Hawk Central Hour: Recent Episodes
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“Hawk Central Hour” airs between 6-7 p.m. on 1460 KXnO-AM on Wednesdays and will feature Des Moines Register Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow and beat writer Kennington Smith as regulars, paired with Ross Peterson, who co-hosts “Sports Fanatics.”
Back from vacation, the Register's Chad Leistikow reconvenes with Hawk Central teammate Tyler Tachman about the recently completed Big Ten Media Days while looking ahead to the start of fall camp for the Hawkeye football team. We discuss the potential of Tony Diaz living up to expectations, what a QB battle might look like that extends into September and the benefits of brewing competition at center and in the secondary. We also touch on the Tavion Banks news that he is definitely not returning to Iowa basketball.
The Register's Tyler Tachman recaps the most important storylines from Iowa football's appearance at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman convene for 56 minutes, the bulk of which is devoted to evaluating potential breakout players on the 2026 Iowa football team. Who is the No. 1 pick in our offensive and defensive drafts? Plus, some Big Ten Media Days preview talk and women's basketball practice evaluations.
After some vacation and the departure of our radio show on KXnO, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman are back together for a fresh episode of Hawk Central after an action-packed Wednesday in Hawkeye sports. Chad and Tyler break down what they've seen so far from Iowa men's basketball practice and who are "locks" to make Ben McCollum's rotation. We also talk receivers and quarterbacks in football after some interesting interviews.
For the third straight summer, Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester sits down with the Des Moines Register's Chad Leistikow to talk football and preview the upcoming Hawkeye season. Big topics covered include the quarterback battle ahead, the Shanahan system evoluation at Iowa and whether Lester has the pieces to finally run the offense he wants.
The Register's Chad Leistikow sits down with George Barnett, who is entering his sixth year as Iowa's offensive line coach, and they cover a lot of good ground. This is Barnett's first interview since his offensive line won the Joe Moore Award. We discuss the impact of that honor, the NFL Draft, how his father's death shaped his coaching journey and what's next for the Iowa offensive line in 2026 and beyond.
The Register's Chad Leistikow outlines how the layoffs at KXnO impact Hawk Central going forward before bringing on Tyler Tachman to discuss Iowa basketball's latest schedule addition (Virginia Tech) and the NBA Draft experience for first-rounder Bennett Stirtz. The last 70% of the show is Chad's sit-down interview with Iowa football assistant defensive line coach Jay Niemann, who provides insight into a potentially concerning position group.
The Register's Hawkeye beat reporter Tyler Tachman breaks down where the Iowa football and men's basketball programs stand on the recruiting trail.
Sean Bock of 247Sports joins the Register's Tyler Tachman to talk all things Iowa men's basketball. We dive into recruiting, along with potential lineup combinations and schemes for the 2026-27 season.
The summer program is about to begin for Iowa football and men's and women's basketball, and it is a really big summer for all three. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman start with football's biggest summer story lines, including of course the quarterback situation between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski. Oh, and highly acclaimed QB recruit Tradon Bessinger arrives soon, too. Chad recaps his recent conversation with Iowa women's coach Jan Jensen while Tyler unpacks a lot of the top story lines for Ben McCollum and the Iowa men.
Readers wanted to know who would be tougher to replace, Kirk Ferentz or Beth Goetz? Is Iowa's next football coach on staff? How much patience will Goetz have with Tom Brands? And in the back half of our show, Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman take questions about the manner in which we cover the Hawkeyes. We lead with the Iowa women scheduling a home-and-home series with national power UConn.
The Register's Chad Leistikow hosts a special-edition Hawk Central with the architects of the Iowa women's basketball offseason in LaSondra Barrett (recruiting coordinator) and Sean Sullivan (general manager). The coaches explain how the five-player class (four college transfers, one freshman) came together over the course of nearly 40 minutes. To finish the show, Chad is joined by Register colleague Tyler Tachman to discuss the Big Ten's preferred 24-team football playoff format and what it means for Iowa.
A heavy men's basketball episode of Hawk Central this week, as head coach Ben McCollum's new contract opens up a lot of discussion about the future of the program. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman, who is at the NBA Combine, talk through the particulars plus look ahead to the recently-revealed Big Ten schedule breakdown. Chad also offers insight into a change for the Iowa women, and we react to the Washington football game being on a Friday night in Seattle.
With spring football and the NFL Draft in the books, we truly usher in the offseason Iowa's major sports, and it's a good time to reflect on the some award-winning performances. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman debate the top transfer, top freshman, most surprising story and more in this early-May episode of Hawk Central. We also discuss some of the best moments from Tyler's 1-on-1 interview with basketball coach Ben McCollum.
Coming out of Iowa's spring football practices, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman rank the team's position groups, one through nine, to provide context about where the 2026 Hawkeyes should be strong and where they could suffer. Chad and Tyler have completely different rankings 1 through 4, but then become more aligned when getting to the team's biggest weaknesses.
Live from Iowa City, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect all they saw from Iowa football's open spring practice.
There's a lot happening in Hawkeye sports in late April, starting with the double-weekend pickups for Iowa men's basketball in Ty'Reek Coleman and Andrew McKeever. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down their arrivals while evaluating the Ben McCollum Year 2 roster as a whole. We also explore Iowa football's QB battle between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski. Finally, Dargan Southard makes his final Hawk Central appearance to take stock of Amari Whiting's signing with Iowa women's basketball.
A breaking-news Tuesday starts with Iowa football being forced to vacate four wins from its 2023 season from a recruiting violation related to old friend (or foe, perhaps?) Cade McNamara. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman delve into the NCAA ruling, Ben McCollum's quiet portal moves and Jan Jensen's big Georgia splash.
With the Big Ten claiming national championships in men's and women's basketball, we now turn our attention to the offseason fully. The women's portal exits are done, but what can we expect on the men's side? The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow wander through Ben McCollum's roster, his decision to turn down a North Carolina interview and more ... including an early women's portal visitor and spring-football conversations.
The Monday-night news of Addie Deal intending to enter the tranfer portal shook the Iowa women's basketball fan base, but how should this news be absorbed? Big-picture conversations about the dwindling roster numbers for Jan Jensen's squad and what the concern level should be. On the men's side, how can Ben McCollum capitalize on an Elite Eight run as portal season is set to begin on the men's side? Plus, a little spring football talk with Chad Leistikow, Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard.
Live from Houston, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down Iowa basketball's season-ending loss to Illinois in the Elite Eight.
Live from Houston, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down every element of Iowa basketball's improbable Sweet 16 win over Nebraska. In Ben McCollum's first year, Iowa is headed to its first Elite Eight since 1987.
Live from Houston, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect every element of Iowa basketball's Sweet 16 matchup against Nebraska.
One Hawkeye basketball team is moving on (surprisingly), and the other is staying home (also surprisingly). The Iowa men are headed to the Sweet 16, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman revisit the stunning upset of Florida while looking ahead to a quick turnaround to a Thursday game against a familiar rival in Nebraska. Chad and Dargan Southard also unpack the stunning upset loss for the No. 2 seed Iowa women to Virginia, looking at three things that caused that result and a look ahead to portal season.
Live from Tampa, the Register's Tyler Tachman joins Chad Leistikow to dissect Iowa basketball's stunning upset over defending national champion Florida. In Ben McCollum's first season, the Hawkeyes are headed to their first Sweet 16 since 1999. Up next...Nebraska.
Live from Tampa, the Register's Tyler Tachman joins Chad Leistikow to break down Iowa's basketball's win over Clemson. In Ben McCollum's first season, the Hawkeyes have their first NCAA Tournament win since 2021.
On this three-segment show of Hawk Central, the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Iowa men's basketball beat writer Tyler Tachman, who previews the first-round matchup with Clemson and we buy or sell Iowa's chances as a Sweet 16 team. On the women's side, Chad and beat writer Dargan Southard look at the Hawkeyes' surprising tournament-tested stature for being a young team and wonder: If the game's on the line, who gets the last shot? It's NCAA Wrestling Championships week, too, in Cleveland. Eli McKown joins Chad to preview the paths of Iowa's nine NCAA qualifiers.
The Register's Chad Leistikow, Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard break down the NCAA Tournament paths for Ben McCollum's bunch and Jen Jensen's squad after learning their March Madness journeys on Selection Sunday.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman start Hawk Central on the men's side, soaking in two close calls last week against Michigan and Nebraska while looking ahead to a Wednesday-morning matchup vs. Oregon or Maryland. Chad and Dargan Southard offer a lot of perspective about the Hawkeye women's performance at the Big Ten Tournament, including how to balance a 51-point loss to UCLA with an impressive run to the conference championship game.
Live from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect Iowa's Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal win over Illinois and look ahead to the Hawkeyes' semifinal matchup vs. Michigan.
The Iowa men's basketball team is picking up the pieces after a jarring loss at Penn State in which lineup combinations were baffling. The Register's Tyler Tachman joins Chad Leistikow to unpack the issues and two big games ahead as Ben McCollum's squad looks to relieve NCAA Tournament pressure. Meantime, the Iowa women are rolling into Indianapolis. What to make of this overachieving journey so far? Chad and Dargan Southard break it down and preview the Hawkeyes' postseason path.
An eventful Sunday of Iowa basketball has become a 75-minute Monday podcast surrounding the Hawkeyes' fortunes. First, the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Iowa women's basketball writer Dargan Southard. They break down the Hawkeyes' 62-44 win over then-No. 5 Michigan, with big-picture commentary about Jan Jensen, Ava Heiden and Hawkeye seniors Hannah Stuelke and Kylie Feuerbach. Register men's basketball writer Tyler Tachman joins Chad after the Iowa men lost at Wisconsin, 84-71. We look ahead to matchups against Ohio State and Penn State that could make or break the Hawkeyes' postseason opportunities.
After Iowa's 57-52 win over ninth-ranked Nebraska, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman react from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. How did Iowa win this game despite shooting 25% (7-for-28) in the second half? What about the court storm and Pryce Sandfort's treatment? We break down the on-floor and off-floor impacts of this top-10 victory for the Hawkeyes in a 30-minute podcast.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard discuss what the No. 11 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament Selection Committe's Top 16 Reveal means and how the Hawkeyes are trending with Taylor Stremlow at the 2 spot going forward after an 80-67 win at Nebraska. We also discuss the slim margin for error that remains for this team, which is only a reliably 6 deep at the moment.
On a Friday bonus edition of the Hawk Central podcast, the Register's Chad Leistikow hosts an hour-plus conversation on the state of Iowa basketball. First, the more positive side of things with the Hawkeyes men, who are on a five-game winning streak with a good chance to make it seven in a row soon. Chad is joined by Tyler Tachman to boil down Ben McCollum's developing squad and sprinkle in some football talk, too. Dargan Southard joins Chad in the back half of the show as the Iowa women have dropped three in a row on the heels of an eight-game Big Ten winning streak. What buttons does Jan Jensen need to push next?
A basketball-only edition of Hawk Central starts with Tyler Tachman from the Pacific Northwest. The Register's Iowa men's basketball writer discusses what he saw from Bennett Stirtz, Alvaro Folgueiras and Brendan Hausen in an impressive 84-66 win over Oregon. He and Chad Leistikow look ahead to a big toss-up game vs. Washington before turning it over to women's basketball. Chad and Dargan Southard detail the Taylor McCabe injury fallout (both emotional and on-court) while picking up the overreaction pieces from Iowa's 0-2 trip to Los Angeles.
Chad Leistikow hosts a Tuesday edition of the Hawk Central Hour, and women's basketball leads the conversation after the Hawkeyes' 91-70 rout of No. 11 Ohio State and the career-ending injury to guard Taylor McCabe. Chad and Register teammate Dargan Southard analyze the (Addie) Deal going forward and more. Chad and Tyler Tachman follow up by breaking down the "bye week" for the Iowa men and look ahead to Wednesday's game against USC.
Live from College Park, the Register's Chad Leistikow joins Dargan Southard to dissect Iowa women's basketball's crazy overtime win over Maryland.
Both Iowa basketball teams are coming off big weekend wins. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard detail a 2-0 week for the Iowa women, including a top-15 home win against Michigan State on Sunday. We explore the play of Hannah Stuelke, the emergence of Addie Deal and the latest on Emely Rodriguez. Chad and Tyler Tachman delve into the Iowa men's trip to Indiana, which resulted in a dominant victory at Assembly Hall.
The Hawkeyes have been busy in the transfer portal, with a run of 11 football commitments in eight days. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman size up the big-picture approach and discuss the 11 newcomers who will arrive this month. Chad and Tyler also surmise what happened with Iowa men's basketball in a 0-2 week, while Chad and Dargan Southard have a different conversation after the Hawkeye women find a way to go 2-0 without playing their best basketball.
During Iowa's bowl trip in Tampa, Iowa athletics director Beth Goetz sat down with the Register's Chad Leistikow for about an hour, most of it in podcast form, to tackle a lot of crucial categories in today's college-sports landscape. Goetz is asked about football succession plans, the nerves of the Ben McCollum hire, her thoughts on Iowa wrestling and, most importantly, Iowa's financial position in a revenue-sharing world.
Who said Iowa football season was over? The transfer portal has fully kicked in, and the Hawkeyes have a little bit of movement out and some early movement into the program. The Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Tyler Tachman to recap the takeaways of the ReliaQuest Bowl while looking ahead to the offseason that has already begun. Chad and Tyler also revisit Iowa's big basketball win over UCLA, and Dargan Southard joins Chad to discuss the latest happenings with Iowa women's basketball.
Live from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, the Register's Chad Leistikow joins Tyler Tachman to dissect Iowa's ReliaQuest Bowl win over Vanderbilt.
It's almost game time, which means it's time for our ReliaQuest Bowl preview special on the Hawk Central Hour. In this 56-minute episode, the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by On3's Tom Kakert, who has been to all seven of Iowa football's seven visits to Tampa under Kirk Ferentz. We share memories of past games here, while digging in deep to preview the challenge ahead for No. 23 Iowa against Diego Pavia and No. 14 Vanderbilt. Tyler Tachman is on vacation but does weigh in with his game prediction as well.
With two Cy-Hawk basketball games (which both unfolded in similar fashion) in the books and Big Ten Conference play looming, it feels like a good time to take stock of the Iowa basketball programs. Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman tip things off with a conversation about the men's 66-62 loss in Ames. Later, Dargan Southard and Chad recap the women's response to a 74-69 loss at Iowa State. We also mix in some football.
The Iowa football team is headed to the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida, and the Register's Chad Leistikow hosts a robust, 73-minute show providing an early preview of the Hawkeyes vs. Vanderbilt matchup. We preview Iowa vs. Iowa State basketball on the women's side with Dargan Southard and the men with Tyler Tachman. To finish, Chad sits down exclusively with Iowa football GM Tyler Barnes to discuss the Hawkeyes' recruiting class of 2026 and transfer-portal plans.
With Iowa's 40-16 Black Friday win over Nebraska in the books, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman evaluate the 8-4 regular season and look ahead to the state of the football roster going into the 2026 season. Basketball chatter is also on the menu for this extended Hawk Central episode, as Chad breaks down the men's Big Ten-opening loss to Michigan State. We finish with 15 quality minutes on the unbeaten Hawkeye women, who open Big Ten play on Saturday at Rutgers.
Live from Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, the Register's Chad Leistikow joins Tyler Tachman to dissect Iowa's emphatic 40-16 road win over Nebraska.
It's a busy holiday week for the Hawkeyes, and our super-sized Hawk Central Hour (podcast-only edition) has you covered. The Register's Chad Leistikow hosts more than an hour of conversation about hoops and football, leading off with Tyler Tachman from California after the Iowa men took down Ole Miss in Palm Desert. Chad and Tyler then do our deep dive into the Iowa-Nebraska football matchup, and Dargan Southard joins the show to discuss the 11th-ranked Iowa women's basketball team, which is coming off important wins over Baylor and Miami.
Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down Iowa's last-second win over Michigan State.
The Hawkeyes' season has become a battle of trying to finish 8-4 after back-to-back crushing losses to Oregon and USC. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dive into what the team is still playing for while examining the pass-game struggles in Year 2 of the Tim Lester offense. We also break down Five Big Questions to preview Iowa vs. Michigan State before launching into a healthy discussion on the early start for Ben McCollum's basketball team.
Ahead of senior day vs. Michigan State, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman assess what remains for Iowa to squeeze out of this season after several painful losses. They also look at the Hawkeyes' updated injury situation.
Live from Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Register's Chad Leistikow joins Tyler Tachman to dissect Iowa's 26-21 loss at USC that saw the Hawkeyes go scoreless in the second half.
Iowa's No. 21 rating in the College Football Playoff as the top three-loss team in the rankings signaled that the Hawkeyes have a ton to play for against No. 17 USC on Saturday. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman look at the importance of winning this game regardless, the consequences of another loss and answer Five Big Questions to preview the Nov. 15 game in (rainy?) Los Angeles.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down what's most pivotal for Iowa football this week if the Hawkeyes are going to rebound at USC following a tough Oregon loss.
Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect Iowa's 18-16 loss to Oregon on a last-second field goal from Atticus Sappington.
In a podcast-only edition of Hawk Central, the Register's Chad Leistikow, along with Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard, go long in previewing Saturday's big Iowa vs. Oregon football showdown at Kinnick Stadium. With Iowa entering the first College Football Playoff rankings at No. 20, what added elements does that add to this top-20 showdown? We answer Five Big Questions before predictions then segments to recap the basketball openers for the Iowa men and women.
Ahead of Iowa's Week 11 showdown vs. No. 6 Oregon, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow break down if the Hawkeyes have enough in the tank to pull a major home upset.
The Iowa media met with all three Hawkeye coordinators on Tuesday, and there was plenty of great information to unpack from Tim Lester (offense), LeVar Woods (special teams) and Phil Parker (defense). The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman revisit the highlights and look forward to Ben McCollum's first game as Iowa's basketball coach.
Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect every element of Iowa's riveting win over Minnesota.
Is this Iowa-Minnesota game a trap for Iowa? Both teams could be facing an emotional letdown coming off big wins, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman analyze the importance of this battle for the Floyd of Rosedale. We dig into Five Big Questions, including Iowa's quest for its first Big Ten touchdown pass and the battle of wits between former Western Michigan head coaches.
With Iowa football eyeing its third consecutive win, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down how the Hawkeyes keep their Minnesota dominance going.
Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down Iowa football's thrilling win over Penn State.
The Hawkeyes (4-2) welcome the Nittany Lions (3-3) for a Kinnick Stadium night game (6 p.m., Peacock) on Oct. 18 with high stakes for the home team especially. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down the importance of Iowa needing to win a "big game," and we definitely believe that this still constitutes a big game with Penn State's reputation and talent levels. Later, Chad and Dargan Southard team up to bring you hot takes from Iowa women's basketball media day.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect what Iowa football can expect from Penn State as the Nittany Lions look to push forward after firing James Franklin.
