New Iowa State offensive coordinator Tim Lester coaches the team during Hawkeyes football spring practice at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, April 20, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Jeff Stelfox/The Gazette)
IOWA CITY — The transition from spring practice season to transfer portal season wasn't a big change at all for Evaszewski Drive.
Iowa football has already “done its due diligence” in the transfer portal, head coach Kirk Ferentz said shortly after the Hawkeyes' open practice Saturday, adding that he and the coaching staff “will do our best to help our team.” “
“The good thing about spring practice is you're not preparing for a game, so you can watch it in meetings outside of practice,” Ferentz said.
The Hawkeyes' potential portal needs in the spring transfer cycle (players can commit at any time, but can enter from April 16-30) include quarterback and wide receiver.
The Hawkeyes are particularly reliant on Cade McNamara at quarterback. McNamara returned from his ACL surgery in 2023, and his last full season was 2021. Meanwhile, there are only four seniors at wide receiver (including two walk-ons).
Offensive coordinator Tim Lester expressed confidence in the quarterback and wide receiver, but said in a press conference last week that he is “always looking” at the transfer portal.
“I don't think anybody, no matter what position you're in, turns a blind eye to that,” Lester said. “I think everyone has a plan, but Coach (Ferrentz) and Tyler (Burns) will figure out what plan we have as we move forward. We are actively looking for a location.”
Some of the portal's activity has already been revealed.
Iowa received a commitment from North Dakota offensive lineman Cade Bould on Saturday, but he will not receive a scholarship.Missouri State wide receiver Raylen Sharp, a third-team FCS All-American last year, announced his plans on Sunday. Visit the Hawkeyes this week.
Iowa State has limited ability to add via the portal due to current scholarship status. The Hawkeyes had 89 players on scholarship as of noon Sunday, four players over the cap.
“I don't think we need to go and get 10 guys or anything like that,” Ferentz said. “For some people, that's kind of how they do it, so it's a little different.”
How many layoffs Iowa State experiences in the coming days could determine how much flexibility there is in the portal. Ferentz referenced a famous line from longtime NFL coach Mike Tomlin. “They're not hostages, they're volunteers.” He talked about attrition in the Iowa program.
“You don't want to have players on your team who aren't invested enough and aren't happy with things,” Ferentz said.
Iowa State finished spring practice on Saturday, so this week will be a great time for everyone to enter the portal without missing any practice time. For the same reason, more talent could become available.
“Probably this week there will be new entries and more participants will be in this portal, because a lot of people will finish today,” Ferentz said, referring to the national spring practice timeline. body,” he said.
Each portal cycle involves some degree of unpredictability. Last spring, Iowa State didn't drop a single scholarship player into the portal. However, in the previous winter's transfer portal window, 10 scholarship players left the team.
Iowa State lost four scholarship players through the portal this winter. So far this spring, wide receiver Jacob Bostic and offensive lineman Kadin Proctor have joined that portal. (Proctor was scheduled to go to Iowa in January, but left before participating in practice.)
“It's hard to predict anything,” Ferentz said. “A few years ago, a lot of people retired in December. You never know. …Because of the current state of college football, the portal, the NIL, and all that, there are a lot of people that have been around for the last 20 years. No deaf chart applies now.”
However, Ferentz is confident that “it will go well.”
“I feel really good about it,” Ferentz said.
Comment: john.steppe@thegazette.com
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