Toren Young

CHICAGO — Toren Young and his Iowa teammates find all sorts of ways to relax off the field, from movie nights in Iowa City to a local restaurant offering giant salads. One of his favorite breaks, however, might be more strenuous than football.

Once or twice a week, the junior running back steps into a boxing ring for a workout, he said Friday at Big Ten Media Days.

“It’s definitely different from the workouts we do for football,” he said Friday. “It’s more short bursts; it wears you out a lot faster. It’s a great stress reliever.”

Lineman Alaric Jackson got him interested in the sport and the Hawkeyes might be hoping the extra conditioning makes Young more resilient. After finishing second on the team in rushing yards (637) and rushing touchdowns (five) last season and getting a good deal of action as a second-half back, Young figures to get just as many, if not more, chances to run the ball this fall.

Iowa and Nebraska are favored to contend for the Big Ten West division title won last season by Northwestern.

“It was great for Northwestern,” Young said, “but it just reminds you that rankings really don’t matter. It’s all about showing up, taking care of the football and executing. It’s good for everyone to see that’s what really makes the difference.”