Drew Ott reportedly suffers serious knee injury in win

IOWA CITY, Ia. — Drew Ott returned from a dislocated left elbow in less than a week. It doesn’t look promising that he’ll make a second injury comeback after hurting his right knee Saturday against Illinois.

The senior defensive end has a torn ACL in his right knee, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Ott crumpled to the ground without serious contact as he attempted a punt rush in the third quarter and didn’t return.

The University of Iowa would not confirm the report. In his news conference after the game, head coach Kirk Ferentz said of Ott, “He has a knee injury. I don't know the extent of it yet.”

If it is an ACL, that would end Ott’s senior season, which started with him being one of the most feared defenders in the Big Ten Conference. He had two tackles for loss Saturday, giving him 7½  for the season despite being limited or out for 2½ games after suffering a dislocated left elbow in the first quarter at Iowa State.

Ott limped badly off the field and later returned to the sideline on crutches. The co-captain was still involved in the defense, displaying his goofy personality.

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“He was just hitting us with his crutches and stuff,” said redshirt freshman Parker Hesse, Ott’s replacement. “Typical Drew stuff.”

Other injury updates from Saturday:

--Right tackle Ike Boettger left in the third quarter with a lower-leg injury. Ferentz did not have a prognosis, saying he would know more Sunday. Boettger was replaced by true freshman James Daniels.

--Iowa also played without No. 1 left tackle Boone Myers (stinger) for the second straight week. Cole Croston played every snap Saturday in Myers’ place. “He's climbing the ladder, so it would be really good if we could get him back,” Ferentz said of Myers. “Hopefully we'll have Ike back, but I don't know that yet, either. If not we'll figure something out and we'll be ready to go.”

--Right guard Jordan Walsh injured his left shoulder and missed most of the first half. He got treatment and pain-killers in the locker room and played the entire second half — a critical cog in helping Jordan Canzeri rush for 180 second-half yards. “It was frustrating going down,” Walsh said, “but it felt a lot better, so I went back out there.”

--Running back LeShun Daniels Jr. didn’t dress. He continues to be bothered by a high-ankle sprain in his right foot. He’s been hobbled since getting hurt against Iowa State. Ferentz said this was a new strategy to get help the healing process, since giving him limited carries each of the past three weeks didn’t help.

--The hope is for No. 1 wide receiver Tevaun Smith (knee) to miss just one more game and then return Oct. 31 against Maryland.

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