On the drive home from Camp Randall Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman unpack what was a dominating 37-0 thumping by Iowa over Wisconsin. Mark Gronowski's comeback was the first big story of the day, and the stories just kept coming in this extended version of our postgame pod.
The Iowa football team comes out of a bye week with more mystery than ever, with quarterback questions while facing an opponent in Wisconsin with its own question marks. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman first take the QB out of the equation and look at the big-picture implications of this game before diving into a detailed game preview from Iowa's perspective. We also dabble with some Iowa men's basketball talk ahead of Big Ten Media Days.
With Mark Gronowski's status up in the air for Saturday's game vs. Wisconsin, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman assess how the Hawkeyes can escape Camp Randall Stadium victorious.
We were hoping to have more concrete injury information for you on quarterback Mark Gronowski, but his status remains "cloudy" according to offensive coordinator Tim Lester. The good news: It's an Iowa bye week, so there's time to sift through it all. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman spend at least half of this week's Hawk Central Hour discussing the quarterback possibilities with Gronowski, Hank Brown and even Jeremy Hecklinski going forward. We also dig into the good and bad of Iowa's defense and special teams through five games.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect every angle of McKenna Woliczko's commitment to Iowa women's basketball.
Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect Iowa's 20-15 home loss to No. 12 Indiana. A game in which the Hawkeyes had a chance to end their losing streak vs. ranked teams, but couldn't push the upset bid across the finish line.
A tough task awaits the Hawkeyes against No. 12 Indiana this Saturday at Kinnick Stadium. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow get your set for this Homecoming matchup with our five big questions about the game while also discussing the Ferentz vs. Cignetti angle and debate who Iowa's best defensive player might be.
Listen as the Register's Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard break down where Iowa football stands entering a pivotal Week 5 showdown against No. 12 Indiana.
Live from SHI Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow joins Tyler Tachman to dissect Iowa's gritty 38-28 win at Rutgers.
Iowa football opens Big Ten Conference play this Friday night at Rutgers, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down this winnable matchup for the slightly-favored Hawkeyes. We also touch on new basketball recruit Ethan Harris and make our score predictions for the game.
After Iowa put together its best offensive showing of the year in Week 3 against UMass, the Hawkeyes head to Rutgers for Friday's Big Ten opener. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect where the Hawkeyes stand as the competition intensifies.
Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect Iowa's offensive performance in Saturday's 47-7 win over UMass.
As Iowa licks its wounds from a 16-13 loss at Iowa State, the Hawkeyes' ineffective passing game remains the top focus. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dig into the bubbling questions that Tim Lester's offense could be too refined to get right at the college level. We also preview Iowa vs. UMass with five big questions and offer our predictions.
Listen as the Register’s Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard dissect Iowa’s disappointing passing game and what steps forward can be taken in Week 3 against UMass.
Live from Jack Trice Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect Iowa's uninspiring loss to No. 18 Iowa State. More struggles for quarterback Mark Gronowski despite the Hawkeyes' strong defensive and special teams work.
Listen as the Register's Tyler Tachman catches up with former Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins, who recently made the Baltimore Ravens' 53-man roster out of training camp as an undrafted free agent.
We get you set for Saturday's Iowa-Iowa State showdown, as host Chad Leistikow previews the game from Iowa State's side with the Register's Travis Hines and from Iowa's side with the Register's Tyler Tachman. Chad and Tyler finish the show with their game predictions.
Ahead of Iowa's Week 2 showdown at No. 18 Iowa State, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard break down the level of urgency surrounding the Hawkeyes offense after a lackluster showing in Week 1 vs. Albany.
Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Lestikow and Tyler Tachman break down every angle of Iowa's season-opening win over Albany.
We're all ready for the games now, yes? To size up expectations for the Hawkeyes' season football opener against UAlbany, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman evaluate the quarterback, left tackle, receivers and other spots with a game of "better, the same or worse." Then, in a return staple to our preview show, we answer Five Big Questions about the upcoming game and learn a little bit more about Albany.
With Iowa expected to cruise against an overmatched FCS foe, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect what should be considered a successful season opener.
The Iowa football regular season is 10 days away, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman look at the Hawkeyes' schedule of opportunity and challenge. We also look at bold predictions for the upcoming season. In the final segment, Dargan Southard joins Chad to discuss the Iowa women's basketball official visit ahead for mega-prospect McKenna Woliczko.
With Iowa football's media day and Kids Day practice in the books, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman provide a big-picture review on what we learned, which pairs nicely with our "instant reaction" podcast after Saturday's scrimmage action. We have rewatched the film and look back at the quarterback performances of Mark Gronowski, Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski while discussing what the No. 2 QB battle might look like as things spill into the fall.
Live from Kinnick Stadium on a steamy Saturday afternoon, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect every element of Iowa's Kids Day open practice.
Now it's really starting to feel like football season. The pads are popping in Iowa's fall camp, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman get you set for this week's media day and open practice with a breakdown of five key position battles on the Hawkeyes roster.
Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester sits down with the Register's Chad Leistikow for the full hour to discuss the progress of his offense, play-calling and the 2025 Hawkeyes.
Live from Las Vegas, the Register's Tyler Tachman joins colleague Chad Leistikow to dissect all we learned from Iowa football's appearance at Big Ten media days. Plus, Dargan Southard joins the show to talk Iowa women's basketball after their summer media sessions.
On this July 16 episode of Hawk Central Hour, the Register's Chad Leistikow dives into the latest on Ben McCollum's busy offseason leading Iowa basketball. Plus, Iowa football strength and conditioning director Raimond Braithwaite joins the show with the 2025 season roughly six weeks away.
In a special edition of the Hawk Central Hour, Iowa wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr sits down with the Register's Chad Leistikow for more than 40 minutes to break down his ascending room ahead fo the 2025 football season. To finish the show, Chad and Tyler Tachman discuss the impact of four-star basketball commitment of Trey Thompson.
This week's Hawk Central radio show is basically a game of "What Did Chad Miss?" while on vacation? Now, as the Register's Chad Leistikow returns to the fold from Maine, teammate Tyler Tachman takes his turn with some time off but not before sharing insights on Iowa men's basketball practice plus some news bits in Iowa football and women's basketball observations.
As he readies for year 27 as Iowa's defensive coordinator, Phil Parker joins the Register's Chad Leistikow to recap the Hawkeyes' 2024 defensive performance and what to expect this coming fall.
The big news of the week was approval of the $2.8 billion House vs. NCAA court settlement, which opens the door for the salary-cap era of college athletics. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman use most of our 48-minute show to discuss the impact on Iowa athletics.
For about 38 minutes, Barnes and the Register's Chad Leistikow go over the future and drive of Kirk Ferentz, the pay model that Iowa is using when revenue sharing (likely) begins July 1 and what recruiting strategies and needs are looming for the Class of 2026.
Ben McCollum seems to have put the finishing touches on his first Iowa men's basketball roster, adding two more pieces in the closing weeks of May. The Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by basketball beat writer Tyler Tachman to size up the 13 players (12 scholarship) now in the fold for the Hawkeyes and what our expectations might be for this rotation and roster. We also dig into football and baseball in our final two segments.
This week's Hawk Central radio show leads off with some newsy developments in Iowa women's basketball, headlined by the addition of Central Florida transfer Emely Rodriguez. The Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Dargan Southard, who updates listeners on why he's on the disabled list while providing fun conversation about the 2025-26 Hawkeyes. We also preview the Big Ten Baseball Tournament path for Iowa before making room for Register colleague Tyler Tachman, who talks Iowa football with Chad about what we've learned in recent conversations with Seth Wallace and Tim Lester.
You've (maybe) heard of the Golden Herkys. Now, it's time for the Hawk Central Herkys. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman, on this finals week at the University of Iowa, put a bow on the year of Hawkeye athletics with some unique categories and awards.
Kirk Ferentz suggested some final transfer-portal additions "wouldn't be headline news," but any roster adjustments for Iowa football warrant headlines. So, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman take a closer look at the impact of incoming transfers Jeremy Hecklinski, Shahid Barros and Ty Hudkins ... and what that tells us about the Hawkeyes' future plans.
This week's Hawk Central Hour features a one-on-one with the Register's Chad Leistikow and special guest Jan Jensen, who gets set to enter Year 2 as Iowa women's basketball coach. She revisits the key moments of Year 1 while looking ahead to the future of Hawkeye women's hoops.
Iowa's open practice Saturday at Kinnick Stadium produced plenty of pass-game connections, which got our attention. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman revisit their top takeaways and notebooks from the two-plus hours.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman take you wire-to-wire on an information-packed episode, starting a a strong 22 minutes on the impact of Robert Morris transfer Alvaro Folgeuiras to the Iowa basketball team. Chad teases a coming commitment for the women's team, too, while the attention turns a deep dive on the final days of spring football and top story lines to watch in Saturday's open practice.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down the Hawkeyes' in-progress roster build − including with recent additions Trevin Jirak and Brendan Hausen. We also look at what other names might be possible to join the fold. There's some big happenings in Iowa's quarterbacks room in football. And then time to panic with the lack of transfer-portal success for Iowa women's basketball?
A special edition of the Hawk Central Hour features new Iowa men's basketball coach Ben McCollum, who sat down with the Register's Chad Leistikow for two information-packed segments totaling 40 minutes that you won't want to miss. McCollum discusses how he teaches defense, the misconceptions of his offense, the transfer-portal additions so far for the Hawkeyes and what's to come.
Iowa basketball has a lot of positive momentum right now, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dig into the early roster-building stages of the Ben McCollum era. Iowa football also is in full swing, and we've got updates on the quarterbacks, the offense and plenty to discuss there, too, after a glimpse into Thursday's practice. And what to make for Aaliyah Guyton's portal entry? Chad is joined by Dargan Southard to discuss the latest there.
What a week. First, Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register break down Ben McCollum's introduction as Iowa's men's basketball coach and look at the potential roster that he might be able to assemble. Later, Chad and Dargan Southard look back on the Iowa women's basketball season and preview portal additions for Jan Jensen and Co.
Monday morning delivered the news Iowa fans had been waiting for. Ben McCollum is the Hawkeyes' new head coach after one year at Drake that ended in the NCAA Tournament second round. A program with potential but in need of restoration is now McCollum's to turn around. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect the coaching search and Beth Goetz's eventual decision.
The Iowa men's basketball coaching search is evolving by the minute, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dig into the transfer portal, Darian DeVries and Ben McCollum on this Tuesday morning. Chad is later joined by Dargan Southard to preview the Iowa women's basketball path in the NCAA Tournament. Could this team make a Sweet 16 run?
What was long rumored became official Friday afternoon. The Fran McCaffery era has ended at Iowa after 15 seasons. As a result, AD Beth Goetz faces her most crucial hire yet in hopes of re-igniting energy around the Hawkeyes basketball program. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect the good and bad of McCaffery's tenure, while analyzing what Iowa might do next.
This week's Hawk Central Hour dives into a full hour of Iowa basketball, starting with the surprising men's victory at Nebraska to earn a Big Ten Tournament berth. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss the extension of the season and the future of Fran McCaffery while previewing Wednesday's matchup against Ohio State. Chad and Dargan Southard spend 30-plus minutes on Iowa women's basketball, reacting to the top story lines of the Big Ten Tournament while looking ahead to Selection Sunday.
The No. 11 seed Hawkeyes are marching on in the Big Ten Tournament after a gritty second-round win over Michigan State. Live from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect the win and look forward to Friday's quarterfinal vs. Ohio State.
The Iowa women's basketball team is playing well entering Indianapolis, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard delve into the key story lines heading into its path at the Big Ten Tournament. Chad also talks with Tyler Tachman about the new football hire for the Hawkeyes, and Eli McKown comes aboard to help preview the Big Ten Wrestling Championships.
The Register's Chad Leistikow kicks off this Thursday Hawk Central Radio Hour with Dargan Southard, who was in Ann Arbor to cover the Hawkeye women's 79-66 win at Michigan. Chad does an audio version of his "five thoughts" column to underscore the importance of Wednesday's W. Later, Chad and Tyler Tachman discuss the big loss of Ladell Betts from Iowa's football staff and the Iowa men's basketball team's Big Ten Tournament chances.
A podcast-only edition of the Hawk Central Radio Hour, as the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by teammate Tyler Tachman to discuss the Hawkeyes' week out East and the future of Fran McCaffery. We talk about Chad's balanced, deep dive on the decision Beth Goetz is facing in the coming weeks. Dargan Southard later jumps on to break down his trip to Columbus, where the Iowa women dropped a crazy overtime game to No. 8 Ohio State. We look at potential seeding ahead for Indianapolis and the NCAAs.
On this week's Hawk Central radio show, Iowa football defensive coordinator joins the Register's Chad Leistikow for 21 minutes to discuss Super Bowl headliner Cooper DeJean's time with the Hawkeyes, including his impact on Parker's secondary and comparisons to Nile Kinnick. Dargan Southard later joins Chad to discuss back-to-back road wins for the Iowa women's basketball team and the reasons why this team is clicking so well right now.
The start of this early-February week was packed with news, so we delivered our Hawk Central podcast a day early. Tyler Tachman joins Chad Leistikow to break down the Owen Freeman season-ending injury, then Dargan Southard and Chad delve into the monstrous 2/2 win over USC for the Iowa women. How does the schedule look from here?
Coming off Iowa's 85-80 home win against Northwestern, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard look at the recent team developments (including a two-game win streak) with big-picture conversation about previous transition years for Iowa women's basketball. Later, Chad and Tyler Tachman dig into the Cooper DeJean story line, offensive-line recruiting and the opportunity for resurgence or peril in men's basketball.
It hasn't been the month Fran McCaffery or Jan Jensen envisioned for their Iowa basketball teams. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard dissect what's happened and what could be coming down the road for both programs.
Men's basketball leads our conversation this week, following the Hawkeyes' 99-89 loss to USC late Tuesday night. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman also look ahead to Friday's game at UCLA and discuss Mark Gronowski's surgery and its impact on the Iowa football quarterback derby. Chad and Dargan Southard finish things up to discuss whether it's time to move Hannah Stuelke to the 5 spot.
Her first year as permanent Iowa AD in the books, Goetz sits down with the Register's Chad Leistikow to discuss all the hot-button topics, including Kirk Ferentz's successor, the upcoming dilemmas surrounding revenue sharing in college athletics, men's basketball attendance, Carver renovations and more. Sit back and enjoy this laid-back conversation.
The Mark Gronowski buzz continues, as Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register follow up on their emergency pod Tuesday by leading off Wednesday's Hawk Central radio show with more talk about the South Dakota State transfer, including why he came to Iowa and what it says about Tim Lester. Plus, Chad and Tyler break down the quarterback room of the future, the Iowa men's comeback against Nebraska. Women's basketball talk ensues about Chad's column to play the freshmen more.
Iowa football made the transfer-portal splash fans were looking for Tuesday, officially landing quarterback Mark Gronowski from South Dakota State. He arrives with one year remaining following four successful seasons with the Jackrabbits, two of which ended with an FCS national title. With Iowa's QB revamp now complete, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman analyze what the Gronowski add means moving forward.
Sunday's big home showdown against No. 8 Maryland signals the start of regular season's second half in Iowa City. The No. 22 Hawkeyes sit with a strong record and have meshed together nicely. But there is clearly another gear this team can hit. Ahead of Sunday's big matchup, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect where Iowa is and where it can go as Big Ten play intensifies.
The Hawkeyes owned a 10-point lead in the second half of Monday's Music City Bowl loss to Missouri. But a sputtering finish stuck Iowa with a disheartening 27-24 loss to end a frustrating 2024 season. Live from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, the Register's Chad Leistikow joins Tyler Tachman to recap a year of missed opportunity in Iowa City.
In a podcast-only edition of Hawk Central this week, the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by friend of the program Tom Kakert of Hawkeye Report. Chad and Tom, recording from Nashville, look at some of the greatest plays in Iowa football history, news of the day from Tennessee and the Beau Pribula fallout for Iowa's quarterbacks room. Plus, we take a closer look at the Music City Bowl matchup vs. Missouri.
Before five categories to evaluate in the Iowa football program's 8-4 regular season, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman evaluate the addition of Hank Brown and the pursuit of Penn State transfer Beau Pribula. We also take a look back on the Iowa-Iowa State basketball games in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and look forward to big non-conference games for the women (Friday vs. UNI) and men (Saturday vs. Utah).
The transfer portal takes top billing, even on Cy-Hawk basketball week. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman look at a potential Auburn transfer quarterback and discuss the Hawkeyes' portal approach in this pivotal period for the 2025 Hawkeyes. We also take stock of the Music City Bowl, the 2025 signing class and preview the Iowa-Iowa State men's game on Thursday.
With Iowa now awaiting its bowl destination, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect the Hawkeyes' 8-4 regular season and all that came with it. Plus, Fran McCaffery's bunch pulled off a stunner over Northwestern, while Jan Jensen's group continues motoring forward at 8-0 with a big game vs. Tennessee upcoming. The Register's Dargan Southard joins the show to talk all things Iowa women's basketball.
Miguel Recinos. Keith Duncan. Marshall Meeder. And now, Drew Stevens. Four times since 2018 now, Iowa has beat Nebraska with a last-second field goal in dramatic fashion. Stevens, after being benched in last season's Nebraska thriller, redeemed himself with a game-winning 53-yard boot that just snuck inside the right upright. Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect another crazy night at Kinnick Stadium.
Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman get your set for Iowa-Nebraska football. Our Five Big Questions segment focuses on the addition of Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen and whether the Iowa passing offense can exceed last year's historically low total. After our predictions, Chad and Dargan Southard transition into 16-plus minutes of Iowa women's basketball conversations.
Although College Football Playoff and Big Ten title aspirations have long faded, no one associated with Iowa football wants any season to have a Nebraska loss. The Hawkeyes will again lean on walk-on Jackson Stratton at QB, but Iowa should have better depth behind him this week with Cade McNamara and Brendan Sullivan both practicing. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss everything in play for the Hawkeyes to close the regular season.
For a team long out of College Football Playoff and Big Ten title contention, Iowa sure had a dramatic week ahead of Saturday's game at Maryland. Rumors swirled particularly around Cade McNamara and Jermari Harris, both of whom didn't travel but remain active members of the Iowa football team.
The Brian Ferentz reunion that was supposed to be a big deal suddenly faded to the backdrop, and so did the rest of the noise by kickoff Saturday. The Hawkeyes ended it all on a high note with a 29-13 win over the Terrapins, a game in which Kaleb Johnson, Drew Stevens and the Iowa defense shined in vintage fashion. Live from College Park, the Register's Chad Leistikow joins Tyler Tachman to dissect.
After going 16-4 on the road over a span of 20 games, the Iowa football team has lost three in a row away from Kinnick Stadium. What's going on, especially with the defense? We finally got some clues to simmering issues, and the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Tyler Tachman to break it down.
