As he shared via X on Thursday morning, Iowa second-year full back Rusty VanWetzinga will enter the transfer portal. He'll have three years of eligibility remaining.
"Thank you Iowa for a great 2 years," he said. "After a coaching/system change over the past year on offense I have decided it is in my best interest to enter the transfer portal with 3 years of eligibility left as a linebacker/fullback."
A product of Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, Iowa, VanWetzinga played in just five games over his two years in Iowa City. Seeing action against Tennessee in Iowa's 35-0 loss and in four contests this season.
As a high school prospect, VanWetzinga was initially committed to Southern Illinois to play linebacker before a late flip to Iowa to play fullback. In addition to an offer from the Salukis, VanWetzinga chose the Hawkeyes over offers from Charlotte and Western Illinois.
During VanWetzinga's senior campaign with the Spartans, he took 45 carries for 262 yards and eight touchdowns on offense, while posting 58 tackles, including seven tackles-for-loss, and an interception defensively.
Joey VanWetzinga, the soon-to-be transfer's younger brother, was a signee in Iowa's 2025 recruiting class on Wednesday. Joey will play either offensive or defensive line for the Hawkeyes and is a three-star prospect out of Pleasant Valley.
