Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Big Ten BATTLE Shakes Michigan State Spartans and Iowa Hawkeyes—Who's To BLAME for Each Failures?

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

Spartan fans face another tough season as Michigan State heads into a challenging matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes, with bowl eligibility off the table for the fourth straight year. Host Matt Sheehan and Trent Condon dissect the struggles under Jonathan Smith, including on-field woes, lack of player development, and swirling rumors about a potential return to Oregon State. As Hawkeye Nation looks ahead to Senior Day and hopes for a breakout performance from running back Kamari Moulton, Spartan fans question what remains to play for and if their young QB Alessio Milavojovic can finish the season strong.The conversation shifts courtside, spotlighting the undefeated starts for both Michigan State and Iowa basketball. Can Tom Izzo’s revamped roster and a deep freshman class carry the Spartans back to national contention? Will Ben McCollum’s leadership reignite Iowa’s program? Plus, who’s more likely to retire first—Kirk Ferentz or Tom Izzo? Join for raw insights, frustration, optimism, and spirited banter on the future of these storied programs.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)Follow Trent Condon on X: https://twitter.com/trentcondonLISTEN TO THE PODCAST: APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-hawkeyes-daily-podcast-on-iowa-hawkeyes-football/id1441592240SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GTyz5ygevcGXdTF6QSoEoYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnHawkeyes Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

That's right. It's us again. Two happy fans talking about their great programs that are meeting up this Saturday in Iowa. Spartans Hawkeyes catch the fever. We'll talk basketball too. You are locked on college crossover. Part of the Locked on podcast network. Your team every day. Today's crossover episode of Lockdown Sparks and Locked on Hawkeyes is brought to you by Fanduel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you will get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the app today.

Spartan friends, Spartan family, and Hawkeye Nation. We come together as one happy family. One side, I guess, more happy than the other. You guys are bowling at least Trent. Does that get you fired off? Yeah, a trip to New York and not to see Christmas trees in December. That's right. Unless Iowa can find a way to win these final two games.

But yeah, I mean, there's a lot of disappointment over here, a lot of frustrations, what would have been, should have been. You go back to a season ago. You remember when we made our way there, Iowa already had lost Iowa State, but maybe they could salvage something. They were a preseasoning top 25 team. They kind of went all in in the portal. This is the year, and they fell on their face.

And one of the biggest ones is what happened to them in East Lansing a year ago. Here we are again, maybe not the same kind of national buzz, but maybe a path more difficult schedule. this year. And then tough lost Indiana, another lost Iowa state. And then what's happened these last two weeks against Oregon and USC, the woulda shoulda conversations that I know you guys have had plenty about throughout the years. There's been a lot of those here in Iowa City. And yeah, a lot of frustration right now with our fan base. You guys have won at least in the month of October and or November though. So like that's cool.

I mean, that's something that would be very envious of. Hey, for the fourth straight year, we are eliminated for a bowl eligibility. And I usually do an exercise that I've refused to do this year just because I want to keep some shred of my sanity. And that is look up the APR scores to see if, hey, we were smart in the classroom last year to see if we could be one of these top five and seven teams should we claw out two more wins to get to bowl eligibility. But this year, I'm going to save my dignity and not even do that, not even get my hopes up as it really feels like there's no juice left at all in this season here. And what's making matters. Even worse is the fact that we're hitting the road to Iowa to play as what is now 15 and a half point underdogs. Like, there's nothing to really live for here. This is the worst way to handle a football game preview from my side of things. But I don't know, man. Like, hey, see the young offensive linemen that have struggled greatly in the last few games. Could they build some momentum late in the season for going to the next one? Elisio Milovoyevick, the quarterback. Can he, A, not get killed at Iowa, and B, show some good momentum going into the offseason that will not include a bowl game for the fourth straight year trends.

I'm just as beaten down as seemingly possible. Do you, this goes beyond sports. This goes beyond football or fandom. Do you have any life advice for me how to handle these next two weeks, anything? Let's see. It's been a while since Iowa's been that point. This is not to rub it in, I promise. Oh, my, there is nothing you could say that will upset me.

