Yesterday, I saw on X – Twitter the news that Ames Football Star Jeffrey Roberts is transferring for his senior year to finish his high school career at Dowling Catholic.
I appreciate @MurphyKeith (the DSM icon) for the newsflash. My first thought was cool, I am happy for the young man. He is a local commit going to Iowa State, a track star with strong statistics, and is getting ready for the next level by making a move that his family supports to be a Maroon.
Then I made a mistake and started reading the X comments tied to Keith Murphy’s post, and I was reminded quickly that I wasn’t living in Georgia anymore. In 2024, we were living in Georgia, as we had been for 12 years before moving back to Iowa to Des Moines late last summer.
Our oldest son graduated high school in Iowa and played football at Coe College for four years and had a great Iowa High School football experience. Our family then had a much different but still great experience when we moved, as our youngest son played high school football in Atlanta, Georgia… where football is taken rather seriously.
In the south and many other states, a player changing schools is commonplace, accepted, and well a part of the game.
Our Georgia football experience was our son practiced or worked out all but two weeks a year. He had gamefilm study every Monday through Friday from July thru November (film time did not count as practice time), had weightlifting for a class, played an annual spring football game after spring football practice, and he was coached by 5 former NFL players….That sentence likely sounds cool or daunting, depending on your perspective. Oh, and yes, he had teammates leaving his football program every year for other opportunities, and new teammates coming in each and every year.
At first that…. whoa this is way more serious than Iowa High School Football shock as a parent was jarring. It was a time commitment that was college like. But…that football life we were living in Georgia has moved north to places like Iowa, and it will only continue to grow.
The quotes I saw on X on Keith Murphy’s post that made me think and laugh were as follows-
“A tale as old as time, Dowling Catholic locking up commits from the high school “transfer portal!” @Skimmy1919
“Roberts’ enrollment was confirmed by Dowling Catholic AD Tom Wilson, after Wilson got Robert’s mom a job in WDM. Show me the money!!” @LarryGross1965
Plus, this gem from a X Account that I assume is a Waukee Northwest fan.
I look at those three comments and think the first two are in effect pining for the good ole Single Wing football days, and the last tweet is a humorous reply that is probably more in step with the current realities.
I don’t know Jeffrey Roberts, or his family, reasons for moving, etc…..but transferring for a better fit and opportunity is the future of high school sports in Iowa, and every other state in the US.
You have a young man that is committed to Iowa State, and will next year, be in effect a Professional Athlete.
In the Fall of 2026 if he goes to Iowa State as expected, he will be a young man who is employed, and likely paying his own taxes. College Athletics at the D1 level is no longer just a free education, room and board, and a meal plan.
- Iowa State like all Power 4 football schools now has “a budget” for player payroll.
- The contract that the players sign that he will sign is likely a one-year deal.
- All D1 Football programs have a strict 105 total player roster.
What does the 1+2+3 above total up to…it means Jeffrey needs to do everything he can be as ready as possible day one when he hits the practice field next to Jack Trice Stadium in 2026.
The realities are now that you either can play and help the Division 1 team roster you are on…or you are likely asked to leave/fired at the end of the year and have to find a new place to play. The transfer portal cuts both ways at the next level. You have to perform to stay and get paid, just like everyone reading this column does in their work life.
I am personally excited for the young man and for the opportunity he has chosen.
Why might a top athlete choose to move to another school outside of a parent finding a new job and moving? An expanded playbook, scheme, coaches, quarterback, teammates who can make you better, a route tree that can make you better prepared for the next level, etc.
I will this fall get the chance to learn more about the scheme that Dowling runs versus what Ames runs and learn more about the CIML. What I have followed is that Dowling has been a power in the State the past 15 years with 7-8 State titles. That around 50% of all state titles and numerous D1 players sent to the next level, and speaks volumes for next-level player development of the Dowling program.
Talented young men who have next level college talent will continue to gravitate to move to top programs…it is an Iron sharpens Iron every day in practice approach.
Will Iowa high school football and basketball continue to have talented transfers moving to other schools in the offseason, where they think will prepare them for the college level? Will there be prep schools like there are in other states like IMG (Iowa now has Iowa United for Basketball)?
The answer to those questions is Yes, and likely Yes. The clock can’t be turned back, and I personally think it’s exciting anytime an Iowa kid is working hard to get to the next level, and making it to that level.
I am going to wish those kids good luck for what they think is best to get ready to play and contribute at the D1 level.
Will it always work out? of course not, but they are doing what they think is best for them, and making the hard choices to do that.
Those future pros (D1 level is pay for play) need to get ready for the next level in high school. Times have changed, and the good old days are gone (and the good old days probably weren’t as good as they seemed).
For those good old days fans, I wanted to share this year’s top NFL draft pick Cam Ward’s story.
If you haven’t read it, it is inspiring. Cam played for Columbia High School in Texas which ran a version of the Wing T (which is the ultimate run, run, run, and run again offense), and legend has it that one 12 yard out throw (probably the only throw he got to make that game) got him noticed by FCS level Incarnate Word.
Cam was a zero-star recruit. He went to a modern offense at Incarnate Word and broke passing records. Then he moved up and went to Washington State, then the Miami Hurricanes and won the Heisman. This spring, he was drafted number one in the NFL draft. It is an amazing and inspiring story…a fairy tale really.
I think it might make a great kid’s book…maybe we could title it…The Last Dinosaur Part 2.
He overcame many obstacles… but today I predict that if Cam lived in large metro area he could/would have transferred to a bigger school with a more modern college-ready offense, earned some stars, and been offered a D1 offer that got him a paycheck day one on campus. He likely would have made money in college and also been the number one NFL pick.
Like it or not, that is the path top Iowa High School athletes with the opportunity to go Division 1 will take more frequently to move to the best opportunity.
I think it is exciting for Iowa high school sports and the young men and young women who choose that approach.
As always, we appreciate your comments and support.
