Iowa football injury report: Diante Vines, Beau Stephens expected to miss Nebraska game

Injury report: Hawkeyes player ruled out for injury and might miss half of the 2024 season.

Logan Jones ‘not going to get 100 percent healthy’ during regular season

IOWA CITY — Iowa wide receiver Diante Vines and offensive lineman Beau Stephens are expected to miss the Hawkeyes’ game against Nebraska on Friday, head coach Kirk Ferentz said in his weekly news conference.

All others “got a chance” to play against Nebraska, Ferentz said. That includes center Logan Jones.

“We’ll see,” Ferentz said about Jones’ status for Friday’s game. “It’s one of those injuries that’s not going to go away. He’s not going to get 100 percent healthy. Maybe in the bowl game, he’ll have a chance to, but in the next couple of weeks, that’s not realistic.”

Jones is “improving weekly,” though, Ferentz said.

“Then if he does have a setback, he bounces back quicker,” Ferentz said.

Jones exited the Nov. 4 game against Northwestern with an injury and did not return. He appeared briefly in Iowa’s last two games before being replaced by Tyler Elsbury.

Jones has not played a full game since before Iowa’s bye week.

Vines and Stephens have not played since the game against Northwestern.

Ohio State transfer Kaleb Brown has taken on a larger role while Vines has been out, hauling in 10 catches for 98 yards in the last two games.

On the offensive line, Kade Pieper has occupied Stephens’ second-team spot at guard during Stephens’ absence. If Jones is not able to play, Tyler Elsbury is expected to take his place as the Hawkeyes’ first-team starter.