High School

Former Iowa High School Football Standout Transfers To Big Ten Team

Will Hawthorne will transfer from Iowa State to Nebraska

Dana Becker

Gilbert's running back Will Hawthorne (43) celebrates after his second touchdown against Waverly-Shell Rock during the second quarter in the 4A first round high school football playoff at Gilbert High School onFriday, Nov. 1, 2024, in Gilbert, Iowa
Gilbert's running back Will Hawthorne (43) celebrates after his second touchdown against Waverly-Shell Rock during the second quarter in the 4A first round high school football playoff at Gilbert High School onFriday, Nov. 1, 2024, in Gilbert, Iowa / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A former Iowa high school football standout has decided to join a Big Ten Conference program through the transfer portal from Iowa State. And this time, it is not to follow his former coach and commit to Penn State.

Will Hawthorne, one of the top recruits from in-state that Matt Campbell landed while leading Iowa State, has committed to Nebraska. The four-star linebacker made the announcement on social media.

“GBR!,” Hawthorne posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday afternoon.

Hawthorne, a two-way star at Gilbert High School, entered the transfer portal after Campbell took the head coach position at Penn State. But unlike several of his former teammates who followed Campbell to Happy Valley, he will stay closer to home.

Former Gilbert Star Dominated On Both Sides Of The Football In High School

During his senior season at Gilbert, Hawthorne ran for 2,263 yards and scored 28 touchdowns on 328 carries, numbers which placed him atop Class 4A. He also recorded 44.5 tackles on defense with 10 for loss, two quarterback sacks, three forced fumbles and three passes broken up.

As a junior, Hawthorne recorded 63 tackles with 10 for loss and 4.5 sacks, finishing his high school career with 177 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 3,482 yards rushing and 46 touchdowns.

Nebraska was one of the schools that offered him coming out of high school along with Kansas and Kansas State. He retained a season by taking a redshirt this past fall for Iowa State, giving him four years of eligibility left for the Huskers.

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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