Kirk Ferentz confirmed Tuesday that Brendan Sullivan's ankle injury suffered at UCLA will leave him sidelined for Saturday's game at Maryland. After that, as the Iowa football coach so eloquently put it, everything is "clearly cloudy." Cade McNamara is cleared, but is he actually healthy enough to be effective? Did walk-on Jackson Stratton get enough bye-week reps for a potential victory? And where does Marco Lainez, who's been out with a broken thumb but is returning to practice, fit into the equation? The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chaf Leistikow discuss.
It's a bye week for the Hawkeyes football team, so a good chance to take a big-picture look into why this disappointing season has sunk to 6-4. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman start with a defense that is 25% worse than a year ago in terms of yards per play. We also talk Tim Lester plans at quarterback before getting into the men's and women's basketball early-season results.
Jay Higgins got hurt. Brendan Sullivan got hurt. Jackson Stratton took meaningful snaps. Iowa's defense offered little resistance against a pedestrian UCLA squad. All of it equaled another Rose Bowl disaster as Iowa suffered a 20-17 loss to the Bruins. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman sift through the aftermath.
Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register kick off this week's Iowa-UCLA matchup breakdown with a conversation about the Hawkeyes' offensive line. Our "Five Big Questions" segment looks into Iowa's mission to slow UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers and whether playing in the Rose Bowl will be a positive or negative for the Hawkeyes.
With quarterback drama seemingly behind them, the Hawkeyes head west for their first West Coast Big Ten trip. Friday's game at UCLA will see Iowa enter the Rose Bowl on a short week, looking for its second road win this year. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dive into everything ahead of Friday.
With Brendan Sullivan under center, everyone inside Kinnick Stadium seemed rejuvenated for domination under the lights. The Hawkeyes obliged with a 42-10 drubbing of Wisconsin, which marked the most points Iowa has scored in the rivalry since a 45-28 victory in 1975. Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down all that went right for the Hawkeyes.
Naturally, Brendan Sullivan's introduction as the Hawkeyes' starting quarterback kicks off the conversation, but Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman also take time to evaluate the defense. Has it settled into a November lineup? This week's game preview is a biggie, Iowa vs. Wisconsin. Where do the Badgers have an edge? What type of stats should we expect from Sullivan? What if the forecasted rain comes to fruition?
Clarity on the Hawkeyes' quarterback situation arrived Tuesday. Kirk Ferentz publicly confirmed Brendan Sullivan will remain Iowa's starter under center, while also detailing the concussion Cade McNamara suffered before exiting vs. Northwestern. Ahead of Saturday's big home game against Wisconsin, can Sullivan successfully guide Iowa through its always-pivotal November finish? The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow discuss that and more.
Brendan Sullivan finally got his Iowa chance Saturday, taking over for Cade McNamara in the first half after a pick-six. From there, the Hawkeyes rolled to a 40-14 win over Northwestern under the afternoon sun. Kaleb Johnson delivered another highlight-reel day, and the Iowa defense got back on track with zero points allowed. Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect the win.
Going podcast-only this week, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dig into the Wednesday comments of assistant defensive coordinator Seth Wallace. What is causing the Hawkeyes' struggles on defense, and can the bleeding be stopped against a pretty bad Northwestern offense? We preview Saturday's game and even talk a little Iowa men's basketball at the end.
Seven games in, it's hard to argue Iowa's quarterback play isn't holding the offense back. Cade McNamara has shown sporadic flashes but has struggled with consistency through a seesawing start. Brendan Sullivan keeps getting his red-zone cameos but nothing more. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dive into what could be done to sure up that position as Iowa enters the final month of the year.
Offensive struggles have come to be expected when Iowa takes the field, so long as the defense pulls its weight from start to finish. That didn't happen Saturday night in East Lansing, where the Hawkeyes surrendered nearly 500 total yards in a 32-20 loss. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect where Iowa goes from here.
The Des Moines Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Tyler Tachman to preview the Hawkeyes' football matchup with Michigan State, as we go through the six most indispensable Hawkeyes. Of course, we'll preview the game with "5 Big Questions," too, in a matchup that looks favorable on paper to Iowa ... but do the Spartans have intangibles? Chad is then joined by Dargan Southard to help recap Iowa women's basketball media day and look ahead to the upcoming season.
While Iowa football and flexibility don't usually go hand-in-hand, the adjustments the Hawkeyes have made this season have Iowa in position for a big finish. Whether it's more subtle like rotating in Brendan Sullivan and Zach Lutmer, or something larger like the full-on implementation of Tim Lester's offense, Iowa looks healthier this season as it eyes a nice close. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss ahead of Saturday's trip to Michigan State.
Washington ventured to Iowa City for the first time as a Big Ten member, likely banking on some Iowa offensive futility to boost the Huskies on the road. Instead, Iowa unleashed another round of Kaleb Johnson en route to a dominant victory. Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman analyze what to make of this Iowa offense moving forward.
"How good is Iowa?" is a question that consumes the first half of this week's Hawk Central Hour, followed by "Five Big Questions" to examine the formidable challenge that Iowa is facing this Saturday against Washington (11 a.m. CT, FOX). The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman go the distance in this one, which also includes some men's basketball expectations and our football score predictions.
Through five games, the Hawkeyes have shown flashes of offensive improvement while also suffering two disappointing losses for different reasons. The schedule eases up the rest of the way, starting with Saturday's Big Ten home opener vs. Washington, so what does Iowa make out of what's left? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss that question, plus dive into Iowa's recent departures (Leshon Williams, Kaleb Brown) and Addison Ostrenga's sudden injury absence.
The Hawkeyes hung tough in Columbus for about a half and trailed by seven at intermission. Predictably, though, Ohio State zoomed by Iowa in the second half behind 21 third-quarter points. Live from Ohio Stadium, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect another dreadful Iowa showing against a ranked foe.
Which matchups should worry Hawkeye fans the most? Where might Iowa have some advantages? How will Tim Lester call this game? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dig into the details to get you set for Saturday's matchup in Columbus.
Refreshed after a needed bye week, a healthy Iowa football team heads into Columbus trying to do something Kirk Ferentz has never done...win at Ohio State. Another elite Buckeyes team is on the other side, so how do the Hawkeyes possibly pull a stunner? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss.
With a 3-1 start and an encouraging 31-14 win at Minnesota in the books, the Iowa football team turns its attention to getting better and then Ohio State. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow navigate discussions on offense with Tim Lester, defense with Phil Parker and special teams with LeVar Woods during this bye week.
Just when it seemed another back-and-forth Iowa-Minnesota game was on tap, the Hawkeyes zoomed away for a 31-14 win to reclaim Floyd. Even with Cade McNamara struggling, Iowa leaned on a robust ground game to score the final 24 points Saturday night. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect what it mean for the Hawkeyes moving forward.
A major game looms for the 2024 Iowa football team, one that can put this season back on a positive course. The Hawkeyes' first road game of the season, at Minnesota, will reveal either a path of hope or a path of potential disappointment. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman go through Kaleb Johnson's rise, the big-play defense and "Five Big Questions" to preview this monster game.
Iowa's offense was always going to be under the microscope this season after what's unfolded the last few years. Through three games with Tim Lester's system in place, the Hawkeyes have shown flashes of brilliance while still needing to find another gear as Big Ten play commences. The Iowa ground game has carried things. The Iowa passing game is trying to match. Ahead of Saturday's game at Minnesota, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect what's next for the Hawkeyes offense.
The script changed a bit Saturday in Iowa City, where the Hawkeyes lean on a second-half offensive outburst to offset some defensive lapses for a 38-21 win over Troy. Iowa gave up big plays for all three of Troy's scores, but the Hawkeyes' ground game answered back with authority. Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect it all.
After Tuesday's quarterback-centered podcast, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman on Wednesday delve into the "moving on" phase of Iowa football after the disheartening loss to Iowa State. What stuff is going well? What stuff needs addressing ahead of Big Ten play?
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman emerge from Tuesday's media availability with Iowa football to discuss one topic: The quarterbacks. What we've learned about Cade McNamara and Brendan Sullivan heading into Saturday's game vs. Troy and whether both should play meaningful snaps.
Everything was fine until it wasn't for the Hawkeyes. A dominant first half was seemingly enough Saturday vs. Iowa State, only for the Cyclones to swipe a 20-19 win late on a game-winning field goal. Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow sift through the aftermath of a stunning afternoon in Iowa City.
The Des Moines Register's Chad Leistikow welcomes colleague Travis Hines to the show to preview the Iowa-Iowa State football showdown from both teams' perspectives. Later, Chad is joined by Tyler Tachman to dig into "Five Big Questions" ahead of Saturday's matchup and offer their final predictions.
After sitting out the season opener with a one-game suspension, Kirk Ferentz will be back on the sidelines for Iowa's important Week 2 showdown vs. Iowa State. Although the Hawkeyes have largely dominated the rivalry of late, it's quietly been since 2018 that Iowa last had a Cy-Hawk win in Kinnick Stadium. Can the Hawkeyes move to 2-0 with their leader back in the fold? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss.
IOWA CITY — While a 40-0 win in Week 1 usually doesn't come with much long-term impact, Iowa's emphatic performance vs. Illinois State was full of noteworthy items. The horrendous start (six points and barely 70 total yards at halftime), the second-half outburst (34 points and multiple splash plays), the hope that what was shown late can stick — all of it made Saturday's shellacking more than your average blowout. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down everything live from Kinnick Stadium.
There's no doubt that Iowa's offense is in the center of the discussion for the Hawkeyes' season opener, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dive into the process and approach of offensive coordinator Tim Lester. As we will every week in our game-preview segment, Chad and Tyler dive into "Five Big Questions" and give our score predictions for Saturday's game.
Kirk Ferentz's first Tuesday game-week presser unfolded with plenty of noteworthy items. Atop the list are the emergence of running back Kamari Moulton, the return of quarterback Cade McNamara and the insertion of Seth Wallace as head coach as Ferentz serves his one-game suspension for impermissible contact. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect it all.
A bombshell dropped late Wednesday and into Thursday morning regarding Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz. He, along with Hawkeyes wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr, will be suspended for Iowa's season opener vs. Illinois State thanks to a recruiting violation stemming from the Cade McNamara acquisition in late 2022. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down what we know so far.
After discussion about the quarterbacks and what we learned from Phil Parker, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman look closer at the first four-game block of the season, Iose Epenesa's commitment and underpublicized players to watch in 2024 for the Hawkeyes.
One of the most noteworthy moments of Iowa football's media day was the announcement that Tyler Barnes' job had been changed to general manager and chief of staff for the Hawkeye program. Tyler joins Chad Leistikow for the first half of this week's show as we delve into his changing role and the future of a 105-player roster limit. Chad and Tyler Tachman later review the play of quarterbacks and other highlights from Kids Day at Kinnick.
The lone preseason practice open to Iowa football media arrived Saturday inside Kinnick Stadium. And while making judgments off one scrimmage isn't always ideal, presumed starting QB Cade McNamara did not have a good showing at Kids Day. Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan didn't tear it up either, but is Iowa's QB situation murkier than anticipated? The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect what they saw Saturday.
Join Register beat reporter Tyler Tachman and columnist Chad Leistikow as they try to predict every game on Iowa football’s 2024 regular-season schedule. Also, with media day and Kids’ Day at Kinnick Stadium coming up this week, we take a look at what storylines to watch for.
The Register's Chad Leistikow this week sat down with Tim Lester to unpack the new Iowa offensive coordinator's back story as a player/coach, what brought him to the Hawkeyes and his offensive philosophies and views on the 2024 team.
Big Ten Football Media Days are in the books, and the Register's Chad Leistikow is already back from Indianapolis and discusses the newsy developments with Hawk Central teammate Tyler Tachman. The Hawkeye beat duo discusses the depth chart, top takeaways on offense and on defense and in general for Iowa, which is picked in the top six of the preseason media polls.
We've waited more than nine months to hear from Cade McNamara after his torn ACL, and now we have a sense of where the Hawkeyes quarterback is at in his recovery and what it means for the 2024 football season. Plus, more observations and feedback from Iowa basketball practices, including an in-depth talk on the Iowa women. The Register's Chad Leistikow, Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard have you covered on a fresh episode of the Hawk Central Hour.
Iowa football offensive line coach George Barnett joins the Register's Chad Leistikow for a compelling 27-minute interview to highlight this week's Hawk Central. We talk about George's incredible eighth-grade son, the Tim Lester offense and what's ahead for his offensive line in 2024. Tyler Tachman later joins Chad to discuss their eye-opening time at Iowa men's basketball practice.
Although we're fully into the offseason of college athletics, plenty has been happening in Iowa City this month. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard dissect all recent things Hawkeyes, including new women's basketball hires, Cade McNamara and more.
Chad Leistikow is joined by Iowa women's basketball assistant coach Raina Harmon for some summer stories and updates after conversation with the Register's Tyler Tachman on this week's Hawkeye football buzz. Programming note: We will be back the week of July 10 with our next (planned) podcast.
As a way to dig deeper into the 2024 Iowa football season, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman offer their bold (or at least mildly bold) predictions. Men's basketball, women's basketball and Caitlin Clark's Olympic snub are also discussed, with help from Dargan Southard.
Some Iowa football assistant coaches will begin to cycle through the Hawk Central Radio Hour this summer, and first to take the handoff is none other than Ladell Betts. The former Hawkeye and NFL running back now leads the running backs room at Iowa, and he offered great insight into the Tim Lester offense and why he was able to retain all of his talent. The Register's Chad Leistikow is also joined by Tyler Tachman, and they discuss the new QB addition, Ben Kueter's wrestling decision and Payton Sandfort's basketball return.
Slow weeks no longer exist in the world of college athletics, and that's certainly the case with the $2.8 billion House settlement that is expected to reshape the college model, including a "salary cap" of $22 million per school starting in the 2025 football season. Plus, Hawkeye football recruiting and the new Public Enemy No. 1 for Iowa fans: Christie Sides.
On May 16, 2024, Spencer Lee lets his guard down, just a little bit. The iconic wrestler with an almost cruel history of injury timing sits down with Chad Leistikow of The Des Moines Register to detail his past challenges while looking ahead to what it'll take for him to conquer the 16-wrestler bracket in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The Register's Chad Leistikow had a chance to "wing it" with new Iowa women's basketball coach Jan Jensen, who for nearly an hour candidly discussed everything from her Twitter handle to her bout with vertigo right before some big news to the excitement she has for her new role.
Just another crazy-busy week in May. The Register's Chad Leistikow is first joined by Dargan Southard to break down Jan Jensen's introductory press conference on Wednesday, plus interviews with Beth Goetz and Lisa Bluder after Monday's bombshell news. Tyler Tachman joins Chad to talk about Brendan Sullivan and the NBA Scouting Combine. Plus, Kirk Ferentz's appearance in West Des Moines delivered some updates and news.
Monday became a monumental day in Iowa women's basketball history, as the program announced Lisa Bluder's retirement and Jan Jensen's elevation to lead the Hawkeyes. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect the news from all angles and analyze what this means for the program moving forward.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman record their thoughts on Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan ahead of his commitment to the Hawkeyes while also looking at the wide-receivers room, the men's basketball situation and more. Dargan Southard joins Chad for 23 good minutes on the Iowa women, starting with a new potential portal target from Arkansas.
As the Register's Chad Leistikow states in his introduction to Wednesday's Hawk Central Hour on KXnO, there may not be a more influential figure in Iowa athletics right now than Brad Heinrichs. The Iowa SWARM Collective CEO joins the show with some great insight on challenges, rewards and the ins and outs of his (unpaid) job.
The transfer-portal conversation got boosted on Tuesday with the news that Deacon Hill, who started nine games for Iowa last season, was departing the Hawkeyes. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman use that conversation to have a larger-picture look at the QB situation and the possibilities to pivot. We also dig into the encouraging and concern aspects of spring ball. Basketball is not forgotten, on the men's side with Tyler and the women's buzz with Dargan Southard.
The weather was anything but pleasant Saturday at Kinnick Stadium, but those bundled up inside still caught a glimpse of what's to come this fall with the 2024 Hawkeyes. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down what they saw from Iowa's open practice to conclude the spring.
In a podcast-only edition of Hawk Central this week, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman go wire-to-wire with a surprise appearance (you'll see why) via Caitlin Clark in the middle of a football segment. We talk WNBA Draft, the transfer-portal options for Lisa Bluder, spring football, men's hoops and the band AJR.
The remarkable 34-5 Iowa women's basketball season is in the books. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard take time to reflect on their time in Cleveland and what this team accomplished, both on the court and off of it ... from Caitlin Clark to the other seniors like Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall. Also in this episode we'll dive into some spring football storylines and men's basketball roster-shaping.
Iowa knew it would take a near-flawless effort to topple these mighty Gamecocks. The Hawkeyes had flashes of brilliance, including a double-digit lead early, but South Carolina's relentless depth eventually wore Iowa down en route to an 87-75 win. Caitlin Clark's decorated college career has come to an end after an incredible stretch that has redefined Iowa women's basketball expectations. Live from Cleveland, the Register's Dargan Southard and Chad Leistikow sift through the aftermath.
The Hawkeyes needed every ounce they had to sneak by mighty UConn in Friday's Final Four matchup. Iowa needed a second-half rally after sluggish start, then had to hold off the Huskies down the stretch. But Iowa did it, and now gets South Carolina Sunday afternoon for it all. Live from Cleveland, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect another crazy night.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard go through what worked in the LSU game plan and what it means for Iowa to reach this point yet again, as it pertains to the legacies of Caitlin Clark and Lisa Bluder. More importantly, we look at some of the key storylines in this UConn matchup.
Another massive moment, another memorable performance for Caitlin Clark. The Hawkeyes are heading back to the Final Four after a thrilling 94-87 win over LSU in a rematch of last season's national title game. Live from Albany, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard break it all down.
With LSU having already won earlier in the day, the Hawkeyes did their part with a resounding win over Colorado in the Sweet 16. Balanced scoring was everywhere as Iowa took control immediately and never looked back, with Caitlin Clark again leading the way. Now comes the LSU rematch everyone has wanted. Live from Albany, the Register's Dargan Southard and Chad Leistikow break it all down.
A tense 64-54 win against West Virginia has sent the Hawkeye women's basketball team to the Sweet 16 in Albany, and Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard report back from sitting courtside to offer insight into the gripping details of that game and what's ahead against fifth-seeded Colorado. Tyler Tachman joins Chad to discuss the roster turnover for men's basketball and we dig into spring football after Kirk Ferentz's Tuesday press conference.
Well, that escalated quickly. In less than 24 hours, Kadyn Proctor went from expected starting left tackle at Iowa to on his way back to Alabama (it appears). The Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Tyler Tachman to discuss the bombshell within the Iowa football program and the implications on and off the field. Plenty of men's and women's basketball discussion, too.
