Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - DEPTH? Iowa Hawkeyes Running Back Room STACKED—Kamari Moulton & LJ Phillips READY to Explode in 2026

Episode Date: May 8, 2026

Iowa Hawkeyes’ running back room enters 2026 deeper and more dynamic than ever, raising expectations for a breakout ground attack under offensive coordinator Tim Lester. With Kamari Moulton pushing ...to become a true star, South Dakota transfer LJ Phillips bringing power, and rising talents like Xavier Williams and Nathan McNeil adding crucial depth, Iowa’s offense may finally have the versatility it’s lacked. The return of respected coach Jay Norvell is already energizing the players, suggesting stronger chemistry and player development ahead. Trent Condon spotlights the evolution of Iowa football’s backfield and breaks down the impact of new leadership and fresh talent. The conversation extends to key updates from Kirk Ferentz and AD Beth Goetz at the Polk County I Club, touching on offensive line concerns, Addison Ostranga’s recovery, and the incoming 2027 NCAA Tournament expansion. Can this Hawkeyes unit turn depth into dominance in the Big Ten? Follow Trent Condon on X: https://twitter.com/trentcondon LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-hawkeyes-daily-podcast-on-iowa-hawkeyes-football/id1441592240 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GTyz5ygevcGXdTF6QSoEo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnHawkeyes Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast Rugiet Get 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhl Rugiet. Performance medicine for men. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. 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) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The Iowa running game has improved immensely in the two years of Tim Lester as the offensive coordinator. This year, that running back room might be the deepest yet. 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 Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast, your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast. Today we're going to talk a little bit about the expansion of the NCAA. tournament making their way up from the 68 teams up to 76 teams going forward. Extra games there and what that means going forward for the Iowa basketball program.
Starting point is 00:00:47 We'll also hear from Kurt Ferrence and Beth Gets, the Iowa head football coach and the athletic director had an opportunity to speak with both of them at the Polk County I Club earlier this week. We had those interviews for you coming up here a little bit later on as we'll hear from the headman, including the return of Addison Estranga at the tight end position. and his thoughts on a potential 2014 playoff and a whole lot more. That's coming up here in just a little bit. But we're continuing our look around coming out of spring practice,
Starting point is 00:01:16 the different position groups that are going in. And today in the spotlight, maybe the deepest position group that Iowa football has coming into the year. And that is the running back room, a running back room that obviously we have seen big improvement these last couple of years. You know, before we get into the individual players and some expectations coming into this one. One thing I definitely want to bring up with you is the return to Jay Norvel.
Starting point is 00:01:42 Now, Jay Norvell has had a long coaching career after his playing days finished up in Iowa City. However, maybe the biggest component to this when I look at Norvel and his impact that he's going to make here, just how different that running back room was a year ago in the coaching sphere. You go from Liddell Betts, who was absolutely beloved. He was the guy that also recruited all of those guys. And last year with Omar Young, it was just different. We heard Kamari Moulton, I thought be pretty frank about it and just how different it was going from Liddell Betts to Young a year ago. And now Omar Young makes his way back to the NFL.
Starting point is 00:02:17 He's off to the Raiders. And you wish him best of luck. But hearing a few things behind the scenes, it just didn't have the relationship that you always have with your position group. Omar Young was built very differently than Lidell Betts. And to say that it wasn't the best fit, I think would be a fair and accurate. comparison and a way to put that, I think the guys are very happy with Jay Norvel and the way that he is certainly the way that he coaches, the style that he has, but maybe even more importantly, just the kind of person that he is getting back in there. And it's not about good feelings all
Starting point is 00:02:50 the time, right? You can be coached hard. You can be coached differently. It doesn't have to be your buddy. We get that. But there was something very special with Lidel Betts. And it feels like they got another special guy there once again with Jay Norvel. And a guy that is. is working to rebuild those relationships, not just as football players, but the extras that go along with it. And Norvell getting him back in Iowa, say, just a great one. And now you kind of look through. And he got Tim Lester and he got Jay Norvell,
Starting point is 00:03:16 and he got a bunch of other guys now inside this program, inside the coaching ranks that have been head coaches before. And it's something we haven't seen a ton during Kirk Farrants' tenure. It's not something that has been a necessity, certainly what he's been out there in searching for different coaches. but I think it's a good thing. Guys that certainly have seen a lot of things, have had highs and lows that go along with it,
Starting point is 00:03:38 but just those kind of perspectives, I think is good inside that coaching building. Let's get into the players and start with, of course, Kamari Moulton. Coming back after being the starter a year ago, Kamari last year, 878 yards, average 5.2 yards per carry, five touchdowns on the season.
