Ready to report: Nate Wieland
After a late switch to Iowa right before signing day, hometown linebacker Nate Wieland is ready to get his college career started with the Hawkeyes this summer. We caught up with the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Wieland, who will wear #29 at Iowa, to discuss making the transition to college and much more.
Q: When do you make the move to Iowa City this summer?
WIELAND: I'm moving in June 12th.
Q: What are you looking forward to in starting workouts with the team?
WIELAND: I'm really looking forward to competing with everybody, learning a new position and working with Coach Doyle and his staff this summer.
Q: What are your goals for your freshman year? Are you hoping to play or expecting to redshirt?
WIELAND: I'm going to try to get on the field with special teams. There are three senior linebackers, so I think I will learn a lot from them this year and carry that throughout my career.
Q: Which linebacker spot do they have you starting out at?
WIELAND: Outside.
Q: What was it like visiting spring practice last month now that you are so close to being there?
WIELAND: I like how the practices are very efficient and very physical. It was really fun being around all the guys at the spring practices.
Q: You are playing defense in college, but as a high school quarterback, did anything stand out about the new offense under Brian Ferentz?
WIELAND: The new offense has a lot more passing concepts than it has in the past.
Q: What will it mean to you to walk out of the tunnel at Kinnick Stadium for the first time?
WIELAND: It will be a dream come true. Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to walk out of the tunnel to “Back in Black.” Seeing 70,000 fans cheering as soon as we come out of the tunnel will be just a huge sense of accomplishment. It's what I've worked for my entire life.
Q: What number will you be wearing in college and can get we a quick height and weight update?
WIELAND: I'll be wearing #29 and I'm 6'3”, 230 pounds.
Q: When you look back at everything, what was it about Iowa that made it the right place for you?
WIELAND: I’ve lived here my whole life, but just the honesty of the whole coaching staff the entire time they were recruiting me made it a pretty easy decision to come here.
A two-star prospect. Wieland committed to Iowa on January 29, 2017, choosing the Hawkeyes over scholarship offers from Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan.
As a quarterback in high school, Wieland was 110/196 passing for 1,671 yards and nine touchdowns for City High last season. On the ground, he finished with 129 carries for 741 yards and 11 touchdowns.
See highlights from Wieland's senior year at City High in the video below.