Iowa kicker Aaron Blom and two Iowa State football players -- quarterback Hunter Dekkers and offensive lineman Dodge Sauser -- are among seven current and former athletes charged with "tampering with records" in relation to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation's ongoing probe into sports gambling. The list also includes second-year Denver Broncos defensive lineman and ex-ISU football player Enyi Uwazurike, who was suspended by the NFL in July for violating the league's gambling policy.
The list of the seven individuals came shortly after the The Gazette, citing the criminal complaint, named Blom on Wednesday as the latest known football player among the two schools implicated in the probe. All seven current and former athletes were alleged to have bet on sporting events involving their respective schools -- some on their own teams -- while concealing their own identities. However, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission announced that no evidence has been found to suggest the integrity of such contests were impacted by the wagers.
Blom allegedly placed around 170 underage sports wagers for more than $4,400, according to documents obtained by The Gazette. One of the incidents was an "under total points" wager on Iowa's 2021 rivalry game victory against Iowa State. According to the complaint, Blom disguised his identity by using his mother's information to place the aforementioned bets on DraftKings sportsbook. Blom's mother approached law enforcement regarding the wagers, claiing Blom used her information "with her consent and knowledge."
On the Iowa State front, The Des Moines Register reported Tuesday that Dekkers is accused of betting on more than two dozen ISU events, including Cyclones football. Sauser, who has not appeared a game for the Cyclones, was also cited in The Register's report as allegedly placing 12 wagers on Iowa State football games through a DraftKings account.
The trio of active football players could be subject to severe punishments. NCAA guidelines on sports wagering state that student athletes who "engage in activities to influence the outcomes of their own games or knowingly provide information to individuals involved in sports betting activities will potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility in all sports." It applies to students who bet on their own games or other sports involving their respective schools.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz addressed the investigation at 2023 Big Ten Media Days in July, calling on the NCAA to revisit its protocol on punishing players for gambling. Hawkeyes defensive lineman Noah Shannon previously confirmed himself as one of the players implicated after he pulled out of representing the Hawkeyes at Big Ten Media Days.
"I think our world [has] changed dramatically," Ferentz said at Big Ten Media Days. "I think what the NFL has done with their rules makes a lot of sense. I'm hopeful this is an opportunity for the NCAA to reconsider two things: What punishments might be that are fair and relevant to the world we're living in right now, and probably the bigger thing, there's an opportunity right now for a lot better education process."
