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Iowa Offense Remains Work in Progress

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Iowa Offense Remains Work in Progress


IOWA CITY, Iowa – This column always comes with a disclaimer – Kids Day is just one of more than 20 Iowa Football preseason practices. Context is very important when evaluating what we see. 

Beyond that, there’s nuance. Guys on both sides of the ball are out with injuries. Sometimes the No. 1 offense is facing the No. 1 defense. Other times it’s not. 

It makes taking a great deal out of the annual open practice difficult. That’s the case with what we witnessed Saturday in Kinnick Stadium. 

The problem was perception. Everyone that walked into that historic venue sought salvation from the evils of Brian Ferentz’s offense. Instead, they saw ghosts. 

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There was motion and other wrinkles from new coordinator Tim Lester. A few plays popped. Overall, the Hawkeyes remained stuck in the muck trying to move the ball. 

It wasn’t all bad, however. Iowa ran the ball pretty well. You know it’s an impressive stable of backs when it looks that good without injured starter Leshon Williams.

Also credit the interior of the O-Line as a lot of the rushing yardage came inside the tackles. The yardage raised questions about the team’s depth at defensive tackle, but that would have been picking nits with how that unit looked Saturday. 

Beyond that, the offense was as inept as it was under Lester’s predecessor. Inaccurate passes, dropped passes, pass-protection breakdowns, unforced errors – the fans at Kinnick received the full experience. 

Honestly though, are you surprised? Cade McNamara wasn’t cleared to physically work in the new offense until camp kicked off less than two weeks ago.

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It’s going to take time. Growing pains will be experienced. McNamara throwing 7-on-7 with teammates all summer isn’t the same as having Deontae Craig or Yahya Black in your face. 

That’s not to dismiss QB1’s dreadful day. He missed easy throws, botched a shotgun snap and appeared rusty in general. 

Time will tell if McNamara can knock said rust off. Not that we needed a reminder, but everyone knows the Hawkeyes can’t achieve their loftiest goals with what we witnessed Saturday. Complementary football works best when all three phases, you know, complement each other. 

Perhaps the Kids Day display wouldn’t have been quite as alarming had backup quarterbacks Brendan Sullivan and Marco Lainez lit it up. They did not. 

In fairness to the trio, top tight end Luke Lachey, and receivers Seth Anderson, Dayton Howard and Alec Wick were either limited or out of practice. It’s also possible the coaches limited what they showed in an open practice knowing footage would be available to opponents. 

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By the way, you may have heard, Iowa’s defense is dominant and filled with sixth-year seniors patrolling the back seven. And if you’ve ever attended a practice, you know guys on that side of the ball love stuffing any offense, including their own. They didn’t give an inch Saturday. 

Maybe nothing in the two previous paragraphs held significant meaning. Perhaps the offense won’t improve much and replacing Brian Ferentz wasn’t the solution. It’s a depressing possibility but a possibility none the less. 

More likely, it won’t be nearly as bad. Early-season growing pains are normal considering the circumstances. 

How much growth can be made and how long it takes will determine 2024’s result. Can the Hawkeyes grow through wins instead of losses against Iowa State and/or at Minnesota in September? Then, can the offense continue growing into October, making Iowa a College Football Playoff contender? 

The blueprint here calls for development, individually and collectively. It’s happening on defense and special teams. The offense needs to follow that path. 

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The staff’s personnel decisions and play calling will be critical. The student-athletes must avoid being discouraged by failure in the moment, continuing to push forward. 

That didn’t change Saturday. The players and coaches understood that. It was just confirmed for everyone else that watched. 



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Iowa State wrestling closes dual schedule with victory over Missouri

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Iowa State wrestling closes dual schedule with victory over Missouri


Iowa State wrestling closed out its dual season with a 20-14 victory over No. 14 Missouri on Feb. 22 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames.

The fourth-ranked Cyclones (12-2, 8-1 Big 12) won six of 10 bouts against the Tigers (12-8, 5-3) and now will prepare for the Big 12 Championships, scheduled for March 6-7 in Tulsa, Okla.