Starting point is 00:03:55 And I think we all saw it a year ago. Kamari Moulton is good, solid, fine. Can he take that next step? Can he go from good to great? And that's what you're looking for from Kamari Bolton. So many times a year ago, he'd get that eight-yard gain. He'd make a little move, get up there, and get into the second level. But that was it.
Starting point is 00:04:13 Now taking that next step and pushing and making those eight-yard gains into 16-yard gains and taking the 16-yard gains and turn them into 32-yard gains. And that's what you're looking for a little bit more, a little bit more pop maybe from Kamari-Molton this season. You couple that with the emergence now of L.J. Phillips. coming in from South Dakota after rushing for nearly 2,000 yards a year ago. And as we go back to Saturday in the open practice, a couple of Saturdays ago now, one thing we didn't see a whole lot of, didn't see a whole lot from the running game.
Starting point is 00:04:43 It was definitely you could tell a practice that was predicated. They were going to be working on the passing offense. That was going to be a big part of it. Also a big comparison and matter here. What L.J. Phillips is just his physicality that he runs with. This is a big physical guy, though not in time. terms of height, in terms of width, this guy is strong, tough, rugged. And right away when Tim Lester, when a guy's only been on campus a couple months and
Starting point is 00:05:09 talking about how he is different in the short yardage situations, I think you feel pretty confident having a guy like that. But he's not alone. I mean, when you're talking about also the bigger running backs, you look at what we saw from Xavier Williams a year ago. And I thought Xavier Williams really surprised in his red shirt freshman campaign, what they were able to get out of him, showed some pops, certainly showed that versatility. and he averaged 5.8 yards per carry.
Starting point is 00:05:32 That led the team out of the running backs a year ago. He had three touchdowns to go along with it. You feel really good there. You lose Jazzy on Patterson from a year ago, but you also bring back Nathan McNeil for his sophomore year and played a bunch as a true freshman a year ago. Still things that he's learning, the intricacies of being a running back, picking up blocks, pass routes,
Starting point is 00:05:53 all the different parts that go along with it. But the one thing that looks different when you're talking about Nathan McNeil, looks so smooth. He has that gliding kind of mentality that you see out there in the football field and it's difficult to replicate, very difficult to be, have that something
Starting point is 00:06:10 that you can teach. It does something a little bit more innate, but when you see it from guys, Nathan McNeil has that. Hard to describe, but easy to see out there on the football field and very excited to see what Nathan McNeil can be going into season number two. Those are the guys that we know.
Starting point is 00:06:26 And with L.J. Phillips, we feel like we have a good feel of what he's going to be. Then we get into the next tier of guys and a couple of youngsters on there, including a couple of redshirt freshmen, Braden Jackson. We talked about him a bunch, son of Fred Jackson, the NFL grade with the Buffalo Bills for a number of years. He's a local kid for Hankity Centennial. As mentioned, I've seen him a bunch at the high school level and I said it right when he committed to Iowa. I thought they got an absolute steal to get a guy like that as a walk on. I thought was a huge recruiting win for Iowa.
