Show overview
Hawk Central Hour launched in 2025 and has put out 106 episodes in the time since. That works out to roughly 80 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a several-times-a-week cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 30 min and 50 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-US-language Sports show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 6 days ago, with 31 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2025, with 75 episodes published. Published by Gannett Media / Consumer Products.
From the publisher
“Hawk Central Hour” airs between 6-7 p.m. on 1460 KXnO-AM on Wednesdays and will feature Des Moines Register Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow and beat writer Tyler Tachman. Follow their coverage at hawkcentral.com.
Latest Episodes
View all 106 episodesHawk Central: Ben McCollum contract explainers, grading Iowa's Big Ten schedule
Hawk Central: Our year-ending Hawkeye awards show, top 1-on-1 takes with Ben McCollum
Hawk Central: Iowa football position groups ranked, from best to worst
Did we learn anything significant from Iowa football's 2026 open spring practice?
Hawk Central: Evaluating McKeever, Coleman hoops pickups; inside Iowa QBs battle
Hawk Central: Unpacking Kirk Ferentz's NCAA violation ruling, Iowa basketball portal heats up
Hawk Central: Transfer portal is open, how much movement should Iowa basketball fans expect?
With the Big Ten claiming national championships in men's and women's basketball, we now turn our attention to the offseason fully. The women's portal exits are done, but what can we expect on the men's side? The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow wander through Ben McCollum's roster, his decision to turn down a North Carolina interview and more ... including an early women's portal visitor and spring-football conversations.
Hawk Central: On Addie Deal's departure, portal preview for Iowa men's basketball
The Monday-night news of Addie Deal intending to enter the tranfer portal shook the Iowa women's basketball fan base, but how should this news be absorbed? Big-picture conversations about the dwindling roster numbers for Jan Jensen's squad and what the concern level should be. On the men's side, how can Ben McCollum capitalize on an Elite Eight run as portal season is set to begin on the men's side? Plus, a little spring football talk with Chad Leistikow, Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard.
Iowa basketball's magical run ends with Elite Eight loss to Illinois
Live from Houston, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down Iowa basketball's season-ending loss to Illinois in the Elite Eight.
Iowa basketball's improbable run continues as Hawkeyes advance to Elite Eight with Nebraska win
Live from Houston, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down every element of Iowa basketball's improbable Sweet 16 win over Nebraska. In Ben McCollum's first year, Iowa is headed to its first Elite Eight since 1987.
How does Iowa basketball continue this magical NCAA Tournament run vs. Nebraska in Sweet 16?
Live from Houston, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect every element of Iowa basketball's Sweet 16 matchup against Nebraska.
Hawk Central: Previewing Iowa-Nebraska in men's Sweet 16; abrupt women's end in NCAAs
One Hawkeye basketball team is moving on (surprisingly), and the other is staying home (also surprisingly). The Iowa men are headed to the Sweet 16, and the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman revisit the stunning upset of Florida while looking ahead to a quick turnaround to a Thursday game against a familiar rival in Nebraska. Chad and Dargan Southard also unpack the stunning upset loss for the No. 2 seed Iowa women to Virginia, looking at three things that caused that result and a look ahead to portal season.
Iowa basketball stuns defending champion Florida to reach first Sweet 16 since 1999
Live from Tampa, the Register's Tyler Tachman joins Chad Leistikow to dissect Iowa basketball's stunning upset over defending national champion Florida. In Ben McCollum's first season, the Hawkeyes are headed to their first Sweet 16 since 1999. Up next...Nebraska.
Dissecting Iowa basketball's win vs. Clemson, the Hawkeyes' first NCAA Tournament victory since 2021
Live from Tampa, the Register's Tyler Tachman joins Chad Leistikow to break down Iowa's basketball's win over Clemson. In Ben McCollum's first season, the Hawkeyes have their first NCAA Tournament win since 2021.
Hawk Central: Iowa basketball, wrestling teams reach ultimate NCAA tests
On this three-segment show of Hawk Central, the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Iowa men's basketball beat writer Tyler Tachman, who previews the first-round matchup with Clemson and we buy or sell Iowa's chances as a Sweet 16 team. On the women's side, Chad and beat writer Dargan Southard look at the Hawkeyes' surprising tournament-tested stature for being a young team and wonder: If the game's on the line, who gets the last shot? It's NCAA Wrestling Championships week, too, in Cleveland. Eli McKown joins Chad to preview the paths of Iowa's nine NCAA qualifiers.
Dissecting the NCAA Tournament paths for Iowa men's and women's basketball
The Register's Chad Leistikow, Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard break down the NCAA Tournament paths for Ben McCollum's bunch and Jen Jensen's squad after learning their March Madness journeys on Selection Sunday.
Hawk Central: Previewing March Madness for Iowa men's, women's basketball
The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman start Hawk Central on the men's side, soaking in two close calls last week against Michigan and Nebraska while looking ahead to a Wednesday-morning matchup vs. Oregon or Maryland. Chad and Dargan Southard offer a lot of perspective about the Hawkeye women's performance at the Big Ten Tournament, including how to balance a 51-point loss to UCLA with an impressive run to the conference championship game.
Iowa women's basketball topples Illinois in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals; Michigan up next
Live from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Dargan Southard dissect Iowa's Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal win over Illinois and look ahead to the Hawkeyes' semifinal matchup vs. Michigan.
Hawk Central: How will Iowa men's basketball respond? Previewing Big Ten women's tournament
The Iowa men's basketball team is picking up the pieces after a jarring loss at Penn State in which lineup combinations were baffling. The Register's Tyler Tachman joins Chad Leistikow to unpack the issues and two big games ahead as Ben McCollum's squad looks to relieve NCAA Tournament pressure. Meantime, the Iowa women are rolling into Indianapolis. What to make of this overachieving journey so far? Chad and Dargan Southard break it down and preview the Hawkeyes' postseason path.
Hawk Central: Jan Jensen coach of the year? Huge week ahead for Iowa men
An eventful Sunday of Iowa basketball has become a 75-minute Monday podcast surrounding the Hawkeyes' fortunes. First, the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Iowa women's basketball writer Dargan Southard. They break down the Hawkeyes' 62-44 win over then-No. 5 Michigan, with big-picture commentary about Jan Jensen, Ava Heiden and Hawkeye seniors Hannah Stuelke and Kylie Feuerbach. Register men's basketball writer Tyler Tachman joins Chad after the Iowa men lost at Wisconsin, 84-71. We look ahead to matchups against Ohio State and Penn State that could make or break the Hawkeyes' postseason opportunities.