IOWA RUMORS & GOSSIP

This may make me a rare bird (or a birdbrain) in these parts, but I prefer pro sports over the college variety. Don’t get me wrong. I watch more college football than NFL on television. It’s a wackier game, and more emotional. Plus, it’s played in weirder locations than the pro variety. You’d never have heard of Tuscaloosa, Clemson or Norman were it not for their football...

MARION — For Brad Hopfinger, the goal is singular. Play good golf this summer, then take a shot at another coveted professional tour. Hopfinger is one of five golf pros who played collegiately at the University of Iowa that will compete at the Greater Cedar Rapids Open golf tournament, which runs Thursday through Saturday at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion. “It’s kind of...

Big Ten Media Days are a wrap and if you missed any of our coverage, you can find it on our Hawkeyes home page. Kirk Ferentz was at the podium Monday to address the media, but he shared a few more insights in a side session that you can hear on this edition of the On Iowa Podcast. Click below to listen, or subscribe on

IOWA CITY — Late July baseball in the state of Iowa is generally reserved for high school teams playing in the state tournament at Principal Park in Des Moines and a handful of minor league teams. College baseball in the state is virtually nonexistent at this time. Iowa, the only Division I program in the state, played its last game of the season back on June 4. Yet on Tuesday...

IOWA CITY — The Iowa Board of Regents released 2018 budgets for the three state universities on Tuesday, including those for the athletic departments. The University of Iowa once again has the highest budget at a little more than $117 million for 2018, which is an increase of $3.6 million from 2017’s budget. The Regents’ annual report for state budgets outlined the revenue...

Iowa Hawkeye football fans celebrated July 4 in more ways than one as Nevada graduate transfer running back James Butler announced his decision to play his final college season for the Hawkeyes. Iowa recruited Butler in high school, but did not offer the running back as the Illinois native received no Power Five Conference offers. However, Butler proved to be one of the most productive...

The Comeback’s college football preview coverage continues with the next team in our Top 50 countdown, the Iowa Hawkeyes. We’ll move up the list each day, leading up to the beginning of the regular season.  Kirk Ferentz is the dean of college football coaches, now that Bob Stoops has rode off into the sunset. He enters his 19th year in Iowa City, and his tenure has been marked...

Akrum Wadley was a two-star recruit from New Jersey with one Power Five conference scholarship offer from Iowa. Now, he will take the role as the leader of the Hawkeyes’ offense during the 2017 season. The running back not only has talent, but possesses that “wow” factor that puts him in the Heisman Trophy conversation. While Wadley did not post amazing season statistics last...

With Bob Stoops announcing his retirement from Oklahoma this month, college football’s FBS level now has just one coach who started at his current school before the year 2000: Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz. Coaching for over 15 years at the same place is relatively unheard of today, but Ferentz’s stay at Iowa is one of a few to buck that trend. The rest of the country, on the other hand...

31 defensive players for the Iowa Hawkeyes’ Football program have been drafted into the NFL since 2000. If all these great players could combine to form one team, what would it look like? DE Adrian Clayborn (Years Started: 2008, 2009, 2010) As a junior, Clayborn was the MVP of the Orange Bowl in Iowa’s 24-14 victory over Georgia Tech. He was named a semifinalist for the Rotary...

The Iowa Hawkeyes’ basketball team currently has one commit for 2018 in forward Joe Wieskamp from Muscatine, Iowa. Wieskamp ranks as a top 50 player nationally. The Hawkeyes will likely have one or two other scholarships available for this class. Who are the Hawkeyes targeting to round out this group? Adam Trapp (Esko, MN) Trapp is a mountain of a man as he stands 7’2 as a center...

Peter Jok posted big numbers his senior year for the Iowa Hawkeyes averaging 20 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 38% from behind the arc and 91% at the free throw line. Jok is projected as a second round pick, but that could change after struggling in scrimmages at the combine this past week. This begs the question, will he have an NBA career? Strengths Jok’s biggest...

It seems as though Iowa assistant coach Brian Ferentz has a few grievances to share in Big Ten country. The son of head coach Kirk Ferentz did not hold back with his criticisms of rival Big Ten programs over a few issues regarding the NFL Draft and recruiting. On the topic of recruiting, Ferentz appeared to have a problem with the way Minnesota and in-state rival from the Big 12...

As the ACM Awards approach, the country music scene stands as a wonderfully disparate one. Now, more than ever before, artists are experimenting with the genre, and getting recognized for it. From Sturgill Simpson's psychedelic country, to Jason Isbell's southern rock-tinged songs, it's never been a better time to be a country fan. Here are 20 of today's most exciting country stars.