Iowa
Leistikow: Iowa football GM Tyler Barnes’ vision for revenue sharing, roster cap of 105
Video: Kirk Ferentz on Iowa’s QB play during Kids’ Day at Kinnick
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz addresses the media following Kids’ Day at Kinnick on Saturday, August 10, 2024.
College football’s evolution into a modified version of the NFL is undeniably coming soon.
Schools sharing revenue with players, salary caps, roster cuts and general managers … yes, all of that officially arrives in the fall of 2025.
And for the Iowa football program, that impending reality of a model will fall under the umbrella of 39-year-old Tyler Barnes.
Barnes was among the newsiest topics of Iowa’s recent media day, when longtime Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz announced a change in his son-in-law’s title. Barnes has been promoted from director of recruiting, a post he had held since 2016, to Iowa football’s chief of staff/general manager.
“More than anything, I wanted to restructure our personnel department a little bit,” Barnes said in an interview this week with the Des Moines Register, which aired on our weekly Hawk Central radio show on KXnO (106.3 FM). “And that title change gave me the opportunity to do that.”
The recent House vs. NCAA settlement, the terms of which were released publicly in late July, outline a new college-sports model. The big headlines to know for the purposes of our conversation with Barnes and how it impacts Iowa football:
- Up to about $21.5 million annually can be allocated to “revenue sharing,” meaning direct payments from the university to athletes.
- Football scholarship maximums for FBS schools were raised from 85 to 105, with partial scholarships now permitted.
- And a football roster cap was set at 105 players. That includes walk-ons. Barnes said Iowa’s latest roster has 131 players.
But before diving into the weeds … why Barnes?
The cries about nepotism have followed him for more than a decade, since Barnes became engaged to one of Ferentz’s daughters, Joanne, while he was on Iowa’s staff in 2013. (The couple now has three young children.) After three years with Vanderbilt’s football staff (including one under current Penn State coach James Franklin), Barnes returned to Iowa in 2016 and has since reshaped the Hawkeyes’ recruiting approach.
A double major in sports studies and finance at Iowa, Barnes’ intelligence and ability to help build rosters with NFL talent have gained him attention among those who make major hires in college football.
MORE: Join Chad Leistikow’s Hawkeyes text group
Though understandably not wanting to acknowledge suitors specifically, Barnes has turned down offers at his same position from playoff-caliber programs in recent years to stay at Iowa.
Brad Heinrichs, the CEO of the Iowa Swarm Collective who works closely with Barnes on the Hawkeyes’ roster, noted that Iowa’s “reranked” recruiting classes typically rank much higher than the pundits suggested. For example, Iowa’s 2020 recruiting class was ranked 35th at the time by Rivals; The Athletic put it No. 6 nationally in its “rerank” published earlier this year.
“Tyler … has a gift for finding lightly recruited players who turn into NFL Draft picks,” Heinrichs said. “Given that many blueblood schools have tried to lure him away from Iowa, that tells me that he is well-regarded by his peers.”
Barnes spoke on the nepotism topic and his job offers with the Register.
“Everybody on our staff – coaches and support staff included – we all get calls from schools. Every year. And really enticing ones,” Barnes said. “But we all choose to stay here for a certain reason, too. I get to work for an unbelievable head coach – and obviously I’m biased on that front – but everybody in our building, they’re going to say the same thing.
“I’d like to think that I didn’t get a title change because of (nepotism). I’d like to think it’s because of the loyalty I’ve had to this place and what we’ve been able to do, going back to 2016. I know everybody wants top-25 recruiting classes … but I think we’ve done a really good job of finding some high-caliber players that are obviously playing on Sundays now and have had a chance to win a lot of football games.”
Barnes’ staff restructuring, he said, will help Iowa retain quality people in the $100 million business of Hawkeye football. Matt Spaulding, who has been a recruiting analyst and specialist for Iowa since 2017, will assume Barnes’ old title of director of recruiting. Longtime sidekick Scott Southmayd will remain director of personnel. Rhett Smeins is a newly acquired assistant director of recruiting from Northwestern. Ireland Hostetler is in her third year as director of internal operations. And there are two creative-media staffers in Justin Elsner and Drew Kocken.
That seven-person full-time staff is “plenty big,” Barnes said, even though some programs around the country have recruiting staffs of 20-plus. It’s possible one more full-time spot could be added as the NIL world continues to grow.
“We’re in a sweet spot,” Barnes said. “We’ve got a really good staff.”
So, what about this number 105?
