Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - BOMBSHELL: Iowa Wrestling ROCKED by Bo Bassett's Shocking Decommitment | Will Brands Brothers RECOVER?

Episode Date: June 24, 2025

Iowa Hawkeyes face major shakeup as top wrestling recruit decommits. Can the football team's promising outlook soften the blow?Host Trent Condon and guest David Eickholt analyze Bo Bassett's surprisin...g decommitment from Iowa Wrestling, exploring its potential impact on the program's future. They break down recent football recruiting wins, including Kasen Thomas's commitment, and assess the Hawkeyes' chances in the upcoming season. The discussion covers defensive concerns, quarterback Mark Gronowski's potential impact, and the state of the offensive line.Tune in for expert insights on Iowa's wrestling program direction and football team's path to success in a competitive Big Ten landscape.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Rugiet150,000 men have made the switch →Rugiet.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGEUse code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE to get 15% off your order!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.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE at www.monarchmoney.com/lockedoncollege for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.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)

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Iowa wrestling loses the number one ranked wrestler for the class of 2026 as Bo Bass a D commits the future of Iowa wrestling on shaky grounds. You are locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hey, welcome in. I'm Trent Condon and this is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. I've been covering the Hawkeyes for over 20 years on the radio here in the state of Iowa, including currently on the Iowa sports radio network. We have stations in Des Moines, our flagship 106.3 KXO along with Sioux City, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and the Quad Cities. You can hear me each weekday talking Hawkeyes
Starting point is 00:00:53 and the world of sports from noon until two. Today's episode of the lockdown Hawkeyes podcast is brought to you by FanDuel right now. New customers can get $150 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. Number one ranked, Bo Bassett committed since February, excuse me, to the Hawkeye Wrestling program has decommitted, a decommitment hurts. But with this wrestler, this kind of stature and the future of the program could be in peril. We'll talk about that a little bit later on.
Starting point is 00:01:21 David Eichholt also going to join us from HawkeyeInsider.com. We'll talk a little bit about Bassett. We'll talk a lot of Iowa football and his thoughts and what we're gonna see coming up in the 2025 Iowa football season. But we begin today with some good news because there's not a whole lot of it with the Bo Bassett news.
Starting point is 00:01:39 Let's start on the football front though and take a look as Iowa has picked up another commitment for the class of 2025. So the recruiting weekend, the one that is always targeted for Iowa football fell on the weekend of June 20th. Iowa invited four uncommitted prospects in for their official visits. Also on the visits were all the guys that were committed to the program already. They went through their official visits and what they like to do is bring the guys that are already ready to be Hawkeyes and then bring those uncommitted guys together and try to seal the deal with them.
Starting point is 00:02:13 Four prospects. We talked a lot about them last week. As always, you can go back, take a look at our podcast from a week ago where we broke things down a little bit deeper with each of these prospects. But the commitment comes from Kason Thomas, Sioux City, Heelan linebacker, 6'2", 217 pounds, makes his verbal commitment to the Hawkeyes. Thomas told HawkeyeReport.com, I've been planning on it since I first got my offer there a year ago.
Starting point is 00:02:36 What ultimately made me choose Iowa was the people and the development of their players, unquote. Top 300 player, buy on three at offers from Arizona, Nebraska, Iowa State. That's where he took his official visits. Those three programs along of course with Iowa this past weekend. Also K-State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Minnesota.
Starting point is 00:02:59 Lot of offers for him and a guy that was productive. Now most productive actually on the other side of the football has a running back. 20 touchdowns on the ground, nearly 2,000 yards rushing a year ago. How about this though? He had 44 and a half tackles last year, 15 and a half tackles for a loss though,
Starting point is 00:03:16 as he becomes the 11th commitment for the class of 2026 for the Iowa program. So if you've been watching for a while, if you're an everydayer, I bring it up from time to time. You might see me doing a remote podcast from over in Sioux City. Do it because that's where my wife's from. And so got to know some people from Sioux City, know a couple of people also in the industry and talk to them about Kason Thomas. Nothing but great things to say about him just as an individual, a kid that puts in the work. Don't have to worry about that. He is built like an Iowa football player.
