% false.” McNamara said he remains “a proud member of this football team” and is still targeting a return versus Nebraska next Friday.
Then, on Friday afternoon, HawkeyeInsider’s David Eickholt reported that Harris was opting out of the remainder of Iowa’s season to begin preparations for the 2025 NFL draft.
Both McNamara and Harris were listed out in Iowa’s Big Ten availability report on Saturday. Junior quarterback Brendan Sullivan, junior offensive tackle Gennings Dunker, junior linebacker Karson Sharar and freshman wide receiver Reece Vander Zee were all listed out versus Maryland as well.
McNamara has played in and started 13 games over his two seasons with the Hawkeyes. McNamara has completed 150-of-262 passes (57.3%) for 1,522 yards and 10 touchdowns against eight interceptions in his two seasons with the Hawkeyes.
Harris has appeared in 42 games and started 28. The 6-foot-1, 189 pound has tallied 105 career tackles, eight interceptions, 3.5 tackles for loss and one defensive touchdown during his Iowa career.
In the 2024 season to date, Harris has tallied 27 tackles, 10 passes defensed, three interceptions and one tackle for loss. Harris registered a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown in Iowa’s 38-21 Sept. 14 win at Troy.
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