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Hawk Central Hour

HawkCentral.com
Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa Women's Basketball
Iowa Football
Iowa Men's Basketball
Big Ten Conference
NCAA Tournament
Tim Lester
Kirk Ferentz
Cade Mcnamara
Mark Gronowski
Transfer Portal
Big Ten
Caitlin Clark
Ben Mccollum
Iowa
Caleb Johnson
Iowa State
Hawkeyes
NIL
College Football

Des Moines Register Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow leads the conversation with our beat writers and frequent special guests to discuss the latest in Iowa football, men's and women's basketball and more.

Follow coverage from the entire Hawk Central team at hawkcentral.com or with the Hawk Central app.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes300Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Sports

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Artwork for Hawk Central Hour

Latest Episodes

Three days removed from Kids Day at Kinnick, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman take another look at the day of quarterback performances from Jeremy Hecklinski, Hank Brown and up-and-coming Jimmy Sullivan. We also go back to our media-da... more

It was just one practice out of nine, Kirk Ferentz reminded us. But Jeremy Hecklinski's dominant performance at quarterback has certainly shifted the QB conversation with Iowa football, 3 weeks ahead of the season opener. The Register's Chad Leistiko... more

Only three-plus weeks until the season, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman convene to offer their, mild, hot and ghost-pepper takes on the Iowa football season ahead. We choose 10 bold predictions in all, covering the offensive and defen... more

Back from vacation, the Register's Chad Leistikow reconvenes with Hawk Central teammate Tyler Tachman about the recently completed Big Ten Media Days while looking ahead to the start of fall camp for the Hawkeye football team. We discuss the potentia... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Jay Niemann
Iowa Assistant Defensive Line Coach
University of Iowa
Episode: Hawk Central: Iowa basketball ramps up schedule, 1-on-1 with Jay Niemann
Sean Bock
Basketball analyst for 247Sports
247Sports
Episode: Talking all things Iowa men's basketball with Sean Bock
Sean Sullivan
General manager and assistant coach, defensive stalwart of the Hawkeye women's basketball program
Iowa Hawkeye Women's Basketball
Episode: Hawk Central: Sitdown with Iowa women's basketball assistant coaches LaSondra Barrett, Sean Sullivan
LaSondra Barrett
Assistant coach and recruiting coordinator
Iowa Hawkeye Women's Basketball
Episode: Hawk Central: Sitdown with Iowa women's basketball assistant coaches LaSondra Barrett, Sean Sullivan
Lysandra Barrett
Recruiting Coordinator, Iowa Women's Basketball
Iowa Women's Basketball Program
Episode: Hawk Central 5 20 2026
Tyler Taschman
Sports analyst / analyst guest
Hawk Central (segment host in later portion)
Episode: Hawk Central 5 20 2026
Ben McCollum
Iowa men's basketball head coach
Iowa Hawkeyes
Episode: Hawk Central: Our year-ending Hawkeye awards show, top 1-on-1 takes with Ben McCollum
Dargan Southerner
Women's basketball writer
Des Moines Register
Episode: Hawk Central: Unpacking Kirk Ferentz's NCAA violation ruling, Iowa basketball portal heats up
Dargan Southard
Iowa women's basketball beat writer
Hawkeye Hoops / Des Moines Register
Episode: Hawk Central: Iowa basketball, wrestling teams reach ultimate NCAA tests

Hosts

Chad Leistikow
Host with Des Moines Register involvement, Hawk Central coverage
Tyler Taschman
Co-host covering Hawkeyes sports and related content

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 250 ratings
  • Solid

    Chad is prepared, knowledgeable and comes across a pleasant guy who is easy to listen to. My critique is I wish he wouldn’t constantly giggle/laugh so much at things that are not funny or even intended to be humorous.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Pretzel Hawk
    United States2 years ago
  • Good pod but..