Eight Cyclones were recognized following the dual during senior-day festivities — Yonger Bastida, Rocky Elam, Vinny Zerban, Stevo Poulin, Isaac Dean, Manny Rojas, Rowan Udell and Xavier Bruening.

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Elam, Bastida, Poulin and Zerban accounted for four of the Cyclones’ six wins on Sunday.

Top-ranked heavyweight and lineup mainstay Yonger Bastida closed out his last match in Hilton Coliseum with a 22-6 tech fall in 5:43. Bastida tallied seven takedowns, pushing his season total to 102, as he secured his nation-leading 13th tech fall.

  • 197: No. 2 Rocky Elam (ISU) dec. No. 13 Evan Bates (MIZ), 7-3
  • 285: No. 1 Yonger Bastida (ISU) TF Sampson Stillwell (MIZ), 22-6 (5:43)
  • 125: No. 10 Stevo Poulin (ISU) dec. No. 30 Mack Mauger (MIZ), 9-4
  • 133: Garrett Grice (ISU) dec. No. 28 Gage Walker (MIZ), 7-3
  • 141: No. 3 Anthony Echemendia (ISU) dec. Easton Hilton (MIZ), 3-2
  • 149: Seth Mendoza (MIZ) dec. No. 10 Jacob Frost (ISU), 8-2
  • 157: No. 7 Vinny Zerban (ISU) dec. No. 15 Teague Travis (MIZ), 5-3
  • 165: Max Mayfield (MIZ) dec. No. 14 Connor Euton (ISU), 8-6
  • 174: No. 9 Cam Steed (MIZ) dec. No. 12 MJ Gaitan (ISU), 4-3
  • 184: No. 3 Aeoden Sinclair (MIZ) TF Jacob Helgeson (ISU), 21-5 (2:56)

Iowa State sports information contributed to this report.



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Disturbing video reveals alleged hazing at University of Iowa fraternity

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Disturbing video reveals alleged hazing at University of Iowa fraternity


IOWA CITY, Iowa — A disturbing video from the University of Iowa Campus Police shows an alleged hazing incident at the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity house in November 2024, leading to its suspension until 2029.

The footage reveals 56 male pledges blindfolded in the basement, KCCI reported.

First responders were called to the house for a fire alarm and found pledges covered in ketchup, mustard, and alcohol.

Iowa City Police said 21-year-old Joseph Gaya was arrested for trying to block officers’ view of the incident, although the charges were later dropped.

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Campus police and the Office of Student Accountability investigated the incident, resulting in Alpha Delta Phi’s suspension on Feb. 25, 2025, lasting until at least July 1, 2029.

(The-CNN-Wire & 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)



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Iowa state wrestling 1A finals recap, Don Bosco makes history

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Iowa state wrestling 1A finals recap, Don Bosco makes history


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In a sport with so much tradition within Iowa, it’s hard to set new bars to reach.

Even so, Don Bosco found a way to do it at this year’s Iowa state wrestling tournament. The Dons won their 18th traditional team state title, passing Waterloo West for the most all-time. It’s the program’s eighth in a row, a streak dating back to 2019.

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Don Bosco crowned six individual state champions, which ties a 2001 Lewis Central record for the most in a single year. Ty Martin (106 pounds), Kaiden Belinsky (113), Hendrix Schwab (120), Hayden Schwab (126), Dawson Youngblut (144) and Ethan Christoffer (175) each left with a state title. Youngblut, an Iowa commit, won his third and has a chance for four next year. The Schwab brothers, sons of UNI coach Doug Schwab, are now both two-time state champions. Also contributing was Blake Irvine, who took seventh at 132 pounds as the team’s lone state medalist outside of finalists.

It’s a surreal moment for the small-town team from Gilbertville, surpassing a Waterloo West program with so much rich tradition, behind names like Dan Gable, having made so much history within the state. While the Dons are far from the biggest school, they’ve found a way to have it all within their wrestling room.

Hayden Schwab pointed to the people behind the program, particularly the fans who helped propel the team to new heights.

“I don’t know if there’s a more dedicated group of people,” Hayden Schwab said. “They’re driving for these little 1A tournaments in the middle of the year, we got huge crowd at the Hudson tournament. You gotta say the people.”