Starting point is 00:06:59 And Braden Jackson, he's going to carry the football for Iowa. Maybe not this year, but down the line, he is going to be a guy, I believe is going to be a factor in that running back room. The other guy made the jump over from the other side of the football, and that is Alante Dean, who came in from Armwood, a place that Iowa has had a lot of success, a lot of good players have come from that area of the country and had done a good job with the Hawkeye program. Alante Dean, another guy that was under the radar, but. definitely somebody that was talked about a bunch during the season last year, running scout team. And I think they like what they have in Dean, 6 foot 210 pounds.
Starting point is 00:07:35 Finally, at the running back room, and this one's a little bit different for me, is Brevin Doll. If you're an everyday watcher, you might remember a couple years back after Brevin committed, he joined me here on the show. I have family connections, and it's hard to probably see things exactly without very, very heavy black and gold glasses on. Because I know him, and I know the family. And I'm rooting for Brevin, but injuries have just continued to stack up against him, time in and timeout. The speed is real. Folks, this guy can absolute burn.
Starting point is 00:08:05 And you're hopeful at minimum, that was a redshirt sophomore this year, that Brevin Dahl maybe could be a part of the return game using that elite speed that he had. Great vision at the high school level. And he's going to be able to put together on that front. More than anything, though, for Brevindal, is it just got to be healthy. And that's going to be the component there. But we go through here, and you're talking about. about seven guys. I feel confident with all of them running the football behind that
Starting point is 00:08:29 offensive line, though I think we'll take a step back from what they were a year ago. I don't think it's going to be as significant as a lot of people believe. I think that offensive line is going to be good, solid at minimum. And if you throw a healthy Michael Milinski in there and he gets another year of eligibility, that would go a long ways. Also, speaking of that, Kirk Farrants had a little something to say at the Polk County I Club about that situation as well. That's coming your way next.
Starting point is 00:08:55 I'm going to hear from Kirk Ferrence from the Polkani I Club, get his perspective at a couple of different things. Also, the athletic director, Beth Gets, had an opportunity to speak with them for a few minutes. That's coming up next here as we continue. Stay right there. Kirk Ferrence up next, locked on Hawkeyes. The NHL playoffs are here where every shift matters. Every moment is intense and the pressure is at its highest. Now, the playoffs for me are all about the Minnesota Wild.
Starting point is 00:09:26 They're down 02 in the series and now got to win four out of five. to move on against Colorado. It's going to be intense, and it is going to be a great environment Saturday night in St. Paul. Just like performance matters on the ice, it matters off the ice too. That's where Ruggiat comes in.
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Starting point is 00:10:40 Polk County I Club earlier this week had a chance to chat me and some of the other media members with Kirk Farrants. And we have that queued up for you right now. Kirk Farrantz from the Polk County Eye Club. Yeah, I mean, I just saw that for a day. Quite frankly, when we went from two to four, I've kind of lost a percent. If we want to go back to two on those more, we'll do that. Probably warn you're here. That's a big tent proposal, I guess, right?
Starting point is 00:11:13 I think somebody said that, yeah, so learn more about that here in a couple weeks. Sure, are there any frustration and what he said? Not at that possibly David me of that last year. It's a great question. Probably not quite like that, but it's a good group they really really, group they really think you did a good job transitioning I'm just running close frankly because you know there's a hundred years ago I'm 50 50 close probably I can't even imagine if I'm a high school in a mid-year and
Starting point is 00:11:49 go on and do what these guys do but they all seem really handle they have a they have a little bit of semester roll and it looks like they're gonna like so you know it's a start you probably no more can in August but but they're all doing a good job. Some guys are, you know, probably be in the two people, but at least, you know, whatever, the top six in the position, that type of thing. I mean, you're just fine.
Starting point is 00:12:15 Yeah. There's somebody to athletes take care back at this point right now, and I said that was a huge focus of the rest of the school. As a coaching town, what do you've got to stay during this time? So we last one of the things we respect in people else, so meeting with our partners on that town, and maybe it's up for ourselves. This is kind of summarizing, basically, next to meet the players.
