Through stories, podcasts or text messages, our team keeps you updated on Cyclones, Hawkeyes
The Iowa and Iowa State football teams were set to kick off the conference portions of their schedules Saturday amid a swirl of questions: Both teams field top-tier defenses. Can Iowa’s offense be good enough not to squander another year of defensive excellence? Can Iowa State’s young squad squeeze out five more wins to return to the ranks of bowl-eligible teams?
The Des Moines Register’s team of award-winning sports journalists will provide in-depth coverage of the Cyclones and Hawkeyes throughout the season. Their coverage spans the Register’s websites, Hawk Central and Cyclone Insider apps, podcasts, YouTube videos, text-message groups, radio shows and of course the print edition of the Register.
Text-message groups with Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow and Cyclones columnist Randy Peterson are a great way to gain insight into what our sportswriters are learning and plan to write about. Randy and Chad regularly offer message-group members the opportunity to pitch questions they will address in their columns or ask coaches at media availabilities. Subscribers can join the text groups by filling out a quick form with your cellphone number: DesMoinesRegister.com/CyclonesTexts and HawkCentral.com/HawkeyesTexts.
I also recommend their podcasts for catching up with coverage while driving or exercising. Chad and Hawkeyes beat reporter Tyler Tachman do one late Tuesday afternoon after player and coach media availabilities. Randy and Cyclones beat reporter Travis Hines do theirs Thursday afternoon. Both pairs also do podcasts after each game and others as news warrants. Listen on podcast apps such as Apple or Spotify or watch them on Hawk Central and Cyclone Insider YouTube channels.
The podcasts are in addition to our journalists' weekly KXnO radio show appearances, Cyclones on Mondays and Hawkeyes on Wednesdays.
The Register has a talented lineup of veteran sportswriters and newcomers who cover each team. Sports editor James Kramer, who directs coverage for both, has reported, edited and supervised sports coverage at the Register for 24 years.
Covering the Cyclones:
Columnist Randy Peterson is in his 51st year of covering sports in Iowa for the Register. He started reporting on the Cyclones in the Dan McCarney era (1995-2006) and became the Cyclones columnist nine years ago.
Beat reporter Travis Hines has covered Iowa State for 14 years, starting with the Marshalltown Times-Republican and then the Ames Tribune.
Alyssa Hertel, a reporter for the Register for two years, covers college recruiting as her main beat and high school football in the fall, but swings in to write a live blog on game days and helps cover coach and player media availabilities.
Covering the Hawkeyes:
Columnist Chad Leistikow has been a sports journalist for 28 years, reporting for the Iowa City Press-Citizen and the Register. He's been the Hawkeyes columnist for eight years.
Beat reporter Tyler Tachman is a newcomer to the Register after covering the Big Ten as a journalism student at Indiana University.
Dargan Southard has covered University of Iowa sports for seven years at the Iowa City Press-Citizen and Register. He handles the game-day live blog and helps with media availabilities. He also covers trending news for both Iowa and Iowa State and produces podcasts for both teams. New this year: Dargan each week reports on top performances by former Cyclones and Hawkeyes in the NFL.
Whether you're a casual fan or a true fanatic, our team will keep you in the know.
Carol Hunter is the Register’s executive editor. She wants to hear your questions, story ideas or concerns at 515-284-8545, chunter@registermedia.com, or on Twitter: @carolhunter.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Read, listen, watch: Our team keeps you updated on Cyclones, Hawkeyes