Starting point is 00:03:46 But one thing that I got going back to a year ago when I first talked to a few people about Kason is that this is a guy that feels like his best upside is still to come. That he is just scratching the surface as a football player. When you're talking about kind of that raw athleticism coupled with continuing to build into the game and building himself up to be a linebacker. This is a guy that is going to be one that people are really, really excited about. This
Starting point is 00:04:13 class of 2026 heavy on the offensive line, got a couple of wide receivers coming in, also picked up a commitment with the other commitment over the weekend, and that's Ronnie Hill. So we go there next Ronnie Hill, different kind of recruiting profile than what we're talking about a case in Thomas where case in Thomas, you know, has got these upper Midwest offers, kind of everybody that is involved. That is not the case with Ronnie Hill, but he took a visit last week to Iowa. It's a kid with a bunch of Mac offers, didn't have anything at the power four level. However, Iowa offered, he visits very quickly. He is ready to make the decision
Starting point is 00:04:45 We talked about this a ton and it's very simple But I think it has to be our line of thinking currently if Bill Parker likes him We're gonna be okay with it and that has to be the case with Ronnie Hill So two commitments over the week for I was still waiting on a couple from over the weekend CJ Hilliard the headliner of the class, the four star cornerback from Florida. Sounds like his decision is going to be coming up here. Still a couple of weeks to go on that for CJ Hester. Another name to know coming up this week, perhaps, is Darian Jones. Older brother is at Nebraska. Older, older brother was an Iowa guy. And so
Starting point is 00:05:23 that will be interesting to see the way that that one plays out. Good buzz and Omaha native, but Iowa in good line. One other thing I want to mention going back to case and Thomas, cause I mentioned talking to a few people that knew his recruitment a little bit. And as of a couple of weeks ago, I had ground to make up and it was relayed to me that it was likely they were probably third behind Nebraska and Iowa State for his services for Kason Thomas. And yet Iowa was able to make up that ground and shows you what a good job that they do on these official visits and the hit rate that I was had recently.
Starting point is 00:05:55 We've argued should this date move up? Now, Iowa's missed a bunch of prospects that they were after that they're hoping to get in this weekend. And because of that, there's talk. That's something that Iowa football will figure out and needs to figure out if that date needs to move up a little bit further. However, when it comes to Kason Thomas,
Starting point is 00:06:12 it shows you that they made up the ground, they got his commitment and what they do during this weekend goes a long way. So that's another name to know coming up this weekend. And finally, Julian Manson, legacy recruit, 64225, son of Jason Manson, remember him? Playing wide receiver, playing a little quarterback for Iowa in the Iowa football program with his dad working for the program. You don't say anything's a lock.
Starting point is 00:06:37 It's recruiting. You're still talking about 17, 18 year old kids, but this one feels very good. And if they can get, after the commitment of Kason Thomas, if they also get Julian Manson and Darian Jones, I think you're feeling great about this weekend. And then you wait and try to hit that Hail Mary with CJ Hester. But some good news there, we'll talk about the bad news
Starting point is 00:06:54 of the weekend and Bo Bassett coming up here a little bit later on. We got David Eichel waiting in the wings. We got a lot of football talk to get into with David. We'll get his thoughts on Bo Bassett. A lot of crazy rumors also rolling around about that What led to the deep commitment of Bo Bassett? We'll talk about that as we continue on the locked-on Hawkeyes podcast
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Starting point is 00:07:49 events. Whether I'm placing the same game partly or watching a bet ride into the 9th inning, FanDuel makes it feel like I'm part of the action. New to FanDuel, new customers can bet just $5 and get $150 in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Open the FanDuel app today or visit fanduel.com to get started. Trent Condon, David Eicholt, hanging out with me here today.
Starting point is 00:08:18 Eicholt, big news yesterday on the wrestling front, Bo Bassett, top prospect in the class of 2026 has decommitted from Iowa wrestling. God told him Iowa wasn't the place anymore. There's really no good comeback for me. There's really no good response. It, uh, certainly a strange kind of the way everything's sort of unfolded here, but this kid stretched out his recruitment
Starting point is 00:08:45 a long time. He did. And I'll also say this, our message board has been pretty, pretty much crashing out about the news. Cause you know, I, I put all my focus on football, men's basketball, men's basketball. Like I know enough about Bo Bassett to the point of like, oh, this is really, really big news. Cause he's not only a great wrestler, which he is, but also it's the extra with him. It's he has a social media following his social media following. And he gets along with a lot of peers. He's just wired the way the great ones need to be wired. The way his recruitment went, the buildup to it, I would getting his commitment.