So please, as bluntly as you want to say it, go for it, please. But at that time, it was, you know, I go back to the beginning of the Kirk era. Now, that was 27 years ago, but it was about those things. And there were those signs at the end of a second season that they were making progress. So it wasn't showing up on the scoreboard that they were making those strides. And it's little things. But the crazy thing is, Matt, is we did a crossover during the summertime. And I told you at that time, I heard from a couple of Michigan State people that I knew that

that there were already rumblings and you were kind of dumbfounded, I think, by that in the off season, is it going to be a, I want to get the temperature out there because, again, go back to last season, you guys blew us off the field, Iowa looked as bad defensively as they have in the Phil Parker era. And now here's this program that just feels like a rudderless ship. Is he looking for an escape hatch? Is that a possibility? Is it just, it's never been the fit because what I saw last year, child's coming back, Nick Marsh coming back. It felt like, and this team is going to continue kind of building themselves up.

And at minimum, it'll be a bold team and maybe even a little bit better than that. How does it get this bad this quick? Oh, my God. How much more time do we have? Is this a two-hour episode we're recording? No, it's a combination of a lot. I am very empathetic to the situation Jonathan Smith inherited from the Mel Tucker era. There were a lot of gaping holes in this roster. He's tried to fill with transfer portal targets. And there's different conversations out there, whether Jonathan Smith did or did not get what was promised,

as far as resources go in the NIL. Regardless, he had to stretch those dollars pretty thin. And here we are with a Big Ten roster. That is anything but a Big Ten roster, right? I think that's been pretty apparent here after a few weeks. But he's done himself no favors either. On-field coaching gaffes. I mean, just lack of development from guys

that were in last year's roster to this one. And here he was preaching for, hey, I just need another year to develop this roster. Well, golly G. Willickers, Jonathan. Like, you didn't develop the four-star quarterback that you've had for now three years under your wing. And you haven't developed anyone from last year's roster going into this. So, yes, I am very empathetic that it is not been a good situation. It was going to be a slow rebuild. But this shouldn't be a bad enough situation where not only have you lost all seven of your big 10 games,

but you've lost six of them by double digits. And you're not facing the murderers row that you did last year. There's not Ohio State on the schedule. There's not Oregon on the schedule. Man, oh, man. So I'm not seen any improvement whatsoever. That is why largely I am out now on the Jonathan Smith era. And I think a lot of fans are out on Jonathan Smith era.

But unfortunately, as the days keep getting closer to midnight of this season, it really seems like that there's going to be another year of Jonathan Smith. But it's interesting, too, Trent, because well, Wisconsin, Maryland. You want to go out of conference to a few schools. They have a select department that have voiced, hey, we're going to keep this guy around for 2006. We're going to financially back him. That's right.

We're going to do this again. There's not a statement from Michigan State side, which, I want an outsider's perspective on that. Yeah. Is that interesting to you? Because I come from the camp that I actually don't mind that there's been nothing from Michigan State, especially at this first year select director, doesn't mean it. like, you know, talk to us like adults. Don't lie to us.

And if he's not sold on him, well, why would he say that? But I want to know your perspective. Sinking ship over here in East Lansing, it has been crickets from the Select Department. Your reaction is what, Trent? Well, I got two things that jump into my mind without obviously any kind of real background or any information behind it. But the way that I kind of go, I mean, for years and years, it was always called

the dreaded vote of confidence, right? Certainly. Right. Yeah, these last couple of years, it's actually it's flipped back to. It's a vote of confidence, and it's real. And we're not being lied to like we once were. So, you know, that was kind of the first thing that jumped into my mind is in the past. It was almost a joke when you got that thing.

And now maybe they are real. But the second part is I do, for what this is all wild speculation. But that's what we like to do from time to time here is that everybody knows how this is going to end. And that Jonathan Smith has already lined up and he's going back home. He's going back to Corballis. There's no worry about buyouts. That this is already in the works. that this all the background has already been done everybody knows it is not even in hushed tones

everybody that needs to know knows this is what's going to happen he is going to take the oregon state job michigan state knows that they're already betting they're already getting ready themselves and this is a done deal and that's why you're not going to put out of both of uh trend is spitting right now i we just talked about this not too long ago this organ state connection thing it's not zero percent at all i mean and look i'm just i'm keep on throwing this word here. Empathy. It comes out after last game that Jonathan Smith wasn't even aware that MSC was under investigation when he was interviewing for this job. And not only that, to make matters worse, but yes, his first season gets vacated all, you know, you can kind

of one-hand the amount of wins. Save your jokes. We've heard them all. What against us. Never happened, Tread, apparently. And it comes out that the NCAA, they ruled him ineligible after the season. Like, he retroactively found out that his players were ineligible. I look, fans are booing him at basketball games. He's three time zones away from where home is. You know all the factors here. I wouldn't even blame the guy if he wanted to leave.

