Iowa Football

Iowa football’s health situation seems to be improving as the 2024 season looms one week away.

The NCAA’s decision to grant a waiver to Iowa linebacker Nick Jackson surprised a lot of people, including Jackson himself. Now as he prepares for his sixth season of college football, he has a shot at making history.

This episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast features John Steppe’s analysis of the news that Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz and receivers coach Jon Budmayr have been suspended one game for a recruiting violation, plus Thursday’s press conference featuring Ferentz and Iowa athletics director Beth Goetz.

A self-imposed one-game suspension to Iowa football coach Ferentz and receivers coach Jon Budmayr comes over 20 months after quarterback Cade McNamara transfeered to the Hawkeyes from Michigan. Odd.

Cade McNamara would be Iowa football’s starting quarterback “if we were playing tomorrow,” head coach Kirk Ferentz told reporters on Thursday.

Kirk Ferentz’s suspension will mark the first time in more than 25 years that he has not been on the sidelines for an Iowa football game.

Kaden Wetjen is a former Williamsburg prep who found a niche as a kickoff returner last season for the Iowa football team. Can he help the Hawkeyes’ wide receiver group out this season as well?

Connor Colby was forced into playing time before he was ready because of attrition on the Iowa football team’s offensive line. Then he was forced into playing tackle, a position he shouldn’t have been playing. As he enters his senior season, the former Cedar Rapids Kennedy prep has settled in at right guard and could be in for a productive season.

Iowa redshirt freshman wide receiver Jarriett Buie knows if you power anything to zero, it’s a 1.

Phil Parker has a “good idea” of who his starting cornerbacks will be in 2024. But with 11 days to go until the Hawkeyes’ season opener, the Iowa defensive coordinator was reluctant on Tuesday to name who specifically those starters will be.

Iowa’s secondary has some good news to report on the injury front.

Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker discussed his own injury recovery Tuesday after undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this month.

Aaron Graves has “earned a position as a leader on this team,” Iowa defensive line coach Kelvin Bell said.

Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins has received first-team preseason All-America honors from the Associated Press. Defensive back Sebastian Castro is a second-team preseason AP All-American.

Sophomore John Nestor looks to be in line for some heavy playing time this season as a defensive back this season for the University of Iowa football team. His parents moved from the Chicago suburbs to West Branch a couple of months ago to be near their oldest son and so dad John Sr. could be a head prep football coach for the first time.

Whether it be his hard-fought style as a running back or ability to cope with personal tragedy, Kamari Moulton brings a unique physical and mental toughness to the Hawkeyes’ running back room.

Cade McNamara and Brendan Sullivan “have been battling” at Iowa’s quarterback position, offensive coordinator Tim Lester said Big Ten Network’s annual training camp show.

New Iowa punter Rhys Dakin has a few similarities with Tory Taylor, but he is “his own person.”

John Steppe and Tom Kakert talk about Iose Epenesa’s recruiting process, why he ultimately followed his family to Iowa and how he’ll fit in with the Hawkeyes on this episode of Hawk Off The Press.