The Hawkeyes didn't have to wait around long on Selection Sunday, coming off the board as the second No. 1 seed in the Albany 2 regional. While unfamiliarity is usually an element that needs hurdling this time of year, that's not the case with Iowa and this bracket. The Hawkeyes have faced a 1/3 of the other 15 teams in their bracket either last year or this year, and that doesn't even in Creighton. Will this help or hurt Iowa? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect all that and more.
Iowa associate head coach Jan Jensen joins this week's Hawk Central Hour, speaking with the Register's Chad Leistikow about recruiting success, the joy of winning the Big Ten Tournament and the way this team has been formulated for postseason success. Later, Chad is joined by colleague Tyler Tachman to break down the Iowa men ahead of their must-win scenarios this week in Minneapolis.
A third consecutive Big Ten Tournament title did not come easy for the Hawkeyes, which had to erase an eight-point deficit in less than three minutes to force overtime and eventually topple pesky Nebraska. It wasn't the greatest shooting weekend for Caitlin Clark, but the Iowa superstar delivered clutch buckets when the Hawkeyes absolutely needed them. Back home from Minneapolis, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect the weekend and what it means for the NCAA Tournament ahead. Plus, Tyler Tachman joins the show to recap a tough Sunday for Fran McCaffery's Hawkeyes.
Payton Sandfort, the reigning Big Ten player of the week, joins Chad Leistikow to discuss the Hawkeyes' surge onto the NCAA Tournament bubble and what he's seeing with this team in the home stretch. Payton has some fun perspective about brother Pryce, too. Chad is later joined by Tyler Tachman on the men's chances and Dargan Southard ahead of the women's trip to the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis.
Caitlin Clark turned a pedestrian Thursday afternoon into a monumental day after announcing she will enter the 2024 WNBA Draft once this Iowa women's basketball season concludes. Clearing out this potential distraction should allow the Hawkeyes to enter March with a clear mind and will give Clark the perfect springboard into life leading the Indiana Fever. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard break it all down.
It could be an interesting March in Iowa City with Fran McCaffery’s crew and Lisa Bluder’s bunch both having plenty on the table still. On the women’s side, the Hawkeyes can continue charging toward a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with a big win Sunday on senior day against No. 2 Ohio State. On the men’s side, Iowa has inched closer to the March Madness bubble with two huge Quad 1 opportunities upcoming. The Register’s Chad Leistikow is joined by colleagues Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard to break it all down.
Iowa's 78-71 victory at Michigan State gives top billing to the men in this week's Hawk Central Hour, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman talk about that fresh result, how it happened and what it means for team going forward. Later, Dargan Southard joins Chad to talk Caitlin Clark, Pistol Pete and the Hawkeye women's outlook the rest of the way.
Iowa basketball gets some "DVR Monday" treatment this week on radio, as we dissect the trouble spots in the Iowa women's fourth-quarter meltdown at Nebraska and the men's comeback miracle against Minnesota. Chad Leistikow, Dargan Southard and Tyler Tachman look ahead to a critical midweek slate for both teams.
While the Tim Lester introductory press conference was a big deal, we kick off this week's Hawk Central with the biggest Hawkeyes story going, Caitlin Clark and Iowa women's basketball. Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard size up Clark's Division I record pursuit and dig deeper into the importance of Saturday's road win at Maryland. Chad is then joined by Tyler Tachman to pluck some of the new offensive coordinator's most interesting remarks before an Iowa men's basketball preview of two winnable games.
Officially announced on Wednesday, Tim Lester is Iowa's new offensive coordinator. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow talk some basketball first before diving into what the Lester era might look/feel like for Hawkeye football.
In a surprising move that will generate many questions among the Iowa football fan base, Kirk Ferentz is hiring Tim Lester to become the Hawkeyes' new offensive coordinator. While former Duke OC Kevin Johns seemed to have all the momentum late last week and through the weekend, Ferentz opted for the guy who most recently was a senior analyst with the Green Bay Packers following six season as the Western Michigan head coach. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect the decision that went official Sunday afternoon.
Just another dull week on the Hawkeye sports beat, as Beth Goetz's introduction as full-time athletics director is only the starting point for a three-way conversation with the Register's Chad Leistikow, Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard. In this 71-minute episode of Hawk Central, we touch on all of the following: Goetz's future moves, the vacant offensive coordinator spot, rogue DCI agents, Ohio State's TikTok court-stormer, Caitlin Clark's superhero status, the Kansas City Chiefs, Taylor Swift, social media, catching "strays" in college basketball and chicken wings.
It was quite a Saturday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where two very big men showed up: 7-foot-4, 300-pound Purdue center Zach Edey ... and 6-foot-7, 360-pound left tackle Kadyn Proctor. Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman focus on Proctor's commitment to Iowa football from Alabama.
What offseason? The Iowa football coaching staff has some moving parts and some non-moving parts, with the Paul Chryst decision to stay at Texas throwing off the plan for Kirk Ferentz. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss the dynamic of what's next and the promotion of Seth Wallace to assistant head coach. After a discussion about the resurgent men's basketball team, top Iowa women's assistant Jan Jensen joins Chad to dig into the latest with Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes.
It's been a busy week of 2024 roster decisions, and now the last mystery element looms: Who Kirk Ferentz will pluck as offensive coordinator. Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register dig into deeper conversations about the strengths and weaknesses on paper, the importance of development at certain positions and the OC itself. Basketball talk isn't forgotten, as Tyler and Chad dig into the men's game vs. Nebraska and Dargan Southard joins the show to preview Iowa vs. Purdue and Indiana this week for the women.
An hour-plus show to discuss the fallout of the 35-0 Citrus Bowl loss to Tennessee includes a first-segment appearance from old friend Kennington Smith, who offers tremendous perspective on his coverage of the Rose Bowl and Iowa football on a national (and vs. SEC) scale. Tyler Tachman then joins Chad Leistikow for a quarterback-centric discussion in light of transfer visitor Ty Thompson. Plus, there's time for hoops talk (including Caitlin Clark and possible lineup shakeups on the men's side).
A few weeks off did nothing to change Iowa’s putrid offense, which turned the ball over multiple times and offered no assistance in the Hawkeyes’ 35-0 Citrus Bowl loss to Tennessee. Deacon Hill struggled mightily. Iowa’s defense was gashed on the ground in ways not seen this season. All of it equaled another forgettable Florida afternoon against the Vols. The Register's podcast crew breaks it all down.
Friday turned into an eventful day for Iowa football with less than 72 hours before Monday's Citrus Bowl. Departing offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz talked to the media for the first time since August in a surprise appearance. Then came Luke Lachey's announcement that he will return next season. The Register's Chad Leistikow, Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard break it all down.
Game week is officially here for Iowa football, and Tuesday delivered a huge wrinkle in the preparation. Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton has opted out of the Citrus Bowl, meaning five-star freshman Nico Iamaleava will make his first career start. There is tons of hype surrounding Iamaleava, but this will still be the first extensive action of his college career. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect the latest there, plus Jay Higgins' decision to return and more.
Paul Chryst? Joe Philbin? Someone else? Kirk Ferentz provided the latest on Iowa's OC search Monday, analyzing several candidates that have been rumored in recent days. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect the latest.
The Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by good friend Tom Kakert of HawkeyeReport.com to start the show, with an eye on Iowa's offensive-coordinator search and the upcoming signing day. Register reporter Tyler Tachman eventually jumps aboard as we dissect the tough NFL decisions ahead for several current Hawkeyes.
In a belated Thursday edition of the Hawk Central Radio Hour, host Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register navigates through a slew of topics. We've got Cy-Hawk hoops, with the men's game on deck and the women's game in the books. We've got lots of Iowa football talk, starting with the offensive coordinator search, talking season awards and moving into a Tennessee scouting report.
No surprises here as Michigan methodically puts Iowa away in the Big Ten title game. The Hawkeyes showed no life offensively and couldn’t hold off the Wolverines forever on defense. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect from Indianapolis.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman plunge into the impossible, figuring out a way for Iowa to beat Michigan on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Hawkeyes are 24-point underdogs and are seeking narrow advantages. Can Iowa avoid embarrassment on the big stage? Plus, Chad and Tyler talk Iowa men's hoops briefly and then Dargan Southard joins the program to dive into the latest with the Hawkeye women, between Hannah Stuelke's injury and Caitlin Clark's quest for 3,000 points. (By the way, this is the REVISED audio from an earlier file that was imperfect.)
Aside from executing the gameplan to near perfection, Iowa football must pull as many intangible elements as possible to its side. That starts with the players' collective mindset, which is already geared to thrive in the underdog role Iowa will definitely be in Saturday. Along with that, the Hawkeyes must take advantage of several injured players returning.
The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect how the Hawkeyes are readying for this challenge, while also breaking down the entire conference awards scene.
Just when you think this Iowa football season couldn’t get any more bizarre, Friday at Memorial Stadium happened. The Hawkeyes had two field goals blocked. Each team threw an interception in the final minute. And to cap it off, backup kicker Marshall Meeder drained a walkoff field goal to stick Nebraska with an unsightly loss. Somehow, Iowa is 10-2 and has more momentum heading to the Big Ten title game.
With a short week comes fast-paced preparations and a fast-paced Hawk Central Radio Hour. Today, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman delve into what we learned Tuesday from Hawkeye players and Kirk Ferentz before transitioning into our usual "Five Big Questions" to preview Iowa-Nebraska football.
Somehow, the Hawkeyes are off to the Big Ten championship game after another grueling win at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa’s 15-13 win over Illinois came in familiar fashion, with the Hawkeyes overcoming offensive struggles while leaning on its elite defense. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow break it all down from Iowa City.
With 72 hours to kickoff, the Iowa football program is facing more adversity with the loss of its best player, Cooper DeJean, for seemingly the rest of the regular season. The Hawkeyes must react and beat Illinois to clinch the Big Ten West this weekend. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman talk DeJean, Phil Parker and "Five Big Questions" for Iowa vs. Illinois. We've got you covered on men's hoops plus a full segment on the No. 2-ranked Iowa women.
For all the turbulence in this Iowa football season, the Hawkeyes are on the doorstep of their second Big Ten West Division title in the last three seasons. Iowa would prefer to wrap things up at home Saturday against Illinois, with a win sending Kirk Ferentz's bunch off to Indianapolis against the Ohio State-Michigan winner. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dive into everything Iowa football ahead of this important showdown.
Desperately needing any sign of offensive life, the Hawkeyes finally got it with a strong 22-0 win over Rutgers. Deacon Hill finally looked like a Power Five quarterback, while Kaleb Brown continued his late-season rise with another productive day. And the Iowa defense did its thing, per usual. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss the win and what it means.
As Kirk Ferentz noted Tuesday, it's November. That means health questions are everywhere, and this season is no different. On top of the season-ending injuries already suffered, the Hawkeyes have availability questions upfront, at running back and elsewhere. With Iowa likely in another tough battle Saturday vs. the Scarlet Knights, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss how crucial these unknowns could be.
On a rare drama-free game week, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow take time to discuss the elements that have made Iowa's defense and special teams so good that they might be able to carry Iowa football to the Big Ten Championship Game. And now, a tricky test against a formidable Rutgers team awaits at Kinnick Stadium. We preview that matchup with Five Big Questions and later talk a little hoops with the men and women getting their regular seasons under way.
Iowa’s offense remained anemic. The Hawkeyes’ defense and special teams remained elite. In the end, it was enough for Iowa to scrape by with another ugly victory. Drew Stevens’ 52-yard field goal was the game-winner, while Iowa’s late goal line stand kept frustration building for Northwestern and symbolized the winning effort. Somehow the Hawkeyes are 7-2. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman recap from Wrigley.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman are joined by KXnO's Andrew Downs, who is leaving the Des Moines sports station after 15 years, to discuss the impending departure of Brian Ferentz and the work still ahead for Kirk Ferentz atop Iowa football. And, about time, we do talk Iowa-Northwestern at Wrigley Field while also touching on Iowa basketball which officially starts game action next week.
One day after Monday's announcement that Brian Ferentz will not return next season as offensive coordinator, Kirk Ferentz and Beth Goetz both discussed the situation. Neither said much, but the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman are here to discussed what both did say.
The day Iowa football fans have been hoping for finally arrived Monday with news that offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz is done as season's end. Backed by a strong statement from interim AD Beth Goetz, this decision will end all questions regarding Ferentz's future at Iowa. A straightforward, but still big move has earned Goetz high praise in the Hawkeyes fan base, while questions remain regarding Kirk Ferentz's ultimate future at Iowa. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow discuss.
Register cohorts Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman team up to have an off-week discussion about the Hawkeyes' offensive woes and what can be done to fix them. Also, Tyler reports back to what he saw after Iowa's practice Wednesday, and Dargan Southard joins Chad later to dig into some interesting ticket-pricing with Iowa women's basketball.
Just when it seemed Iowa was going to snatch away another improbable win with another huge play from Cooper DeJean, officials overturned his late punt return TD to deliver a crushing blow to the Hawkeyes. Iowa's 12-10 loss to Minnesota featured more concerning offensive futility, but the punt return TD that wasn't will sting Iowa fans for some time. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow discuss.
As the Iowa football team continues its unconventional march to a 6-1 start, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman review the top eight factors in rattling off wins. We dissect the day's interview with defensive line coach Kelvin Bell and preview the Minnesota matchup with our famed "Five Big Questions" segment, including: Will Erick All finish as the team's leading receiver at 299 yards?
While it's fair to wonder how much better the Hawkeyes' offense really would be without injuries to Cade McNamara, Luke Lachey and now Erick All, it's indisputable that Iowa is thriving without a full deck of weapons. Now, the Hawkeyes must find another next man up to aid Deacon Hill, who Kirk Ferentz reiterated Tuesday is Iowa's starting QB by a decent margin. With another grueling game ahead Saturday vs. Minnesota, The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow discuss how the Hawkeyes keep pushing forward with big goals still in play.
The Hawkeyes’ first win in Madison since 2015 had to come in this fashion, right? A safety, relentless defense and one big offensive play is again the winning recipe for Iowa, which is now in control of things atop the Big Ten West. Iowa rarely makes it pretty, but the winning effort has certainly been there. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow discuss if the Hawkeyes can make this work the rest of the way.
It was far from pretty with Deacon Hill under center, but the Hawkeyes found enough stability for another tough win over Purdue. Hill had just six completions on the day, yet still found Erick All late for a key TD pass that supplied needed cushion. Big games from Kaleb Johnson and Cooper DeJean helped the Iowa cause as well. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow discuss where the Hawkeyes stand now.
Crossover season is here, with a high-stakes week for Iowa football against Purdue and basketball media days taking over the coverage. First, the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by teammate Tyler Tachman to examine how this week's matchup is important in setting the floor and ceiling for the rest of the season. We also tackle Five Big Questions to preview the matchup. Later, Chad is joined by Dargan Southard to recap Iowa women's basketball media day.
Cade McNamara has officially thrown his last pass for Iowa this season, meaning it's Deacon Hill's show for the forseaable future. The Wisconsin transfer had a passable showing in a pinch against Michigan State, but the Hawkeyes need him to continually improve to salvage this season. Does Iowa have enough offensive life left to make this season something. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss that and more.
A game that featured only one offensive TD didn’t lack drama Saturday night in Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes overcame the loss of Cade McNamara and found enough juice to push past Michigan State for their first B1G win. Cooper DeJean’s 70-yard punt return TD gave Iowa the lead for good as Kirk Ferentz’s squad rallied for a pivotal victory. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow discuss every angle.
The Lansing State Journal's Graham Couch comes aboard with the Register's Chad Leistikow to discuss the problems at Michigan State with unique perspective about the Kirk and Brian Ferentz. Later, Hawk Central regular Tyler Tachman joins the show to break down "Five Big Questions" about Saturday's matchup on NBC.
As bad as the Hawkeyes looked at Penn State, it only counted as one loss. And Iowa still has lofty goals within reach as it tries to regroup Saturday against Michigan State. Criticism continues mounting, though, particularly for Iowa's anemic offense. Can the Hawkeyes get back on track in time to salvage this season? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss that and more.
A complete Iowa disaster from all angles Saturday night at Penn State. The offense did nothing. The defense was uncharacteristically porous. And even the special teams had a glaring error. Was this just a really bad night, or are there serious long-term concerns for the Hawkeyes after this drubbing? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss.
It's a big week, folks. as 3-0 opens Big Ten Conference play with a toughie, at No. 7 Penn State. The usual Des Moines Register cast of Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman join forces to dig into the top story lines, including the big-picture implications of winning, losing or staying close and the subpar play of Cade McNamara vs Western Michigan. We'll preview Saturday's game itself with our Five Big Questions segment and make our very specific picks, too.
There is never a good time for a key injury, but ahead of a tough road game is particularly terrible timing for Iowa football. The Hawkeyes will trek to No. 7 Penn State without tight end Luke Lachey or running backs Kaleb Johnson and Jaz Patterson, all of whom already made a difference this season. How do the Hawkeyes respond? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss.
Are the Hawkeyes good? Well, the second half was dominant in and the start was shaky but they are 3-0 through non-conference action. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down the 41-10 win against Western Michigan and sort through a slew of 3-word headline submissions.
The Hawkeyes say they're close on offense. Is this the week they break loose? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman document improvement in some areas and take a scrutinized look at others, including the defensive pass rush. Our FIVE BIG QUESTIONS preview Saturday' matchup vs. Western Michigan as well.
Good news and bad news arrived this week for Iowa football on the sports-betting probe front. Noah Shannon's appeal has been denied, ending his college football career. But cornerback Jermari Harris is set to return this week after serving his two-game suspension. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dive into the latest there, plus add discussion on Nico Ragaini's colorful media session and the promise on Cade McNamara's injury front.
On a day when Kirk Ferentz secured his 200th win, it was only fitting the victory arrived in vintage Iowa fashion. The defense scored and dominated. The special teams stepped up with a huge play. And the offense did just enough with a new star leading the way. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down the Iowa win and what it means moving forward.
Enough hype, let's get into the trenches with matchup questions for Saturday's Iowa-Iowa State game. We start by learning about the Cyclones from the Register's Travis Hines, then Chad Leistikow is joined by Hawkeyes beat reporter Tyler Tachman to answer Five Big Questions about the game.
For better or worse, it sounds like Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara will be dealing with his injured quad all season. McNamara hardly ran at all against Utah State, and Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz basically confirmed QB sneaks and rollouts are off the table given McNamara's current status. How much does an immobile McNamara affect an Iowa offense still trying to find its footing ahead of another big Cy-Hawk matchup? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss that and more.
While it wasn't the most glamorous Iowa football win, the Hawkeyes still had a productive formula in toppling Utah State at Kinnick Stadium. Two portal additions caught touchdown passes. Cade McNamara worked around his dinged-up quad, and the Iowa defense did its thing as expected. There are still concerns, though, especially the disappearance after a hot start. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break it all down live from Kinnick Stadium.
