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Gennings Dunker has big expectations for Iowa in 2026: 'I'm fired up'

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones04/29/26brianjones_93

Former Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Gennings Dunker is looking forward to seeing what the team does this fall. Ahead of the NFL Draft, On3 spoke to Dunker about his expectations for Iowa in 2026.

“I think pretty good. I’m fired up,” Gennings Dunker told On3. Led by Dunker, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, Iowa finished the 2025 season with a 9-4 overall record and 6-3 in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes were sixth in conference and had a three-game winning streak to end the season. One of those victories was a 34-27 victory over No. 14 Vanderbilt.

A big reason Iowa had success is Dunker and the offensive line. The unit won the Joe Moore Award, which is given to the top offensive line in college football. Dunker revealed how he, Beau Stephens, Kade Pieper, Trevor Lauck, and Logan Jones had success last season.

Gennings Dunker looks back on Iowa’s offensive line success

“I would say how tight-knit we are,” Dunker said. “So every week we’d have O-line and supper together, so that’d be Thursday night. We’d all have supper together, spend every single holiday together. We’d get gifts for each other on Christmas. We’d do a gift exchange kind of thing, and it was actually real gifts. We weren’t allowed gag gifts.”

Dunker also said the offensive line spent “every holiday together, too. And every summer we take a trip as an O-line to the Ozarks that we rent an 18-bedroom house and just hang out for a couple of days. And just how close everyone is together. A lot of guys will live together, too. So I would just say how close everyone … And it’s not forced, it’s all natural.”

Iowa has not won a Big Ten title since 2004, but have either won multiple titles or have played in multiple conference championship games since then. The Hawkeyes are led by head coach Kirk Ferentz, who is entering his 28th season.

As mentioned, Dunker will be playing for the Steelers this fall. He looks to help a team that won the AFC North last season but lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs in 2025.