Four Iowa State Football Starters Charged In Betting Probe

The state of Iowa continues to crack down on betting infractions in its state universities.

Four Iowa State football starters from the 2022 season — running back Jirehl Brock, defensive tackle Isaiah Lee, tight end DeShawn Hanika, and offensive lineman Jacob Remsburg — have been charged with tampering with records in relation to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s gambling probe, as first reported by the Des Moines Register.

Court records state that Brock allegedly bet on four Cyclones football games — two of which he played in — as well as 13 ISU basketball games, placing 1,327 wagers for over $12,050 in total. He has been held out of practices this preseason for an undisclosed reason.

Lee allegedly placed 26 bets on 12 Iowa State football contests, including on Texas to beat the Cyclones in 2021 — a game in which he played. ISU won 30-7 after closing as 6.5-point favorites, per Action Network’s Brett McMurphy. Hanika also allegedly placed 70 wagers on Iowa State basketball.

If found guilty, all three could face permanent NCAA ineligibility according to the organization’s rules prohibiting bets on a student-athlete’s own team or on another sport at the same school.

Remsburg is accused of making 273 bets totaling $1,108, with six allegedly on college football or basketball games — though none involving ISU. He faces a potential half-season suspension for betting on college football.

Sports Betting

| by Eric Fisher

Criminal Probes For Player Gambling Put Pressure On NFL, NCAA Policies

Fast-rising issue draws heightened interest from prosecutors

August 2, 2023

The four players are the most recent to be caught up in the state’s betting probe.

Earlier in August, starting quarterback Hunter Dekkers was charged with tampering after allegedly placing 26 bets on Iowa State athletics. Former defensive lineman Enyi Uwazurike was also charged in the probe and is suspended indefinitely by the NFL.

“You always have concern, especially with how things have evolved over the course of the summer,” ISU head coach Matt Campbell said last week after the first wave of charges. “What you try to do is continue to evaluate the situation for what it is.”

In-state rival Iowa was also caught up in the probe, with the team’s kicker Aaron Blom accused of placing 170 bets before turning 21. Both schools’ baseball teams also came under investigation by the state for potential betting misconduct — though neither allegedly fixed games.

With ESPN Bet set to debut in November after this week’s enormous $2 billion deal between ESPN and Penn Entertainment, exposure to betting is only set to increase — and more violations could be on the way barring a massive shift.