Starting point is 00:09:25 And the hope was that he was going to be kind of the Pied Piper. He was going to be the Spencer Lee that was going to, it's not just him. They were hoping that he was going to be the start of closing the gap to Penn State. And now it sounds like Penn State's going to get a home visit, home visit with him this week. And I'll tell you, if I, if I'm Iowa right now, I'm praying he doesn't go in Nebraska or Penn state. And those are two of the final three.
Starting point is 00:09:49 You're really hoping he goes to Stillwater and that's still very painful for probably Iowa fans to admit, but you'd rather him go there than be staying the big time. So any insight at all about how, what happened, what actually went down? Because there's a lot of rumors. There's a lot of rumors. Honestly, man, I have not been able to decipher enough through it to confidently report on anything. So when we talk about this over the next couple of minutes, this is strictly what I've read.
Starting point is 00:10:15 Rumor wise, I'm not reporting anything. Make sure about that. I mean, there's some people in the wrestling world that thinks that there were some disagreements between the Iowa coaches. And the family. OK, and that's probably been the most consistent rumor I have seen. But again, I cannot independently tell you that that's the reason. Interesting. Let's get into the Hawkeyes. Talked a little bit about Bo Bassett earlier, his D commitment from the wrestling program. But I want to go first to football recruiting for official visitors on campus this week. Also got a commitment from a guy that they got an offer from last
Starting point is 00:10:50 week at the cornerback position. But let's start with the official visitors, the uncommitted guys that came in with a bunch of the committed guys. What can you tell us how things went in Iowa city? Well, let me put it this way. I just am about to submit a crystal ball. Okay. I top prospects watching how the sausage is made over there. In state just doing some texts on my phone, getting some good Intel, our own Alan True already logged one for a player. Again, in state prospecting people will be really happy with that.
Starting point is 00:11:17 But yeah, oddly enough to it's it's so interesting watching this weekend in full because one of Iowa's top targets is Omaha native Darien Jones. That's the younger brother of a former Iowa reporter, Dallas Jones, who got a chance to be on the other side of things. So I thought that was kind of a cool thing for him to be able to experience from what I'm hearing, uh, basically down to Iowa, Nebraska. Remember he does have another brother already on Nebraska's roster, but he's a cornerback, grew up following
Starting point is 00:11:47 Iowa, an Iowa fan. Don't think you'll get much better training than Phil Parker. So from everything I've been told, the visit went really well. It's not going to be a recruitment that I think lasts very long. I think he'll look to commit somewhere in the next couple of weeks. I mean, I'd give Iowa probably the slight edge right now, but at the same time, you know, do post visit high as wear down. Yeah. Right.
Starting point is 00:12:08 I mean, we've, that's why I struggled to really try to read too much into it till, you know, four or five days after maybe a week after talk to some sources, talk to the, you know, sometimes the kid himself to get a grasp of where they're at, but right now I'm not going to be surprised if there are two or three more commitments on the next couple of weeks here from this weekend So city heel in case and Thomas Bishop heel and kid for our listeners up in Sioux City Sound like Nebraska. I was state maybe even lead coming into this weekend But from what I heard maybe I will covered some ground this weekend at minimum
Starting point is 00:12:40 That's the crystal ball. That's the crystal ball. There it is. All right. A good one there. Again, I'm not going to say it's a done deal, but I really like where Iowa is sitting. And so do a couple of our more national recurs again, Alan True. Yeah. Logged crystal ball in for him as well. Let's get into this football team coming up this season. And as we talked about earlier with the big 10, there's an opportunity here. Yes, there's no Michigan or Ohio State on the schedule, but there's also four teams
Starting point is 00:13:09 from the playoff last year, another team that was a game away from being in the college football playoff. This schedule, if very simply, if Iowa goes 10 and two, they're going to be in the college football playoff. No doubt. And you have to reward them. Even if they lose to both Oregon and Penn State, they beat everybody else on that schedule.
