Have you watched any Iowa football in the last decade? When was the last time Iowa had less than 1 RB injury in a season?
There are definitely a couple of reasons to burn his red shirt at this point:
1. McCall is now going to get a RS - why have those two guys in the same class? Get some separation there.
2. We aren't that deep at RB right now. Bullock has moved to WR, DeAndre Johnson still looks a bit tentative because of his injured knee (and he admits that he still deals with swelling in that knee - which is always a good sign), & I think we can all agree that Jason White, while being a great special teams player, is no more than a serviceable back up. Canzeri could be our #2 RB at this point.
3. Did I mention the AIRBHG? Just to remind everybody:
2002:
1) Aaron Greving, the projected starter is injured in fall and spring and abruptly quits mid way through the season.
2) Justice Hariston fails to qualify, goes to prep school and then to Purdue where he has a decent, injury free, career.
2003:
1) Superstud Jermelle Lewis tears ACL and misses first half of season and is not the same.
2) Promising frosh Albert Young breaks leg. Out for year.
3) AJ Johnson lasts a semester before getting kicked out.
2004:
1) Shonn Greene fails to qualify out of high school
2) Fred Russell leaves early
3) Lewis tears other ACL
4) Albert Young tears ACL misses second full season.
5) Marcus Schnoor tears ACL
6) I think Champ Davis tears an ACL at some point as well.
2005:
1) Ferentz tricks the Angry Iowa-Running-Back-Hating-God by briefly moving Damian Sims to corner. Sims is the only scholarship RB to go four years without a major injury.
2006:
1) Kalvin Bailey - flunked out after one year
2) Corey Robertson - flunked out after one year
2007:
1) Shonn Greene ineligible
2) Dana Brown - beats up girlfriend and gets the boot during the great purge of '07
2008:
1) Jevon Pugh - left school after one year
2) Jeff Brinson - injured and redshirts
3) Nate Guillory - leaves in fall camp
4) Paki #2 on depth chart throughout season
2009:
1) Shonn Greene leaves early
2) Jewel Hampton tears ACL in fall camp
3) Brinson still injured has one carry
4) Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher do a nice job but usually one or both is at least hobbled
5) Paki again a staple on depth chart
2010:
1) Brinson leaves before spring ball
2) Wegher - slips one past the goalies
3) Coker - breaks collarbone before pads are even on
4) Hampton - torn ACL by game three, transfers prior to bowl
5) Robinson - concussions, then academics, not in good standing
6) Paki apparently also injured.
Now you can add McCall to that list.
As far as I'm concerned, Iowa shouldn't ever willingly redshirt a RB until we've had a guy start for at least two straight years at that position.
Our attrition history there, for whatever reason, is probably the worst in the country, and after seeing McCall go down Saturday, it only affirms my opinion that was need to have as many guys ready at that position as we possibly can.
Burn Canzeri's redshirt. He may be our #2 RB and AIRBHG shows that we can use all the depth we can get at RB.