I'd actually almost question him like, why would you stay at this point, especially of Oregon State or some job over there, is open. Home might be calling here. I don't think that's a zero percent chance. And I got to say, I got this uncanny just feeling that maybe it could be Pet Fitzgerald for Michigan State here, because that interview he gave, I forgot where he gave it. I'm so sorry, we're supposed to know these things, but he gave a long interview.

And the way he was talking really seemed like he was reading straight from a Michigan State press release, like issued document. I mean, he was talking about how good a good basketball coach would be to have in the program. He was playing all the hits. So I try, I think you're spitting right now. I think you're on to something. Now, for some reason, we should talk about this game coming up. Yeah, probably.

Okay. Well, hey, speaking. I wish it was last, but yeah, we do get 12 of them. I'm right just for this all to be over. Hey, you know what's going to keep you involved in this game somehow, some way, other than just mental illness and rooting for this team that I will just never, ever quit. How about Fandual? That's right, guys, because just like we said earlier, right now the line on this game is a whopping 15 and a half points right here.

Our spards, our underdogs. And if you think that that's way too big of a number, jump on it. If you're going to lay those points, kind of like what I might be. be doing here. Hey, just do it over at Fandual, guys, or a football is just not your business anymore whatsoever. Well, the NBA is back and there's no better place to get in on the action of a Fandul, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Even if you miss the start of the game, you want to ride the hot hand. Fan Duel's live bets on everything from who's going to score the next bucket to the fourth quarter comeback. Guys, it keeps every game exciting, especially when it's

your team making that late game push. Right now, Fandul is giving new customers $300 and bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. So head to Fandual.com or sign up, play your game of Fandu, the official sportsmanee partner of the NBA. Now, Trent, my good Iowa-based friend here. What are you looking for in this game? Do you have anything to live for, anything that you're just going to be scratching your chin over here, or is this just another Saturday where you're staring blankly at a television screen wondering where everything went wrong in every week leading up to this point?

Not quite there. Good, good for you. Good for you. But there are a couple of things, obviously, senior day. It's Iowa Senior Day. So get to see these guys out there. 28 guys will be honored. Maybe one of the more surprising names that Kirk Barents mentioned that was not on the senior list is a guy that you guys know out there, Michigan, Michigan, Coen Entringer, Michigan kid who comes to Iowa City.

He had the rundown playing the Big Ten championship game on the punt return a couple of years ago. He might be departing. He's going to go through senior day ceremony. He's always just listed as a junior. So I think that was a little bit interesting. But it's a very deep senior class. Mark Radowski, though, we just got him for a year and disappointed of what he's turned out to be as a passer.

He's been so much fun to watch as a runner this year and opening up, you know, another dimension to this Iowa offense that needs plenty more dimensions to maybe get to 4D what we're looking for. But those would be a couple of things. A lot of long time guys on the defense, guys that have been around four or five years. Iowa was still kind of that stodgy old program in that way. Well, you get to know these guys. They play for a long time.

So that'll be a component. two. On the actual football field, though, between the lines, one thing, Kamari Moulton's been their number one running back. He was banged up at the beginning of the year. He's had a bunch of games this year where he's had 80, 85, 90 yards. He hasn't got to 100. Well, it seems like this should probably be a game where Kamari Moulton finally gets over the century mark for the first time this season and has a big one against that Michigan State rush defense. So we're talking about the few things that we're watching for over here. Alessio Mlovoyovic, second year quarterback, young kid. He gets the start over 8 inch high

two weeks, I'm sorry, three weeks ago, two games ago, fact of the by weekend. It looked really solid against Minnesota, right? A little bit of a step back against Penn State, but that's because he was getting mauled throughout the entire game against the Nentany Lions, just like he was against Minnesota. So not only are we just, you know, seeing how he progresses the last four games of the season, all that fun.