Starting point is 00:13:27 You're going to be an Iowa state team. That'll probably be, you know, one of the more bigger contenders in the big 12, at least that also means you be Indiana at home. That also means you go to Nebraska and win at Nebraska, which again, we know it hasn't been a problem. You go to USC and get a win there. That's what we're talking about here. Even you take those two heavy heads and you put them for Ellie they go at Minnesota as well at Wisconsin I don't think Wisconsin's gonna be that good, but it's still gonna be a road Victor You're gonna have that much on your resume attending their pickle will not be the coach next year, but can they get there and and specifically?
Starting point is 00:13:58 Defensively the linebackers are incredibly green Quarterback spot was an issue all year long and though CJ hall allegedly took the step here this spring, it got to have at least two out there. We'll talk about the offense momentarily, but I still have those reservations about the defense because they did take a step back last year. Yeah. And I have more questions about the defense and the offense. Wild.
Starting point is 00:14:21 That's not to say that I think the offense is going to be better than the defense, but I think we have a general idea of where the offense is, or at least there's a some sort of realistic expectation that I think most people will be able to say, I don't know what to expect out of this defense. Right. I will say the one thing I do know, I love Iowa's defensive line depth. I think they have a lot of different pieces and I think there's going to be a lot of pressure on Iowa's defensive line to help cover up some of the.
Starting point is 00:14:50 Bigger question marks, which again, I think right now we're at corner and linebacker. We know how much work people have gotten in that linebacker room, but it's just from the sole standpoint of they haven't gotten reps in game reps. Right. Right. But we've heard for so long, but you know, Jay Higgins, Nick Jackson, all these guys really didn't do much in the spring. So all the guys
Starting point is 00:15:09 behind them took all their reps. That's great for a time like this. But do you know how much pressure there's going to be on the Mike linebacker? And it's not fair to the old Mike linebacker because just look at the tradition that's been established there. I think Xavier Wampa is a good piece of together. Okay. I really, I really do. I love Cohen Wampa is a good piece of together. I really do. I love Cohen Entringer. He was one of my favorite kids in that recruiting class. I think he was way too under the radar. Assuming he is 100%, he can stay healthy.
Starting point is 00:15:36 I think he's a guy that's gonna be a difference maker as well. I think that's as athletic of a safety pairing that we've had in a long while. As far as size, speed, strength, like just the length that they'll have back there. Defense of tackle, I think Bryce Hawthorne, Jonah Pace were huge. I really like Bryce Hawthorne's upside. But then I also look at a guy who I led my breakout series with.
Starting point is 00:15:55 I'm still working on it. I love Maxwell and I just see him as a guy that can take that next step as an edge rusher and every down edge rusher not sore. Just pin your ears back and go make something happen. Can Aaron Graves take that next step? I think he's a Sunday player as well. What I saw the release about them him being listed on the field steel has I remember all the tenor all American.
Starting point is 00:16:19 But regardless, his counting stats last year were even better than I thought. And they kind of came in in clumps. If you get more consistency out of grapes and he's able to do that and be that impact guy, all 12 games, I think we're having a different conversation. I did too. I also think he's going to be the guy that it steps up in that defensive line room really establishes himself as leader. We didn't even mention Ethan Hercut either.