Beyond the swirling speculation about Iowa's starting quarterback, there is a major Week 1 topic to unpack: How much better can this offense be in 2023? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dig into that topic and later break down the opening matchup against the Aggies of the Mountain West Conference.
Tuesday's media session with Cade McNamara and Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz did little to clear up the quarterback's status for Saturday's opener versus Utah State. The quad-muscle injury McNamara suffered during the Kids Day scrimmage seems to be progressing, but has it healed enough to make him effective Week 1? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman debate.
Oooh, boy, it's a busy one today as Kirk Ferentz provides the update that defensive tackle Noah Shannon is out for the season (barring appeal) over the sports-gambling investigation. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman unpack the latest on gambling while later poring over Ferentz's latest comments on quarterback Cade McNamara and his status for Week 1 vs. Utah State. The centerpiece of the show, though, is Chad's 1-on-1 with Beth Goetz, the new interim AD for Iowa athletics. This is a jam-packed episode that you won't want to miss.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman look at the news of the week, an apparent quad muscle injury to starting quarterback Cade McNamara. We look at the possible timetable for return, what it means for the opener against Utah State and more. We also review the Kids Day scrimmage with a closer eye while discussing some of the most intriguing figures on the 2023 roster: Kaleb Johnson, Xavier Nwankpa, Ben Kueter and Jon Budmayr. Of course, there's always time for basketball talk, too.
Everyone wearing black and gold inside Kinnick Stadium Saturday held their breath as Cade McNamara gingerly trotted to the locker room with trainers by his side. The Iowa quarterback and top asset for this 2023 season pulled himself out of the Kids Day scrimmage after an awkward slide on a QB scramble. The concern doesn't seem to be too high, but Iowa obviously can't afford to lose McNamara for any length of time. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dive into that and more from Saturday's open scrimmage.
Three segments, three Hawkeye topics with the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman. First, of course, we tackle the 18-team Big Ten with the additions of Oregon and Washington. Second, Chad and Tyler offer reasons to pump the brakes on Iowa football this season before dialing up reasons to be optimistic. Third, Iowa basketball is happening across the pond, so naturally we are analyzing blowout box scores.
An action-packed Wednesday begins with the criminal allegations against three athletes who competed for the University of Iowa, including one in football. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down the latest developments in the cases of Gehrig Christensen, Aaron Blom and Ahron Ulis and what they mean. And is the Big Ten going to 20 teams as soon as 2024? We discuss.
The Hawkeyes were a talkative bunch this week in Indianapolis. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz dove into the sports-gambling investigation affecting his program, the current state of NIL and the transfer portal, plus much more. And we heard plenty from Cooper DeJean, Jay Higgins and Luke Lachey. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dive into what stood out the most from Big Ten media days.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman report live from Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis on the sports-gambling latest, Kirk Ferentz's offensive-line comments and the three players in attendance: Luke Lachey, Jay Higgins and Cooper DeJean. In the second half of the show, Chad is joined by Iowa wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland, who offers great perspective into the frustrations of last season and what's ahead in 2023.
Iowa football takes the stage Wednesday at Big Ten media days in Indianapolis, and the Register will have plenty of coverage throughout the day and week. To get you ready, Hawk Central's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman preview the Hawkeyes' most noteworthy storylines, including discussion on the Hawkeyes' offense, gambling investigation and more.
In a special edition of the Hawk Central podcast, the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by the two leaders of Iowa women's basketball: head coach Lisa Bluder and associate head coach Jan Jensen. They reflect on the national title-game run with amazing clarity, explain why the transfer portal didn't work out for Iowa and look forward to the 2023-24 season with Caitlin Clark.
We're happy to introduce new reporter Tyler Tachman, who will cover the Iowa Hawkeyes for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Tachman ventures to Iowa by way of Indianapolis and the Indy Star. Tachman and Register columnist Chad Leistikow dive in to their first of many Hawkeyes podcasts.
Things don't seem to be slowing down even in early July, as there's plenty to discuss on this week's Hawk Central Hour. Host Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register is first joined by Iowa football assistant coach Seth Wallace, who discusses his linebackers room and the potential of the 2023 defense. Later, Hawkeye Report's Tom Kakert jumps aboard to discuss the firing of Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern and Iowa's latest recruiting haul.
With Iowa's recruiting efforts in football surging, the Register's Chad Leistikow welcomes Iowa Swarm Collective CEO Brad Heinrichs to the Hawk Central radio show. How much can Swarm be credited for Cade McNamara and Kaleb Brown? How did the Swarm beer and vodka deals come about? Have relationships improved with Iowa athletics since Gary Barta's announced retirement? Those questions and more are addressed.
Later, former Register reporter Kennington Smith rejoins Chad to talk about the NBA Draft that saw Kris Murray go No. 23 to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Plus, we have sports-gambling and recruiting updates!
Back from vacation, the Register's Chad Leistikow welcomes a super-special guest to this week's Hawk Central radio show: Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker. Over the course of two segments, Parker explains the systematic way that the Hawkeyes have annually built a top-10 national defense. For all hard-core Iowa football fans, this is a must-listen. Chad also touches on the NBA Draft, Jack McCaffery, Iowa women's basketball and football transfers.
Another special edition of the Hawk Central radio show is upon us, as the Des Moines Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by longtime Hawkeyes writer Scott Dochterman of The Athletic. Chad and Scott primarily talk about the ups and downs of Gary Barta's 17 years as Iowa's athletics director and how strong of a candidate Beth Goetz will be in replacing him. We also dig into Iowa baseball's regional draw with Dargan Southard.
There was a lot of good in the 17-year Gary Barta era at Iowa, most notably on the field. But the negative marks on the Hawkeyes' AD will likely surface above the positivity when Barta's tenure is remembered. Several high-profile lawsuits have severely dented Barta's public perception, to the point where most Iowa fans were celebrating Friday's retirement announcement. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect every angle of this decision and how it affects Iowa athletics moving forward.
Chad Leistikow is joined by Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller from the Big Ten Tournament, where the Hawkeyes beat Michigan on Tuesday and prepare for Indiana on Thursday. Heller discusses his pitching choices and more. Dargan Southard joins Chad later to talk NCAA regional scenarios. And then Tom Kakert of Hawkeye Report comes aboard on a wide-ranging Iowa football conversation, including about season tickets and Cade McNamara's recent trip to California.
The Register's Chad Leistikow shares a notable football update in regards to the sports-gambling investigation involving 26 current Iowa student-athletes. He is joined by KXnO's Andrew Downs to discuss that and the Penn State night game on Sept. 23. But the centerpiece of the show is a 20-minute interview with Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller, whose team has positioned itself for an NCAA regional bid despite some sports-gambling adversity of its own. Finally, Chad and Register colleague Dargan Southard examine Iowa baseball's postseason outlook.
Well, what a week it's already been in Hawkeye athletics with a sports-gambling investigation that identified 26 current student-athletes in five sports dominating headlines. To dig into that complicated topic, the Register's Chad Leistikow hosts conversations with Dargan Southard and Randy Peterson. How hefty will punishments be? Why is the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation involved?
Later, Ohio State beat writer Nathan Baird joins Chad to discuss the transfer of wide receiver Kaleb Brown to the Hawkeye program. Brown comes to Iowa with four years' eligibility and a lot of excitement.
In his final Hawk Central radio hour on KXnO, the Register's Kennington Smith outlines his next move and reflects on his two years in Iowa with Register teammate Chad Leistikow. The pair discusses the concerns and strengths out of Iowa's spring football practice and dissects some intriguing NCAA transfer-portal options at receiver. The fellas also preview the final NFL Draft, and Chad and Kennington offer final words for each other and the Hawkeye audience.
With temperatures hardly resembling April weather, Iowa and head coach Kirk Ferentz wrapped up the 2023 spring practice with Saturday's event at Kinnick Stadium. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break down what they saw and how much meaning it carries for the upcoming campaign.Show less
The media met Thursday with Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, defensive coordinator Phil Parker and special teams guru LeVar Woods as the Hawkeyes close in on concluding the 2023 spring. Two run units operating at program-standard levels. One runs an offense still under plenty of fire after an offseason featuring a QB change, but little else. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break down the three updates and what they mean for Iowa moving forward.
The final week of Iowa spring football is here, and with the open scrimmage looming Saturday, the Register columnist Chad Leistikow and reporter Kennington Smith break down some of what they're looking for. We dive into two promising position groups, running back and defensive back. There's time for men's basketball portal/big man talk as B.J. Mack departs his Iowa visit.
Three segments, three Iowa athletics topics on tonight's Hawk Central radio show. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith begin with the pressing portal situation for the Iowa men's basketball team, which this week added Valparaiso big man Ben Krikke and now looks to add a certain power forward soon. The Iowa women, meanwhile, now have a precious roster opening ... what to do with it as some of the top options are falling off the table? And when it comes to Iowa football, information has been less prevalent than normal but we're latching onto talk surrounding offensive lineman Logan Jones and quarterback Cade McNamara.
After the Clark/Reese and White House story lines dominated for a few days, let's get back to the inconsistent officiating we saw from Sunday's NCAA title game between Iowa and LSU. Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith of the Des Moines Register look deeper at the rule book, plus the national spotlight that has now been placed on women's basketball at large. Iowa absolutely needs to upgrade its roster if it wants to compete for another Final Four and national championship.
A dream Iowa season met an unfortunate ending Sunday in Dallas, as the Hawkeyes suffered a 102-85 loss to LSU at the American Airlines Center. The Tigers' hot-shooting first half stuck the Hawkeyes in a huge hole it couldn't quite climb out of. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard put a final bow on this Iowa women's basketball campaign while diving into every element of Sunday's game.
After Friday's riveting win over South Carolina, the Hawkeyes must regroup mentally and turn their full focus to Sunday's title game against LSU. The Tigers are another tough squad full of weapons, but Iowa has the hottest basketball player in the world right now on its side. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard analyze every element ahead of Sunday.
With an unwavering belief in one another, the Hawkeyes stunned the entire sports world Friday with a 77-73 win over previously unbeaten South Carolina. Another masterpiece from Caitlin Clark headlined a night the Hawkeyes won't forget for a long time. Live from Dallas, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard analyze every angle of this upset and look ahead to Iowa's chances in Sunday's national title game vs. LSU.
Tasked with facing the women's basketball beast that is unbeaten South Carolina, Iowa knows it has a hefty challenge ahead. It also knows it's playing with nothing to lose. Live from American Airlines Center in Dallas, The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect Friday's Final Four matchup from every angle.
Pressure, what pressure? Caitlin Clark seized Sunday's magical moment with a 41-point triple-double to lead Iowa women's basketball to its first Final Four since 1993. The Hawkeyes superstar was sensational from start to finish, delivering on the dream she first envisioned when she signed with Lisa Bluder's program. Live from Seattle, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect every element of the incredible accomplishment.
An exciting week for Iowa women's basketball, which prepares in Dallas for the Final Four showdown against top-ranked and unbeaten South Carolina. The Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Kennington Smith to break down all aspects of the matchup, including the Gamecocks' major edge in size and rebounding and how the Hawkeyes might be able to combat it behind the magnificent Caitlin Clark. Also, Iowa men's basketball and spring football discussions.
Pressure, what pressure? Caitlin Clark seized Sunday's magical moment with a 41-point triple-double to lead Iowa women's basketball to its first Final Four since 1993. The Hawkeyes superstar was sensational from start to finish, delivering on the dream she first envisioned when she signed with Lisa Bluder's program. Live from Seattle, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect every element of the incredible accomplishment.
Hunting for their first Final Four appearance since 1993, No. 2 seed Iowa will have its hands full Sunday against No. 5 seed Louisville. The Cardinals began the year in the preseason top 10 alongside the Hawkeyes and boast a energetic, fiery weapon in Hailey Van Lith. Sound familiar? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard break down the matchup live from Seattle, while also diving into Brody Brecht's decision to put football aside.
March is always a hectic month, and that's no different in Iowa City. Lisa Bluder's Hawkeyes are suddenly Final Four favorites as they ready for the Sweet 16 in Seattle. All Iowa fans are still reeling from Spencer Lee's stunning loss, while the future of Fran McCaffery's roster remains undetermined. Hawk Central's Chad Leistikow chats with colleagues Dargan Southard, Kennington Smith and Cody Goodwin amid a busy stretch in Iowa athletics.
Lisa Bluder's Hawkeyes are off to the Sweet 16 after a grueling 74-66 victory over Georgia in the second round, a win that showed Iowa's veteran maturity and grit. This, however, is far from Iowa's ultimate goal. And after No. 1 seed Stanford fell atop the Hawkeyes' bracket Sunday night, a shot at the Final Four feels like a real possibility. The Register's Chad Leistikow, Kennington Smith and Dargan Southard break down where Iowa is at as it prepares for the Sweet 16 in Seattle, plus a final look at Fran McCaffery's Hawkeyes and what comes next for them.
Another early-round exit for a Fran McCaffery squad comes to fruition in Birmingham. After a horrendous offensive start stuck the Hawkeyes in a 17-point hole with an Auburn-friendly crowd roaring, Iowa did rally back within four — only for the Tigers to close things out late. A frustrating shooting night for Kris Murray punctuated the Hawkeyes’ struggles as Iowa’s season ended in uninspiring fashion. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break down the end of this seesawing Iowa basketball campaign.
The Register's Chad Leistikow hosts a three-pronged Hawk Central episode from Birmingham. First, an on-the-scene preview with Hawkeye Report's Tom Kakert. Second, a men's and women's look-ahead with the Register's Kennington Smith. Third, a look at the NCAA Wrestling Championships and Spencer Lee's fourth title quest with Cody Goodwin.
Fran McCaffery's squad is headed to Birmingham as a No. 8 seed against Auburn. Lisa Bluder's bunch received the top No. 2 seed and will face Southeastern Louisiana to start inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Register's Chad Leistikow, Dargan Southard and Kennington Smith dissect everything ahead for both Iowa teams.
Big Ten Tournament champions one year, eliminated by a double-digit seed the next. So it goes in the emotional month of March — and Iowa basketball isn’t off to a great start this year.
After Sunday’s home loss to Nebraska forced the Hawkeyes to play Thursday, Iowa sputtered against 13th-seeded Ohio State and will head home from Chicago early. With Selection Sunday just days away, Fran McCaffery’s squad has little time to re-discover its productive side before the NCAA Tournament begins. Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break things down from the United Center.
Monday's news of the $4.175 million settlement agreement surrounding the Iowa football lawsuit created many points of discussion, and AD Gary Barta has come under the most fire publicly. The Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Kennington Smith and Andrew Downs to dig into an important conversation. We also talk basketball, looking ahead to Selection Sunday for the Iowa women and the Big Ten Tournament for the Iowa men.
Going solo after covering the Iowa women's basketball team's Big Ten Tournament championship in Minneapolis, the Register's Chad Leistikow recaps a series of huge wins, why Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes are playing so well, revisits his takeout on Lisa Bluder and looks ahead to NCAA Tournament seeding.
Everything has opened up nicely for Iowa men's basketball after beating Indiana on Tuesday, with losses by Northwestern, Maryland and Michigan giving the Hawkeyes a clear path to the No. 2 seed at the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago. But as we know, crazy things are happening every night in the Big Ten, so Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith of the Des Moines Register do their best to break down the possibilities and what to watch this weekend.
In a super-sized edition of the Hawk Central radio show, host Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register navigates through five timely topics. Kennington Smith, fresh off covering the Iowa men's win at Indiana joins the show to discuss seeding scenarios, football's racial-discrimination lawsuit and the NFL Combine. Dargan Southard takes the baton to talk Caitlin Clark's prospects for fifth year and previews the Big Ten Women's Tournament. And finally, Cody Goodwin brings the analysis you need ahead of this weekend's Big Ten Wrestling Championships.
Just when it seemed the Hawkeyes were buried underneath a mountain of defensive struggles, Iowa awoke for arguably the greatest comeback in program history. The Hawkeyes trailed by 11 with a minute remaining before hitting five treys in the final 40 seconds to force overtime. By then, Michigan State had nothing left for the extra period. Those who exited Carver-Hawkeye Arena early came streaming back in to soak up an improbable victory.
Two weeks to go in the Iowa men's basketball regular season, and just one week left for the Iowa women. That mean the urgency is up for everyone, and Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith take a deeper look at the Hawkeye men's performance of late and big games against Wisconsin and Michigan State. Meantime, Dargan Southard joins the show to detail a newsy week for the Iowa women, who head to Maryland before hosting Indiana on Sunday.
After dismantling Ohio State Thursday night for their seventh straight home win, the Hawkeyes enter the regular season's final stretch in third place with a chance to surge into the postseason. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break down where Iowa's at and what it needs to do before the Big Ten Tournament.
Even after a 1-1 week, the Hawkeyes' stock is moving up. They are now in the top four of the Big Ten standings and solidly in the NCAA Tournament. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith revisit the loss to Purdue, the win against Minnesota and offer appreciation for Kris Murray and Connor McCaffery. We also reserve a segment to circle back to Iowa football topics we missed last week.
In their first audio reaction to the Brian Ferentz contract news, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith convene to discuss all the layers of Monday's development that Iowa's OC needs to have the team win seven times and score 25 points per game to keep his job. Or at least that's what the contract says. Is it silly to make this public? Is Gary Barta or Kirk Ferentz more to blame for letting it get this far? How bizarre will this get by November? Kennington and Chad also discuss the Iowa men's surge with seven wins out of nine in Big Ten play, and Dargan Southard joins the show to discuss Caitlin Clark and preview a top-five women's showdown between Iowa and Indiana.
A much-anticipated press conference is complete, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith react to the news that Iowa football will not make coaching changes on offense following the program's worst offensive year statistically since 1978. Where did Kirk Ferentz make hollow arguments? Where might there be hope? We do block out some time to talk about the surging Iowa basketball team, too, and Saturday's matchup against Illinois.
The calendar flips to February this week, meaning the college basketball regular season has hit its stretch run. That's good news for the Hawkeyes, which are a projected NCAA Tournament team right now and have Patrick McCaffery back active after missing some time with anxiety issues. And on the football front, is this finally the week a Brian Ferentz update arrives? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into those topics and more.
Lots to discuss on this Jan. 25 edition of the Hawk Central radio show, so we decided to break it up into three conversations. First, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith look at more transfer-portal possibilities in this cycle as the football team tries to plug some of its biggest holes. Yeah, we also touch on the offensive-coordinator topic as well. Second, we dig into a huge series of games ahead for the men's basketball team, with a road trip at Michigan State on Thursday. Then, Chad is joined by Dargan Southard to discuss the dominant Iowa women's basketball team that is suddenly playing with a lot of confidence after a win at No. 2 Ohio State.
On a Tuesday edition of the Hawk Central radio show, the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by teammate Kennington Smith as they discuss a newsy development, the postponement of Wednesday's previously scheduled Iowa-Northwestern men's basketball game. They also zero in on the best lineup for Fran McCaffery's team and Iowa football's new enrollees as the transfer-portal window closes. Finally, Chad is joined by Cody Goodwin for 15 good minutes on Iowa wrestling as we are just two months away from the end of Spencer Lee's Hawkeye career and the NCAA Championships.
