Iowa’s running back room took its first real hit of the season, and it comes with a key reserve in danger of missing more than just one game.
After the Hawkeyes rolled past Northern Illinois 40-0 in Week 1, the injury focus landed on the backfield. The good news for Iowa was that the issues that knocked out Cael Winter and Kade Pieper were described as heat-related, and both starting offensive linemen avoided serious injuries in the triple-digit temperatures.
The tougher blow belongs to L.J. Phillips Jr., whose setback is more significant.
According to CBS senior college football writer Matt Zenitz, Phillips Jr. suffered what’s believed to be a high-ankle sprain against Northern Illinois and will miss the Iowa State game. Zenitz reported that the transfer back was injured early after taking a hard shot and was limping once he got back to his feet. High-ankle sprains can be tricky, and Phillips Jr.’s recovery timeline could stretch depending on pain tolerance and how quickly he heals.
That’s a problem because Phillips Jr. arrived as an important addition in the winter transfer portal after rushing for 1,920 yards last year at South Dakota State. Iowa brought him in to deepen an already crowded backfield, and now that depth is being put to the test.
Once Phillips Jr. exited, Nathan McNeil, Xavier Williams, O’Lantae Dean, Brevin Doll, and Braeden Jackson all saw carries against NIU. Jackson led that group with 30 rushing yards. With Phillips Jr. out against Iowa State, McNeil and Williams are listed as Moulton’s primary backups, and Jackson could still be part of the rotation whenever Moulton needs a breather.
The workload should still run through Moulton, especially if he’s moving like he did against Northern Illinois. But Iowa won’t be short on options behind him, and that matters with Phillips Jr. sidelined.
That’s part of why the injury sting isn’t as severe as it could have been. McNeil and Williams both logged meaningful snaps last season because of injuries to Moulton and Terrance Washington Jr., and both were already active in the opener. Jay Norvell, in his first season coaching the running backs, had the group firing in Week 1, while the offensive line opened up huge lanes for the rushing attack throughout the game.
Now Iowa turns to Iowa State with a thinner backfield than it expected, but still a deep one. The Hawkeyes can afford to lean on that depth, even if Phillips Jr. is out longer than hoped.
In Other News...
Iowa Just Sent A Telling Message Before The Cy-Hawk Game
Iowa heads into the Cy-Hawk game with a depth chart that says plenty about how the Hawkeyes are approaching Week 2. The most notable detail is the quarterback spot, where Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski are both listed with an OR designation, a sign the staff is keeping the door open to shared playing time as it sorts through the position. At running back, the backfield will be thinner than expected with L.J. Phillips Jr. out because of a high-ankle sprain, leaving Nathan McNeil and Xavier Williams as the main options behind him.
There was also a small wrinkle on special teams that stood out after Week 1. Evan James, who had the kind of punt return performance that usually earns a bigger role, is still listed behind Reece Vander Zee on the depth chart. For a rivalry game that often turns on field position and a few timely snaps, those decisions suggest Iowa is still calibrating key spots even as the rivalry week pressure ramps up. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Keeps One Big Week 2 Decision Alive Before Iowa State
Iowas official Week 2 depth chart keeps the most interesting quarterback question intact heading into the Iowa State game. Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski are still both listed as starters, which means the Hawkeyes are carrying the competition forward for at least another week while leaving the rest of the offense largely unchanged. Theres also continuity up front on both the offensive and defensive lines, a sign the staff is comfortable with the foundation even as one of the teams biggest decisions remains open.
Elsewhere on the chart, Kamari Moulton sits atop the running back spot with backups behind him, while L.J. Phillips Jr. is absent because of a lower-body injury. Tight end is listed with four players in starter or backup roles, giving Iowa some flexibility there, and Evan James shows up as the backup punt returner behind Reece Vander Zee. But all the attention still circles back to quarterback, where Iowa has made clear it is not ready to close the book before facing its in-state rival. [Read more 🡒]
Ben McCollum Is Building Something Iowa Fans Will Want To Watch
Ben McCollum is still early in his Iowa tenure, but the recruiting trail already shows what kind of roster he wants to build. The Hawkeyes have lined up visits from two highly regarded 2028 prospects, with Bentley Lusakueno planning an official trip to Iowa and Cole Kelly set for an unofficial stop. Both are versatile enough to fit what McCollum appears to value, and both bring skill sets that could mesh well with the current roster and the offensive system he is trying to put in place.
Lusakueno, ranked No. 6 in the 2028 class, gives Iowa a chance to sell itself to one of the premier young players in the country, while Kelly, ranked No. 34, adds another promising option to the board. For a program trying to show momentum under a new coach, the chance to get those players on campus matters, and so does the broader picture of whether Iowa can turn early interest into something lasting. [Read more 🡒]