Hawk Central Hour

Apr 09 2025 100 ep. 43 mins 306
Hawk Central Hour Podcast artwork

“Hawk Central Hour” airs between 6-7 p.m. on 1460 KXnO-AM on Wednesdays and will feature Des Moines Register Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow and beat writer Tyler Tachman. 

Follow their coverage at hawkcentral.com. 

  Sports
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


Hawk Central: 1-on-1 with new Iowa men's basketball coach Ben McCollum

Apr 09 2025 49 mins  
A special edition of the Hawk Central Hour features new Iowa men's basketball coach Ben McCollum, who sat down with the Register's Chad Leistikow for two information-packed segments totaling 40 minutes that you won't want to miss. McCollum discusses how he teaches defense, the misconceptions of his offense, the transfer-portal additions so far for the Hawkeyes and what's to come.

Hawk Central: Ben McCollum's roster starts to take shape, first eyes on Mark Gronowski as Iowa quarterback

Apr 03 2025 49 mins  
Iowa basketball has a lot of positive momentum right now, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dig into the early roster-building stages of the Ben McCollum era. Iowa football also is in full swing, and we've got updates on the quarterbacks, the offense and plenty to discuss there, too, after a glimpse into Thursday's practice. And what to make for Aaliyah Guyton's p

Hawk Central: The Ben McCollum era begins, and so does portal season for Iowa basketball

Mar 26 2025 66 mins  
What a week. First, Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register break down Ben McCollum's introduction as Iowa's men's basketball coach and look at the potential roster that he might be able to assemble. Later, Chad and Dargan Southard look back on the Iowa women's basketball season and preview portal additions for Jan Jensen and Co.

Podcast: What kind of immediate energy does new coach Ben McCollum bring to Iowa basketball?

Mar 24 2025 58 mins  
Monday morning delivered the news Iowa fans had been waiting for. Ben McCollum is the Hawkeyes' new head coach after one year at Drake that ended in the NCAA Tournament second round. A program with potential but in need of restoration is now McCollum's to turn around. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect the coaching search and Beth Goetz's eventual decision.

Hawk Central: Darian DeVries or Ben McCollum? Iowa basketball coaching search, women's preview

Mar 18 2025 56 mins  
The Iowa men's basketball coaching search is evolving by the minute, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dig into the transfer portal, Darian DeVries and Ben McCollum on this Tuesday morning. Chad is later joined by Dargan Southard to preview the Iowa women's basketball path in the NCAA Tournament. Could this team make a Sweet 16 run?

Fran McCaffery's time leading the Hawkeyes has ended. Where does Iowa basketball go from here?

Mar 14 2025 40 mins  
What was long rumored became official Friday afternoon. The Fran McCaffery era has ended at Iowa after 15 seasons. As a result, AD Beth Goetz faces her most crucial hire yet in hopes of re-igniting energy around the Hawkeyes basketball program. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect the good and bad of McCaffery's tenure, while analyzing what Iowa might do next.

Hawk Central: One last stand for Fran McCaffery? Iowa women's NCAA preview

Mar 12 2025 65 mins  
This week's Hawk Central Hour dives into a full hour of Iowa basketball, starting with the surprising men's victory at Nebraska to earn a Big Ten Tournament berth. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss the extension of the season and the future of Fran McCaffery while previewing Wednesday's matchup against Ohio State. Chad and Dargan Southard spend 30-plus minutes

Podcast: Iowa women's basketball outlasts Michigan State to advance in Big Ten Tournament

Mar 06 2025 27 mins  
The No. 11 seed Hawkeyes are marching on in the Big Ten Tournament after a gritty second-round win over Michigan State. Live from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect the win and look forward to Friday's quarterfinal vs. Ohio State.

Hawk Central: Big Ten women's preview, what to know about Warren Ruggiero

Mar 05 2025 48 mins  
The Iowa women's basketball team is playing well entering Indianapolis, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard delve into the key story lines heading into its path at the Big Ten Tournament. Chad also talks with Tyler Tachman about the new football hire for the Hawkeyes, and Eli McKown comes aboard to help preview the Big Ten Wrestling Championships.

Hawk Central: On a big-time win for Iowa women's basketball, Ladell Betts' departure

Feb 27 2025 48 mins  
The Register's Chad Leistikow kicks off this Thursday Hawk Central Radio Hour with Dargan Southard, who was in Ann Arbor to cover the Hawkeye women's 79-66 win at Michigan. Chad does an audio version of his "five thoughts" column to underscore the importance of Wednesday's W. Later, Chad and Tyler Tachman discuss the big loss of Ladell Betts from Iowa's football staff and the Iowa