Updated: October 15, 2025
Former support staff members of the Iowa State football program have recently been disciplined by the NCAA for their involvement in online sports wagering activities. The NCAA found that a total of one current and four former support staff members were engaged in online bets, including wagers on Iowa State men's and women's basketball games. The actions of Jace Heacock, Chase Clark, Michael Dryer, Kyle Highland, and Mason Williams resulted in more than 6,200 online bets with a cumulative value exceeding $100,000. These violations led to the NCAA imposing a one-year show-cause order on the individuals through April 24, 2026.
The NCAA categorized the conduct as Level II violations, indicating breaches of conduct that could potentially compromise the integrity of college sports. Furthermore, should any of the five individuals be hired by a college's athletic department in the future, they will be required to attend the NCAA Regional Rules Seminar and serve a two-week suspension during the show-cause period. These penalties come as a result of the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation's 2023 probe into underage online sports betting at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University.
Jace Heacock, the son of defensive coordinator Jon Heacock, held the position of graduate assistant for the Iowa State football program during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Notably, Heacock was recently appointed as the director of football analytics on the program's staff in April. Another disciplined individual, Chase Clark, now serves as an assistant equipment manager for the Detroit Lions, having previously worked as an assistant director of football equipment operations at Iowa State.
Michael Dryer, a former assistant of equipment operations at ISU, and Kyle Highland, now employed as Army's assistant director of football operations but formerly a football recruiting operations assistant at Iowa State, were also among those reprimanded by the NCAA. Mason Williams, currently the head equipment manager at Valparaiso, previously held the position of associate for athletics equipment operations at Iowa State.
The severity of the NCAA penalties highlights the organization's dedication to upholding the integrity and ethical standards within collegiate sports. The following sections provide a deeper look into the actions of the disciplined staff members and the implications of their violations on the Iowa State football program.
