An ex-Iowa football running back is generating a lot of interest around the country. Kirk Ferentz's team suffered a major blow early in the 2024 season when last year's leading rusher, Leshon Williams, put his name in the transfer portal. Williams was with the Hawkeyes for three years and was expected to be a significant contributor to the Hawkeyes in 2024. However, that has not been the case, as running back Kaleb Johnson has been the clear-cut starter. The junior is now fourth in the country in rushing yards.

Looking to resume his career elsewhere, Williams is looking both westward and to the south. According to On3Sports College Sports Business and Transfer Portal Reporter Peter Nakos, the senior, who has two more years of eligibility, is coming off a visit to Kansas and is at Memphis on Friday.

Losing Leshon Williams is a blow to Iowa football's future

Iowa’s running back Kaleb Johnson (2) carries the ball enroute to the endzone against Wisconsin Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In his career, Leshon Williams has 1,324 career yards and caught 27 passes for 172 yards for Iowa football. While Kaleb Johnson has tallied up 1,328 yards through ten games this season, Williams' departure is a hit to the Hawkeyes' ground game. Johnson will almost certainly declare after this year for the 2025 NFL draft. Currently, the backup running backs for Kirk Ferentz's team are freshman Kamari Moulton and sophomore Jaziun Patterson. The two have combined for less than 500 yards this year.

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Iowa football heavily relies on the ground game to physically impose its will on opponents. If the running back position is not an absolute strength going into 2025, Kirk Ferentz's team could be in serious trouble in a newly vaunted Big Ten.

Overall, it's been a trying year for the Hawkeyes. The recent news regarding Cade McNamara has highlighted a dysfunctional year for the program at the quarterback position. It's a positive reflection of the program under Kirk Ferentz that this year's team has rallied to qualify for a bowl game for the twelfth straight year. Should Iowa football win one more game, it will also be its twelfth straight winning season. However, those last two games are by no means guaranteed wins.

Kirk Ferentz's program will face two teams clawing for bowl eligibility: 4-6 Maryland and 5-5 Nebraska. The Huskers have been really struggling lately, riding a four-game losing streak. However, head coach Matt Rhule is one win away from getting Nebraska back to a bowl game for the first time since 2016. That stat is shocking for one of the most decorated programs ever, but it also means that the Huskers will be coming into this game very motivated.

Maryland has to win out to make its fourth straight bowl game under Mike Locksley. Anything less than that would be a very disappointing season for a program that expects to be on the rise. Overall, as Leshon Williams is on the move and looking at a number of schools, Iowa football is dealing with several situations on and off the field. Whether Kirk Ferentz's program can overcome this trying season and put together another winning record remains to be seen.