Ben McCollum and the Hawkeyes hosted their second and final open practice to the media on Wednesday. Here's what stood out.
It's only July, but Ben McCollum has already lost his voice.
There's not really much of an offseason for Iowa men's basketball's second-year head coach, but he graciously opened another portion of summer practice to the local media on Wednesday morning.
Here's what stood out.
Cooper Koch Could Be The Next Team Leader
With Bennett Stirtz off to the NBA, not only does Iowa need someone to fill his scoring void, it also needs an new leader to step up.
Third-year forward Cooper Koch could check both of those boxes in 2026-27. The first half of his 2025-26 campaign was a struggle, but boy did he begin to take a massive leap near the end of the year - especially during the Hawkeyes' Elite Eight run.
Koch has always had incredible talent, he just needed time to develop in McCollum's robust system after missing most of his first season due to injury. The development definitely happened during that remarkable postseason run, and it's likely to result in an even better 2027.
Only time will tell to see if the hype translates to the floor this year, but if it's anything like we saw during Wednesday's open practice, Koch will be just fine.
Koch was making plays all over the floor during the practice as expected, but his vocal leadership has really impressed me during these two open practices.
He wasn't able to practice during our first open practice viewing last week due to what he and McCollum called "being banged up," but though he couldn't participate, that didn't stop him from picking his teammates up when they needed it.
When he actually played Wednesday, all of that was clearly evident when he was on the floor. The increased confidence was very present, too, and that's what is going to make him a really good basketball player this year.
"This year, he knows what to expect, and now he's driving our culture forward," McCollum said.
Trevin Jirak Impresses
Everyone has talked about 7-foot-3 Saint Mary's transfer Andrew McKeever as the primary post presence in Iowa City. Those conversations are rightfully deserved, but there's another man in the middle that might make the headlines in 2026-27 - Trevin Jirak.
The 2025 Iowa Mr. Basketball honoree didn't earn a ton of minutes last season, but with the Hawkeyes needing depth at the five in 2027, Jirak figures to be the primary man to fill that role.
Jirak was clearly a raw talent last year, but after watching these two open practices, it's clear that he's ready to elevate his game and make an impact this season. He was very confident for a freshman last season, and the confidence has only grown in summer workouts.
Jirak showed little fear to take (and make) three point and mid range jumpers, and he even showed the willingness to take on the assignment of defending a guard on the perimeter if needed - something that he has worked hard to do.
"I think that's kind of been a big focus of mine outside of basketball stuff," Jirak said. "Just working on my body, so I can move to a point where I really want to move and be able to guard multiple positions."
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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]
