Hampton out for the season

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz confirmed Tuesday morning that running back Jewel Hampton will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury suffered in the loss at Arizona on Saturday night. Ferentz said that both Hampton and linebacker Bruce Davis will have to undergo knee surgery and likely be out the rest of the year.

For Hampton, it is the second consecutive season ended by knee injury, as a torn ACL in preseason drills a year ago kept him out all of 2009. He returned to action this year, rushing for 114 yards and a touchdown in two games, but he is now on the shelf again with what appears to be an injury to his other leg.

Running back, once thought to be a strength on Iowa's roster, is suddenly lacking depth. Sophomore Brandon Wegher left the team in August and although the door remains open for him to eventually return, he still has not at this point. Along with that, sophomore Jason White is currently out with a sprained knee and senior Paki O'Meara suffered what appeared to be a concussion on Saturday night and may miss the game this week, Ferentz said Tuesday.

"Right now, we've got Adam (Robinson) and anyone else that wants to volunteer," said Ferentz.

That could include true freshmen De'Andre Johnson and Marcus Coker, who up to this point have both been redshirting this season. In fact, Coker just returned to practice this past week after suffering a shoulder injury in camp and Johnson is coming off ACL surgery in high school a year ago.

The Hawkeyes host Ball State in Kinnick Stadium at 11 a.m. Saturday.