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Artwork for Hawk Central Podcast

Hawk Central Podcast

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

The Hawk Central Podcast from The Des Moines Register and 1460 KXnO

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes300Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Sports

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Hawk Central Podcast

Latest Episodes

Chad Leistikow from the Des Moines Register talks all things Iowa Hawkeyes.

Chad Leistikow from the Des Moines Register talks all things Iowa Hawkeyes.

Chad Liestikow from the Des Moines Register talks all things Iowa Hawkeyes.

Chad Leistikow from the Des Moines Register talks all things Iowa Hawkeyes.

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Ben McCollum
Head coach of Iowa men's basketball; featured in an on-air one-on-one
Iowa Hawkeyes
Episode: Hawk Central 5 6 2026
Dargan Southerd
Dargan Southerd, The Des Moines Register Iowa women's basketball beat writer
The Des Moines Register
Episode: Hawk Central April 21, 2026
Dargan Southerner
Women's basketball beat writer for the Hawkeyes
Des Moines Register
Episode: Hawk Central 3 24 2026
Eli McCown
Iowa Wrestling beat reporter
Hawk Central / The Des Moines Register
Episode: Hawk Central 3 17 2026
Tyler Barnes
Chief of Staff and General Manager of Iowa Football
Iowa Football
Episode: Hawk Central 6 5 2025
Phil Parker
Iowa Hawkeyes defensive coordinator
Iowa Hawkeyes
Episode: Hawk Central 2 12 2025
Dargan Suther
Iowa women's basketball beat writer at The Des Moines Register
The Des Moines Register
Episode: Hawk Central 11 27 2024
Tyler Tashman
Teammate at The Des Moines Register
The Des Moines Register
Episode: Hawk Central 8 14 2024
Tim Lester
First-year offensive coordinator for Iowa football
Iowa Football
Episode: Hawk Central - One on One with Iowa OC Tim Lester

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 249 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 Statesa year ago
  • Good pod but..

    Maybe add some episode descriptions?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    asgrehbdheh
    United States2 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 States2 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 5 27 2026
Q: Is the next Iowa head football coach on the staff right now?
They discuss potential internal candidates such as Seth Wallace and Tim Lester, with LaVar Woods recently left for Michigan State, suggesting there could be a need to consider both internal and external options while Beth Getz leads the search.
Hawk Central 5 27 2026
Q: How do you two balance the need for objectivity with the enthusiasm required to give Hawkeye fans what they want from your reporting slash analysis?
Chad explains that he moves from fan to professional journalist, aiming to deliver coverage that is accurate and insightful, not emotionally driven by a single game's outcome, while Tyler emphasizes balancing pride in the program with journalistic restraint and focusing on telling the full story.
Hawk Central 3 24 2026
Q: How do you think the team is adjusting to national stardom after the Florida win?
The team is trying to remain process-focused and maintain balance, though the heightened attention requires calming leadership and continued tactical discipline.
Hawk Central 2 6 2026
Q: What are your thoughts going into these next two games?
Iowa needs to maintain their intensity and not take their upcoming opponents lightly.
Hawk Central 10 15 2025
Q: How do you expect Iowa's running game to perform against Penn State?
Iowa's offensive line could have a strong performance, especially against a Penn State run defense that has shown vulnerabilities in recent games.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Hawk Central Podcast

What is Hawk Central Podcast 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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How many listeners does Hawk Central Podcast get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Hawk Central Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Hawk Central Podcast:

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

How many episodes of Hawk Central Podcast are there?

Hawk Central Podcast 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.

How do I contact Hawk Central Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on Hawk Central Podcast?

Recent guests on Hawk Central Podcast include:

1. Ben McCollum
2. Dargan Southerd
3. Dargan Southerner
4. Eli McCown
5. Tyler Barnes
6. Phil Parker
7. Dargan Suther
8. Tyler Tashman

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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