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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara said he didn’t travel to Saturday’s game at Maryland after not being fully cleared from a concussion sustained last month.
McNamara on Friday went to X to respond to what he called “ridiculous accusations” about his status with the team. The senior said he remains “a proud member of this football team.”
McNamara last played Oct. 26 against Northwestern, when he sustained the concussion. Brendan Sullivan stepped in and started Iowa’s next few games, but an ankle injury has sidelined him for the Maryland game. Sources told ESPN that Sullivan likely will not return until Iowa’s bowl game. Jackson Stratton, a walk-on who transferred to Iowa from Colorado State, will start against Maryland.
Iowa listed McNamara as the starter on its Monday depth chart, and McNamara said he had been cleared to practice Sunday but “had an adverse reaction, which is common for someone coming out of [concussion] protocol.” He said he did not participate in practice Monday and for the rest of the week, and continues to work with team doctors and a concussion specialist.
Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday that McNamara’s status is “cloudy,” but that the quarterback had been cleared to play.
“Whether or not he can play effectively or not, we’ll see,” Ferentz said.
Ferentz said on his radio show Wednesday that Stratton was in line to make his first start.
“He’ll get the start,” Ferentz said. “Confident that he’ll do a great job. He stepped in, did a really nice job in our last ball game, and he’s got a good ability to throw the football, and he’s learning every day.”
Stratton completed 3 of 6 pass attempts for 28 yards against UCLA in Iowa’s loss on Nov. 8. He appeared in four games for Colorado State in 2022 and none last season.
McNamara, a transfer from Michigan who helped the Wolverines to the 2021 Big Ten title, has opened the last two seasons as Iowa’s starter. He sustained an ACL tear in September 2023 that cost him the rest of the season. McNamara has 1,022 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions at Iowa.
He wrote on X that he intends to play in Iowa’s regular-season finale Nov. 29 at home against Nebraska.