Starting point is 00:12:37 They're mostly guys that's a little bit more safe. So they've been out, the better part of the last week and then I'll be next week, and next week, and then I'll start to trickling that again. So it's just, you know, it's in your recruiting or your, anything else, but it's a chance to leave them to sit down that way right now. It's probably working the roster and have a meeting to each and your point about finals.
Starting point is 00:13:02 If you can find more than seven guys that have four finals, I'll congratulate. It's amazing. Things have really changed the last five years. So it's not uncommon for you to have two finals or maybe one final in next week, three, five. So it's, yeah, different rules. And then online tests, and I'll also. And I ask him, I said, you know, because they have the security here, eyes go left or right?
Starting point is 00:13:27 How about you guys? Like, when you think about stuff, do you ever, like, just look at the sky? So anyway, it's a whole difficult work. Yeah, that's probably in trouble. You guys brought in a bunch of defensive tackles from the portal. I know a couple of those guys were banged up. What did you see from the growth there? I know Bryce was a struggle a little bit with some injuries
Starting point is 00:13:42 and certainly an important position for the way you guys played defense at tackle. Yeah, Bryce missed probably a little more than a half spring ball, which is, you know, disappointing. Because it's just an important time for everybody. Old and young and with our team especially, our guys tended to develop your round, So it's an important time. You can't do anybody.
Starting point is 00:14:02 This is part of what we do. But I think there's been, you know, gradual growth right now. And probably got a group of, you know, nine, ten guys right now that are really, I can envision, you know, having played in time and what that percentage is. We'll wait and see. But I think it's going to be a work in progress through August. I think a lot of things on our team. It's kind of hard to the story of our team right now.
Starting point is 00:14:25 You know, if I had to write down our starting lineup, but probably right on maybe 60%. you know, when we get this September, so we'll see what it looks like. But there's good competition, and yeah, you can't microwave some things. We just need to work and need more repetition. Kurt, how is how is how this in the spring is going? Really good. Do you expect him to be ready to go for the start of the season?
Starting point is 00:14:45 Yeah, he should be full speed in June. So that's kind of been the target. And he hasn't done with the team at all. He's out there working and rebeam and running, cutting, doing things that are really encouraging. so but the idea was yeah we could you know have him ready to start of June that'd be great so we expect him to be doing everything like the rest of the guys for the summer program starts so he just hasn't done stuff in pads and nothing in pads and nothing at all organized like it's all on the side with the strength coaches before that was the trainers but everything's
Starting point is 00:15:18 really been really terrific no setbacks working in touch the screen. How much of that adds to all? That's one position that's, you know, pretty established. We really have a lot on our team, but all that's in the running backs. Because they're curious where we have guys who have played, and they really know what to do, and they'll play well. So I'm on confidence, and we've got to get them out of the tight-hands, and we've got to put running backs,
Starting point is 00:15:46 and, you know, perhaps more guys can throw the game, and think we're doing it really well. But the other positions we're working for it. process that we'll go back in a little bit. I think it's really, in my opinion, more beneficial for the individual players, and that's what I'm encouraging junior right now, is if they go back and look at it, because, you know, the drills will be doing in August, the same thing we did this spring. You learn a lot from watching yourself.
Starting point is 00:16:19 You watch other good players at level one then also. You watch yourself. And I would venture a guest, like, you know, when they sit down in June and try to do that, they'll have a better feel for what they need to be doing or what they could be better. So I think you know, it's wrong. It's one of the message that I try to give our guys, right? You know, so it's one more way to get better if you're paying attention. We're doing it right.
Starting point is 00:16:38 For things, the other way is looking like they're going to pass. And when it comes to eligibility. How do you best prepare for that? The five for five? Yes. Okay, yeah, I'm all for it. You know, I think the thing I just give it a lot of clarity. I'm assuming the reason we haven't had it lawsuits or whatever, but it's really hard to figure out who gets
Starting point is 00:16:58 who gets real eligible, who gets real. and they now would be a simple way to clean things up. Just make it clear cut and say no. You know, is this guy getting down? I'm curious about, take a little down a side path here. The quarterback from Mississippi, right guy, ruled eligible health-wise. Got a six years of seven, wherever he got. Like a week before the draft, good timing.
