By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer – Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer defended the hiring of a former Iowa assistant accused of racism by saying he “vetted him thoroughly along with our general manager and owner.” Iowa agreed to pay strength coach Chris Doyle $1.1 million in a resignation agreement last June after more than a dozen former players said he bullied and discriminated against them. Doyle denied the allegations.

FILE – In this Sept. 1, 2018, file photo, Iowa strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle walks on the field before an NCAA college football game between Iowa and Northern Illinois in Iowa City, Iowa. Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer defended the hiring of former Iowa assistant Chris Doyle on Thursday, Feb. 11, 20201, by saying he “vetted him thoroughly along with our general manager and owner.” Iowa agreed to pay Doyle $1.1 million in a resignation agreement last June after scores of former players said he bullied and discriminated against them. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

A lawyer for 13 Black ex-Iowa football players has filed a lawsuit alleging his clients suffered racial discrimination under longtime coach Kirk Ferentz. Doyle is among the defendants. Meyer officially hired Doyle as Jacksonville’s director of sports performance.

AMES, Iowa – The Big 12 Conference announced its 2021 league football schedule today.

The Big 12 shared that several conference games could have date changes pending network television decisions.

Iowa State will have six home games and will begin the season hosting UNI (Sept. 4) and Iowa (Sept. 11) in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.

A road trip to UNLV (Sept. 18) precedes the beginning of the Big 12 Conference season on Sept. 25 when the Cyclones travel to Baylor.

The Cyclones’ lone “off week” is on Oct. 9.

Kickoff times and broadcast information will be announced at a later time.

To view the online schedule, click here.

2021 IOWA STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 4 UNI
Sept. 11 %IOWA
Sept. 18 at UNLV 
Sept. 25 *at Baylor 
Oct. 2 *KANSAS
Oct. 16 *at Kansas State
Oct. 23 *OKLAHOMA STATE
Oct. 30 *at West Virginia
Nov. 6 *TEXAS
Nov. 13 *at Texas Tech
Nov. 20 *at Oklahoma
Nov. 27 *TCU
Dec. 4 &Big 12 Championship Game

The Class 1A Girls Regional Basketball Tournament begins tonight with first round play. Here is a look at the area games. We’ll have coverage of the Audubon Wheelers opener at home against East Union on KJAN. All games are set for 7:00 p.m. tip-offs.

CLASS 1A

Region 2
Ankeny Christian @ St. Edmond
East Union @ Audubon – ON KJAN
Coon Rapids-Bayard @ Glidden-Ralston
Orient-Macksburg @ Southeast Warren
Ar-We-Va @ Paton-Churdan
Melcher-Dallas @ Martensdale-St. Marys

Region 4
River Valley @ Boyer Valley
Heartland Christian @ Woodbine
West Harrison @ Riverside
Essex @ East Mills
Griswold @ Fremont-Mills
St. Albert @ Sidney

Region 8
Mormon Trail @ Murray
Bedford @ Stanton
Diagonal @ Lamoni
Southwest Valley @ Lenox
Seymour @ Moravia
Moulton-Udell @ Sigourney
Twin Cedars @ Wayne

Class 1A Regional Basketball Pairings

The State Dual Team Wrestling Tournament brackets have been released, so far for Class 1A and 2A. Action will take place next Wednesday, February 17th at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

In Class 1A Logan-Magnolia drew the #3 seed and will take on #6 West Sioux in their first match at 11:00 a.m. on mat #4.

Class 1A

In Class 2A Creston-OM drew the #7 seed and will face #2 Crestwood at 9:00 a.m. on mat #7. Winterset is the #6 seed and will open against #3 Osage at 9:00 a.m. on mat #8.

Class 2A

Class 3A schools just finished Regional Dual Team competition on Wednesday night. Qualifiers in 3A are: Bettendorf; Fort Dodge; Linn-Mar, Marion; North Scott, Eldridge; Norwalk; Southeast Polk; Waukee; Waverly-Shell Rock.

Class 3A 

The IGHSAU released the regional basketball pairings for Class 4A and 5A schools late Wednesday. Here is a look at the brackets featuring area teams with links provided to the full pairings for each class.

CLASS 4A

Region 1
Glenwood BYE
Carroll @ Lewis Central
Sergeant Bluff-Luton BYE
Storm Lake @ LeMars

Region 3
Dallas Center-Grimes BYE
Carlisle @ ADM
Creston BYE
Des Moines Hoover @ Norwalk

Region 8
Denison-Schleswig BYE
Perry @ Boone
Harlan BYE
Webster City @ Spencer

Class 4A Regional Basketball Pairings

CLASS 5A

Region 2
First Round
CB Thomas Jefferson @ CB Abraham Lincoln

Second Round
Des Moines Lincoln @ Johnston
Winner Game 1 @ Indianola

Class 5A Regional Basketball Pairings

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Joe Wieskamp scored 26 points and Luka Garza overcame a slow start to score 22 as No. 15 Iowa beat No. 25 Rutgers 79-66. The Hawkeyes (14-6, 8-5 Big Ten), who fell out of the top 10 of the Associated Press poll this week for the first time this season, were coming off a stretch of four losses in the last five games Wieskamp, who had 16 points in the first half, added 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Geo Baker led Rutgers (11-7, 7-7) with 11 points.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Jonathan Davis scored 10 points and made a couple big baskets to help Wisconsin begin pulling away after halftime and the No. 21 Badgers overcame a poor shooting performance to beat Nebraska 61-48. The Badgers swept the season series and have won six straight over the Huskers. Nebraska has lost 25 straight against Big Ten opponents. Wisconsin shot just 32.3%, its second-worst mark of the season, but still managed to hand the Huskers their third straight double-digit loss. Nebraska got 14 points from Lat Mayen and 12 from Teddy Allen.

