Iowa QB McNamara hauled off with left leg injury

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Elder WriterSep 30, 2023, 09:47 PM ET

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• College football reporter.
• Signed up with ESPN.com in 2008.
• Graduate of Northwestern University.Iowa beginning quarterback Cade McNamara

  did not go back to Saturday night’s 26-16 win over Michigan State after suffering a left knee injury in the first half.McNamara, a transfer from Michigan, left the field on a cart with his knee wrapped. He was hurt while rushing out of completion zone and falling awkwardly at the Iowa 2-yard line. McNamara appeared in street clothes on crutches along the Iowa sideline in the second half.He completed 3 of 5 passes for 46 backyards with no goals or interceptions. Deacon Hill, a Wisconsin transfer, replaced McNamara and led Iowa to its very first goal drive of the game, topped by a 3-yard pass to tight end Erick All.McNamara began for Michigan in 2021 and helped the team to a Big Ten championship and its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. He and J.J. McCarthy competed for the starting task entering the 2022 season, however McCarthy became the leading option and McNamara missed out on the majority of the season with a knee injury. He moved to Iowa in December.The senior gotten in Saturday’s game with 459 passing backyards, 4 goals and 3 interceptions, completing 50.6%of his pass attempts. He was limited in spring practice because of his knee injury and missed out on part of preseason camp with a quad injury but returned for the season opener.