Iowa Hawkeyes introduce new offensive coordinator Tim Lester
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – The University of Iowa is held a news conference to introduce new Hawkeyes football offensive coordinator Tim Lester on Tuesday.
The university officially announced Lester as the new offensive coordinator last week.
Lester replaces former offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, who was let go at the end of the season following years of tension between fans and the team.
During the press conference, Lester thanked Head Coach Kirk Ferentz and Athletic Director Beth Goetz for the opportunity.
“The one thing I know everybody wants to know is what we’re gonna be about,” Lester said. “I can tell you right now that we’re gonna be a physical football team, we’re gonna be disciplined and we’re gonna be aggressive.”
Lester joins the Hawks with a wide range of coaching experience, including 12 years as a head coach at the Division I, II, and III levels, and 12 years as an offensive coordinator.
He spent last season as a senior analyst for the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay won nine regular season games, earned a playoff berth, and defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the 2024 NFC Wild Card round.
From 2017 through 2022 Lester served as head coach at Western Michigan University (WMU). WMU’s offense was ranked in the top 35 nationally in total offense for four consecutive seasons.
Lester was also the quarterbacks coach at Purdue in 2016, Syracuse’s quarterbacks coach from 2013-15, and doubled as Syracuse’s offensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015.
Iowa’s Cooper DeJean won’t work out at Scouting Combine
One of the top prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft won’t work out at the league’s Scouting Combine. Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Cooper DeJean could be a first-round pick in the 2024 Draft, but we won’t see what he has to offer in Indianapolis.
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Longtime NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler broke the news on Thursday morning. The decision is related to the knee injury that DeJean suffered and is currently recovering from.
“Iowa CB Cooper DeJean won’t test at next week’s Scouting Combine as he works his way back from his late-season leg injury (which is a bummer because he’s one of the freakiest guys in the draft). DeJean plans to work out for NFL teams closer to draft weekend,” Brugler said. Brugler posted the news on X, the website formerly known as Twitter
DeJean was a heck of a player at Iowa. He was named a consensus All-American for his efforts in the 2023 NCAA football season. DeJean also earned the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year Award and the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year Award. So, he’s shown a remarkable ability at DB and on returns. That could make him a valuable addition to whoever lands him in the Draft.
There doesn’t appear to be too much concern over whether the injuries will cause a slide for him. He’s been projected as a first-round pick by most. If you wanted to watch DeJean work out, you might have to find your way to his team workouts later this spring.
