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Iowa football’s portal additions included a long snapper
This is the fourth school for graduate transfer Bryant Worrell, who snapped in all 13 games last season for Boston College before that program let him go
Aug. 21, 2025 6:00 am
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Editor’s note: Seventh in a 9-part series looking at the Iowa football team ahead of the season opener on Aug. 30.
IOWA CITY — You know about Mark Gronowski. Everyone knows about Mark Gronowski.
Most Hawk-A-Holics know the Iowa football program also nabbed his South Dakota State teammate Bryce Hawthorne out of the transfer portal last winter. And fellow defensive lineman Jonah Pace from Central Michigan and offensive linemen Bryce George from D-II Ferris State.
But also there was Bryant Worrell.
Who? If things go according to the way he has planned, he plays every game this season, but you won’t really ever get to know him.
That’s the goal for every long snapper. Don’t mess up and end up having your name announced on TV.
“Most of it is mental, honestly,” Worrell said about his unique position. ”Being ready to go. Because a field goal can always come up, you always have a little leeway knowing when that’s coming up. It’s also not letting the last play, good or bad, affect your mindset for the next play.”
Worrell is a graduate student who transferred from Boston College. He snapped in all 13 of BC’s games last season but was told his talents would not be needed anymore.
Just like that he was done.
“With the new 105 (roster) rule, honestly, I thought I had a great spring ball last year,” Worrell said. “Even my kicker last year back at BC told me that. But the coaching staff saw it differently and told me if I wanted to keep playing football to hit the portal.”
What was his reaction?
“Hit the portal,” he said, shrugging. “Honestly, I ended up doing really well. I never really felt down about it or anything like that, even starting the full season last year to that happening.”
Multiple schools reached out to him, but Iowa was the first, and one visit to campus and with head coach Kirk Ferentz and special teams coach LeVar Woods ended his re-recruitment. Worrell, a Virginia native, spent two years out of high school at Old Dominion and then two years at NCAA Division II Emory and Henry College in his home state.
He is competing with redshirt freshman Ike Speltz for the long snapper job. Iowa starts the season Aug. 30 at Kinnick Stadium against Albany.
“Junior year we were playing our rival in high school,” Worrell said. “It was an away game, and I snapped it over the punter’s head. It was one of those things where I was like ‘Crap.’ It was cool, though, because that was the first feedback I’d heard from my coach.
“Of course, you know he was getting into me on the sideline and all that. But after the fact, in the locker room, he was like ‘Hey man, you are probably one of the best long snappers we’ve ever had at this high school.’ That lit a fire in me, and I actually started doing more for it, realizing what I could (potentially) do.”
The rest of Iowa’s special teams units are set.
Kaden Wetjen became one of the country’s most dangerous return specialists last season and could have an increased presence offensively at wide receiver. Sophomore Rhys Dakin took over for fellow Australian Tory Taylor at punter last season, a mostly seamless transition.
Senior Drew Stevens will be Iowa’s kicker for the fourth straight season. He made all 40 extra-point attempts last season and went 20 for 23 in field goals, including a 53-yarder on the final play to beat Nebraska.
He was essentially benched the year before against the Cornhuskers, replaced after sending two kickoffs out of bounds, with walk-on Marshall Meeder kicking a 38-yard field goal on the final play for the Iowa win.
“I think that's kind of represented the growth of Drew. I really do,” Ferentz said. “Just as a person, this stuff all goes together in my opinion. He was so young when he showed up here. I mean, really young, physically and kind of emotionally. He was just a high school guy.
“Where he is now compared to there is just night and day. He's confident, but it's not a false bravado. It's because he's earned it. He works hard. He's just immaculate with his preparation. That's how typically guys perform well, because they do all that hard work when they're supposed to. And he's done that.”
Comments: jeff.johnson@thegazette.com
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