Just a few short weeks ago, it seemed this Iowa basketball season was going nowhere after three straight losses had the Hawkeyes sputtering just above .500. Now though? Things have changed significantly. Iowa made it three consecutive victories with another huge comeback Thursday against Michigan, punctuated by Payton Sandfort's incredible game-tying four-point play in the final minute of regulation. So, how should these Hawkeyes be viewed in the final seven weeks of the regular season? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith discuss, plus dive into some football talk and more.
Even in college football's now-here offseason, football remains the lead story as the Iowa program continues to shape its 2023 player roster. What about in the coaching ranks? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith discuss some potential offensive-coordinator candidates for next season, including Brian Ferentz. There's also plenty of Iowa hoops to discuss as the Hawkeyes play well without Patrick McCaffery but for how long?
Desperately needing something positive after a chaotic last month, the Iowa men's basketball team got it in an unconventional way Thursday night. The Hawkeyes' 21-point comeback over Indiana ended an ugly three-game losing streak and arrives on the heels of Patrick McCaffery taking an indefinite leave with anxiety issues.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break down where Fran McCaffery's Hawkeyes stand now, while also diving into some Iowa football news and more.
With a huge game ahead Saturday at Michigan, Iowa women's basketball megastar Caitlin Clark sits down with the Register's Chad Leistikow to discuss how she deals with pressure, the team's position for the Big Ten and Final Four chase, NIL, her Kansas City Chiefs fandom and more. Later, Chad is joined by KXnO's Andrew Downs to recap Iowa football's latest moves and Patrick McCaffery's leave of absence from the men's basketball team.
The Hawkeyes' best formula for winning the Music City Bowl against Kentucky was always going to be a no-turnover game from Joe Labas and strong defensive work. Well, that's exactly what happened. Labas threw his first career TD pass, while Cooper DeJean and Xavier Nwankpa delivered pick-sixes to cap an emphatic defensive day. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break down Iowa football's final 2022 showing and spin things forward to 2023.
Game week is one thing, but the rift between Iowa athletics and The Swarm Collective is a game-changer. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dig into both topics on a rare Thursday Hawk Central radio show. Is Gary Barta really worried about Title IX? What is the next battle on the NIL front that Iowa needs to address? We eventually get to "Five Big Questions" about Iowa vs. Kentucky in the Music City Bowl and our predictions.
The media doesn't get to see any Iowa football practices during the regular season, which makes this week's bowl-prep viewing sessions all the more intriguing. Atop the list of takeaways is the Hawkeyes' offense. This much-maligned unit gets a new Music City Bowl look with Joe Labas under center. In theory, Labas' mobility could allow for more RPO action and other wrinkles. But will his inexperience and Iowa's overall offensive struggles prove too much to overcome vs. Kentucky?
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dissect that and other topics, including Iowa men's basketball's return to the court after its stunning loss to Eastern Illinois and more.
Back from the holidays after a frenzied offseason stretch for Iowa football, The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith check in on all things Hawkeyes. The Music City Bowl and Joe Labas' first-career start are just days away. Several Hawkeyes are mulling future decisions. NIL drama is swirling in Iowa City. Tune in for analysis on every angle of Iowa football.
The Register's Chad Leistikow welcomes two friends on the Hawkeye beat to the show in The Athletic's Scott Dochterman and Hawkeye Report's Tom Kakert. A lot of ground to cover, as you might have heard.
This week's Hawk Central radio hour has a bit of a different feel: regular host Chad Leistikow is away this week, and co-host Kennington Smith tabs David Eickholt of 247sports and Hawkeye Insider to fill in.
On Wednesday, Iowa football got the commitment of former Michigan tight end Erick All after about 10 days of transfer portal inactivity. How does that impact Iowa's 2023 offense? And what's next for the Hawkeyes on the transfer portal recruiting trail?
On the basketball side, the Iowa women's team is rolling with three straight wins while the men's team has had an up-and-down week highlighted by injuries to a few starters. What's there to like and not like with both teams through 10 games? What areas of improvement should be highlighted through December?
Finally, Kennington and David preview Iowa football's upcoming player availability and offer analysis on the program's 2023 class ahead of early national signing day on Dec. 21.
Even with Kris Murray in a boot, Iowa wasted no time cruising to a 75-56 win over Iowa State inside a packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes owned every inch of the box score in rebounding nicely from Tuesday's Duke loss. Also of note, the win came with new quarterback Cade McNamara in the house, as well as a few other portal targets. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break it all down.
With our usual radio show (for good reason) pre-empted by Iowa-Iowa State women's basketball, the Register's Chad Leistikow (from New York City) and Kennington Smith (in Iowa City) bring you a podcast-only version of Hawk Central this week. They discuss the concern level out of Tuesday's loss to Duke and look at the departures of Jestin Jacobs and Terry Roberts from the football program.
Before the Cade McNamara era begins next fall, Iowa football must first get through the Music City Bowl against Kentucky with a murky quarterback situation at best. With Kirk Ferentz revealing that Spencer Petras underwent season-ending surgery and Alex Padilla set to enter the transfer portal, the Hawkeyes will turn to either Joe Labas or Carson May on New Year's Eve. Neither has taken a snap for Iowa. What could go wrong? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into Iowa's situation under center, along with Ferentz's comments on the portal, potential staff changes and more.
The Cade McNamara rumors turned to reality Thursday night for Iowa football, as the Hawkeyes made about as big a splash possible in the quarterback transfer market. Scooping up the man who led Michigan to a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff spot last season renews some offensive hope Iowa desperately needed. The Hawkeyes did lose Arland Bruce IV Friday morning, shrinking the wide receiver room even more, but could more help be on the way? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into another eventful few hours for Kirk Ferentz and company.
After a dismal year offensively, Iowa football had to know it was going to lose some players to the transfer portal. After quarterback Alex Padilla announced his departure earlier this week, wide receiver Keagan Johnson announced the same Thursday afternoon. Who might be next to leave? And what can the Hawkeyes do themselves in the portal?
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith talk transfer portal, as well as the latest on Kadyn Proctor's recruitment and if quarterback Joey Lab
Tuesday's news of Iowa second-string quarterback Alex Padilla entering the NCAA transfer portal puts some unexpected wheels in motion. Will Spencer Petras be able to start? Or is it Joe Labas time? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith also discuss the quarterback position as a whole, what would be the best bowl-game approach, bowl scenarios, all-Big Ten and five big questions on Iowa men's and women's basketball.
With one final look at Iowa football's Black Friday loss to Nebraska, it's even more apparent how crucial this upcoming offseason is for the Hawkeyes. Will there be adjustments on the coaching staff? It's clear Iowa needs to make a move at quarterback — hello, Cade McNamara? — but how much will Iowa embrace the transfer portal? And how much will the Big Ten West's splashy coaching hires of Matt Rhule and Luke Fickell expedite urgency? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into an important few months ahead for Kirk Ferentz.
All the Hawkeyes had to do was beat lowly Nebraska at home to clinch the Big Ten West. It didn't happen. Spencer Petras got hurt. More importantly, Cooper DeJean got hurt. And the Cornhuskers took advantage of both. With the season-long criticism fired back up, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dissect what this loss means for the Hawkeyes' offseason.
Down to the wire of the regular season (boy that went fast, didn't it?), the Hawkeyes football team can taste a second straight Big Ten West Division crown. But it'll take a win against Nebraska on Friday to get it done. What would a win mean for Iowa football? How scary is this matchup? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith boil down "Five Big Questions" and offer their predictions.
The one bit of bad news from Saturday's Iowa football win at Minnesota was Sam LaPorta suffering a leg injury, which will keep him out of Friday's game against Nebraska. The veteran tight end is the Hawkeyes' most consistent offensive weapon, and not having him will leave a huge hole in Iowa's gameplan. Needing a win to clinch back-to-back Big Ten West division titles, how do the Hawkeyes overcome LaPorta's absence this week?
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into Iowa's contingency plans at tight end, plus a look at some new faces who talked at Tuesday's media availability and which seniors might come back for their free COVID year next season.
Even when playing winning football, it's not always pretty for the Hawkeyes. Saturday's 13-10 victory at Minnesota certainly qualifies. Jack Campbell's late heroics that led to two Golden Gophers turnovers saved the day just in time, which allows Iowa to control its own destiny in the Big Ten West. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break down an eventful afternoon in Minneapolis.
In a game that Vegas had as a pick 'em, Fran McCaffery's Hawkeyes shook off an early deficit and controlled things the rest of the way for a nice 83-67 road win over Seton Hall. Kris Murray tied a career-high with 29 points, while Tony Perkins looked like the best guard on the floor. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith analyze what the win means and if it changes Iowa basketball's expectation in the non-conference.
In a podcast-only version of this week's Hawk Central radio show, Register columnist Chad Leistikow and reporter Kennington Smith sift through the key story lines of Saturday's massive showdown between Iowa and Minnesota. What's the key to stopping Mo Ibrahim? Where does Iowa have the biggest advantage? Those questions are answered, plus we offer our game predictions.
Amid Iowa football's three-game winning streak, concern has trickled throughout the Hawkeyes fan base once it was reported that five-star offensive lineman commit Kadyn Proctor visited Oregon this past weekend. The visit, which came just a few weeks before the early signing period, unsurprisingly resurfaced Kirk Ferentz's long-standing rule that committed prospects don't take visits to other schools.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into Ferentz's latest comments on recruiting, along with the Big Ten West importance of Saturday's Iowa-Minnesota matchup and how the Hawkeyes' current offensive line can find some stability late in the year.
With the defense and special teams at the forefront of another Iowa football victory, the Hawkeyes climbed back into the Big Ten West race with a solid 24-10 over Wisconsin. Cooper DeJean is transforming into one of the conference's best defensive backs, and the Hawkeyes offense at least isn't wasting the golden opportunities gifted to them. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break it all down.
Back at it as the Hawkeyes look to win their third game in a row, but first Register duo Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith take a closer look at the jarring but true comments from Iowa wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland. Is he doing a long-term service to the program by saying Iowa has trouble recruiting receivers? Absolutely. Meantime, we take a closer look at Saturday's Iowa-Wisconsin matchup with Five Big Questions. A huge game at Kinnick.
Amid winning eight of the last 10 in this series, Wisconsin has saved some of its best defensive performances for Brian Ferentz and the Iowa offense. With the Hawkeyes' playmaking group as healthy as it's been — and some needed stability regained the previous two games — can Iowa stay in the Big Ten West race with a Badgers win? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break it all down.
Kaleb Johnson ran wild. The Iowa defense stifled Purdue's passing attack all afternoon. Spencer Petras tossed a pair of touchdown passes. And the Hawkeyes made it back-to-back wins for the first time since late September with a convincing 24-3 victory over the Boilermakers. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dissect the win and what it means for Iowa the rest of the season.
Lukas Van Ness a first-round draft pick? What might Jeff Brohm have cooked up for the Boilers out of an idle week? How can the Hawkeyes finally get the best of Purdue? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith have plenty of Hawkeye football topics to discuss as the season reaches November.
Once Iowa football lost two wide receiver transfers to Purdue last offseason, the Hawkeyes' next trip to West Lafayette was always going to be an interesting one. Then Charlie Jones turned into the Big Ten's most productive pass catcher this season — and suddenly, Saturday's reunion is even more fascinating.
Can Jones burn his old team? Or does the Iowa defense have something waiting for the former Hawkeye? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dissect that matchup, along with whether is fair and a little hoops talk.
Yes, it was Northwestern. But Iowa football, particularly the offense, needed any sort of positivity amid what's been a tough stretch. A complete victory over the Wildcats was the perfect remedy to end a three-game losing streak. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith assess whether the Hawkeyes can make the improvement stick down the stretch.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith take a big-picture look at the final five games on Iowa's 2022 football schedule and wonder if the Hawkeyes can get to .500 and avoid their first losing season since 2012. We tackle "Five Big Questions" about Saturday's Northwestern matchup and agree on whether Iowa covers the 11-point spread.
After another cringe-worthy answer in an important press conference, Kirk Ferentz invited more scrutiny amid what's already been a rough football season. So, is it fair to say Ferentz is misreading the room when addressing the Hawkeyes' struggles? And how will Ferentz's words go over with an adamantly frustrated fanbase? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith address this, plus Iowa's quarterback conundrum and whether Iowa can get a much-needed win Saturday versus Northwestern.
After another disastrous showing from Spencer Petras, the Hawkeyes finally turned to Alex Padilla to begin the third quarter of Ohio State's eventual 54-10 win. On the road, in the most raucous environment of the season is a strange time to make a QB switch, especially since Petras' play has been subpar for basically the entire season. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dissect Iowa's QB mess, plus how the Hawkeyes wasted another solid defensive effort and more.
A long-awaited rematch of almost five years is here for second-ranked Ohio State, which has only faced Iowa twice since 2010 ... including the (in)famous 55-24 shellacking in Iowa City in 2017. Are Kirk Ferentz's Hawkeyes walking into a woodshed on Saturday against Ryan Day's Buckeyes?
Unless this happens to be one of Iowa football's most legendary moments, the Hawkeyes will have to find a moral victory from Saturday's trip to No. 2 Ohio State. Spencer Petras and the Iowa offense face a massive challenge against the Buckeyes' defensive depth, while Phil Parker's unit must be flawless in containing Heisman Trophy favorite CJ Stroud. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into that topic, plus Iowa's unencouraging news on the injury front and the Hawkeyes' reluctance to embrace "backyard football."
A highly anticipated news conference with offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz is in the books, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break it down.
Through six games, Iowa football has failed to score a touchdown in 1/3 of them. Saturday's 9-6 loss at Illinois marked a new low, as the Hawkeyes stumbled against the Fighting Illini for the first time since 2008. The negative chatter surrounding Spencer Petras, Kirk Ferentz and all of Iowa was already quite loud. Expect it to get worse. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith sift through the fallout.
A jam-packed week is highlighted by the Hawkeye football program's huge game Saturday at Illinois. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith discuss the program's patient approach from Kirk Ferentz and wonder if he'll be willing to make necessary changes on offense if the current trajectory continues. After our "Five Big Questions" segment and predictions, we tack on a bonus 34-minute segment to recap Wednesday's Iowa basketball media day, with discussions about all 11 scholarship players.
Ahead of Saturday's game at Illinois, Iowa football is part of a six-way tie (yes, six) atop the Big Ten West. With almost the entire division at 1-1 through two conference games — and now two coaches fired in Wisconsin's Paul Chryst and Nebraska's Scott Frost — how do the Hawkeyes sift through the divisional chaos? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into that, plus reasons to believe Kirk Ferentz (or not) when he says the offense is improving and why the Iowa defense continues to harshly grade itself.
It was going to take a near-flawless performance from all areas for Iowa football to knock off No. 4 Michigan. It didn't happen for Spencer Petras, Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes, which now must regroup amid more offensive struggles and some defensive cracks. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect where Iowa goes from here.
Last year's 42-3 final score in the Big Ten title game is misleading ... right? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith look at all the key angles of Saturday's clash vs. No. 4 Michigan with an effort to find paths to victory. We also visit fresh interviews surrounding the offensive-line rotation.
Just when it seemed Iowa football found some footing with back-to-back wins, the Hawkeyes were dealt a huge injury blow ahead of Saturday's big showdown against No. 4 Michigan. Linebacker Jestin Jacobs is officially out for the year, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith are here to dissect Jacobs' future and how Iowa recovers on the fly. Plus, they dive deeper into the Michigan matchup and an up-to-date evaluation of Spencer Petras.
Offensive improvement and two defensive touchdowns highlighted Iowa's 27-10 victory at Rutgers, which saw key contributions from Cooper DeJean, Kaevon Merriweather, Leshon Williams, Tory Taylor and several others. With a big home showdown next Saturday against No. 4 Michigan, how much momentum will this victory give the Hawkeyes? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith are here to break it all down.
The Hawkeyes' Big Ten opener is expected to be a low-scoring duel of punters, but how crucial of a game is this to the season big-picture? The Register's Kennington Smith and Chad Leistikow break down that story line as well as digging into the path to victory for the Hawkeyes against Rutgers.
As Iowa football treks into Big Ten play after a marathon win over Nevada, the Hawkeyes continue to deal with a slew of lingering injuries. Guys like Keagan Johnson, Jestin Jacobs, Noah Shannon, Brody Brecht and others are either clawing back to playing time or fighting just to stay on the practice field.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into Kirk Ferentz's reaction to these issues, plus a look at how Iowa's offensive line can expedite the cohesion as conference play begins.
Not one, not two, but three weather delays plagued Iowa football's 27-0 win over Nevada, which lasted roughly seven hours from kickoff to the final horn. An OK night for the Hawkeyes offense, with another robust defensive showing to go with it. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dissect an insanely long evening in Iowa City.
Between a wild development on Cameo, no development at quarterback and an interesting news conference, Week 3 of the Iowa football season is off to a crazy start. We did into Kirk Ferentz's need to learn lessons from SEC stalwarts and look at "Five Big Questions" ahead of Iowa vs. Nevada.
Another press conference full of quarterback questions for Kirk Ferentz, another confirmation that Spencer Petras will remain Iowa football's starter under center. The decision comes amid an atrocious offensive stretch that's seen the Hawkeyes score just 14 points in the first two games of 2022. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dive into Ferentz's puzzling QB move, along with analysis on Alex Padilla and Iowa's thinning defense.
Iowa scored on its first possession Saturday, then....nothing. Another disastrous performance from quarterback Spencer Petras, OC Brian Ferentz and the entire Hawkeyes offense will only increase the outside noise in the week ahead. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break down everything from this Cy-Hawk loss.
Wednesday marked another news peg in the Iowa quarterback/offense saga as offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz met with reporters for about 23 minutes to outline his thoughts on the Week 1 win against South Dakota State and his viewpoint of Spencer Petras' performance and Alex Padilla's readiness to step in. Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith dissect those comments and the Cy-Hawk battle ahead.
After another lackluster offensive performance in the season-opener, Iowa football fans everywhere are clamoring for a quarterback change, among other adjustments. Ahead of Iowa's monumental game Saturday versus Iowa State, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith discuss what it would take for Kirk Ferentz to make a quarterback change. They also dive into the Hawkeyes' growing injury list and how Iowa can build offensive line cohesion on the fly.
It was more of the same offensive struggles for Iowa in Saturday's 2022 opener against South Dakota State. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith break it all down.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith get you up to speed on the Iowa pass-game situation before digging into the South Dakota State Jackrabbits and all the weapons they bring to the table. We break down the personnel and where Iowa might have an edge before looking ahead to this weekend's Big Ten slate. And yes, we make our score predictions.
