Iowa’s 2028 quarterback class just got a new face, and it’s a familiar one to Hawkeye fans who have been tracking the recruitment all spring.
Chase Grove, a three-star quarterback from North Central High School in Indianapolis, has committed to Iowa after being on the Hawkeyes’ short list for months. HawkeyeInsider had already crystal balled Grove to Iowa before his unofficial visit to campus this weekend, and he ultimately picked the Hawkeyes over offers from Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, North Carolina, Purdue and others. He also drew interest from Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
Grove’s fit with Iowa wasn’t hard to see from the start. He said the program checked every box for him, pointing to the Hawkeyes’ recent consistency and the staff he’s been building a relationship with.
"Iowa is a winning program. In the past decade, they have never won fewer than eight games.
They have an undeniable tradition of winning," Grove told Tom Loy in the summer. "I believe in Tim Lester, and he is one of my favorite coaches I've been around.
The University of Iowa is a top program in the country, and they have a top fan base in college football."
He expanded on that connection with the coaching staff, especially Lester and Billy VandeMerkt, saying the relationship has grown strong over time.
"My connection with the staff is very strong. I am especially close with Coach Lester and Coach Billy VandeMerkt," Grove added.
We talk all the time. Aside from how they coach, they are good people, and I like being around them.
They're great coaches and know ball just as well or better than anyone else in the game."
Iowa’s offer to Grove came earlier this month, and his reaction made clear how much it meant.
"Getting an offer from Iowa was a dream come true. To get an offer from such a prestigious school like Iowa is something you dream of as a kid."
The commitment gives Iowa another quarterback in the pipeline under Lester, joining first-year gunslinger Tradon Bessinger and 2027 prospect Brayden Santibanez. Grove is also the third commitment in Iowa’s 2028 class, alongside three-star center James Barnett from Iowa City West and three-star cornerback Dwayle Smith from Maryland.
On the field, Grove has already put together a strong resume. As a first-year starter last fall for the Panthers, he completed 154-of-241 passes for 1,901 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also ran 27 times for 154 yards and three scores.
This season has started with even more production. In three games, the junior has gone 70-of-107 passing for 1,004 yards, ten touchdowns and three interceptions, while adding 15 carries for 57 yards.
Those numbers are backed up by the kind of praise that usually follows a quarterback who knows how to command a huddle. His quarterback coach, Danny Hernandez, gave a strong read on what Iowa is getting.
"Chase is a dude," Groves' quarterback coach, Danny Hernandez told Loy. "He has a very high football IQ and feel for the position.
He plays with great anticipation and does a great job creating when he gets flushed out of the pocket. With his talent and the pieces alongside him, we anticipate a huge junior season.
Chase is a great leader on and off the field."
In Other News...
Iowa Is Using Cy-Hawk Weekend To Win Over Priority Targets
The Cy-Hawk game has long been one of the biggest dates on Iowas calendar, and this weekend it is doubling as a recruiting showcase. More than 20 football prospects are expected to be on hand, giving the Hawkeyes a chance to put their atmosphere, tradition and game-day routine in front of a group that includes both committed and uncommitted targets.
It is not just football being spotlighted, either. Iowa is bringing in recruits across womens basketball and mens basketball as part of the weekend push, turning one of the states signature sporting events into a broader pitch for the program. Former Hawkeyes quarterback CJ Beathard is also set to serve as honorary captain, adding another familiar face to a weekend designed to connect current targets with Iowas past and present. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Turns To A Familiar Tone Setter For Huge Cy-Hawk Night
The Cy-Hawk rivalry is set for a familiar kind of spotlight Saturday night at a sold-out Kinnick Stadium, with Iowa leaning into the kind of setting that has long defined these games. The Hawkeyes will be in all-black uniforms for the annual showdown with Iowa State, and the occasion will carry extra weight with the quarterback competition still unfolding as Iowa looks for a clear answer behind center.
C.J. Beathard, who quarterbacked Iowa from 2013 to 2016, is part of the nights build-up and gives the program a direct link to one of its steadier recent eras. For a team trying to find its next leader under center, having a former quarterback from a successful stretch back around the program is the sort of familiar tone setter that can matter on a stage like this, even before the first snap is taken. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa May Have A Rare Chance To Dominate Cy-Hawk Again
The 73rd meeting of the Cy-Hawk rivalry is shaping up as one of those games that can say as much about momentum as it does about bragging rights. Iowa and Iowa State have spent years trading blows in a series that tends to distort expectations, and this matchup has drawn attention because it comes with the kind of context Hawkeye fans know well: a familiar in-state opponent, plenty of history, and a national audience that always seems ready to treat September football in Iowa as something bigger than it looks.
The comparison that keeps surfacing is the 2016 game, when Iowa turned the rivalry into a runaway and left little doubt about which sideline controlled the day. The setup this time is different enough to make the projection interesting, with both programs in new coaching eras and plenty of fan anticipation around whether Iowa can once again turn a rivalry game into a statement. The numbers point toward a lopsided feel, but the real question is whether this Cy-Hawk meeting can match the rare kind of dominance that made that earlier result so memorable. [Read more 🡒]