By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa starting strong safety Koen Entringer now appears on the way out again.

The Ypsilanti, Michigan native has entered the transfer portal barely a week after having told the media in Tampa while preparing for the ReliasQuest Bowl that he planned to return to Iowa for his senior season.

There was uncertainty about Entringer’s future with the Hawkeyes after he participated in Senior Day as a fourth-year junior.

But it was thought that he had ended the uncertainty when he told the media that he planned to return to Iowa.

Entringer started all 13 games this season and was voted a team captain for all 13 games.

He also represented Iowa at Big Ten Media Day last summer in Las Vegas despite having only started one game at that point in his career.

In addition to starting all 13 games this season, Entringer finished third on the team with 73 tackles, including 3.5 for loss. He also was named honorable mention All-Big Ten.

Entringer played alongside senior Xavier Nwanpka, who started all 13 games at free safety this season.

But with Nwankpa having used up his eligibility, and with Entringer now in the transfer portal, Iowa has taken a step to fill one of those holes by adding former Villanova safety Anthony Hawkins from the transfer portal.

Hawkins, an FCS Freshman All-American, has three seasons of eligibility.

Entringer could always return to Iowa for his final season. But for him to have entered the portal means that he is obviously looking at other options.

Iowa has had at least seven players enter the transfer portal since the 2025 season ended, including running backs Jaziun Patterson and Terrell Washington Jr, defensive back Kael Kolarik, defensive end Brian Allen, punter Rhys Dakin and walk-on quarterback Jackson Stratton.

Dakin has since committed to Michigan State, which was expected since former Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods is now coaching for the Spartans. Woods recruited Dakin from Melbourne, Australia.

Allen’s decision to enter the portal was a surprise since he figured to be in line to start as a senior next season after having been a key reserve in each of the past two seasons.

Entringer’s decision was even more surprising, though, since he had said recently that he would return to Iowa, and because he was firmly entrenched as a starter and highly respected by his teammates and coaches.

Iowa is also known for producing outstanding defensive backs under long-time coordinator Phil Parker and Entringer was showing signs of joining that distinguished group.

But in this age of NIL and the transfer portal, the unexpected now seems more common with players having the freedom to come and go with few restrictions.

The desire to get paid is certainly a factor in a lot of these cases, and that will always be true moving forward as the college sports landscape has changed considerably in recent years.