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Jarkel Joiner scored 21 points to help Mississippi beat No. 10 Missouri 80-59, Devontae Shuler and Luis Rodriguez added 15 points apiece for the Rebels (11-8, 6-6 Southeastern Conference), extended their winning streak to three games that includes wins over No. 16 Tennessee and the No. 10 Tigers. Ole Miss used a 17-2 run that spanned the final two minutes of the first half and the opening three minutes of the second half to build an insurmountable 51-37 lead. The Rebels led by as many as 22 points midway in the second half as Missouri never seriously threatened again. Dru Smith led Missouri (13-4, 6-4) with 17 points as the loss snapped a three-game winning streak

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox traded Andrew Benintendi to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night, parting with the final member of the outfield trio that helped the team win the 2018 World Series. The Red Sox sent Benintendi along with an unspecified amount of cash to the Royals for Franchy Cordero and two players to be named. Boston also received minor league right-handed pitcher Josh Winckowski and a player to be named from the New York Mets. The Mets received outfielder Khalil Lee from the Royals.

UNDATED (AP) — No. 3 Michigan plans to play for the first time since Jan. 22 at No. 21 Wisconsin on Sunday. Michigan had put all athletic activities on pause last month after receiving several positive tests for a COVID-19 variant that transmits at a higher rate. Michigan leads the Big Ten standings and is chasing a No. 1 seed at the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin has been sliding down the Top 25 the last few weeks and lost 77-54 at Michigan on Jan. 12.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz announced Wednesday three important changes within the football program.

Running backs coach Derrick Foster is leaving to join an NFL team, while offensive line coach Tim Polasek is joining the coaching staff at the University of Wyoming as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Additionally, senior offensive lineman Mark Kallenberger has elected to forgo his fifth year of eligibility and end his college football career. He will earn his degree this spring.

The NFL team Derrick Foster will be joining will make a formal announcement and therefore, no additional details are being confirmed at this time.

“I am very happy for both Derrick and Tim,” said Ferentz. “These are important next steps for them as they advance their coaching careers.

“Mark has been a strong player and leader within our program. I completely understand and respect his decision and wish him the very best.”

Foster, who has also held the position of offensive recruiting coordinator, came to Iowa in 2018.

“This is an important opportunity for Derrick in the National Football League,” said Ferentz. “Since he joined our staff as the running backs coach, Derrick has had a significant impact on the players and our staff. I wish Derrick and Bianca and their two young children all the best in their new home.

Polasek joined the Iowa staff in 2017.

“Since Tim joined this program four years ago, the players he has led have improved every day and were well-prepared to compete every Saturday,” said Ferentz. “Tim has a creative offensive mind and will no doubt do very well in his next opportunity. We wish Tim and his wife, Jill, the very best.”

Kallenberger joined the Hawkeyes in 2017. He is a three-year letterman while playing both guard and tackle positions on the offensive line. Kallenberger started four games at right tackle in 2020, missing two games due to injury. He earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten recognition from league media.

“I’m ready to bring my college football career to a close and move on to the next chapter in my life,” said Kallenberger. “I have enjoyed my four years as a Hawkeye. I will cherish the camaraderie with my teammates in the locker room and on the field. I want to say thank you to coach Ferentz and all the coaches who have helped me become a better player and a better person.”

“Mark has worked extremely hard during his four years on our team,” said Ferentz. “He is a good player and person. We will certainly miss his presence on the field this season. I know he will take the lessons he learned as a Hawkeye and be successful in the future.”

The search will begin immediately to fill the coaching positions.

“This is not a race and I have always viewed hiring as an intentional process to find the right person who can contribute to our culture and our program,” said Ferentz.

The IHSAA has released the postseason basketball brackets for Class 3A and 4A boys teams. The opening round of Substate play will be on Monday, February 22nd. 3A semifinals will be played on Thursday, February 25th and Finals on Monday, March 1st. 4A Semifinals will be on Friday, February 26th with Finals on Tuesday, March 2nd.

Locally in Class 3A Atlantic will play in Substate 8 and host their first round game against Creston. Glenwood hosts Clarke in the other game on the bottom half of the bracket. The top half has Perry @ Dallas Center-Grimes and Harlan @ ADM in the first round.

Substate 1 will see the following first round match-ups:
Sioux Center @ Carroll
MOC-Floyd Valley @ Storm Lake
Bishop Heelan @ LeMars
Denison-Schleswig @ Sergeant Bluff-Luton

In Class 4A CB Abraham Lincoln has a first round bye in Substate 1. Thomas Jefferson will play @ Sioux City West with the winner advancing to face AL.

We’ll have Atlantic’s home game against Creston on KJAN on the 22nd.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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