By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – At a time when many college athletes are transferring from one school to another in search of the almighty dollar, Iowa defensive end Max Llewellyn is among what seems to be a dying breed.

The Urbandale native is content with finishing what he started as an Iowa football player.

Llewellyn is coming off a breakthrough season in 2024 when he finished with eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, three pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and one safety.

And he wasn’t even a starter.

He compiled those lofty numbers in limited playing time, clearly showing that he had a knack for making big plays.

A player in Llewellyn’s position probably could have demanded a high price on the NIL market, but the 6-foot-5, 258-pound senior says shopping around never crossed his mind because he has everything he wants and needs as a Hawkeye, starting with head coach Kirk Ferentz, defensive line coach Kelvin Bell, assistant defensive line coach Jay Niemann, and of course, his teammates.

“I like being here,” said Llewellyn, who was among eight Iowa players that met with the media on Thursday to discuss spring practice and whatever else came up. “I like playing for Ferentz. I like playing for Bell and Niemann.

“It’s my home.”

For a growing number of today’s student-athletes, home is wherever the most NIL money can be paid.

And while there isn’t anything wrong with a student-athlete wanting to be paid, or wanting to go to the highest bidder, it’s still nice to see some of them stay the course and finish what they started, and to be motivated by more than just money.

Iowa football certainly takes care of its players from an NIL standpoint because that is now a major part of what it takes to be competitive, especially at the Power 4 level.

But Kirk Ferentz has also built a culture in which being a Hawkeye seems to mean as much or more than being a rich and pampered Hawkeye.

“I just love the people here,” Llewellyn said. “The coaching staff, the players, I’ve got some of my best friends here. I don’t know what it’s like at other schools. I really can’t tell you. Maybe it’s the same way there.

“But I know for a fact here that a lot of guys aren’t really worried about getting paid.”

That includes junior strong safety Koen Entringer, who is more concerned right now with improving on the field than making a bunch of NIL money.

Because Entringer knows that if he continues to improve on the field and develops into one of Iowa’s next standout defensive backs, there would likely be a financial reward.

“NIL, I think it’s cool,” Entringer said. “But I’ll give my honest opinion, I feel like it’s just a little piece of candy that they kind of dangle in your face.

“The big money is in the NFL. You’ve got to take NIL with a grain of salt and know that it’s a tool, but don’t let it be a distraction.”

Entringer only has to look at former Iowa teammate and fellow defensive back Cooper DeJean for inspiration.

DeJean became a star cornerback and punt returner as a Hawkeye and he would go on to be selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, which he then helped win the Super Bowl as a rookie.

“There’s a guy, stayed at Iowa, worked his way and he’s the one that got the bonus,” Entringer said. “He got paid.”

DeJean made NIL money as a Hawkeye, but it never seemed to be a priority for him, or for his teammates.

“The main thing is to be the best football player that you can be,” said Entringer, who is listed as the starter at strong safety on the spring depth chart. “When you’re good at football, they’re going to pay you regardless.”

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New Look: Iowa cornerback T.J. Hall decided since he would be a senior this coming season that it was time to change his look.

So, he cut his hair to where it was hard from some in the media to recognize him at first on Thursday.

“It was time for a change,” Hall said. “It’s more of a business look.

“Senior year; I want to feel focused. I don’t want to worry about it in the morning, worry about my hair. I just want to wake up and go play football.”

Hall is listed as the starter at left cornerback on the spring depth chart. The 6-1, 187-pound Fresno, California native started seven games last season while playing both cornerback positions.

Hall finished with 19 tackles, one interception, two pass break-ups and one fumble recovery last season.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better in many ways,” Hall said. “I’ve put more weight on. I’ve got faster. I understand the game more. The game has slowed down. I’m a lot more patient and let the game come to me.”

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Simple Approach: Senior defensive lineman Jonah Pace is participating in spring practice for the first time as an Iowa Hawkeye.

Pace transferred to Iowa after having played his first four seasons for Central Michigan where he started all 12 game at defensive tackle last season and played in 37 games overall.

And while he faces a significant step up in competition, Pace is taking a simplistic approach to his new challenge.

“Obviously, it’s a little more challenging,” Pace  said Thursday. “But at the end of the day, football is football.”