Iowa wide receiver Arland Bruce IV announces decision to enter NCAA transfer portal

Kennington Lloyd Smith III, Des Moines Register
·2 min read
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Iowa wide receiver Arland Bruce IV reaches for the ball in the fourth quarter against Nebraska on Nov. 25.
Iowa wide receiver Arland Bruce IV reaches for the ball in the fourth quarter against Nebraska on Nov. 25.

Iowa football's busy off-season continued Friday when sophomore wide receiver Arland Bruce IV announced his decision to transfer via his Twitter account.

Bruce becomes the fourth Iowa player to enter the NCAA transfer portal, joining quarterback Alex Padilla, wide receiver Keagan Johnson and offensive lineman Josh Volk.

On Thursday night, Iowa received its first transfer portal entry when Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara announced his intent to transfer into the program.

More:Iowa football transfer portal tracker: Who's coming and going on the Hawkeyes' roster

Bruce, a former four-star recruit from Ankeny, totaled 44 catches for 396 yards and two touchdowns in addition to 22 rushes for 112 and four touchdowns on the ground over two seasons. He also served as a primary punt returner this season, returning 19 punts for 123 yards.

In a season when Iowa's wide receivers were largely hampered by injuries, Bruce was the most consistent presence on the field. He appeared in all but one game and was the only healthy scholarship receiver available through Iowa's first two games. In that regard, he emerged as one of the leaders on Iowa's offense early in the season.

More:Leistikow: Cade McNamara commitment signals change on offense, Iowa football's growing NIL strength

"I knew I was going to be a leader but not as big as maybe the first few weeks when I was considered the wide receiver one or the only guy that had game experience," Bruce said in October. "I think I've really just had to step up and mature. Even though this is my second year, I feel like I've I'm a veteran."

Injuries slowed Bruce toward the end of the year. He was less active on punt returns and recorded only two receptions in November games. His departure remains a big loss to Iowa's offense due to his position versatility. With Bruce and Johnson's departures, six scholarship receivers have departed from Iowa's program since the 2021 season.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa WR Arland Bruce IV becomes latest to enter NCAA transfer portal