On Iowa Sports

At 6-4, this has become a forgettable season for an Iowa football team that entered the fall with expectations to contend for a College Football Playoff spot. The Gazette's John Steppe and Mike Hlas talk through where it went wrong on this episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast. Plus, the Iowa men’s basketball team has more talent and potential than people think, but where are the fans?

The Pinning Combination podcast with The Gazette's K.J. Pilcher and hall of fame coach Dick Briggs is back for the 2024-25 wrestling season. Joining us on the season’s first episode is UW-La Crosse Coach Dave Malecek. Malacek talks about his coaching influences in Iowa, how he’s been successful in La Crosse and the movies his wrestlers are required to watch. Then, it’s on to some early-season analysis of Iowa, Iowa State and UNI.

John Steppe and Mike Hlas break down Iowa's 40-14 win over Northwestern, the quarterback change to Brendan Sullivan and what it means for the rest of the season on this episode of The Final Score.

Iowa soccer head coach Dave DiIanni joins The Gazette's John Steppe to discuss another successful season for the Hawkeyes. Iowa is ranked 11th in the country with a 13-1-3 record heading into Sunday’s regular-season finale at Minnesota. Among the discussion topics: • Iowa’s keys to success this season • Freshman Berit Parten’s immediate goal-scoring impact • Sitting in third place while not scheduled to face the Big Ten’s top two teams, USC and UCLA • Iowa’s NCAA tournament outlook, including the possibility of hosting multiple rounds • Support from AD Beth Goetz, a former soccer coach herself who once coached against DiIanni

Matt Wenzel of MLive joins The Gazette’s John Steppe on the Hawk Off The Press podcast this week to give Iowa football fans a Michigan State scouting report ahead of Saturday night’s game in East Lansing. The Spartans are coming off a bye week but have lost three straight games under first-year coach Jonathan Smith.

The Gazette's John Steppe and Mike Hlas break down Iowa's 40-16 win over Washington on The Final Score, including another special Kaleb Johnson performance and why this was Hawkeyes' most complete performance of the season. Plus, the implications this win has for the rest of the season as the midway point arrives.

Andy Yamashita of The Seattle Times joins The Gazette’s John Steppe on the Hawk Off The Press podcast this week to preview Saturday’s Big Ten football game between Washington and Iowa. The Huskies are coming off an appearance in last season’s national championship game, but this is a new team with a new coach and a new conference. Andy tells us what to expect from this version of Washington.

Doug Lesmerises of the Kings of the North podcast joins The Gazette's John Steppe on this week’s Hawk Off the Press podcast with a message for Heisman Trophy oddsmakers: Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson should be in the discussion at this point in the season. Plus, how has Tim Lester changed the Hawkeyes’ offense? And does Iowa have a chance to beat Ohio State on Oct. 5?

It’s a late-night (well, more like early-morning) edition of The Final Score after Kaleb Johnson trampled Minnesota in a 31-14 Iowa victory. Tune in for postgame thoughts from The Gazette's John Steppe and Mike Hlas.

Iowa and Minnesota battle for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy in their Big Ten opener Saturday night in Minneapolis. Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press joins The Gazette's John Steppe on the Hawk Off The Press podcast to help preview the game — beyond just punt returns.

The nonconference portion of Iowa’s schedule wrapped up with a 38-21 win over Troy, a game more unusual than the score indicates. John Steppe break it down and look ahead to the Hawkeyes’ Big Ten potential on this episode of The Final Score podcast.

How did Iowa lose a 13-point halftime lead? How did Iowa State rally from a scoreless first half? And what does the Cyclones’ 20-19 win tell us about the rest of the season? The Gazette's John Steppe and Mike Hlas break down the Cy-Hawk game on this episode of The Final Score podcast.

It's Cy-Hawk week, so The Gazette's Iowa and Iowa State writers are teaming up on the Hawk Off The Press podcast to break down Saturday's game. Hear analysis and predictions from John Steppe and Rob Gray.

A “here we go again” first half turned into a second half full of promising signs for the Iowa offense. John Steppe and Mike Hlas break down the Hawkeyes’ 40-0, season-opening win over Illinois State on The Final Score podcast.

This episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast features John Steppe’s analysis of the news that Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz and receivers coach Jon Budmayr have been suspended one game for a recruiting violation, plus Thursday’s press conference featuring Ferentz and Iowa athletics director Beth Goetz.

Tom Kakert of Hawkeye Report joins The Gazette's John Steppe on the Hawk Off The Press podcast this week to discuss Thursday’s big recruiting news. They talk about Iose Epenesa’s recruiting process, why he ultimately followed his family to Iowa and how he’ll fit in with the Hawkeyes.

Iowa football director of strength and conditioning Raimond Braithwaite is the guest on this episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast with The Gazette's John Steppe. Braithwaite talks about the Hawkeyes’ offseason weight-room standouts, Cade McNamara’s injury rehab, how he works with transfers, why it’s important for young athletes to play multiple sports, how Iowa tracks sleep and more.

Iowa wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr is the guest on this episode of the Hawk of the Press podcast with The Gazette's John Steppe. Budmayr talks about what he’s learned in various coaching roles at Wisconsin, Colorado State and Iowa and what he expects from some of the Hawkeyes’ 2024 breakout candidates at receiver, including Jarriett Buie, Dayton Howard and Kaden Wetjen.

Iowa football and men’s basketball radio play-by-play broadcaster Gary Dolphin joins the Hawk Off The Press podcast with The Gazette's John Steppe this week. The voice of the Hawkeyes talks about Pat Angerer joining him in the booth this season, stories from working with Ed Podolak, why radio matters in Iowa, his favorite calls over the years and his future on the mic.

Iowa tight ends and fullbacks coach Abdul Hodge is the guest on this week’s episode of the Hawk Off The Press podcast with The Gazette's John Steppe. Hodge discusses why he started coaching, what he learned as an entrepreneur, what to expect from the Hawkeyes’ new offense and the tight ends in particular, what stands out about Iowa’s 2004 team, recruiting in Florida and more.