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Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz tried early on to diffuse any curiosity over how the Hawkeyes planned use their trio of talented running backs by saying he simply hoped they could all stay healthy.
Not even Ferentz would have believed Iowa would play a game without any of them.
Adam Robinson joined Jewel Hampton (knee) and Brandon Wegher (personal reasons) all missed Saturday's 18-13 win at Indiana, leaving No. 13 Iowa (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) without any of the backs they were counting on this season.
In stepped true freshman Marcus Coker, though, with 129 yards rushing in his first career start. Though Coker was fourth on the depth chart at best in August, he became just the latest in a growing line of freshmen who've helped the Hawkeyes overcome injury woes in key spots and keep their Big Ten title hopes alive.
Freshmen linebackers James Morris and Shane DiBona have bolstered a defense that's given up just 19 points over the past two games, and freshman kicker Michael Meyer booted four field goals in the win over the Hoosiers.
''It wasn't necessarily by design, but things have just worked that way and we've had some injuries that have forced us maybe to open our eyes a little bit,'' Ferentz said of Iowa's freshmen. ''With pleased with all the guys, what they're doing and the contributions they're making.''
Coker will likely be relegated to a backup role behind Robinson for Saturday's game at Northwestern (6-3, 2-3). Asked Tuesday if Robinson had suffered a concussion after an apparent head injury late in a 37-6 win over Michigan State on Oct. 30, Ferentz would only say that he was ''injured'' but should be ready to go against the Wildcats.
Coker showed last weekend that he's already far enough along to give Robinson the occasional breather - and more than that if needed.
The 6-foot, 230-pound Coker simply lowered his shoulders, ran through open holes and bullied his way through Indiana defenders on many of his 22 carries.
''I thought he showed toughness. He got banged around a little bit Saturday, and there were some times there where I was wondering whether he was going to have to come out of there,'' said Ferentz, who doesn't allow true freshmen to speak to the media. ''He got smacked a couple times, so I thought he was really - it was impressive.''
Morris, a true freshman from nearby Solon, Iowa, moved into the middle linebacker spot two weeks ago and has apparently locked down the starting job. He made nine tackles and broke up a pair of passes at Indiana, and the fact that Morris hasn't been fazed calling the signals for one of the nation's best defenses at just 18 years old has many thinking he could blossom into Iowa's next great linebacker.
''He doesn't seem to be overwhelmed by any of this. It's been really impressive what he's done,'' Ferentz said of Morris.
DiBona, a redshirt freshman from Duxbury, Mass., got his first career start in a 37-6 blowout of Michigan State, and the freshman quartet of Anthony Hitchens, Don Shumpert, Christian Kirksey and Tanner Miller combined for six tackles Saturday on special teams.
Meyer wasn't even listed on the roster entering fall practice. His most notable moment during Iowa's public scrimmage in August was a long field goal try that wound up smacking someone in the face near the goal post.
But senior Daniel Murray's hip injury opened the door for Meyer, who began as the kickoff specialist and quickly took over for sophomore Trent Mossbrucker on field goals and point-after tries.
Meyer is 9 of 11 on field goals and is perfect over 40 yards or more. Despite missing a chip shot against the Hoosiers, he converted his four other tries and was named the Big Ten's special teams player of the week.
The Hawkeyes will lose a number of senior leaders next season, including quarterback Ricky Stanzi and defensive linemen Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard and Karl Klug. But the performance of the program's youngsters has given Iowa hope that the kids might be further along than anyone thought.
''We've got great coaches. They develop us quickly. We usually have developmental practices, specifically work for the younger guys to get us up and running like the older guys'' DiBona said. ''The main part is the coaches and how they get us going.''
