One thing that has remained steady in the Iowa football program throughout the years is its strength and conditioning program, which is consistently ranked among the best in the country.
Raimond Braithwaite assumed full-time leadership of that department in 2021 and has sustained the Hawkeyes’ status as one of the most physically prepared teams in the nation. During Big Ten Media Days, head coach Kirk Ferentz commended the efforts of Raimond Braithwaite.
“He’s been tremendous,” Ferentz said. “Rai’s first class and he’s been first class for quite a while. He took over a really tough circumstance, a really challenging circumstance and he did unbelievable. I’m not sure I could have handled things the way he did.”
Iowa’s transition was somewhat turbulent. In 2020, former strength coach Chris Doyle was let go after allegations of mistreatment emerged, particularly concerning Black athletes. Raimond Braithwaite stepped in a year later, having served as interim head coach in 2020.
“He’s done an excellent job. The players have confidence in him,” Ferentz said. “His level of expertise is exceptional, and his work ethic is remarkable. He has assembled a fantastic staff, and they all work well together. The players believe in them, which is crucial. Overall, he’s been outstanding and is a great person as well.”
Looking ahead to football in 2024, Iowa will face new challenges as the Big Ten expands and divisions are removed. The Hawkeyes have achieved 10 wins in two of the last three seasons, and the aim is to reach that milestone again, which could potentially lead to a College Football Playoff berth.
From a strength perspective, under Raimond Braithwaite’s guidance, it’s all about maintaining momentum through the offseason until fall camp begins.
“Just one foot in front of the other,” Ferentz said. “There’s no, it’s like everything else, when things hit the fan it’s one foot in front of the other and don’t look too far down the road. Let’s just try to see what we can do today and keep moving forward.”
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