IOWA CITY — There’s a chance running back Kamari Moulton could make his return in Iowa football’s Big Ten opener against Rutgers on Sept. 19, head coach Kirk Ferentz said.
“Looks like Kamari’s got a chance to be back,” Ferentz said Sept. 16. “He worked (Monday) and (Tuesday) and looked fine. So hopefully we’ll get him ready to roll in the game, as well.”
Moulton started Iowa’s 2025 season opener against UAlbany, but his outing did not last long. The redshirt sophomore rushed three times for 22 yards before exiting with an injury in the first quarter. He was unavailable for Iowa’s contests against Iowa State and UMass.
Needless to say, getting Moulton back against Rutgers would be a positive development. He was Iowa’s second-leading rusher last season behind Kaleb Johnson. Moulton rushed for more than 100 yards in a win over Maryland last season and nearly reached that milestone again in the Music City Bowl against Missouri.
“He’s capable of breaking some longer runs,” Ferentz said of Moulton. “And if he can do that, that’d be a great thing. It’s a tough (Rutgers) defense to do that against. These guys have done a really nice job. But, yeah, getting a good, quality player back is really helpful.”
Iowa’s running backs room has been hit with injuries early in the 2025 season.
Redshirt freshman Xavier Williams got hurt in the game against UMass. Ferentz said Williams is ruled out for the contest against Rutgers.
Williams currently stands as Iowa’s leading rusher this season, accumulating 186 yards on 26 carries (7.2 yards per rush) and one touchdown. Of those rushing yards, 122 came in the 2025 season opener against UAlbany. Williams has cooled down significantly since bursting onto the scene against the Great Danes, tallying just 64 yards combined across the last two games.
“(I’d) rather not do a prisoner exchange, quite frankly,” Ferentz said, referring to Williams’ injury and the potential return of Moulton. “I’d rather go two for none instead of one for one. The good news with Xavier is he’ll be fine, but it’s just going to take a little time.”
Without Williams, the roles of running backs Jaziun Patterson and Terrell Washington Jr. come more into focus ahead of the road trip to Rutgers. Patterson, Iowa’s second-leading rusher this season with 161 yards, has taken advantage of his opportunities this season. Washington Jr. hasn’t produced to the level of Patterson, rushing for just 95 yards so far this season.
A wild card in Iowa’s running backs equation is Nathan McNeil.
McNeil, who impressed leading up to his true freshman campaign, has recorded 13 carries for 70 yards this season, but all of that came in garbage time against UAlbany and UMass. Iowa has yet to give him the ball in a higher-stakes situation. Ferentz attributed McNeil’s limited workload to his youth.
“Just a young man we’re really impressed with,” Ferentz said of McNeil. “He’s just really focused and steady. Solid on the field, in the classroom. Everything he’s done since he’s been on campus is really impressive. So we’re really high on him, but we just want to bring him along at a pace that’s best for him, hopefully. I think he’s got real potential, but there’s some things he’s still got to work on, too, and he knows that.”
Iowa’s running backs situation is not quite settled, but it does help that quarterback Mark Gronowski can be effective with his legs. Gronowski leads Iowa with three rushing touchdowns this season.
Receiver Reece Vander Zee, who has yet to play this season, remains out against Rutgers.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kamari Moulton injury update: The latest ahead of Iowa football’s Big Ten test vs. Rutgers
Reporting by Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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