Another thing I'm looking for is, is he going to survive? Is he going to get back on this team playing and actually live through this game? Because our offensive line, hey, not good to begin with. Also, I played by injuries, again, the injuries are not the only issue with this offensive line, but this is where we're at so far this season. So my next question, you, Trent, is how is your pass rush right now? Should the ambulance just be on the field during the game or just right off on the sideline? What do you think for our good friend, Alessio here?

When you look at the six and four Iowa team, I think one of the more disappointing aspects has been their lack of a pass rush. Okay. You go back, you bring back. two seniors have played a lot of football on the defensive end positions, Ethan Herkitt and Max Llewell. And both those guys have had okay years, but they haven't experienced years. They're not your traditional edge rush guys.

They haven't been good at that. The two younger guys, the two backups, Brian Allen and Kenneth Merriweather are kind of more in that bold or that speed athlete off the edge. But it's been disappointing. In the middle, Aaron Graves is really good. Their defensive tackle, they have a couple of transfers that came in that are helping out in the middle there.

But overall, the pass rush has been a disappointment when you're talking about the defensive line. Here's something, though, that has been much different about this Iowa team in the 15 years now with Phil Parker running the defense. They're blitzing more than they ever had before. And unfortunately, they didn't blitz a ton last week against USC when I think they should have a different moments they set back and just let me have a pick them apart during the second half of that football game. But they're bringing pressure a lot more. I mean, you go back to maybe when Iowa's best performances this year, the loss to Indiana when they had them on the ropes. And he completely screencast.

He got a chip shot field goal to beat Indiana. and we can tell, you know, locked on Hoosiers, Jacob to shut up. But that aside, this team has brought pressure more. And I think there's a couple of reasons. A, defensive line hasn't just got there. The linebackers have not been very good.

So they're bringing pressure from the safety. They're bringing pressure from, especially Xavier Wampa. Xavier Wampa, he was a five-star kid, one of the few five-stars at Iowa gets a kid here from Central Iowa, where I'm located, that decided to stay home. Kind of been a disappointment.

but one thing he is excellent. He is so good at timing up those blitzes coming in from his safety position. However, there's another component to this game. T.J. Hall left the game. Their top cornerback left the game against USC in the second half of that one. He was in the sling after the game. That was the one of the injuries that Kirk Farrants talked about Tuesday, but like he was the most tepid about him actually being able to play Saturday.

If that's the case, they'll take their other safety, guy that plays their cash position. He will move over to cornerback, Zat Lutmer. That's right. Yes, I will be starting yet another white cornerback going from Riley Moss to Cooper to Jean. Classic. Those guys that are the first two white quarterbacks in 20 years to be playing in the NFL, two of them on the same place. And here comes your third is that one will be the next one.

That'll be coming. You'll see him lined up there at quarterback. It's absolutely crazy. It's seriously, you have to go back to Jason Seahorn. Oh, I believe it. That's crazy. Oh, my goodness gracious. This is not a race conversation.

This is just reality. Back to the Matter conversation. And they got another one, Zach Lutbert coming up. But they're going to have to be shifting things around. Because of that, though, I do wonder if they are struck. You know, this defense line, even against this Michigan State line that's struggled, they're still not able to get there if they're going to be confident because they're shifting a bunch of defensive back positions around to bring that kind of pressure

or is Iowa going to go back to more traditional Phil Parker, sit back, sit and cover four, sit and cover three, keep everything in front of you. If that's the case, we saw it a year ago, Michigan State just pick them apart. That is fascinated about the lack of blitzing last week. And I do wonder, you know, what's the game plan going into this one? Because Minnesota, they were a little happy with the blitz. And Alessio, according to pro football focus, he was 13 of 13 against the blitz. He was a dynamite getting that quick pass off.

And then Penn State, yes, blitz, but not as much because maybe it was because they saw how well he did against the blitz in the game prior. And also, Penn State had no problem getting to the quarterback with just four men. Like they didn't have to blitz necessarily. Denny Dennis Sutton or Danny Dennis Sutton, whatever that monster's name is. It was just terrorizing us the entire afternoon here. So that's going to be an interesting wrinkle in this game. But Trent, riddle me this here. 15 and a half points, Bradley.