Starting point is 00:17:24 And then, I mean, we've got a player. We're still waiting here on that we haven't heard of word. and we've been told there's a pile or a stack of it. So I'm just trying to figure out how that guy got to the front of line. So, you know, don't give me started on those guys. Please, I'll get in trouble. I'll get fun. Did you have a eureka moment of quarterback here in the last week and a half?
Starting point is 00:17:42 You can tell us between Hank and Jeremy? They're just, you know, they're competing. Both I think did a good job. A lot of them for improvement with both guys. Like, a lot of players on our team. I think we're on a good path right now. We're still going to let them keep working to compete. that's it. Thanks everybody.
Starting point is 00:18:00 Thank you. So that was Kurt Ferrets again from the Polk County I Club earlier this week. Some information. I had him asked the quarterback question, of course, and knew what we were going to get on that front. But Jeremy, excuse me, Michael Mislinski, we were talking a little bit about him earlier, and they are still waiting the official ruling
Starting point is 00:18:18 for that six-year of eligibility from the NCAA. And Kirk, as always, just shakes his head at that one. Let's hear from the athletic director next. Beth Gets from earlier this week at the Polk County I Club. Coming to these different communities and get into the Cajawks in the way. Yeah. It's really important that we show up in their backyard, right? When they come to us all the time and so generous to come with support our teams.
Starting point is 00:18:41 And so if you're seeking a meaningful from our relationship standpoint, just to take an opportunity to anyone to them and thank them for all they do to support our programs. Jane talks a lot about your leadership and how you've helped guide, you know, a lot of programs. all the changes in the college sports landscape. How have you navigated it? Is there a trick to kind of navigating all the ever-changing things? You know, I think we just get to a place where we know that trying to provide the sort of guidance and steady state for our coaches is what's going to be helpful.
Starting point is 00:19:14 And while we may not know what's coming, we can try to boil it down and you can make it simple steps. And so we've gotten really comfortable saying we're going to make the best decision today with the information we have and know might change. in a few weeks but it really is about the leadership of our coaches. thoughtful, they are remnant to the future in the way that Iowa does things and also willing to evolve at the same time. So they just had a great blend of doing that, moving the programs forward in the
Starting point is 00:19:42 new sport of the area of college athletics, but we still see the route of who they are with their programs and how they take this new weeks. At the end of the academic calendar year, you probably just recap this, you probably just recap this this calendar year and some Iowa scores? What are some of your highlights and things like that? Yeah, we're not quite not yet, so I'm hoping I get to add to this list.
Starting point is 00:20:07 You know, I think the funny thing you're really proud of is that it's been consistent success across a lot of firms. You've got 10 teams in the top, that have been ranked in the top 25. You've got some historic moments. Coach Ferris becoming the Alzheimer's made 10 winning as coach. Got the elite run that obviously hasn't happened in a few decades. This thing to rule especially also women's basketball that's continuing to demonstrate that they are here to stay and are to compete at the highest level.
Starting point is 00:20:34 And then our Olympic sports are just doing great things. So I think as we look at all of those factors in that level of success, we haven't offered to compromise anything they're doing in the flash when they're still achieving in the high class. Academically, they're competing in the community. And great things that happen because our fans are incredibly supportive philanthropically and so it allows us to meet the success in success. but a fair time this is 100 former player be drafted into the NFL, basically one-on-one now. But I'm honestly don't like that. That doesn't come around very often when we've talked about his legacy
Starting point is 00:21:08 and his story. How much more can we explain about the next? I mean, it's just going to be worth talking about for a long time. The things that he's in possible in fact, you're not a good. You know, you get you a new one with your probably. It's not surprised anymore. in the opportunity in particular, if you look at, go back and look at the history,
Starting point is 00:21:31 which is more on five-star items out of high school. So it is a really developed that town to give an opportunity and change in the government. We had the baking of wins from your perspective as athletic director. Kind of take us through that process and what it was officially would hand it down, the NCAA, how that news is kind of handled from your friend.
