Kirk Ferentz is about to lead his Iowa program into another Cy-Hawk rivalry meeting against Iowa State. A lot of attention is still placed on the status of quarterback Cade McNamara as he continues to work his way back to full health from a quad injury.

Ahead of kickoff, Ferentz talked about his starting QB and what to expect in Week 2. The head coach admitted the Hawkeyes still have to be “very, very careful” with usage of McNamara. However, Ferentz does believe the QB is at a better spot than he was in Week 1.

“We have to be very, very careful with how we use him,” Ferentz said per Chad Lestikow. “…This week, as of this point, he’s in a better position than he was a week ago.”

In the season opener, McNamara started with a bang but struggled through key portions of the game. He was also hit a number of times as the offensive line struggled to keep him upright. At one point, McNamara took a hit and was visibly battling his quad injury.

During the week, Ferentz claimed certain play calls were “off the menu” for the Hawkeyes with McNamara’s current status. It’s likely a good sign he’s feeling better in Week 2, but that doesn’t change concerns about his status with Ferentz’s latest comments.