What would have to happen on your end for this game to even get a little sweaty? What's the biggest fear going into this one? Is it just like reading the schedule run and not showing up on time for the game? Or is there actually something you see a little bit more concerning than this one? You know, Tuesday, listening to the players, you could tell they were down. I go back to last week, and though they had taken their third loss of the year, remember, they were still the top three-lost team ranked from the college football playoff committee. And there was still a path with a win against the USC wrapping up here.

They need some carnage, but there was still a path. No, Mark Harnowski mentioned that time, he never lost three games in his career, not just in South Dakota State, but in his high school career. He never lost three games before. It's crazy, yeah. And now you take another L, another disappointing. and you let another lead slip away. What is the mental state of this team?

No, you go back to that Michigan State a year ago, I wouldn't show up. You could tell that that was not a team mentally prepared to play in that football game. And that's something that just so rare under Kurt Farrants, but it does happen from time to time. So you have that, the weird senior day stuff, right? We've seen this happen before where big senior day,

these guys, well, there's emotions. There's different things that's going through it and walking out there for the final time. All the extras that go there, it's not automatic that you're going to play well in that senior game. So I think that's yet another component that you looked at. And I have visions of last year. And I watched that Michigan State, Minnesota game.

So you got to help me out with Aliccio's last name because you talk very fast as I do, Matt. So slow it down. I get excited. Get it correct here. I'm going to guesswork. But before we get it, I'm going to take the grass. All right. Alicio, got that part.

That's the easy part. Mill of Voy, you've been. No. No. Not bad. Not bad. And I'm like the worst jury because I butcher every single person's name. But the reason that I'm like 95% confident on this is because I actually sat down with Celessio and his dad a few years ago.

And he committed it was great. So they broke it down syllable by syllable. And I'm almost positive. It's Mila Vojavik. Mila Vojavik. Yeah. Maybe got to put like some stank on one of those syllables. But I'm pretty sure that's how.

It's sad right there. My background's in German, so I really struggle with some of those kind of names. And I just struggled just because I'm not too bright. That's where that comes from my end. There we have it. Do you want to talk basketball? That would be great. Anyone's face right now.

Okay. Let's see. Hey, it's going to pick up here. Let's go for both of us. Both of us are looking pretty good so far. There is not a single loss amongst us. Look at us, Go Trent. Just two basketball powerhouses.

Both teams four and O right now. you guys are already a top 15 adjusted offensive efficiency team according to Bart Torvick and look, Ben McCollum, just four games into his tenure. Bennett Sturts, it doesn't seem like as much drop off at all so far. I mean, is it just all

sunshine and flowers over there so far? This honeymoon phase has to be at its peak right there in Iowa, right? It is. And you know, you look back at the Fray McCaffriera and Matt, you remember a lot of those games. I mean, there were some good games. I will play really well towards the back end of the series at the end of the McCaffrey era after a

whole lot of ugliness in the beginning part of it, at least against Michigan State. But Fray McCaffrey brought Iowa back, got him back to relevancy. Good enough. Most years to make the NCAA tournament. Never break through, though, and get to the second weekend. We got to go all the way back to my freshman year of college. As I watched

it at One Eye Jakes in 1999, last time I was in a sweet 16. For all the success that they had, that's been kind of what they've been hoping for is breaking through. There was a reason that they let Dr. Tom Davis go because he couldn't get them to the next level. And they haven't been close to that level ever. So you bring in a guy now after Fray McCaffrey, it just had worn thin.

The fan base had checked out. It was the same thing. You're going to score. It's going to be entertaining, but you're going to play crap defense. You're going to get beat by good teams, and you're not going to be able to get to that second weekend. People had checked out. You bring in a completely different guy in Ben McCollum. And Ben McCollum is a guy that has been known.

Well before he made the jump last year to the Division I level, when he was at Northwest Missouri State, this guy was called a basketball savant. There were people across the country, people in NBA circle. I talked about what he does X's and O's-wise as good as anybody in all of college basketball, regardless of the division. Yet nobody would take a shot until Drake finally did a year ago, and we see what happens. They get to the round of 32. They upset Missouri in the first round.

