11/1/2020 football Edit

Smith-Marsette suspended for one game

Iowa will likely be without one of their top WR's following his arrest for OWI on Sunday morning.

Tom Kakert • Go Iowa Awesome

Publisher

The hits keep on coming for the Iowa football team.

Hours after the Hawkeyes fell to 0-2 on the season after a home loss to Northwestern, starting wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette was charged with operating his vehicle while intoxicated. Iowa City radio station KCJJ was the first to report the news.

Smith-Marsette, who is 21 and of legal drinking age, was stopped by police at 1:27 a.m., per the police report. He was pulled over at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Myrtle Drive in Iowa City. He was driving 74 mph in a 30 mph zone and he blew a 0.13 on the blood alcohol test. The legal limit in Iowa on that test is 0.08. Officers reported that Smith-Marsette “smelled of alcohol” and he also admitted to having been drinking.

This is the first offense of this nature of the senior wide receiver. Head coach Kirk Ferentz was quick to issue his punishment for the lapse in judgement.

"I am disappointed to learn that Ihmir Smith-Marsette made a number of dangerous and potentially harmful decisions early this morning. First and foremost, I am thankful no one was hurt," Ferentz said in a statement.

Ferentz went on to say in the statement that Smith-Marsette will not be in uniform this Saturday for the Hawkeyes game against Michigan State. His future playing opportunities will be decided after he completes a process that includes counseling and other protocols that are part of the student-athlete code of conduct at the University of Iowa.

Smith-Marsette started at wide receiver in Iowa’s loss to Northwestern. After not catching a pass in the first game of the season, he hauled in a team high 7 receptions for 84 yards in the loss to the Wildcats. He is one of the top receivers in the Big Ten and top kickoff return men in the country this year. Last season he capped his year by earning offensive MVP honors in the 2019 Holiday Bowl victory over USC.

In his career, Smith-Marsette now has 92 receptions for 1,374 yards and he has scored 15 touchdowns on pass receptions, rushing attempts, and kickoff returns.