Iowa football’s offensive line received a good piece of late-May news, with Michael Myslinski being approved for a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.
Myslinski confirmed the development on social media. The approval of a medical-hardship waiver was considered a formality, but getting it finalized is a big step for George Barnett’s offensive-line room. Myslinski is expected to compete for a starting spot on the Hawkeyes’ 2026 line.
Myslinski was approved to participate in spring practices while he waited to hear his fate. Though he didn’t participate in the final open practice on April 25, he was rotating between center and right guard during practices up until then.
The graduate student from Jacksonville, Florida, has had an adversity-filled journey with Iowa. He played in his first possible career game, in the 2021 opener vs. Indiana. But he injured his knee as a freshman and was consistently injured for much of his first four years.
He played in one game in 2021, one in 2022, zero in 2023 and four games in 2024. Last season, he was finally healthy and available and was a second-team guard. He played in eight games and earned the team’s Comeback Player of the Year Award. Myslinski most notably filled in after right-guard starter Kade Pieper was injured in Iowa’s 26-21 loss at USC.
This spring, Myslinski and Pieper were competing to be Iowa’s starting center. Pieper appears to have the edge for now at center, according to head coach Kirk Ferentz’s comments after the open spring practice. Even so, Myslinski will have a good shot at starting at right guard, perhaps in a rotational situation at minimum with promising freshman Lucas Allgeyer. Barnett also likes walk-on Cael Winter as a possible center. The Hawkeyes have options, and Myslinski certainly is one of them.
“Honestly, this is the best I’ve felt my whole career,” Myslinski told reporters after Iowa’s open spring practice. “It’s been a healthy two years pretty much.”
Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has served for 31 years with The Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Sports Network. Chad is the 2023 INA Iowa Sports Columnist of the Year and NSMA Co-Sportswriter of the Year in Iowa. Join Chad’s text-message group at HawkCentral.com/HawkeyesTexts. Follow @ChadLeistikow on X.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa football’s Michael Myslinski granted sixth year of eligibility
Reporting by Chad Leistikow, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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