They go blow for blow against Texas Tech. And when you bring in a guy like that, that's an Iowa guy, was born in Iowa City, grew up in the state, went to basketball camp as I did with Dr. Tom Davis back in the day. He's done and played all the right notes. They're going to look a lot different. They're going to play defense. But when you go into a year with renewed optimism coupled with a preseason All-American point guard, Iowa hasn't had a point guard like this that can control the pace like this since Andre Willrich.

We're talking about 30 years ago when Andre Woolridge was absolutely robbed a Big Ten player of the year. When he led the league in points, scoring, and assists, Bobby Jackson for those cheaters up in Minnesota, won the award that season. I know I'm giving you a history lesson here. You young guys out there. That is upsetting. I'd be upset too. And they had to vacate that regular season title.

I will finish second day. I'm going down a path here. Regardless, back to the current day. Bennett spurts, preseason all-American. Iowa hasn't had a point card like this. And it's just, it's been so entertaining. Yes, against three tomato cans. And Xavier, who's not very good this year.

We will see next week. They take on Chris Beard and Ole Miss out in L.A. That should be a really good litmus test of where this team is. And, of course, our Big Ten opener. and you'll love this and we'll get to Michigan State here and your guys is great start in a moment. You'll love this. The question was asked when the Big Ten basketball schedule came down.

New coach. Hey, how about this? Here you go, young man. Here, the I zone is going to be your first road trip in the Big Ten. And we're all kind of joking about it in the media. And Ben McCollum, out missing a beat said, right not. He wants that. He relishes that.

He wants to go in to the most difficult environment in the Big Ten. That's how he's wired. Does he have the horses to compete with Michigan State? We'll see on that front, likely not, but I think tournament team here in year number one, but they have, it feels like the right guy. That is a good point about scheduling because I was kind of nervous because on Thanksgiving, we're looking at North Carolina. We're playing that game in Fort Myers.

And then on December 6th, okay, we're hosting Duke. Those are two very tough opponents. That's enough time for the Big Ten to have snuck like two games in there. I was a little nervous. Okay, they're going to stick another road game out at us. Like, are the gods going to smile on us for this Big Ten schedule? And certainly, just like we talked about, not a cupcake walkover, of course. But you feel a lot more comfortable at home just having one game between that North Carolina and Duke game.

But that is quite a three packet games coming up for Michigan State here. We got to, of course, get through Detroit Mercy on Friday. Ooh, that's right. And then East Carolina, down with the pirates. But yeah, North Carolina and Fort Myers. And then it's Iowa and Duke all at home. But until then, I'm loving what I'm seeing from this team so far. far. I mean, the big storyline, we talked about it. We did this big roundtable discussion for

the Champions Classic on the Lockdown Podcast Network. The number one, lockdown podcast network, that's right. And the storyline that I had was, what's life after Jace Richardson? Because that guy was dynamite, a lightning run, clearly an NBA level player, which is why he left that for his freshman year. So I was wondering, okay, we still have the defense, we still have the rebounding, but where's like the scoring? Because we aren't doing much of that so far this year, and you blow up for 50% shooting against Kentucky in the Champions Classic, but it was even more than that. It was more than the offense. It really bolstered the fact that, yes, this rebounding still is going to be in this team's DNA, just like it was last year. This

defense is going to, at a bare minimum, give them a fighting chance in every single game they walk into. So a lot of top returning players, Jackson Kohler, Carson Cooper, Jeremy Fears, Cohen Carr, and then you had two freshmen that have already risen the floor for this program in Cam Ward and Jordan Scott, I'm like where this team's at right now. I mean, I think the floor is higher than it wasn't for the season. The ceiling's certainly higher. It's hard not to be smiling at 4-0, but two of those wins coming against Arkansas and Kentucky. So, oh, man, like my face feels weird, like smiling, talking about a sport on this show, you know?

Like, I needed basketball back in our lives, trends. It's been a nice few weeks here at least talk about Tom Izzo's team. It's just been a good life. Can I understand that. Absolutely. You know, fears against sturts when we get that here in a couple of weeks, how fun that's going to be. Movie. I mean, just absolutely incredible.

