Report: Iowa football hiring Omar Young as new running backs coach

Iowa and head coach Kirk Ferentz is expected to hire former New England Patriots offensive assistant Omar Young as the Hawkeyes’ new running backs coach, according to the Des Moines Register.

Young would replace Ladell Betts, an Iowa alumnus who spent the last four seasons coaching the Hawkeyes’ running backs before recently accepting the same role with the New York Giants.

The 41-year-old Young spent last season as a Patriots offensive assistant under Jerod Mayo, who was fired after going 4-13 in 2024, and previously worked with the Chicago Bears as an assistant with a focus on quarterbacks and receivers for two seasons. Young also has experience with the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns in the NFL. That’s in addition to previous collegiate coaching experience as the running backs coach at Eastern Illinois from 2019-21 and as an analyst for both South Carolina (2016) and Colorado (2013-14).

Young becomes the first assistant coaching hire that Iowa second-year offensive coordinator Tim Lester has overseen, according to the Des Moines Register.

Young will now be in charge of an Iowa running backs room that features redshirt sophomores Kamari Moulton and Jaziun Patterson, who combined for 170 rushing yards on 23 carries in the Hawkeyes’ Music City Bowl loss to Missouri after last season’s leading rusher, Kaleb Johnson, opted out of the game to enter the 2025 NFL Draft.

Iowa assistant Ladell Betts hired by New York Giants as RBs coach

Iowa running backs coach Ladell Betts will head to the NFL and become the New York Giants RBs coach, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

Betts, a former running back for the then-Washington Redskins and New Orleans Saints from 2002-10, spent the last four seasons at Iowa. The Hawkeyes were the first and only Division 1 college job for Betts after spending time as a high school coach from 2013-20, following his playing career.

Betts, an Iowa alum, was a second-round pick in 2002 by the Redskins. While with the Hawkeyes, he ran for 3,682 yards, 25 touchdowns, 4.4 yards per carry, had 71 catches, 692 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions.

Betts played eight seasons in the NFL after being named Second-Team All-Big Ten twice while at Iowa. Over the course of his NFL career, he ran 821 times for 3,326 yards, 15 touchdowns, had 188 catches, 1,646 yards and three touchdown receptions.

— On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this report.