This is a topic that will consume Barnes for the next 12 months. The roster limit of 105 goes into effect starting with the 2025-26 academic year. First and foremost, the idea of making roster cuts will be painful. Iowa has 40-plus walk-ons on the team currently. The Hawkeye program has long been fueled, in part, by walk-on stories – most famously Dallas Clark, the 2002 Mackey Award winner. Kicker Keith Duncan, a 2019 consensus all-American, was an Iowa walk-on for three years.
Last year’s sacks leader, Joe Evans, was a former walk-on. Two current Hawkeye starters – linebacker Kyler Fisher and safety Quinn Schulte – are former walk-ons.
“We’ve got to find a way to cut 26 of them,” Barnes said. “That’s a really big number when you sit down and you look at your roster.
“It’s a lot of guys we recruited, and you told their families we were bringing them here for a reason. And now going into the 2025 season, things have changed pretty drastically. It’s going to reshape who we are a little bit.”
Paired with roster cuts is an increase in full-ride scholarships. Barnes doesn’t think Iowa will go all the way to 105 – though that will largely be up to how athletics director Beth Goetz decides to balance a potential increase in football scholarships (as well as basketball, wrestling and baseball) with an increase in women’s scholarships to make sure Iowa is Title IX compliant. Barnes does not envision providing partial scholarships as part of his plan.
“That’s a gigantic headache, when you get into it,” he said.
Barnes also is of the opinion that going all the way to 105 would limit roster flexibility. Once a player signs a national letter of intent, for lack of better phrasing, Iowa is “stuck” with that player until he graduates, quits or transfers. But if, say, the working number was 95 scholarships, that would allow Iowa to bring in 10 preferred walk-ons – often those guys that have high FCS offers from programs like Northern Iowa, North Dakota State or South Dakota State.
Some walk-ons in the new model will work out, and some won’t – just like now. But in the 2025 model, those who don’t work out would be in danger of getting cut. Those who do work out, just like now, could get promoted to scholarship status. Barnes didn’t say that explicitly, but that’s how a savvy general manager would create space to fill needs and accommodate potential transfers.
“To have that flexibility, even if it’s just 10 spots, is huge,” Barnes said. “In this day and age in college football … it’s all very fluid.”
Another important thing under Barnes’ direction will be paying players under the new revenue-sharing model. All 105, scholarship or not, are eligible for those payouts. Obviously, Ferentz as the program CEO has the final say on all things, including how those dollars are allocated. But it would be safe to assume that Iowa will construct a model consistent with Ferentz’s principles of getting what you earn.
The Hawkeyes under Ferentz will not be the type of program that pays top dollar for three or four megastars. They’ll likely embrace a tiered system in which the best players – starters, for example – will be paid the most. Ferentz also puts a lot of weight into seniority, so it would not be a surprise to see freshmen on the bottom of the pay scale.
It’s a complete unknown now how much of that potential $21.5 million pie that Goetz will earmark for football. Some SEC programs have talked about $15 million going toward football. Title IX is a major factor here – whether dollars will go equally to men’s and women’s athletes, or if Title IX applies only to the opportunity to play Division I athletics and not the dollars. The courts will have the final say on that.
For now, Barnes must wait on directives. But while all the coaches are thinking about the upcoming 2024 season, his thoughts are laser-focused on 2025 and beyond.
“It’s going to be a different world,” Barnes said. “I’ve done a few different exercises, and I think we’ve got an idea of where we’re going.”
Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has served for 29 years with The Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Sports Network. Chad is the 2023 INA Iowa Sports Columnist of the Year and NSMA Co-Sportswriter of the Year in Iowa. Join Chad’s text-message group (free for subscribers) at HawkCentral.com/HawkeyesTexts. Follow @ChadLeistikow on Twitter.
IOWA CITY — Iowa men’s basketball put on an efficient offensive display in its 89-74 win over Southern University on Thursday.
Iowa did not shoot particularly well in the regular-season opener Monday but was scorching hot on Thursday. Against Southern, the Hawkeyes shot 53.3% from the field and 45% from deep. Meanwhile, Southern shot 47.7% from the field and 31.6% from three.
Seven Hawkeyes hit at least one 3-pointer. Iowa made 18 3-pointers as a team.
Iowa got scoring from a variety of players, including five in double-figures: Payton Sandfort, Pryce Sandfort, Owen Freeman, Drew Thelwell and Josh Dix.
Through two games this season, Pryce Sandfort has been an offensive weapon for Iowa. He followed up his 13-point outing against Texas A&M-Commerce with a team-high 22 points on Thursday. The sophomore was an efficient 8-of-10 from the field, including 6-of-8 from deep.