And I'll tell you watching them, now, again, it was watching them in probably their best game of the season of what they did against Kentucky. Yeah. I know the win against Arkansas, but this one was certainly an eye opener, just the fashion that they did it. And the reason that, you know, I talked about this on my radio show earlier today, I think that there's even more upside. Yeah, you got the guys that we know. We obviously knew fears coming into the year, Carr and his athleticism that they had. have. Kohler feels like it's finally kind of all clicking for him and all coming together for what he can do to the outside. It's Cam Ward for me though. I mean, that dude and hearing is

a talk about him. He just has so many of the intangible. He is a Michigan State guy. He just looks like you guys that you guys have been manufacturing now for the better part of my 45 years on this earth. That looks exactly what we're going to get. He's another one of those dudes and why I put maybe they're upside of being a final four team. I think that's the guy. If he really does pop throughout the course of the year. They can be that type. Last question, I'm going to leave us on. Who walks away from the game first?

Kirk Farrants or Tomizzo. Let's do a little crossover sport question right now. I know. Or is it just like two Supreme Court justices? They are doing this until they kick the bucket down the road in like 2030, maybe even longer at this point with how much energy these guys have. There's no initial signs that Kirk's ready to hang it up. Same over here.

You know, his contract goes. coaster 2029. There were some rumblings out there, nothing definitive that maybe he's even looking for an extension, which is crazy to think about. But that's where we are. Yeah, two guys in their 70s still doing at a high level. You know, I see Michigan State basketball, how good they're doing on the recruiting trail. Doesn't look like he has any signs of slowing down. I don't know. This one feels like it's minus 110 on both sides, right? I know, right? And I, because I'm an Iowa guy, I'm not going to say it's going to be Kirk first. I guess I'll say I so because No, basketball is weirder.

Maybe in a lot of ways and the number of guys on basketball that we've seen just walk away compared to football. So I guess if forced, I'd say Izzo, but what a great question. You know what? I would like it to be Izzo for this reason because let's just all close our eyes and let's all join our hands together. That's right. You two will Hawkeye fans. Let's embrace each other right now. We're one big family.

Final four in Detroit, 2007. Tom iso got the boys rolling. National title number two. he cuts the nets down, throws up the P sign, and says, see ya, this is what I needed. I would, that would be a reason why I would like it to be. Tomizzo walks away first, but I truly feel like it is a coin toss between these guys. I, like, yeah, I mean, he's dealt with a lot of crap the last few years. A basketball is crazy as far as the transfer portal goes.

But, like, I feel like he's weathered the biggest storm. Now, like, okay, we've got to grasp on it. We know what to expect. Everyone's asked me 48,000 times about my thoughts on the portal in NIL. Let's keep moving forward. I'm re-energized. But that, I guess, like, ain't no one killing Kurt Farron's over there? I mean, like, he's two bulletproof guys.

This is great. Well, you laid out a great one. I'm going to do the same. All right, Hawkeyes, Spartan together. Close your eyes and vision. The year is 2046. Kurt Farrants has just won his 11th outback old championship. He walks away after a eight and four season.

The culminates with win number nine. And bang, a Tampa Bay Area restaurant names itself. Deference and that's just what a storybook close to that one. Oh, my, it's just a beautiful. Oh, a tear could come to my eye right now. Trent, always great talking with you, man. I always a delight to have these conversations. I have a great time Saturday. I'm sure you will.

I'll keep doing what I do every Saturday, which is just blankly stare at the screen, write a few notes down, and then hop on on lockdown Spartans after the game to just walk us through another just patch of apathy and despair. desperation, agony, and pain. So catch us after the game on Saturday. Trent, I'm sure that the fine folks can catch you over there at Lockdown Hawkeyes. Absolutely. We'll be right after that.

Well, we got Christmas tree lighting. I have found out right after the game goes on. Live from the Christmas tree lighting over Trent's neck of the woods. But we'll have a rapid reaction podcast, no doubt. Of course, guys. All right, Spartans, Hawkeyes. You guys are all the best. That's right.

Even you Hawkeye fans. I really do love you guys. I got no animosity towards Hawkeye fans. But until next time, guys, take care yourselves. Love you all. Go green and might not. Go Hawkeyes.