Grill released a statement on Twitter Wednesday evening, addressing comments he made.Unfortunately, I said something that I regret which has cost me the opportunity to finish out my dream at Iowa State. I hope that all the players and Iowa State fans can find it in their hearts to forgive me,” Grill stated.Caleb Grill was released from the team on Wednesday, less than a week before the Big 12 tournament was set to kick off, for failing to “meet the program’s expectations,” the Cyclones announced.
It’s unclear what specifically led to Grill’s removal from the team.
“We hold our players to high standards and there are expectations that our student-athletes are held accountable for,” coach T.J. Otzelberger said in a brief statement, via CycloneFanatic’s Chris Williams.Grill's dismissal is surprising both due to the fact that the season is almost over and that he has a long history with Otzelberger. Grill first committed to play for Otzelberger at South Dakota State when he was still in high school. He then transferred to UNLV, and back to Iowa State when Otzelberger was hired before the 2021-22 seasong.Grill’s removal comes at a very turbulent stretch for the Cyclones. They’ve lost four straight and have dropped 10 of their last 14. After reaching as high as No. 11 in The Associated Press rankings, they fell out completely this week and now sit at sixth in the Big 12 conference standings.
Iowa State will take on No. 7 Baylor on Saturday in its final game of the regular season. The Cyclones, despite their recent struggles, are still widely expected to make the NCAA tournament.Caleb Grill was dismissed from the Cyclones program by coach T.J. Otzelberger on Wednesday.We hold our players to high standards and there are expectations that our student-athletes are held accountable for,” Otzelberger said in a statement.
Grill subsequently posted a long message on Twitter, thanking Otzelberger and Iowa State for his three seasons with the team. He also provided some insight into what led to his dismissal, although he didn’t provide specific detailsThe Cyclones are currently on a four-game losing streak, putting them at 17-12 overall and 8-9 in conference play. They have a game against No. 7 Baylor which they absolutely need to win to have a shot at making the NCAA Tournament.
