Dominic Alvis gets 'early Christmas present' from Iowa, Ferentz

DES MOINES - Logan-Magnolia senior Dominic Alvis has moved from grayshirt to likely red-shirt for the Iowa football team this fall.

Alvis, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound defensive end, earned a football scholarship from Iowa starting this fall, one semester earlier than planned. He was scheduled to come to Iowa and pay his own way and not contribute to the football team for the fall, per NCAA grayshirt rules. Now, he'll be able to practice in fall camp, but likely red-shirt for this season.

"They called last Wednesday and said, 'Hey we've got a guy who tore his ACL and another guy ... something happened," Alvis said Thursday at the state track meet in Des Moines. "So they're going to bring me up. So I'm happy about that."

Alvis, a two-time state champion in the discus entering Thursday, said he'll head to Iowa City this summer to lift weights. He also carries a near 4.0 grade-point average.

"Defensive end, that's what they're looking for from me," he said. "They're going to pack some pounds on me, which I'm cool with that. I love lifting weights so I'm excited to play.

"I didn't know if I would make Iowa, but fortunately they came knocking on my door and it just worked out. I'm fortunate."