Cade McNamara injury update: How long is Iowa QB out for?
Bad news coming out of Iowa City for Hawkeyes fans, as Cade McNamara's knee injury seems to be a season-ender. This would be the second such injury for the transfer quarterback, who missed much of the 2022 season while he was with the Michigan Wolverines.
The current injury occurred early in Saturday's 26-16 victory over the Michigan State Spartans when, in a non-contact play, McNamara landed awkwardly on his left knee while scrambling. He was helped off the field by trainers and was later seen struggling to put weight on the injured leg.
Per 247Sports, Cade McNamara will likely be out for the rest of the 2023 season. Quoting insider sources, the publication said news about the quarterback's injury had already come out as early as Sunday morning.
Asked about McNamara's injury on Saturday, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said:
"I mean, you can probably figure that one out yourself. It's not good, no player who gets injured is feeling too happy about things."
Cade McNamara had struggled with a quad injury since the team's only fall practice. Meanwhile, his 2023 season has been mediocre at best up to this point, with 505 passing yards alongside four touchdown passes and three interceptions. McNamara could be forgiven for having to work with a subpar offense, and his absence will make a mediocre unit all the worse.
McNamara had revitalized the spirits of the fans and the football program as a whole, coming from a high-profile program like Michigan. He earned his teammates' respect and was voted team captain despite arriving in the transfer portal this year.
McNamara is expected to attempt to return for his final year of eligibility.
Who will replace Cade McNamara?
Wisconsin transfer Deacon Hill, a 6-foot-3, 258-pound quarterback, will take Cade McNamara's spot on the Haweyes roster. Hill had more practice with the offense than your typical backup due to McNama's injury-prone nature.
He didn't feature at all with Wisconsin but has 164 yards this year while complementing Cade McNamara; most came after replacing him last Saturday. Hill's completion percentage is even worse than McNamara's (51.1%), at 42.9%. He has one touchdown pass and one interception.
Deacon Hill hasn't seen relevant football action since his junior year of high school, where he threw for 3,102 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions while running for 461 yards and 13 touchdowns. His senior season was reduced to three games due to COVID-19.
Iowa is 4-1 and faces Purdue at home this week.