Just 10 days out from the regular-season opener against South Dakota State, it's time for some Iowa football predictions. And while "bold" may be a stretch for these eight predictions, it at least provides a window into some of the top story lines the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith are watching this fall.
To capture some of the positives we saw from media day and the Kids Day at Kinnick open practice, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith point out eight (or nine) stock "risers" in the Hawkeyes' fall football camp. To balance it out, we also look at some of the most concerning areas of the team as well. We finish with a fun conversation about completion percentage.
In a recurring annual exercise, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith look at Iowa's regular season schedule, 1 through 12, and rank the degree of difficulty. The discussion is revealing about the challenges ahead. We also discuss season expectations and preview the Kids Day at Kinnick scrimmage.
As Iowa opens fall camp Wednesday, the Register's Chad Leistikow talk to first-year tight ends coach Abdul Hodge about his strong position group ... as well as the fullbacks. Hodge also shares stories about his first months back in the facility, his recruiting approach and more.
Later, Chad is joined by Register colleague Kennington Smith. They go through Big Ten West quarterbacks, one through seven, and itemize top story lines to watch in Iowa's fall camp.
Live from Indianapolis, the Register's Chad Leistikow digs into the top-line topics that emerged at Big Ten Media Days. Kennington Smith joins Chad to talk expansion, Kirk Ferentz's comments on the offense, Big Ten West pecking order and depth charts. Later, Rivals' Tom Dienhart visits with Chad to dissect the brewing animosity between Iowa and Purdue.
A busy Tuesday led into multiple layers of discussion between the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith. We talk observations at Hawkeye basketball practice, what the new "Iowa Swarm Collective" means for Hawkeye sports and a little football talk ahead of Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis.
Back from vacation, the Register's Chad Leistikow joins colleague Kennington Smith to discuss the seismic shift in the future Big Ten ... while searching for Iowa's place. We spend a lot of time talking recruiting and NIL. (Hey, the Hawkeyes are in a good spot it seems.)
This week's Hawk Central radio hour sees Iowa beat writer Kennington Smith leading off the show and taking through various Hawkeye-related topics alongside Andrew Downs.
First, Kennington is joined by Iowa football assistant defensive line coach and defensive recruiting coordinator Jay Niemann. Iowa's picked up a lot of recruiting momentum with six commits in the last month. Niemann touches on a variety of recruiting topics such as what it takes to pull off a successful official visit, Iowa's in-state recruiting success and more. He also had a few words on USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten.
Afterwards, Down joins Kennington Smith for further Iowa football conversations. Last week, they projected which position groups might take a big leap; this week the duo debates which players on offense and defense are due for a breakout season. Finally, a conversation about Big Ten conference expansion and where Iowa sits in the new landscape.
On this week's Hawk Central radio hour, Andrew Downs subs in for regular host Chad Leistkow and is joined by Kennington Smith for 60 minutes of conversation around Iowa Hawkeyes athletics.
First, the duo is joined by Des Moines Register recruiting reporter Alyssa Hertel. Iowa football just wrapped up a major recruiting weekend, she discusses the latest developments and a potential decision timeline for five-star offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor.
Also, Iowa men's basketball secured two major commitments last week, what's the latest on the men's basketball front? Other topics include how NIL is affecting recruiting within the state of Iowa and the effects that summer camps are having on football recruiting.
In the final segments, Andrew and Kennington break down which position groups on Iowa's football team are due for a big season and the most anticipated matchups of Iowa men's basketball's non-conference schedule.
The duo is reunited for the full hour, as the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith delve into Chad's 1-on-1 with Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz. NIL dominates the conversation but we talk recruiting and the advisory committee, too. And yeah, it's almost NBA Draft time to see where Keegan Murray will land.
The Register's Chad Leistikow talks for 20-plus minutes with Iowa special-teams coordinator LeVar Woods about recruiting, the departure of Charlie Jones and his head-coaching aspirations. Later, Kennington Smith joins the program to talk Big Ten Media Days and Iowa basketball's strong non-conference schedule.
With regular host Chad Leistikow enjoying a much needed vacation, KXnO's Andrew Downs joins Kennington Smith to talk a variety of topics as a busy summer is underway.
First Andrew and Kennington discuss Iowa football's 2023 recruiting class. The Hawkeyes got another commitment this week in David Caulker after offering him after a strong camp performance. Why are these camps important? What can fans expect out of them moving forward? Then Andrew and Kennington discuss the importance of official visits during the summer, where Iowa's class ranks nationally and the biggest needs for this class.
In the second segment, inspired by a poll question from a fan on Twitter, Andrew and Kennington detail their top five most intriguing matchups of the 2022 football season. In the final segment, Kennington previews this weekend's NCAA Outdoor Track Championships and names to watch from Iowa's men's and women's teams.
Kenyon Murray, the father of Kris and Keegan Murray, joins Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith for an insightful interview into the NBA Draft process and what factors Kris considered before returning to the Hawkeyes in 2022-23. Later, we have fun talking about the rotation possibilities for next season.
June is typically one of the busiest months on the Iowa football calendar with camps and the final pushes in many cases to lock up high school prospects in the recruiting process. To get a sense for how the Hawkeyes are navigating the NIL world and how things are going on the recruiting trail, Iowa director of recruiting Tyler Barnes joins the Register's Chad Leistikow for 22 good minutes. Later, Kennington Smith returns from a vacation to discuss lots of Hawkeye topics.
With Kennington Smith gone on vacation this week, the Register's Chad Leistikow turned to two good friends on the Hawkeye beat to tackle a lot of big topics in Iowa athletics. First, The Athletic's Scott Dochterman and Chad discuss the potential for division-less football in the Big Ten and what that means for the Hawkeyes. Later, Hawkeye Report's Tom Kakert and Chad talk NIL collectives, the NBA Draft and football recruiting.
Another week of wrinkles in the Kris Murray drama and the departure of Kirk Speraw adds to the ongoing Iowa basketball conversation for the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith.
Kris Murray's likely return to the Iowa basketball roster will be a relief, but who will support him as the "5" man for Fran McCaffery's squad next season? That quest continues, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith discuss some of the options. NIL in college sports is still going crazy. Later, Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller joins the show to set the stage for the Hawkeyes' finishing slate in the Big Ten race.
Lots to discuss in a shortened Tuesday show in the world of Hawkeyes, and just as the program begins, the Register's Chad Leistikow realizes he is on his own. The columnist powers through with a spring-game recap about the quarterbacks until teammate Kennington Smith is finally able to connect. We touch on the discrimination lawsuit and Kirk Ferentz's 2016 exchange with ex-player Jonathan Parker as the show goes on.
The pay-for-play era of college athletics is barreling down the tracks full-speed ahead, and the Register's Kennington Smith helps break down different ways NIL collectives are being used throughout the country. He and Chad Leistikow discuss as many angles of the topic as they can before shifting into spring-football mode. Just three days away from the spring game, we look ahead to Saturday with eyes on the quarterbacks and discuss some eye-opening developments on the offensive line.
Any inkling of changes in the way Iowa plays offense qualifies as a news story as the Hawkeyes try to dig out of their status as one of college football's least-productive yard-gainers in 2021. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith discuss the possible tweaks we might be seeing plus jump into the rabbit hole of why the Hawkeyes don't hold a traditional spring game.
Joined by special guest Mark Emmert (not THAT Mark Emmert), the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith have a big-picture discussion about Iowa basketball and what lessons we can learn from the recently completed Final Four. Is the Big Ten overrated?
Of course, football topics also dominate as we look to deliver answers on where to fit unique pieces like Brody Brecht, Cooper DeJean and Xavier Nwankpa.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith detail a very newsy week for Iowa basketball, including the departures of Keegan Murray, Joe Toussaint and Josh Ogundele. Chad provides more insight into his long conversation with Fran McCaffery, and Kennington offers perspective on the return of Kris Murray.
There's no way around it, the days of March 17-20 were not great for Hawkeye athletics. Stunning losses for both the men's and women's basketball teams bookended the four-day stretch, and Iowa wrestling underwhelmed at the NCAA Championships as well. To help talk through things, the Register's Chad Leistikow is first joined by KXnO's Andrew Downs. Later, the Register's Kennington Smith joins to the show as we take an early look ahead to next year's basketball roster and spring football.
After postgame interviews concluded from a stunning first-round exit for the Hawkeyes, Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith of the Des Moines Register examine the key points of the loss and take a big-picture look at this team and season.
Live from Buffalo, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith report back from what was said at Wednesday's interviews and look at key matchups in this first-round game and beyond.
On their way to Indianapolis, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith preview the Hawkeyes' Big Ten Tournament road as well as dive into the postseason potential of Fran McCaffery's squad.
We talk four sports -- men's and women's basketball, football and wrestling -- in a jam-packed Hawk Central hour. Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith reflect on a remarkable February for Iowa hoops while looking ahead to a busy and important week for both teams. After revisiting the Abdul Hodge hire in football, Cody Goodwin joins the show to preview the Big Ten Wrestling Championships.
Fresh off an 86-60 demolition of Michigan State, the Iowa basketball team finds itself in great shape for the NCAA Tournament. And not only is Keegan Murray getting a lot of award-season love, so is head coach Fran McCaffery. Chad Leistikow, Kennington Smith and Andrew Downs discuss the latest in Hawkeye hoops, including the women's team seeking its first Big Ten regular-season title since 2008.
The Hawkeyes face a big stretch of basketball games with a big opportunity Thursday and Saturday, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith get your primed for the matchups ... plus take a look ahead to next week's game vs. Michigan State. To help the conversation, Chad welcomes beat writers from Michigan and Ohio State. An all-hoops episode of Hawk Central.
Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands joins the Register's Chad Leistikow on the Hawk Central radio hour to catch us up on a lot of topics, including the recent dual loss to Penn State and how close he feels the Hawkeyes are to the top. Brands has some pretty good lines about Caitlin Clark, the latest on Spencer Lee/Drake Ayala and an UNO game with Terry Brands along the way. Chad and Kennington Smith also break down the latest in Iowa hoops.
Kirk Ferentz spoke for 45 minutes with Iowa media on Wednesday, and there's a lot to unpack there. Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith of the Register and Andrew Downs of KXnO hash out some of the highlights, including what will be done about the Hawkeye offense. There's also plenty of basketball discussion, including a possible cancellation of Iowa-Ohio State, and a conversation about Fran McCaffery's ideal starting five.
It's a big week on the Hawkeyes' winter sports calendar from women's hoops to men's hoops to wrestling. Kennington Smith joins Des Moines Register columnist Chad Leistikow from the get-go to talk hoops, and Cody Goodwin joins later to help preview Friday's big Iowa dual against No. 1 Penn State.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith unpack what has been the topic of the week, Kirk Ferentz's advisory group on diversity "in its current state" coming to an end but being reimagined in the future. What do we know? What's next? Plus, some discussion about Ferentz's recent contract extension and a mini-preview of the week ahead for Iowa basketball.
Another newsy Wednesday on the Hawkeye football front starts with the revelation that Alex Padilla isn't going anywhere and will return to fight for the starting quarterback position at Iowa in the 2022 season. Chad Leistikow, Kennington Smith and Andrew Downs also delve into the return of Sam LaPorta as well as the Hawkeye basketball team's next four games. Must-win time already?
Back from Florida, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith are joined by KXnO's Andrew Downs for an extended conversation about Iowa football's 20-17 loss to Kentucky and the stay-another-year decision of top cornerback Riley Moss. Also in our podcast, Kennington explains the reporting he had done on the medical emergency at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Monday.
United again in Florida, Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith of the Des Moines Register tackle the top topics heading into Saturday's matchup between the 10-3 Hawkeyes and 9-3 Wildcats.
Chad Leistikow is joined by KXnO's Andrew Downs to begin digging into the Iowa vs. Kentucky matchup in the Jan. 1 Citrus Bowl. We even ask the question: Would it be better long-term for the Hawkeye offense to lay another egg? Plus, some early thoughts on the Wildcats.
Iowa football director of recruiting Tyler Barnes joins the Register's Chad Leistikow to recap a busy and exciting finish to the run-up to Wednesday's national signing day for the Class of 2022. But as Barnes points out during the show, the work's not done yet. We discuss quarterback options for the Citrus Bowl and the future plus talk a little hoops after the Hawkeyes' loss to Iowa State.
After soaking in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis, Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith regroup to talk about the biggest problem facing this Iowa team going forward: The offensive futility. Other things on our list include the Citrus Bowl, Tyrone Tracy Jr.'s transfer portal entry, Iowa hoops and Cy-Hawk previews for the women and men.
It's time to dig into Five Big Questions about this matchup we didn't see coming and talk about the Rose Bowl opportunity for Kirk Ferentz's Hawkeyes. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith are joined by KXnO's Andrew Downs for a spirited conversation about Saturday night's game.
In an emergency podcast situation, Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith convene Saturday night to talk about the Hawkeyes earning the outright Big Ten West Division title and a matchup against Jim Harbaugh's Wolverines.
Man, this season flew by, didn't it? With the regular-season finale at hand, Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith of the Des Moines Register break down the Iowa-Nebraska game from many angles while debating what a win Friday would mean, regardless of the Minnesota-Wisconsin result.
In a blazing fast episode, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith recap the latest in Iowa hoops, the press conference with Brian Ferentz and look at five big questions for Saturday's game vs. Illinois.
Fresh off Iowa's basketball season openers on the women's and men's side, Kennington Smith and Chad Leistikow dabble in some hoops before diving into Saturday's Iowa vs. Minnesota matchup.
The Iowa Hawkeyes are No. 22 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, which shows there's still plenty at stake in the games ahead ... starting Saturday at Northwestern. We talk scheme, offensive line, quarterbacks and FIVE BIG QUESTIONS ahead of the night game in Evanston.
As the Iowa football program digs out of a bye week and recovery from a 24-7 home loss to Purdue, it still remains a top-10 team heading to Madison ... as an underdog. All the elements of a classic Iowa-Wisconsin matchup are in place, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith are here to preview the Saturday showdown.
Our regular host Chad Leistikow is on vacation during the bye week but the show goes on! Andrew Downs from KXnO joins Hawkeyes reporter Kennington Smith to recap last Saturday's Purdue game and give the Iowa football team some love with their mid-season awards. Among the honors given out: MVP's, best game and best play.
We know that Purdue is always a tricky matchup for Iowa. The players do, too. And so does Kirk Ferentz. We dig into five big questions and offer our predictions for this Homecoming matchup at Kinnick Stadium.
There are usually a few "Game of the Century" matchups every year in college football, so this can be one of them: No. 3 Iowa vs. No. 4 Penn State. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith use the full hour to take your calls and preview Saturday's 3 p.m. game at Kinnick Stadium.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith answer "Five Big Questions" about the Iowa vs. Maryland matchup, take your calls and offer their game predictions.
Iowa football looks to continue taking care of business as a top-five team Saturday vs. Colorado State, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith get you primed for the matchup.
On a live edition of the Hawk Central Hour, the Register's Kennington Smith and Chad Leistikow take several calls and revisit the meaning of the Cy-Hawk win, talk about what's possible moving forward and look ahead to "Five Big Questions" vs. Kent State.
Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith answer "Five Big Questions" about the Cy-Hawk matchup, then Cyclones columnist Randy Peterson joins the show to give his opinion on the Big 12 and where Iowa State's strength and weaknesses lie. And yes, Chad and Kennington offer the game picks, too, and they're split.
It's time to buckle down and preview the first game. Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith do just that in a live edition of the Hawk Central radio show. We tackle lots of angles in this matchup and discuss Gary Barta's comments on the Big Ten/ACC/Pac-12 alliance, too.
Show host Chad Leistikow, Register colleague Kennington Smith and KXnO's Andrew Downs go around the horn to react to all aspects of Tuesday's "Alliance" announcement between the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC. Yes, we talk about the future of the Cy-Hawk game, too.
In a full Hawk Central Hour devoted to football, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith have a lot to discuss after watching then reviewing Iowa's "Kids Day at Kinnick" open practice.
As Iowa football wraps up its first week of fall camp, Chad Leistikow leads a pair of discussions surrounding preseason expectations for the Hawkeyes. First, KXnO's Trent Condon comes aboard to discuss what oddsmakers think of this Iowa team. Later, the Register's Kennington Smith joins the show as we rank from No. 12 to No. 1 the level of difficulty in Iowa's football schedule.
This Thursday marks "report day" for Iowa football players, and host Chad Leistikow discusses what he's looking for in fall camp with the Register's Kennington Smith. Then Chad is joined by Joe Wieskamp of the San Antonio Spurs and Luka Garza of the Detroit Pistons. Both recent ex-Hawkeyes talk about their draft nights and what to expect in their first days as NBA players.
Making good on his promise, Iowa OC Brian Ferentz sits down with Des Moines Register columnist Chad Leistikow for more than three hours to talk about never-before discussed topics that die-hard Hawkeye fans won't want to miss. (Warning: There is some explicit language during this podcast.)
With news happening fast, including the latest charges from Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, Chad Leistikow welcomes guests Chris Williams of KXnO Fanatics and Scott Dochterman of The Athletic to have a discussion about the future of the Big 12 and Big Ten. The Register's Kennington Smith also shares his thoughts, and Chad shares his 18-team plan for the Big Ten that would give everyone in the Power Five a soft landing spot.
Before heading to Indianapolis, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith preview the top issues we'll discuss this week. We also talk about the Hawkeyes' quiet recruiting summer.
Chad Leistikow is back in the first segment speaking with Iowa assistant defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Seth Wallace! In the second part of the podcast, new beat writer Kennington Smith is flying solo providing his insights to Iowa's football availability session earlier this week.
Chad Leistikow is still on vacation but Andrew Downs from KXnO joins new Hawkeyes reporter Kennington Smith once again! This time they're joined by recruiting expert Matt Bain from the Des Moines Register to discuss Iowa's recruiting, where they stand for major targets and the potential impact of NIL on recruiting rankings. Then, the team continues their preview of Hawkeyes basketball.
Our regular host Chad Leistikow is on vacation but the show must go on! Andrew Downs from KXnO joins new Hawkeyes reporter Kennington Smith to discuss a busy recruiting weekend for Iowa, the potential impact of NIL on Iowa athletics and previewing some Hawkeyes men's basketball after the recent media availability.
Chad Leistikow and Kennington Smith revisit their first Iowa football media availability together, analyze what we learned from Kirk Ferentz and take a look ahead at the importance of the first two games on the 2021 schedule. We also monitor the NBA Combine and Joe Wieskamp/Luka Garza with great curiosity. Finally, Hawkeye Report's Tom Kakert joins the show to preview a big recruiting weekend in Iowa City.
After a brief introduction with new Hawkeyes reporter Kennington Smith, we turn this week's show over to Chad Leistikow and Iowa assistant coach Brian Ferentz. The fifth-year offensive coordinator talks College Football Playoff and dives into the offseason process he uses to tweak and shape the Hawkeye offense. All told, the Ferentz portion of the show takes up the final 40 minutes. So dig in, Hawkeye fans!
