Cade McNamara out for the season
A change of scenery didn’t end up changing the injury struggles of Cade McNamara. Last year at the University of Michigan, he played in three games before undergoing knee surgery. One year later, after battling back from a strained quad, McNamara is headed to the shelf again with a knee injury. Kirk Ferentz confirmed the news at his Tuesday press conference.
After starting Iowa’s first five games of the season, McNamara scrambled out of the end zone in the Hawkeyes second series of the game against Michigan State and crumpled to the ground. He was helped off the field with assistance from training staff to the medical tent on the Iowa sidelines. A short time later, McNamara was off to the locker room in a cart.
Eventually he re-emerged on the Iowa sidelines on crutches with his left knee wrapped up.
Iowa football announced on Monday that McNamara will undergo season ending surgery on his left knee.
McNamara arrived in Iowa City in January and continued his rehab process during the winter months. He participated on a limited basis in spring practice, mainly in 7 on 7 situations. Once fall camp arrived, he was full speed, but the injury bug arose once again. This time he went down on a scramble early on in the Iowa Kid’s Day practice.
McNamara suffered a strained quad and was out a couple of weeks, but amazingly made it back for the season opening game. He quarterbacked Iowa to a 3-1 record in the first four games of the season.
For the season, he completed 46-90 passes for 505 yards and four touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions. Interestingly, his longest touchdown pass of the season was the first pass he threw in an Iowa uniform, 36 yards to Seth Anderson against Utah State.
Deacon Hill will move into the starting lineup for the Hawkeyes. He completed 11-27 passes on Saturday in the win over Michigan State. Joe Labas will be Iowa’s backup quarterback. He started at quarterback in the Music City Bowl, leading Iowa to a win over Kentucky.
