IOWA CITY — Ahead of their second campaigns playing for Iowa basketball coach Ben McCollum, the offseason jump was real for Tate Sage and Cooper Koch.
One of the bigger Hawkeyes storylines this summer was the development of Sage and Koch. After playing impactful roles on Iowa’s Elite Eight team, they continued their upward trajectory this offseason.
Sage, who arrived at Iowa as a relatively unknown commodity, established himself as part of the Hawkeyes’ rotation during his freshman season. His signature moment came in the form of a career-high 19 points against Nebraska in the Sweet 16, further validating how bright his future looks. Sage’s evolving role could include more ball-handling responsibilities this upcoming season, something he showed during the summer.
Koch was one of just two players to remain on the roster following the departure of coach Fran McCaffery. Koch, who started every game for the Hawkeyes last season, fought through a shooting slump to become a key piece of Iowa’s improbable NCAA Tournament run.
During the summer program, Sage and Koch took the steps you’d hope.
“He’s got more confidence because of his workload,” McCollum said of Koch in July. “Last year, it was just like a shock to his system, and then about halfway through the year, he figured it out. This year, he knows what to expect, and now he’s driving our culture forward. If he’s not winning sprints, he’s in the top two or three. If he’s not winning the stairs, he’s top two or three. He’s moving around the weight room much better. And then on the floor, his energy has been elite. He’s driving things forward, which is a big deal, whereas last year he might’ve just allowed people to pull him along.”
Another player entering his second season under McCollum who caught attention this summer: Trevin Jirak.
The former West Des Moines Valley star, who was once signed with Northern Iowa, flipped to Iowa following the hiring of McCollum. Jirak played sporadically during his freshman season with the Hawkeyes, appearing in 17 of the team’s 37 games.
Jirak displayed a noticeably leaner frame this summer, consuming more steak, chicken and ground beef while cutting down on carbs. At 6-foot-11, he possesses a versatile offensive repertoire — with the ability to pass and stretch the floor as a shooter. The three-time state champion also knows what it takes to win at a high level.
“He went on a diet over the summer,” McCollum said of Jirak. “He’s worked. He’s been in the weight room. He’s been conditioning. He’s been in the gym. He’s already had the skill set, and now he’s moving at a high level. … He’s had a great summer.”
After what Iowa landed from the high school ranks and through the transfer portal, the Hawkeyes now have a roster with legitimate Big Ten size, something they lacked last season. Three of Iowa’s four newcomers are listed at 6-foot-7 or taller: Andrew McKeever (7-foot-3), Ethan Harris (6-foot-9) and Jaidyn Coon (6-foot-7). Ty’Reek Coleman is just 6-foot-2, but he is quick and has a wingspan around 6-foot-6, McCollum said.
On top of that, Iowa adds 6-foot-8 Trey Thompson to the mix after redshirting last season. If Jirak plays a more prominent role, the Hawkeyes have another big body in the rotation.
It’s clear that McCollum will have improved lineup flexibility after being forced to play with an undersized frontcourt last season. In fact, McKeever and Jirak appeared on the court at the same time during the summer, giving the Hawkeyes the potential to go with a jumbo lineup.
“They looked pretty good,” McCollum said of Jirek and McKeever playing on the same team. “Trevin can shoot it, so that helps. It’ll depend on which one can guard a guard. That’ll be the issue, so we’ll see.”
While Iowa’s newcomers are intriguing, the Hawkeyes’ success in retention was also extremely important. With how much rosters are changing these days, it’s become more of a rarity for a program to hold on to 10 players like Iowa did. Notably, the Hawkeyes return Cam Manyawu, Kael Combs, Isaia Howard, Koch, Sage, Jirak and Thompson. Familiarity and chemistry are valuable in a modern landscape where those characteristics can be fleeting.
One of the departures, however, was consequential. That was reflected in the fact that Bennett Stirtz went 16th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Hawkeyes are losing their best player from last season, and the one who steered the ship in the closing minutes of the game.
Alvaro Folgueiras’ iconic game-winning shot vs. Florida? That was, of course, assisted by Stirtz.
As Iowa navigates life after Stirtz, part of the challenge will be figuring out who the Hawkeyes go to in crunch time. Could it be Koch? Could it be Sage? Could it be someone else? Could it be a combination of players?
Those are crucial question marks for the Hawkeyes.
“I feel pretty good for about 35 minutes of a game right now,” McCollum said. “Still trying to find that last five minutes. That’s a big deal. You lose Bennett, that’s a big deal, that last five minutes, controlling the game and being able to finish it.”
A couple of under-the-radar names from this summer: Jaidyn Coon and Joey Matteoni.
Coon, the 2026 Iowa Mr. Basketball winner, has the type of athleticism who could help him carve out a role as a true freshman. Matteoni appeared only in garbage time last season, but he has experience in McCollum’s system, now entering his third season under the head coach. There isn’t exactly a clear path to extended playing time for Matteoni, though, considering Iowa has Manyawu, McKeever and Jirak in the frontcourt, along with wing depth that provides the option to go smaller.
The summer program is over. But there is still more work to be done before the Hawkeyes tip off a highly anticipated second season under McCollum.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Hawk Central: What we learned from Iowa men’s basketball summer workouts
Reporting by Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register / Hawk Central
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By Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
