Seven more college football players, including Jirehl Brock, the starting running back for Iowa State, have been charged with tampering of records as part of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s inquiry into sports wagering at in-state universities. Alongside Brock, defensive lineman Isaiah Lee, tight end DeShawn Hanika, and offensive lineman Jacob Remsburg – all of whom were starters in 2022 – have also been charged, according to court documents.
Furthermore, three players who have either currently or previously played for Iowa allegedly placed bets on football games in which they were involved. Jack Johnson, a wide receiver for the Hawkeyes, and two former Iowa players – Arland Bruce IV, a wide receiver at Oklahoma State, and Reggie Bracy, a defensive back at Troy – have been charged, along with Hawkeyes graduate assistant Owen O’Brien in Johnson County, Iowa.
Brock is said to have placed bets on two Cyclones football games during the 2022 season, and Lee is accused of betting on one Iowa State football game in 2021. The group of current and former Iowa players has all been accused of wagering on Hawkeyes football games while being part of the team. Bruce and Bracy both transferred after the 2022 season.
With Brock now at the center of the state’s gambling investigation, the Cyclones may be without two key offensive players in 2023. In addition to this, incumbent quarterback Hunter Dekkers was among seven current and former athletes who were charged with tampering with records for allegedly betting on their own schools while concealing their identities. Dekkers is alleged to have placed bets on over two dozen Iowa State events, including Cyclones football, according to a criminal complaint.
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has stated that there is no evidence to suggest that the integrity of competition was compromised by wagers on Iowa State and Iowa athletic events. NCAA guidelines on sports wagering specify that student athletes who engage in activities to influence the outcomes of their own games or provide information to individuals involved in sports betting activities may face permanent loss of eligibility in all collegiate sports. This rule applies to students who bet on their own games or other sports involving their respective schools.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz discussed the investigation at the 2023 Big Ten Media Days in July and called for the NCAA to reconsider its protocols for punishing players involved in gambling. Hawkeyes defensive lineman Noah Shannon confirmed that he was one of the implicated players when he withdrew from representing the Hawkeyes at the Big Ten Media Days.
“I think our world has changed dramatically,” said Ferentz at Big Ten Media Days. “I think what the NFL has done with their rules makes a lot of sense. I’m hopeful this is an opportunity for the NCAA to reconsider two things: What punishments might be fair and relevant to the world we’re living in right now, and probably the bigger thing, there’s an opportunity right now for a lot better education process.”