Starting point is 00:16:40 Yeah. They get Ethan Hercut back. Like I, they have options. And then you look at some of the younger defensive line prospects, they're really excited about them too. So I can't remember if it was you or somebody else I was talking to. So they went out, you mentioned the depth of defensive tackle, getting pace out of central Michigan, getting Bryce Hawthorne from South Dakota
Starting point is 00:16:57 state. Yup. And at the time it was, well, pace is the guy that's going to help out right away. Hawthorne's more kind of maybe a developmental guy and Hawthorne he's turned some heads over there. He's going to help out right away. Hawthorne's more kind of maybe a developmental guy and Hawthorne, he's turned some heads over there. He's going to be, I think, probably a bigger part of the rotation than we thought back when he committed. Is that a fair way to put it? Yeah, that's, I think that's the easiest way to sum it all up. From everything I've heard, he's really gravitated toward the system. He's a really good fit and he just brings a couple different things that maybe, you know, the defensive line, the defense tackle unit specifically just doesn't have, again,
Starting point is 00:17:27 he's still a little bit green, but there's a lot of tools that you can work with and mold. And again, I think you trust Jay Neiman and Kelvin Bell to be able to go do that. Absolutely. And you know, Pittman, maybe he is just a rotational piece. You know, he has more of that 15 to 20 snap guy. Well, now with the depth that they've created with pace and Hawthorne coming on and, you know, we'll see if, you know, the depth that they've created with pace and Hawthorne coming on and you know,
Starting point is 00:17:45 we'll see if you know the veterans that have been hanging around a Hubert Agafne One of those guys can give you again those rotational pieces But if they're their fifth guy You're feeling pretty good about that and what you're gonna have up front and being able to create them But we go to offense and yes, we have to talk off it So let's get over there and let's start with Mark Gronowski What have you heard is he is back out there working out going through the offseason workouts working with those percent He's hundred percent. He's back. And this is why I've tried to tell people like
Starting point is 00:18:13 There's such a big difference between what Cade McNamara went through and what Mark Grunowski went through injury wise the value That Mark Grunowski got of going through spring practice, he did not throw. Guess what? He could line up on her center. He could do all the footwork pieces. He could call out the plays. He could do a mimic run through and then point with his offhand where he would have thrown the football. Again, that's not an actual live ball rep, but the mental growth that he can show and really gravitate toward that, that going to pay off like Kate couldn't even do anything. Right. I push off. Yeah. And then you think about his recovery timeline. He wasn't even 100% till what damn near August. Yeah. Right. So
Starting point is 00:18:54 and the other part is Grunowski played through that injury all last year. He did not need to have the surgery, but this is really going to help him. Comfortability wise, it was the right decision to make. So everything I've heard, he's really killed it. He's been awesome in the weight room specifically, just as far as rallying the guys up attention to detail and all that other kind of stuff. So again, it's everything you want to hear. But again, this is a guy who has 10,000 all purpose yards. He's won the FCS Heisman.
Starting point is 00:19:24 He winning translates across all levels. Case in point about Kurt Signetti. Oh, look at Iowa basketball. Look at Ben McCollum winning translates. Mark Grunowski knows how to win. And that's a big, big deal. When you think about this kind of program, they have as good of a right tackles, anybody in college football,
Starting point is 00:19:43 Jennings Dunker, as long as he's back completely healthy. Yep. Center position is set with Logan Jones. You feel good about both Stevens. You know what you're getting out of both Stevens. I think people, they love the dude and he's a little bit undersized, but he's a butt kicker. He's that small town guy that they put up some good weight on some good weight.
Starting point is 00:20:00 And that's a good thing to hear. He's, he's needed to do that. Then of course they bring in Bryce George, the Ferris state offensive line. So can he play left tackle? I mean, talking to your scouts and what you've seen, is he a guy that they feel very comfortable? He is a left-hander. You can play inside or outside. Okay. And I think that's the kind of piece you want. I think ultimately what's going to end up happening is George Barnett's going to play the five best guys. He'll figure out the position later. Does he have a shot at doing that? Yeah, but Trevor Lough is gonna be right there as well. How about Jack Dotsler? Like there's going to be a legitimate competition
Starting point is 00:20:30 between those three. Between, for probably two spots I'd say. Lough, the biggest upside of that group. I mean, I would say, did they feel like they're still building him up? Because they made a lot of good teams for him too, coming out of high school. Yeah, I mean, I think because of everybody so focused on Proctor, they didn't lot of good teams for him to come in out of high school. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:20:45 I mean, I think because of everybody so focused on proctor, they didn't realize how good Trevor LaHoc actually is or how many different schools were after him. I don't want to say he's a year away still because I think he has a shot, but I'm going to be very interested because I talking to George Farnett a couple of times, you think about his first couple of years at Iowa. I know people were, you know, throwing their arms up about how he wasn't good and you need to be fired. You know what the reality of the situation was, Trent? They were playing guys that should not have played that early. And that's not an indictment on the players themselves. They're only doing the best of what they can. And then, you know,
Starting point is 00:21:16 I think George Barnett was an excellent coach from this standpoint, too. He never threw his guys under the bus. He took all the arrows from everybody. It's well intended. I get it. Yeah. There were expectations set, but guys should not have been playing that early in their career. So it'll be very interesting to see how the offensive line unfolds. I have question marks about tight end, probably more than almost any other position. I liked why I saw wider receivers in spring. I think that's deeper. They have depth better. I don't think that they have necessarily an all-conference caliber guy, but Mark Garnowski is going to have some pieces to throw the football to. That's a difference at that spot, no doubt. David Eicholt with us here. Thanks as always to David for joining us and a little more content from David a little bit
Starting point is 00:21:58 later on the week as he was at Iowa basketball practice last week. We will get into that. Well, let's get back to the big news of the weekend. Bo Bassett decommitting. We'll talk about that. What it means for the future of Iowa wrestling and some big, big questions that are out there. Bo Bassett talk next on Locked on Hawkeyes. Trying kind of back with you one final time on the Locked on Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for being with final time on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for being with us and making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day and a shout out to you every dayers with us each and every day. Thank you to all of you with us throughout these days.