“He’s been playing like that. He really has been since the summer,” Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said of Pryce Sandfort. “Really consistently shooting the ball well, consistently playing well at both ends. Been much more aggressive driving the ball, making plays.
Video: Fran McCaffery discusess Iowa’s win over Southern University
Fran McCaffery discusses a variety of topics following Iowa’s win over Southern University on Thursday.
Payton Sandfort, who flirted with a triple-double against Texas A&M-Commerce, was in that neighborhood again on Thursday. He finished the game with 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. He did commit six turnovers, however.
Reigning Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year Owen Freeman added 15 points and eight rebounds and three blocks on Thursday.
Iowa got off to a much better start on Thursday than it did against Texas A&M-Commerce. The Hawkeyes led by only seven points at halftime Monday and it took until the second half to gain some more substantial separation.
Against Southern, Iowa came out in much more decisive fashion. The Hawkeyes led by as many as 16 in the first half and, even though they hit a lull, held an 11-point advantage at the break.
The Hawkeyes were in pretty clear control for a majority of the contest. Iowa led by 25 with a little more than three minutes remaining but closed the contest in unimpressive fashion, making the final score tighter than it should’ve been.
“I just think we just need to take some more pride in getting stops,” Freeman said. “Because we were up (25). In Big Ten play we might not be up (25). We could be down nine and one of those stops could be huge. So we kinda got to think ahead to the future.”
Owen Freeman: Iowa needs to take ‘more pride in getting stops’ defensively
Owen Freeman discusses a variety of topics following Iowa’s win over Southern University on Thursday.
Iowa went with the same starting lineup as it did in the exhibition in the regular-season opener: Brock Harding, Josh Dix, Payton Sandfort, Ladji Dembele and Freeman.
Dembele had five points and eight rebounds. Dix scored 14. Harding had three points and six assists.
Along with Pryce Sandfort, Drew Thewell was very good off the bench for the second consecutive game. Thelwell, a Morehead State transfer, pitched in 12 points on 3-of-7 from deep.
Video: Pryce Sandfort talks career-high 22 points in win over Southern
Pryce Sandfort discusses a variety of topics following Iowa’s win over Southern University on Thursday.
Manhattan transfer Seydou Traore missed his second consecutive game due to injury. Iowa coach Fran McCaffery previously described it as a “bum wheel,” but did not seem concerned about it being a long-term issue. Traore’s blend of size and athleticism made him an intriguing offseason addition but his regular-season debut at Iowa continues to be put on hold.
McCaffery was optimistic postgame that Traore will make his Iowa debut on Tuesday.
Iowa plays one more lower-level opponent before taking a step up in competition. The Hawkeyes host South Dakota on Tuesday, but then face Washington State on Friday in Moline, Illinois. The game in the Quad Cities will serve as a homecoming for Freeman and Harding, who won a 4A state championship at Moline High School together as seniors.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
Bishop Heelan’s Maddie LaFleur discusses state title win over Pella
Bishop Heelan’s Maddie LaFleur breaks down state title victory, the first since 2007 for the program
CORALVILLE — Both Bishop Heelan and Pella volleyball were battle-tested heading into the Class 4A Iowa high school state volleyball tournament championship match.
Bishop Heelan and Pella both played over 40 games on the season, setting them up to play through any potential adversity.
Ultimately, the biggest beneficiary of that was Bishop Heelan as it rolled to a state title sweep in three sets (25-10, 25-13 and 25-17) at Xtream Arena on Thursday afternoon. This is Bishop Heelan’s fourth state title in volleyball and the program’s first since 2007.
“We came into the match ready to play,” senior setter Maddie LaFleur said. “We knew that we only had one game and we’re going to give it all we had, leave it on the court.”
The Crusaders opened with a dominant 25-10 in the first set. The offense was incredibly efficient behind LeFluer, who assisted on all 13 of Bishop Heelan’s kills in the set. While Ava Lloyd and Maliyah Hacker each had five kills, four different Crusaders posted kills in the set, showing LeFluer’s efficiency in distributing the ball.
In the second set, Bishop Heelan’s efficiency continued. With 14 kills in the set, the Crusaders had just four total errors in the second frame. That was in comparison to Pella’s 10, gifting the Crusaders an additional 10 tallies on the scoreboard in a set they were already dominating of offense.
Pella continued to improve throughout the matchup, but Bishop Heelan’s dominance ultimately was too much to overcome. The Crusaders rolled in the third set as well, winning it 25-17 with 17 kills among the team to cap off a dominant tournament.
