QHS graduate Brock charged with tampering with records, betting on Iowa State football games

AMES, Iowa — A week ago, during the Iowa State football program’s media day, Cyclones coach Matt Campbell acknowledged Quincy High School graduate Jirehl Brock had been the only running back on the roster to not participate in practice.

Campbell did not provide an explanation for Brock’s absence.

Asked to elaborate, Campbell simply said, “We have guys that don’t practice for different reasons.”

The reason is clear now, and it could cost Brock his NCAA eligibility.

Brock has been charged with tampering with records as part of an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation gambling probe, according to court records released Thursday. Brock was one of four Iowa State football players charged Thursday with tampering.

The 6-foot, 220-pound senior running back is accused of placing bets in an account registered in the name of a third party, but the account was under his control. He could permanently lose his NCAA eligibility by violating NCAA bylaws prohibiting a student-athlete from gambling on their own games or on other sports at their school.

According to court records, Brock is alleged to have placed bets on four Iowa State football games while a member of the team, including two games he participated in during the 2022 season. Those were against Iowa and Kansas State.

Iowa State beat Iowa 10-7 on Sept. 10 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, with Brock rushing for 100 yards on 27 carries. He also caught five passes for 18 yards. In a 10-9 loss to 20th-ranked Kansas State on Oct. 8 at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, Brock carried the ball 13 times for 33 yards and caught two passes.

He also is alleged to have bet on Iowa State men’s basketball games 13 times.

The charges allege Brock placed those bets from his personal cellphone.

Court documents show Brock is alleged to have placed 1,327 wagers for more than $12,050 on the FanDuel gaming website.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission announced earlier this month there is no evidence to suggest the integrity of competition was impacted by wagers placed by Iowa State student-athletes.

Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers is sitting out fall practice after being charged with tampering with records earlier this month. The complaint included allegations Dekkers wagered on a 2021 football game against Oklahoma State when he was a sophomore backup.

Brock was on pace for a healthy return to the starting lineup as the Cyclones’ starting tailback after rushing for 445 yards and three touchdowns last fall. He sustained an ankle injury in a Week 5 loss at Kansas and suffered a broken foot in a loss at Oklahoma State that ended his season. He played in 10 games total, but averaged less than 10 carries per game due to the injuries.

He emerged from spring practice as the Cyclones’ No. 1 tailback but had not participated in a single practice this fall.

A four-star recruit coming out of high school, Brock led the Blue Devils to three consecutive playoff appearances while becoming the leading rusher in program history.

As a junior, he rushed for a single-season school record 1,588 yards and broke the single-game rushing record with 304 yards against Rock Island.  As a senior, Brock finished with a school-record 2,158 yards rushing and 33 rushing touchdowns, breaking the single-game rushing record with 333 yards in the regular-season finale against Quincy Notre Dame. 

He also tied the single-game touchdown record by scoring six TDs in a game twice in his career, including against QND. Brock’s 5,135 career rushing yards is the school record and ranks among the top 20 career performances in Illinois High School Association history.

He was named the Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior in 2018.