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Kamari Moulton sure to be part of what could be running-back-by-committee for Iowa football
Aug. 15, 2025 10:48 am, Updated: Aug. 18, 2025 11:14 am
Sophomore left home in Florida for college because his late mother told him she wanted him to “explore the world”
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Editor’s note: First in a 9-part series looking at the Iowa football team ahead of the season opener on Aug. 30.
IOWA CITY - You’d think he would have stayed around home because of the circumstances. But Kamari Moulton left home because of the circumstances.
Because of mom.
Iowa’s sophomore running back suffered unfathomable loss five years ago when his mother, Latavia, and both of his grandmothers died of complications from COVID-19. He was a junior at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
But instead of playing college football in south Florida, anywhere in Florida, to be near his dad, Kirk, and his two sisters, he ended up in Iowa City.
“One thing my mom always told me was she wanted me to explore the world,” Moulton said at the Hawkeyes’ recent media day. “So when I had this opportunity, I know this is what she would have wanted for me. If she was still here, she probably would have moved out here with me. Definitely.”
Moulton is quick with a smile, has an affable demeanor. It belies what you think he might be like, considering the tragedy he has faced.
He said he feels his mother’s presence every day, when he’s in class or on the football field.
“At the time, I really didn’t know how I felt. I was just really numb to the world,” he said. “But it made me who I am today. It showed me how bad life can be. You only get one life.
“I’m doing something that my mom would definitely be happy about. She always wanted me to get out of Florida and stuff. It keeps me up just knowing that I’m doing something she wanted me to do. I knew she wanted me to keep going.”
Moulton is sure to get carries this season after a 2024 campaign in which he rushed for just under 500 yards as an understudy to Kaleb Johnson. He rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown in Iowa’s Music City Bowl loss to Missouri.
One of the big questions of 2025 is how Iowa employs its running backs. Offensive coordinator Tim Lester said he prefers a back-by-committee approach, with those backs likely being Moulton, Jaz Patterson and Terrell Washington Jr. to begin the season.
Freshman Nathan McNeil, another Florida guy, showed well at last week’s Kids Day practice/scrimmage. Redshirt freshman Xavier Williams is a 5-foot-10, 225-pounder that provides a physical running style.
Plenty of options, it would seem.
“That was one of the cool things about Kaleb last year. He could handle 20, 25 carries,” Lester said. “I have some guys in the room that I think could. It’s hard to find that out, you don’t want to kill them in practice. We’re trying to keep them all healthy.”
Lester pointed out the difficult thing about relying on one guy in the backfield, as Iowa did last season, is that you’ve got to reconfigure so many things offensively if he goes down. That shouldn’t be an issue this season.
It seems each guy has a different skill set. Depending on the game situation, you could see just about anyone at tailback: Moulton, Patterson, Washington Jr., McNeil, Williams, who knows?
Redshirt freshman Brevin Doll also is on the roster, as is true freshman Braeden Jackson, the son of former NFLer Fred Jackson.
“The thing about our running back room is they’ve done a great job, and they’re all different,” Lester said. “We can use the talents of each of them. Some of them are great route runners, some of them have unbelievable hands, some of them are big and can bowl over people.
“We just have such a unique mix in there. It’s going to be fun as that competition continues ... I don’t know if we’re going to have a workhorse or a run by committee.”
That decision will come soon enough. Iowa opens Aug. 30 at Kinnick Stadium against Albany.
Moulton agrees with Lester in that this running back group has a lot of depth, a lot of dudes who do different things well. He’ll do whatever he is asked.
But absolutely he wants to be a focal point of this Iowa offense.
“Just being a competitor, you always want to be the guy,” Moulton said. “But I’m very team oriented, and I believe anyone in the running back room ... if it’s not me, it can be anybody. But of course I’m going to say I want to be the guy.”
Comments: jeff.johnson@thegazette.com
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