Jarrod Uthoff to transfer to Iowa

Published Jun. 7, 2012 3:26 a.m. ET

foxsports

Jarrod Uthoff is staying in the Big Ten - and he figures to see plenty more of Bo Ryan over the next few years.

Uthoff told The Associated Press in a phone interview on Wednesday night that he's transferring to Iowa even though Badgers coach Bo Ryan restricted the Hawkeyes from contacting him.

Uthoff he'll have to pay his own way next year at Iowa and will also have to sit out the 2012-13 season per NCAA transfer rules. But that's not an issue for Uthoff, who hails from nearby Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

''I just didn't want money to be a factor in where I wanted to play,'' Uthoff said.

Ryan's decision to place what many believed were heavy restrictions on Uthoff's list of transfer options drew national criticism.

Uthoff had previously told an Iowa-based high school sports website, metrosportsreport.com, that Ryan has placed every Big Ten and ACC school, plus Iowa State and Marquette, on the list of schools that can't contact him.

Wisconsin later trimmed the list of schools restricted from talking to Uthoff to the Big Ten.

Uthoff, a 6-foot-8 forward who redshirted in 2011-12, wasn't able to speak directly with Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery. But he left Wisconsin in part because he felt the Badgers methodical style didn't fit his skill set, and he said he feels the Hawkeyes uptempo pace will.

Uthoff also told the AP that he hasn't spoken to Ryan since he told him of his plans to transfer, even though Ryan had told Uthoff he'd call him once he returned from vacation.

Ironically, Iowa let prep guard Ben Brust out of his letter of intent back in 2009 when the coach who recruited him, Todd Lickliter, was fired. Brust signed with Ryan and Wisconsin.