Iowa just suffered its biggest gut punch of the transfer portal season.
Everything was going well for the Hawkeyes, coming off a big upset win over No. 14 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
The fans and the players were on cloud nine, and then the dreaded transfer portal window opened.
The transfer portal has become a necessary evil in college sports with the expansion of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals and revenue-sharing programs, and it became even more vital in 2026.
After last season, the transfer portal was limited to one January window from January 2 to the 16, with exceptions for players in the College Football Playoff.
Iowa has not been overly active in the first few days of the portal, signing only four players, but it has made its transfer portal focus very clear.
The focus has primarily been on the defensive side of the football, and that could ramp up after a rising-star defensive back and team captain announced he is entering the transfer portal.
Iowa safety Koen Entringer has entered the transfer portal, ESPN has learned.
— Max Olson (@max_olson) January 6, 2026
The team captain started all 13 games and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors after recording 73 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and 4 PBUs this season.
Repped by @LanierLogan of @netsportsmgmt. pic.twitter.com/OS3yzgWP0p
In a shocking turn of events, ESPN's Max Olson reports that junior defensive back Koen Entringer has announced he is entering the transfer portal after a career year in the Iowa secondary.
Entringer was named a team captain before Iowa's opening game against Albany, and compiled a career-high 73 total tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and four pass breakups.
Entringer's shocking exit comes after he was committed to returning
Before Iowa took on Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl, multiple media members asked Entringer if he would return next season, and he confirmed he would.
The shocking announcement that he is now potentially leaving the program after entering the portal leaves Iowa with a big hole in the secondary.
After waiting to get his chance, Entringer took advantage of his opportunity as a starter and defensive captain this season, starting all 13 games in the Iowa secondary, and earning an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection.
Iowa added transfer safety Anthony Hawkins from Villanova to the roster over the weekend, but now there is even more work to be done after Entringer entered the transfer portal.