On Iowa Podcast

Will Cade McNamara play Saturday? Will the offensive line be improved? Will the Iowa offense be ... adequate? The Gazette's Mike Hlas isn't quite ready for summer to be over but he and John Steppe discuss those questions and more on this week's Hawk Off The Press podcast ahead of Saturday's Iowa football season opener.

Unsurprisingly, the Iowa field hockey program enters the fall with high expectations again. This year’s Hawkeyes are ranked seventh in the country and will be counting on some talented newcomers to make an immediate impact. Head coach Lisa Cellucci joins The Gazette's John Steppe on the podcast this week to preview the season and discuss her impressions of interim athletics director Beth Goetz.

It’s time for a mailbag episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast after a busy week of the Iowa football program’s interaction with the media, including media day and the Kids’ Day open practice, plus interim athletics director Beth Goetz’s introductory press conference. Topics include quarterback Cade McNamara, special assistant to the head coach Jon Budmayr, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz’s contract and more. Contribute to future mailbag episodes by joining our free Hawkeye text group at joinsubtext.com/hawkeyes.

Iowa sportswriter John Bohnenkamp is the guest on this week’s Hawk Off The Press podcast to preview Iowa football media day topics. Included in this week’s discussion: • How Oregon and Washington joining the Big Ten will impact Iowa and college football as a whole. • The latest in the Iowa sports gambling investigation and what we still don’t know. • What will the Iowa offense look like?

About a year after starting the Swarm Collective, founder and CEO Brad Heinrichs joins The Gazette's John Steppe on the Hawk Off The Press podcast for an update on Swarm's progress, goals and relationship with University of Iowa athletics.

Iowa assistant defensive line coach and defensive recruiting coordinator Jay Niemann is the guest on this week’s Hawk Off The Press podcast with The Gazette's John Steppe. Niemann, who’s made multiple other coaching stops in Iowa — including as head coach at Simpson College — describes what he watches for during games, what he learned as a head coach, how he recruits high-profile Iowa high school prospects, his transfer portal philosophy, Iowa’s 2023 defensive line and more.

Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods is the guest on this week’s Hawk Off The Press podcast with The Gazette's John Steppe. Woods talks about the key to Iowa’s field-goal consistency, how he structures practice and how players are evaluated for special teams, his coaching mentors, recruiting — including a potential pipeline in Arizona — why he’s stayed at Iowa and more.

Hawkeye fans had questions about the ongoing Iowa gambling investigation, Iowa’s wide receiver depth, the offensive line and more topics for a mailbag episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast with The Gazette's John Steppe.

Cleveland.com and Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Doug Lesmerises is the guest on this week’s Hawk Off The Press podcast. We break down what the recently-revised 2024 and 2025 Big Ten football schedules mean for the conference and Iowa. Plus, what Doug expects from the Hawkeye offense and Ohio State transfer Kaleb Brown this fall.

Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller is the guest on this week’s podcast with The Gazette's John Steppe Heller reviews a 2023 season that resulted in an NCAA regional bid but was also “a season of near-misses,” looks back at the Hawkeyes’ regional games and details how the team will look to improve, including via the transfer portal.

The Gazette's Mike Hlas joins John Steppe on this week's Hawk Off The Press podcast to discuss athletics director Gary Barta's legacy following his retirement announcement, plus what Iowa should be looking for in its search to replace Barta. Iowa announced Thursday morning (after this podcast was recorded) that Beth Goetz will be its interim AD.

What eligibility concerns might arise for Iowa athletes involved in the sports betting investigation? The Gazette's John Steppe answers to kick off a mailbag episode. Other questions include: Where could Erick All fit in Iowa's offense? What are the latest transfer portal developments in wrestling and basketball?

Questions still outnumber answers after revelations that University of Iowa and Iowa State University athletes are under investigation for online sports wagering. The Gazette's John Steppe and Erin Murphy break down what we know and what questions remain on the latest episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast.

Iowa softball coach Renee Gillispie joins the Hawk Off The Press podcast with The Gazette's John Steppe ahead of the Hawkeyes’ Big Ten tournament game Wednesday against Maryland (4:30 p.m., BTN). Gillispie breaks down how Iowa went from 3-20 in the Big Ten last year to 10-13 this season and a bright future for the program that includes facility renovations.

It’s a mailbag episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast, starting with John Steppe's thoughts on Iowa receiving a commitment from Ohio State transfer wide receiver Kaleb Brown. Questions about Iowa’s strategy in the transfer portal in football and men’s and women’s basketball are also included. Sign up for our free text group and contribute to future mailbag episodes by visiting joinsubtext.com/hawkeyes.