In total, Lloyd and Hacker combined for 34 kills and just four errors. LaFluer had 36 of the team’s 44 assists. Between the three, they had 38 of the squads’ 59 digs.
The second-seeded Crusaders did not concede a single set in three matches during the tournament and defeated the 2023 state champions, North Scott, along the way.
Bishop Heelan head coach Lauren Boatman pointed to the senior leadership of LaFleur and Hacker in particular for the success. Both of them came into the season intending to put the Crusaders back on top in the state of Iowa.
“I think it goes back to Maddie and Maliyah being great leaders on and off the court, keeping everybody focused all week long,” Boatman said. “It was great to see.”
Pella has a lot to be proud of this season, finishing 41-8 and making the state tournament for the first time since 2018, making the state title match in head coach Joel Allman’s first season.
“This group is just such a special group of people,” Allman said. “They spread so much light in this world and I’m glad the state got to see them up here this whole week.”
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.
Boeing strike ends as workers vote to accept new pay offer
The strike at Boeing is over. West Coast factory workers voted to accept a new offer on pay that will see them get a 38% bump over four years.
More than 97% of Iowa businesses anticipate raising wages in 2025, but the increases may be less than those doled out a year ago, according to an annual survey released by Palmer Group, a leading Des Moines-based employment agency.
Findings of this year’s 2025 Salary Guide show that a majority of the businesses — 78% — plan on wage increases of 3%-4%, with 14% planning on raises of 1% to 2% and 5% anticipating raises of 5% or more. Only 3% of the businesses surveyed did not plan to give raises in 2025.
The survey also shows businesses have pared back their hiring plans slightly in 2025, with 45% anticipating hiring new staff as compared to 50% a year ago.
While demand for highly skilled and experienced workers is still high, this year’s survey reflects “less chaos” in terms of businesses rapidly ratcheting up wages to attract workers, said Palmer Group Executive Vice President Chris Lorenz.
“There’s less of a bidding war,” Lorenz said. “Companies are concentrating on being who they are and attracting employees who want to work there.”
He said the number of businesses responding to the survey this year was the highest since the company started doing them in 2013. He did not have an exact number for the responses, but say it was “more than 100.”
Pay hikes rise as boomers leave workforce faster than they can be replaced
Wages and salaries have become a focal point for businesses trying to attract workers at a time when Iowa’s labor force is shrinking. Baby boomers continue to retire at a rate faster than the number of young people entering the labor force can replace them. The state’s unemployment rate remains low, at just 2.9%.
Nearly 23,000 workers have left Iowa’s labor force in the last 12 months, Palmer Group Chairman and CEO David Leto noted in the survey report.
“Unemployment rates in Iowa have dropped and are near February 2020 levels,” Leto said. “We are seeing quit rates drop in Iowa and they are now below the US average, which was not the case for the past few years. Due to all of this, skilled and experienced talent is still hard to find, and demand remains strong.”
Workforce participation rate in Iowa remains below historic levels
Iowa’s workforce participation rate was at 66.4% in September, still higher than the 65.5% in August 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recorded low of 63.1% in January 1976. But Iowa’s workforce participation rate historically has been over 70%, including a high of 72.8% in October 2008, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While workforce participation has been going down, the total wages and salaries paid in Iowa topped $100 billion for the first time in the second quarter of 2024, according to Federal Reserve Economic Data statistics.
Companies looking to bring more workers back to office fulltime
Companies also are planning to increase the number of employees they are bringing back to the office full-time. Full-time, in-office work is planned for 38%, up from 33% last year. Still, companies also are anticipating more hybrid work accommodations at 32% compared to 25% a year ago. The amount of 100% remote workers was at less than 1% in the survey as compared to 2% fromyear.
The Des Moines metro has seen several office renovations in recent years as companies strive to make workspaces more enticing to employees.
The difficulty in finding new employees is reflected in where companies anticipate their focus to be in 2025. Employee retention at 37% remains the highest priority, but it is down from the 49% in 2024. The biggest shift was companies placing a focus on new technologies which almost doubled to 14% from 8% a year ago.
Who made the most and lest?
The survey also lists salary levels for a variety of different job titles based on experience. Ranking the highest were chief financial officers with top pay coming in at $689,400 for one with a high level of experience. The low was was $32,300 for an entry-level bank teller.
Palmer Group published the 2025 Salary Guide in collaboration with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Central Iowa Society for Human Resource Management and the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance.
Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at kbaskins@registermedia.com.
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