    Maybe add some episode descriptions?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    asgrehbdheh
    United States3 years ago
  • Great Perspective on the Hawks

    This is a great podcast and I look forward to the new episode dropping each week. My only problem is I can’t hear Tyler. I turn the volume up as loud as I can and it still sounds like he’s 3 feet away from the mic. Hoping that can be dialed in because I really enjoy hearing from both of you.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Lifetime Hawk Fan
    United States3 years ago
  • 11/29 episode

    It was great until cyclone talk with Randy Petersen started on top of Tyler and Chad’s conversation around the 23 min mark.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Andy2222222222
    United States3 years ago
  • Top content all the time

    Chad does a great job touching the relevant topics by keeping an honest, fair opinion. He looks at it from Kirk/Fran/Lisa’s perspective, but gives an honest assessment of where each program and Iowa athletics are as a whole. Look forward to the podcast every week and can’t wait for football season to start again!

    Enjoyed Kensington’s SEC takes on the big ten and wish him nothing but the best. Looking forward to what Tyler brings to the table.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Johnnnnnnnnnnyyokkkk
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

mixed feedback on consistency of episode descriptions and show length
guests and insights are generally well-regarded, with strong sentiment around insider access and analysis
some criticism about sound quality or pacing in longer episodes
listeners appreciate Chad and Tyler's depth of Hawkeye knowledge and interview access

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Hawk Central: Oregon surge for Iowa men; California swoon for Hawkeye women
Q: How did Bennett Stirtz adapt to the higher level of competition at Iowa compared with Drake?
Stirtz's efficiency, especially his 12-for-15 shooting against Oregon, showed he could translate his talent to the Big Ten level, with the hosts noting his calm decision-making and strong finish around the rim as pivotal to his successful transition.
Hawk Central: Previewing Iowa-Nebraska in men's Sweet 16; abrupt women's end in NCAAs
Q: How did the Florida win influence confidence and what are the concerns heading into the Nebraska game?
The win boosted belief that Iowa can win high-pressure, road-like environments, but concerns remain about crowd influence, potential matchups, and the need to avoid getting rattled by external attention.
Hawk Central: On Addie Deal's departure, portal preview for Iowa men's basketball
Q: How might Iowa approach the portal in building the 2026-27 roster?
They discuss prioritizing a proven point guard and a big, while also considering a veteran leader who can stabilize the locker room and elevate younger players, plus leveraging internal development to complement new additions.
Hawk Central: On Addie Deal's departure, portal preview for Iowa men's basketball
Q: What do you think about Addie Deal entering the transfer portal and what that means for the program going forward?
The hosts note that Deal's departure underscores a broader trend in elite recruiting where immediate fit and minutes can drive a player's decision, and they stress that Iowa should view this as an opportunity to bring in a veteran presence and more versatile scoring to balance a young roster.
Iowa basketball stuns defending champion Florida to reach first Sweet 16 since 1999
Q: What does this win mean for the program going forward, especially in terms of recruiting and momentum?
The win serves as a momentum-builder, showing that a roster built from mid-major and junior college routes can compete at the highest level, potentially attracting transfers and recruits by illustrating a clear path to deep NCAA runs under a process-focused coach.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hawk Central Hour

What is Hawk Central Hour about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on Hawkeye sports across basketball and football, with frequent deep dives into roster moves, transfer portal dynamics, coaching decisions, and game-by-game and season-long outlooks. Episodes balance technical analysis (positions, depth charts, and personnel changes) with colorful, personality-driven banter, often featuring on-air interviews with coaches or beat writers. A standout aspect is its breadth across men's and women's basketball, plus football, all anchored by Des Moines Register reporting and local radio flair, which helps listeners get both data-driven context and insider perspectives. The show's appeal lies in its strong program-focus, access to coaches and reporters, and a conversational style that blends ana... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Hawk Central Hour?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Hawk Central Hour:

1. Hawkeye Report Podcast
2. Swarmcast: An Iowa Hawkeyes podcast
3. The ANF Podcast
4. Washed Up Walkons
5. Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball

How many episodes of Hawk Central Hour are there?

Hawk Central Hour launched 11 years ago and published 300 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Hawk Central Hour?

Recent guests on Hawk Central Hour include:

1. Jay Niemann
2. Sean Bock
3. Sean Sullivan
4. LaSondra Barrett
5. Lysandra Barrett
6. Tyler Taschman
7. Ben McCollum
8. Dargan Southerner

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