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From World-level talents like Hayden Schwab overcoming a torn labrum, high-end Division I prospects like Youngblut and gritty wrestlers like Kyler Salis, who had the dual state title-clinching match against Jesup two weeks ago, Don Bosco has built a small-town school into Iowa’s most-accomplished program.

“We’ve all grown up together, gone to club together and we just make each other better every day,” Youngblut said after clinching the team title on Feb. 20. “Not just in wrestling, but in life. We’re all brothers.”

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Class 1A Iowa state wrestling tournament final matchups

106 – Don Bosco’s Ty Martin vs. South Central Calhoun’s Karson Wuebker, 1-0 decision

Martin escaped in the second period from bottom, while Wuebker did not in the third in a bout decided from par terre.

113 – Don Bosco’s Kaiden Belinsky over WACO’s Ian Maize, 17-2 technical fall

Belinsky saved his best match for last, recording five takedowns and two near-fall points in his state title victory.

120 – Don Bosco’s Hendrix Schwab over Martensdale St. Marys’ Jensen Dyer

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Schwab’s takedown just 17 seconds into his finals match, plus a second-period reversal, was all he needed to secure his second state title.

126 – Don Bosco’s Hayden Schwab over Earlham’s Max Millage, fall (1:24)

Coming off an injury, Schwab had a dominant state tournament with two technical falls and a quick win by fall in his finals match.

132 – Jesup’s Cooper Hinz over Lawton-Bronson’s Riley Watts, 4-1 decision

The future Michigan Wolverine had to gut this one out, recording a takedown with 23 seconds left to go to secure the state title for second-placed Jesup.

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138 – Riverside’s Drew Anderson over Louisa-Mucatine’s Hayden Riggan, fall (1:26)

Takedown, takedown, takedown, takedown, then finally a pin. Anderson didn’t leave this one to chance.

144 – Don Bosco’s Dawson Youngblut vs. Pleasantville’s Blake Rowson, 17-0 technical fall

Youngblut had just two takedowns in this match, but turns from the top position helped him earn the shutout

150 – Lake Mills’ Steve Brandenburg over Iowa Valley Marengo’s Chance Hoyt, fall (1:51)

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Brandenburg only needed one takedown, as he ran the bar and pinned Hoyt in short order.

157 – West Hancock’s Teague Smith over Westwood’s Boston Peters, 7-4 decision

In a battle between a veteran in Smith and a talented sophomore in Peters, Smith’s two first-period takedowns were the difference.

165 – North Mahaska’s Ryan Groom over South Winneshiek’s Kyle Kuboushek, 6-3 sudden victory

The senior found a way in overtime, as Kuboushek disengaged from the handfight for a moment and Groom took advantage for a takedown.

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175 – Don Bosco’s Ethan Christoffer over Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley’s Brock Mulder, fall (1:47)

Don Bosco’s sixth state champion nearly pinned Mulder off of his first takedown with four near-fall points, but he was able to get one in the closing moments of the first period to put a bow on the Dons’ special night.

190 – Starmont’s Keaton Moeller over Nodaway Valley’s Caleb Christensen, 21-6 technical fall

The UNI commit came back from missing all of last season with injury with pure dominance, winning all of his matches on the weekend by fall or technical fall.

215 – Woodbury Central’s Carter Wright over Don Bosco’s Kyler Salis, 20-3 technical fall

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Aside from giving up a takedown early in the third period, Wright dominated with a mix of takedowns and near-fall points to win a state title.

285 – Nodaway Valley’s Ashton Honnold over Earlham’s Keegan Long, fall (0:55)

Another three-time state champion was crowned, as this UNI commit hit a highlight-reel blast double on Long to take him straight to his back for the win by fall.

Class 1A team scores after the finals at the Iowa state wrestling tournament

  • 1st – Don Bosco (222 points)
  • 2nd – Jesup (115.5)
  • 3rd – Woodbury Central (103)
  • 4th – Nodaway Valley (80.5)
  • 5th – Lisbon (77.5)

Full team scores and updated brackets can be found on Flowrestling.com.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.





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