Chad Leistikow welcomes Iowa men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery for the majority of this week's radio show. Hear the 12th-year head coach talk about his personal and family life, turning in other schools for tampering and look ahead to the 2021-22 roster, piece by piece. To close the show, the Register's Randy Peterson joins Chad to discuss the possibility of a 12-team College Football Playoff.
Former Cedar Rapids Gazette reporter Marc Morehouse joins Chad Leistikow to discuss what we've experienced and seen last June's racial-bias allegations in Iowa football. Of course, we also talk about Marc's new semi-retired role and what he sees for the 2021 Hawkeyes. Later, Mary Ferentz (Kirk's wife) joins the show to share her latest twist on the Iowa Ladies Football Academy.
With student-athletes allowed to visit campuses as of June 1, there's an expected major uptick in recruiting activity soon. To break it down from a Hawkeyes perspective, Chad Leistikow is joined by recruiting reporter Matthew Bain. The episode also talks about Jordan Bohannon's head injury and Iowa baseball's flickering postseason hopes.
In our first assistant-coach interview of the summer, Iowa wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland joins the program to dig into how the Hawkeyes view their three primary receiver spots -- the X, Z and F. Copeland also provides uplifting insight on a lot of wideouts competing for roles in 2021. Later, KXnO's Trent Condon joins Chad Leistikow to dive into some football odds, including the Cyclones already being favored by a touchdown on Sept. 11 in Ames.
On a slightly abbreviated Hawk Central radio show, Chad Leistikow and HawkeyeReport.com's Tom Kakert revisit the latest in the Iowa football discrimination lawsuit, and we discuss the only remaining defendant still on staff: Brian Ferentz. Plus, we discuss new angles on the quarterback situation, CJ Fredrick's landing at Kentucky and more. Later, Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller provides an excellent educational podcast about the disadvantages his team annually must overcome.
The Register's Chad Leistikow hosts this week's edition of Hawk Central radio, and to review the final spring practice of 2021 he welcomes Hawkeye Nation's Rob Howe. Two guys who have seen a lot of Iowa football and heard a lot from Kirk Ferentz size up what they've seen and heard this spring. Later, Chad is joined by former Hawkeye-beat teammate Mark Emmert as they dig deeper into Iowa's solidified basketball roster.
As has been the case lately, basketball is dominating the offseason conversation surrounding Iowa athletics. KXnO's Andrew Downs joins the Register's Chad Leistikow in our first segment to examine the impact of Jordan Bohannon's presence on the 2021-22 Hawkeyes. Then, The Athletic's Scott Dochterman makes his Hawk Central debut as we discuss the NFL Draft from a Hawkeye angle. Finally, we hit a fast-paced preview of Saturday's open practice at Kinnick Stadium.
Register columnist Chad Leistikow hosts a basketball-heavy show, bringing in a few pros in the process. First, old friend Mark Emmert comes back for a cameo to discuss CJ Fredrick's departure and what's next for the Hawkeyes. Later, Travis Hines jumps in to give us a glimpse of what's happening in Ames, and what we can learn from Iowa State's aggressive use of the NCAA transfer portal. Finally, a football finish with audio from Brian Ferentz.
This week's Hawk Central radio show finishes with a bang, as Chad Leistikow went to Iowa City to sit down with Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands to hear about how the Hawkeyes are celebrating their first NCAA title since 2010 and what's ahead for the program. Before that, Chad and KXnO's Erick Zamora size up Fran McCaffery's media availability Wednesday and preview Saturday's open football practice at Kinnick Stadium.
Spencer Petras and Ken O'Keefe met the Iowa media this week, and Chad Leistikow joins KXnO's Erick Zamora to delve into the quarterback competition at spring practice for Iowa football. Is there really a competition? How far behind are Alex Padilla and Deuce Hogan? We also are joined by recruiting reporter Matt Bain, who talks transfer-portal options for McCaffery's Hawkeyes.
Chad Leistikow joins KXnO's Ross Peterson to discuss the latest Iowa basketball developments, including the departure of Jack Nunge and Jordan Bohannon's legislative push. What transfer portal options might help the Hawkeyes in 2021-22? We also look at the start of spring football before talking Caitlin Clark and Iowa women's hoops with Dargan Southard.
In his final show, Mark Emmert joins Chad Leistikow and KXnO's Ross Peterson to recap the Hawkeyes' NCAA Tournament loss to Oregon while looking ahead to the 2021-22 season.
A huge week for Hawkeye athletics is covered in this 50-minute episode, as Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join KXnO's Erick Zamora. They'll preview Iowa's West Region draw and dig into life at the NCAA "bubble" in Indianapolis. In our third segment, the Register's Cody Goodwin talks Iowa wrestling as he heads to St. Louis for the Thursday-Saturday NCAA Championships.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert give their thoughts on the Roy Marble situation before delving into a bunch of Hawkeye angles heading into the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis and making their predictions.
Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join KXnO's Ross Peterson to take stock of a monumental win at Ohio State and the home-home finish this week before the postseason begins.
In an all-basketball Hawk Central Hour, there's a lot of fun stuff at stake for the 17-6 Iowa Hawkeyes as they get set for two top-five opportunities on the road. Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join KXnO's Ross Peterson to break down Iowa's situation. We also get plenty of calls comparing the careers of Luka Garza and Ronnie Lester.
Iowa seems to be gaining more comfort with and without CJ Fredrick, as shown in double-digit wins against Rutgers and Michigan State. Chad Leistikow, Mark Emmert and Ross Peterson discuss the road ahead for the Hawkeyes, the latest in football transactions, Chris Doyle and the return of women's swimming.
Chad Leistikow, Mark Emmert and Ross Peterson are joined by a bevy of callers who want to talk Hawkeye hoops after two losses last week. Why did McCaffery leave Garza on the bench for the last 12:30 of the first half at Indiana? We still don't know. Later, Cody Goodwin joins the program to talk Hawkeye wrestling and what their COVID-19 pause could mean for the big postseason tournaments.
With a tight window Wednesday night on KXnO, we buckle down and dig into the Hawkeyes' 84-78 win against Michigan State and look ahead to the next five games. And Ross has an interesting theory about why the players are focused on six games in 16 days. Also, Chad and Mark quickly discuss the potential quarterback competition this spring in Iowa City after Kirk Ferentz's first presser of 2021.
Erick Zamora joins the Register's Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert to discuss the magnitude of Iowa's loss to Indiana, preview a rivalry game at Illinois, and project how the Hawkeye basketball team will fare in its final 11 Big Ten Conference games.
Chad Leistikow, Mark Emmert and Ross Peterson look at the all-Indiana NCAA Tournament and what fans should know about the format while discussing the possibility of Iowa obtaining a coveted No. 1 seed. And there's lots of scheduling talk with Iowa having two out of four games postponed by opponents' COVID-19 issues. Also, who's coming back to the football team and why it sounds promising for 2021.
We recorded this show less than an hour before Thursday's game against Michigan State was canceled, but the topics are relevant nonetheless. After two segments of basketball analysis, we turn our attention to the Iowa wrestling season which begins Friday against Nebraska. Do Tom Brands' Hawkeyes have any weaknesses?
Erick Zamora of KxNO joins the Register's Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert to break down a big Iowa basketball win at Rutgers, plus the road ahead for the No. 7 Hawkeyes. Could they win their next six games? And what will next year's starting lineup look like for the football team?
Ross Peterson, Mark Emmert and Chad Leistikow spend the first half of our final show of 2020 focused on the Hawkeyes' basketball win against Northwestern, with the football season coming to an abrupt conclusion. Was this 6-2 season a success? Why aren't more seniors sticking around for 2021?
Chad Leistikow, Mark Emmert and Ross Peterson have a long discussion about Iowa's Big Ten-opening win against Purdue and fold in the Gonzaga loss, too. Also ... will there be a bowl game?
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join KxNO's Erick Zamora to discuss what the Hawkeyes did well to beat Wisconsin, the ramifications of the canceled game with Michigan, the 2021 recruiting class and even a brief preview of a huge men's basketball clash with Gonzaga.
Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join Ross Peterson to highlight the key things we learned from No. 3 Iowa's 93-80 win against North Carolina. And ... there's a big basketball game this week, as well as a football showdown against Wisconsin to discuss.
Another day, another cancellation in the Big Ten Conference. But Iowa football keeps chugging along, on track to play a seventh game in seven weeks Saturday at Illinois. We look back at "Clapgate" and look forward to the matchup in Champaign, with a little discussion about the No. 3-ranked Iowa basketball team.
In place of our KXnO radio show this week, we give you a 45-minute pregame podcast for Iowa vs. Nebraska. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert answer questions about the Huskers' pregame language and compare their quarterback situation to Iowa's. As always, we finish with our predictions.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join host Ross Peterson to recap Iowa's terrific defensive performance in a win at Minnesota and preview the matchup at winless Penn State. Plus, a basketball schedule has arrived! It's time to talk about a preferred starting lineup for the No. 6 Hawkeyes.
The Iowa basketball team is ranked No. 5 in the country in the preseason AP poll. What are fair expectations?
The last 70% of the episode is devoted to Iowa football and Friday's matchup with Minnesota. Chad Leistikow, Mark Emmert and Ross Peterson welcome Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press to the program, and he tells us why the Gophers are off to a surprisingly bad 1-2 start.
What can Iowa fix quickly after an 0-2 start? Chad Leistikow, Mark Emmert and Ross Peterson review the Hawkeyes after their 21-20 loss to Northwestern. Then, we're joined by the Lansing State Journal's Graham Couch, who is outstanding with his insight into the Spartans and makes a chilling comparison to what he covered at the end of the Mark Dantonio era and what he sees at Iowa with Kirk Ferentz.
Chad Leistikow, Mark Emmert and Ross Peterson dive into bouwhat went wrong in Iowa's football loss to Purdue, and give their opinions on whether the Hawkeyes can rebound Saturday vs. Northwestern.
Dienhart, the former Big Ten Network reporter and analyst, now covers the Purdue Boilermakers and helps us get a better idea of what the Hawkeyes are facing Saturday in West Lafayette. Also, Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join Ross Peterson to dive deeper into the trouble the University of Iowa could be facing as former football players threaten to sue. And did Chad just change his prediction again?
On Wednesday night's live show just a few miles from where President Trump was awarding Dan Gable the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our heads are buried deeply in the Iowa football schedule. After taking a wide range of calls and talk wrestling and hoops, we dive into each of the Hawkeyes' eight (plus one) games on the Big Ten schedule and try to pinpoint EXACTLY what will happen. There are laughs and a fair amount of optimism from Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert.
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join Ross Peterson to discuss a busy week in Hawkeye sports, including scheduling news for men's basketball and what we know about the Iowa football team after interviews with 20 players.
Led by guest host Trent Condon, the Register's Mark Emmert and Chad Leistikow try to analyze what's been a very quiet Iowa football camp to date. What do we expect to see at linebacker and in the defensive backfield this fall for the Hawkeyes? We make time for Iowa basketball and Mark's report that the four eliminated sports might not be dead
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join Ross Peterson to break down the Iowa football team's new schedule, the team's depth at key position groups and what the season ahead will look like. Plus, they discuss the four Hawkeye sports that are slated to be cut.
All of a sudden, we have October football on the calendar after the Big Ten Conference's monumental reversal Wednesday morning. While we wait on an actual schedule, there are concrete competitive things to discuss for Mark Emmert, Chad Leistikow and Ross Peterson. We size up the medical-testing data, Kevin Warren's one-year anniversary and how the Hawkeyes will try to prepare for a Big Ten opponent in five weeks.
This would have been Cy-Hawk football week, so Ross Peterson, Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert discuss five story lines we would have been following closely. But before that, we discuss the latest wild idea during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Division I basketball tournament where everyone's invited. Crazy enough to work? Or just crazy? To finish the show, we transition to the world of recruiting. Matt Bain joins us to provide the latest on the case of Hawkeye recruit Arland Bruce IV.
Before digging into the latest developments in Big Ten football, including a phone call from the U.S. President, Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert commemorate the life of Lute Olson with some of the best stuff we learned in writing about his recent passing. With Ross Peterson back in studio, we try to navigate the now-mixed waters between college football and the November election. Oh, and basketball season has a plan!
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join KXnO's Trent Condon to discuss the University of Iowa's decision to eliminate men's and women's swimming, men's gymnastics and men's tennis from the sports menu. It's a complicated issue that leaves a lot of athletes in limbo and will not be remembered as Gary Barta's finest hour. We also delve into the conversation of a Big Ten football season, a topic that isn't going away.
On a week that has seen Iowa football parents mobilize in an effort to seek transparency from the Big Ten Conference on its football decision, we hear from three fathers of Hawkeyes with varying perspectives. Sam Britt's son, Justin, is a young offensive lineman wanting to prove himself. Nick Cronk's son, Coy, arrived as a grad transfer hoping to rebound from injury with a strong senior season. Rodney Nixon's son, Daviyon, expressed worries about the health risks of playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this show, Chad Leistikow and Trent Condon hear from them, as well as exploring the possibility of spring football and a college basketball season.
Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert discuss all of the ramifications of the Big Ten Conference postponing its football schedule. What does that mean for basketball?
Trent Condon and Mark Emmert welcome in Iowa assistant director of football operations Ben Hansen. Plusk plenty of talk about Hawkeye football and men's basketball with the announced return of star Luka Garza.
Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker joins the Register’s Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert and guest host Emery Songer to discuss an eventful last couple months within the Hawkeye football program. Parker shares ways he has reacted to the racial-bias allegations and yes, we do talk some football as well. Chad and Mark also break down the 2019 diversity task force findings and what level of blame Gary Barta and Kirk Ferentz should be taking.
Mark Emmert and Chad Leistikow join KXnO’s Ross Peterson to further discuss the ramifications of the Big Ten’s scheduling plan, the Cy-Hawk game included, and wonder: If there’s a season, what are they playing for? We also talk about Kinnick Stadium seating, some ominous financial numbers and Luka Garza’s upcoming decision.
Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join KXnO’s Ross Peterson to discuss the latest scenarios surrounding the 2020 college football season. Is a spring 2021 season beginning to look like a best-case situation? What other options might be on the table? We also discuss some possible adjustments in the basketball schedule as well as the ongoing investigation into the Iowa football program.
Ross Peterson and Mark Emmert are joined by Iowa offensive line coach Tim Polasek, who discusses the allegations of racial bias raised by former Hawkeye players, how the team is responding, coaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a current crop of linemen that could become the best in the BIg Ten Conference.
Ross Peterson and Mark Emmert discuss the latest on what a college football season may look like this fall in Iowa City. Then, Hawkeye assistant basketball coach Sherman Dillard joins the show to share his perspective on the current demands for racial justice in America, and what he learned growing up as a Black child in Virginia in the 1960s that he passes on to his sons and his players today.
Iowa special-teams coordinator LeVar Woods shares powerful testimony and stories about the last 10 days of Hawkeye football, as well as his upbringing In Northwest Iowa. Chad Leistikow and Ross Peterson finish the show by tackling the topics of Chris Doyle, Brian Ferentz and kneeling.
This week’s Hawk Central radio hour is devoted to discussion of the controversy embroiling the Iowa football team. What do the guys think of the allegations against longtime strength coach Chris Doyle and where does the program go from here?
In a powerful interview, Iowa defensive line coach Kelvin Bell joins Ross Peterson and Chad Leistikow and shares his experiences as a black man growing up in Mississippi.
Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller joins the show and presents ideas that could change the college game. But before that, the Register’s Mark Emmert and Chad Leistikow join guest host Andrew Downs to offer their thoughts on football players’ June 8 return to campus, college football attendance and the importance of Ihmir Smith-Marsette.
The Register’s Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join KXnO’s Ross Peterson to navigate a newsy Wednesday, including the NCAA giving the OK to voluntary football workouts in June. What’s next in college sports? We later welcome Iowa running backs coach Derrick Foster to the show, and he gives us an update on Tyler Goodson and the rest of Iowa backfield. And yes, there’s some Jordan Bohannon and basketball rotation talk, too.
The Register’s Chad Leistikow joins KXnO’s Ross Peterson to tackle another week of Hawkeye sports developments, and this week’s headlining topic is Iowa basketball. With the news of Jordan Bohannon’s fifth year, are the Hawkeyes and coach Fran McCaffery equipped to handle high expectations? We also wade into the latest waters of whether college football is feasible for the fall, plus some other topics of interest, in this week’s show.
The Hawk Central guys catch up with Iowa strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle during this crazy offseason. Then Ross Peterson and Mark Emmert share the latest in the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joe Wieskamp’s return to Iowa basketball sparks a wide-ranging conversation between Mark Emmert, Chad Leistikow and Ross Peterson. Then it’s back to football, with our NFL Draft analysis on Iowa’s five selections. Finally, Matt Bain joins the show to delve into the Hawkeyes’ recent recruiting surge.
A busy night of Hawkeye football talk is on the menu on a few different levels for this week’s Hawk Central radio show. No. 1, we welcome Iowa director of recruiting Tyler Barnes to the program for an insightful 20-minute interview. Certainly his world has changed a lot, and we hear straight from the leader of Iowa’s 2021 recruiting class how those changes are affecting the Hawkeyes. No. 2, it’s the eve of the NFL Draft. Chad Leistikow, Mark Emmert and Ross Peterson reflect on the careers of five or six Hawkeyes expecting to hear their names called, and we offer predictions on where Tristan Wirfs, A.J. Epenesa, Nate Stanley and others will land this weekend.
The regular crew is back. And Mark Emmert, Chad Leistikow and Ross Peterson begin the show with an ominous conversation about the possibility of a significantly delayed or no college football season. What would that world look like in college sports? We discuss that, plus what Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said Wednesday afternoon during a Zoom conference. Chad and Mark also delve into their thoughts about what happens next for Luka Garza, plus an early look at the NFL Draft prospects of Nate Stanley and A.J. Epenesa.
Another week without sports, yet there is a LOT to talk about surrounding the Hawkeyes. Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert join guest host Trent Condon on this week’s Hawk Central radio show to delve into the future of the 2020 college football season, helped by fresh comments Wednesday from Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. We also size up just how big a hit Iowa’s athletics department could take amid the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. In our third segment, we tackle some angles of Monday’s NCAA eligibility vote and the unintended consequences of saying “yes” to spring-sports athletes.
A fast-moving sequence of events in Indianapolis (and nationally) have left us without sports for the foreseeable future. Chad Leistikow and Mark Emmert offer their early thoughts, after the Big Ten Tournament was canceled, and then just hours later, the NCAA canceled all of its winter and spring championships.
Chad Leistikow, Mark Emmert and Ross Peterson dive deep into Iowa’s road at the Big Ten Conference Tournament and discuss and debate Chad’s five things he wants to see out of Iowa in Indianapolis. It’s a hoops heavy week as Iowa gears up for next week’s NCAA Tournament.