By Pat Harty IOWA CITY, Iowa – Entering his 28th season as the Iowa football coach, Kirk Ferentz, who turned 71 on August 1, has eight starters to replace on defense from last season, along with his starting quarterback, his record-breaking kicker, his starting punter and one of the greatest return specialists in Big Ten […]
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football team held its annual media day event on Friday. Here is Kirk Ferentz’s entire press conference transcript: Kirk Ferentz: Good afternoon, everybody. Appreciate everybody’s coverage and interest in our team. Appreciate you being here. Today just to start with a couple things, today is our eighth practice, eighth […]
Hawkeye Family, As we turn the page to a new academic year, I am filled with excitement for what lies ahead and, most of all, gratitude for you. The passion of Hawkeye Nation is extraordinary. You show up for our student-athletes in so many ways: in the stands, from afar, through your support of our […]
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa fifth-year linebacker Jayden Montgomery has been named to the 2026 Butkus Award Watch List, it was announced Thursday. Montgomery is one of 51 linebackers named to the watch list this season – a nod to the storied “51” pro jersey worn by the award’s namesake, the late Dick Butkus. […]
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa Athletics and Hawkeye Sports Properties will host the “Hawk Talk with Kirk Ferentz Radio Show” each Wednesday evening during the 2026 Hawkeye football season. The initial show of the season will take place Wednesday, Sept. 2. VUE Rooftop at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Iowa City […]
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — Five different players found the back of the net as the Iowa women’s soccer team opened its 2026 season with a dominant 7-0 victory over Milwaukee on Wednesday night at the Iowa Soccer Complex. The seven goals marked the most scored by the Hawkeyes in a single game since an […]
By Pat Harty IOWA CITY, Iowa – Football is considered the ultimate team sport because success requires 11 players working cohesively, aggressively and skillfully on the field together. Just one little mistake by one player can be enough to derail a play. But even with this team-first dynamic, some players still are more indispensable than […]
Today’s show includes an interview with Hawkeye soccer player Abby Skiff. Hawk Fanatic podcast for 8/12/26
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa fifth-year linebacker Jayden Montgomery has been named to the 2026 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, the Wuerffel Foundation announced Tuesday. Montgomery (5-foot-11, 227 pounds) saw action in all 13 games last season, including seven starts at linebacker, for the nationally ranked, nine-win Hawkeyes. He recorded 44 tackles, one tackle […]
By Mike Hlas IOWA CITY, Iowa – How can the kids at Luka Garza’s basketball camps in Fayette Aug. 17 and Indianola Aug. 19 possibly relate to someone making a seven-figure salary who is good enough to play in the NBA? Quite easily, actually Garza’s basketball story is and always has been someone whose achievements […]
By Hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa fourth-year offensive linemen Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper have been named to the 2026 Lombardi Award Watch List, it was announced Tuesday. The Lombardi Award is presented annually to the college football lineman or linebacker who best embodies the values and spirit of legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi: character, discipline, and […]
Hawk Fanatic podacst for 8/10/26
By Pat Harty IOWA CITY, Iowa – A strong case could be made for Don Nelson being ranked among the top five Iowa men’s basketball players of all time. Never mind that he won five NBA titles as a member of the Boston Celtics, had his No. 19 retired by the franchise in 1978, won […]
By Hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa – Former University of Iowa men’s basketball student-athlete Don Nelson passed on Aug. 9. He was 86. Nelson played for the Hawkeyes from 1959-62, where he led the team to 45 victories across three seasons. He was a third-team All-American in 1962, a two-time first-team All-Big Ten honoree and the team […]
By Pat Harty IOWA CITY, Iowa – Until the college football playoff expands to 24 teams, which seems inevitable, anything worse than a 10-2 record would almost certainly eliminate the Iowa football team from playoff contention. That’s a big reason why Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz wants the field to grow from 12 teams to […]
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa fourth-year kicker Eli Ozick has been named to the 2026 Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award Watch List, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced on Friday. In its 35th season, the award recognizes the nation’s best place-kicker. Ozick joins the Hawkeyes after being named a finalist for the Fred Mitchell […]
Hawk Fanatic podcast for 8/7/26
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa – Three University of Iowa football student-athletes have been named to The Sporting News 2026 Preseason All-America teams, it was announced on Thursday. Fourth-year center Kade Pieper earned first-team honors, while third-year tight end DJ Vonnahme and fourth-year defensive back Zach Lutmer were selected to the second team. Pieper, a 2026 Walter Camp Preseason first-team All-American and Outland Trophy […]
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa fourth-year offensive lineman Kade Pieper has been named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List on Thursday. The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the country’s top center. Pieper, a 2026 Walter Camp, Sporting News, Athlon Preseason first-team All-American, started all 13 games at guard in 2025 and is coming […]
By Pat Harty IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Hawk Fanatic/KCJJ radio show and podcast sometimes goes off course, or as we like to call it, drifting. Music is often where the drifting takes us, but in Wednesday’s show, a question by a regular caller triggered a conversation about who are the funniest head coaches that […]
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa third-year tight end DJ Vonnahme has been named to the John Mackey Award Watch List on Wednesday. The Mackey Award is presented annually to the country’s most outstanding tight end. Vonnahme (6-foot-4, 241 pounds) was named a Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-American in 2025 after becoming […]
Hawk Fanatic podcast for 8/5/26
By Pat Harty IOWA CITY, Iowa – In ranking the Iowa football team 22nd in the 2026 preseason Coaches Poll, Kirk Ferentz’s coaching peers are paying him and the Iowa program a nice compliment. That ranking at first glance might not seem like such a big deal, especially with seven Big Ten teams ranked above […]
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — Three University of Iowa football student-athletes were named to preseason watch lists, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Tuesday. Fourth-year defensive back Zach Lutmer was named to the 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, presented annually to the national defensive player of the year. Lutmer was previously tabbed as a […]
By Pat Harty IOWA CITY, Iowa – More than a decade has passed since Iowa radio legend Bob Brooks passed away on June 25, 2016 at the age of 89. Bob was my personal Hawkeye historian, even better and more reliable than the internet, and mixed in with a little dry humor and wit. Rarely […]
Hawk Fanatic for 8/3/26 By Hawk Fanatic IOWA CITY, Iowa – William Hughes was so determined to help push his belief that the 1960 Iowa football team deserves to be called the national champion that he wrote a book about it. Hughes, President of Nebraska Beef in Omaha, recently had his book titled “Standing Up […]
By Pat Harty IOWA CITY, Iowa – I’ve written this before, but it’s always worth repeating, especially with another college football season approaching. The Iowa football program has only had two head coaches since 1979 – Hayden Fry and Kirk Ferentz. Fry hired Ferentz as his offensive line coach in 1981, and it would ultimately […]
Hawk Fanatic podcast for 7/31/26
By hawkeyesports.com IOWA CITY, Iowa — Former Hawkeye pitcher Casey Day has been named pitching coach for the University of Iowa baseball team, head coach Rick Heller announced Wednesday. “We’re excited to have Casey join our coaching staff,” Heller said. “He’s a hard-working, intelligent, and talented pitching coach. As a former player in our program, Casey understands the standards and […]