Starting point is 00:22:36 As we continue Lockdown Hawkeyes, Bo Bassett talked about a little bit there with David Eichelt, the rumors that are out there. There's a ton, right back and forth, but it feels at the base of everything. And for most of the reports that are out there and moving away from the rumor mill that is out there is this came down to the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, the independent club for post-graduates and the ability to work in conjunction with the University of Iowa wrestling program. And was there pushback from the brands? Because this is what other programs are doing. This is what Penn State is doing. And that's the most important one we're looking at as Iowa looks to chase down Penn State and what they built and
Starting point is 00:23:16 the championships that they had and trying to build back on that and getting to that level. It feels like you're fighting for second so many years, but with a recruit like Bo Bassett That's what made this different It's not just the Bo Bassett's a great wrestler because he is and as we talked about his commitment back in February It's the extra this is a guy with the social media following This is a guy that is beloved in the wrestling community, and this is a guy that has the kind of personality the kind of personality, the kind of swag, what do they call it now these days the kids that the Riz he's got the
Starting point is 00:23:51 charisma that he's gonna bring guys with him and he's gonna bring his younger brother the number one wrestler in the class of 2027 and then yet another younger brother in the class of 2028. So you have that component, but it's not just about the family. It goes deeper than that. I don't know the inner workings of what's happening with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club and the University of Iowa. But as you look at these programs
Starting point is 00:24:16 and now you look at the war chest of financial ability that Oklahoma State has built and the way that Penn State has been doing it for years. And Iowa still is in good shape financially however When you look to the future you got to get the dudes and the question remains out there Tom Brands Terry Brands are they the guys in this new environment of college athletics and specifically college wrestling are These the guys that are going to be able to deliver and get Iowa back to the top of the heap?
Starting point is 00:24:46 And when you have a story like that, those questions are pertinent. They might not be fair. The biggest question I always have when that comes up, who? Hit me up in the comment section on YouTube. Let me know if you had the ability to move on from Tom Brands as the head coach,
Starting point is 00:25:04 what direction are you going? Is it Kyle Dake? Spencer Lee probably not ready What other names would make sense what other names can get Iowa to this level? What David Taylor's doing at Oklahoma State? Okay, I'll say Anderson's been doing for years at Penn State if I was going to compete and get back to competing at national levels And I know there's the other side. I don't know there's plenty of you out there that aren't wrestling fans. Yeah, Iowa fills out the building, but we're still talking about a niche sport, even as important as wrestling is.
Starting point is 00:25:32 There's plenty of people out there that say, it doesn't matter. All that matters is football. There's people that say, wrestling doesn't matter. Basketball doesn't matter. Baseball, softball, track and field, wrestling, on and on and on. Those don't matter. All that matters is football. And you should be doing everything in your financial ability to help your football program.
Starting point is 00:25:50 Other sports be damned. I don't subscribe to that theory. I want a well-rounded athletic department. I like to cheer for all the teams, watch all the teams. That's me. But I know there's other people that have that thought. Interesting terms, interesting changes happening, and certainly the future of Iowa wrestling took a blow with the decommitment of Bo Bassett.
Starting point is 00:26:10 Thanks for being with us and making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Hey, hit subscribe if you're watching this on YouTube. Hit up the comment section over there. If you're listening on the podcast side, five star reviews helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. We'll be back with you tomorrow. More Hawkeye talk. Your team every day. Until then, go Hawks!

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