Starting point is 00:21:49 Yeah, you know, I mean, this is an issue that goes back for a year. And I mean, I'll just say from my perspective, I'm incredibly proud that he appreciated, you know, with a man that when you do make a mistake, he owns it. I think he demonstrated to our young men and women that we make errors. We own them. We take accountability for him. He did that a few years ago, and we don't see him make mistakes very often. But I think he demonstrated the right way to handle those and to take accountability. I mean, we certainly has been working with that process, support him 100%.
Starting point is 00:22:22 we're disappointed with the outcome. But at this point, we're just ready to move on and really believe in the way that he runs the program and we have that whole thing behind us. Last question. The coach is that are now for a nice for a lot of time. Just what the schedule ability for this point, where do you get back at this point in this point?
Starting point is 00:22:44 Particularly to not your program, it's also about calls. Yeah, it's hurry up, make a lot of calls and then wait for reschedule. couple, but they are deep into it. And so there's a couple things that happened. You're looking at PACE availability. And I might talk to your promoter here, a promoter there.
Starting point is 00:23:02 But I think we're getting a little bit closer. Obviously, you're always waiting for the big test schedules to come out. But, you know, I think both of our coaches do a really good job and understanding the average schedules. Like special team, what's best position in the still season. And so I think there'll be some exciting games for both folks. Thanks everybody. That was Beth Gets from earlier this week at the Poe County I Club.
Starting point is 00:23:26 Coming up tomorrow, we'll hire from both the basketball coaches. Jan Jensen and Ben McCollum will have that for you tomorrow on your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast, Locked on Hawkeyes. Coming back on the other side, speaking of hoops, the tournament's going to 76. That's next, Locked on Hawkeyes. Trent, kind of back with you one final time on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for being with us in making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Well, the tournament is expanding to 76, the NCAA tournament for both the men and the women.
Starting point is 00:24:02 And for both perspectives, I don't have a big problem with it. And I understand people like the traditional 64 team brand. Look, that's been gone for decades now. It went to 65 after the disillusion of the old whack and the formation of the Mountain West Conference. So we had an extra conference out there. They got an automatic bid. How are we going to do this? We don't want to take away in the large.
Starting point is 00:24:22 Well, they created the opening round. the 64th versus 65th team. And then we went to the first four. And now here we are with more. It's more basketball. And look, fans are dumb. If Iowa is making the tournament year after year after year, but they're sneaking in as team 69, 79, 70, 71, 72,
Starting point is 00:24:42 look, we're not going to stand for it. And I think overall, these coaches believe that this is something that is going to be a great elix or going to give them more job security. We know it's always a moving target. And once you hit a certain. level a certain threshold, as we learned under Fray McCaffrey, if you can't get past that threshold of making an NCAA tournament, the fans are going to move on. They're going to be ready to move on too. I am a gambler, as you know that, a degenerate gambler. I don't bet a lot. I have fun with it.
Starting point is 00:25:10 It's an entertainment tax. I enjoy doing that, but it's more games to bet on. It'll be some late-night games. Likely, this is going to be a location. They have Dayton. They're going to add extra games in Dayton, and then they're going to find a new location. Maybe it'll be Las Vegas, maybe somewhere else out there in the Northwest. Pacific Northwest has been talked about, Spokane, something like that, whatever direction that they go, it's more hoops. And by the time that we get to Thursday morning at 11 o'clock central time, you will have your traditional 64-team bracket. You will have your main bracket on your paper. You can get your office pools like you always have before.
Starting point is 00:25:47 I'm fine with it. I just cannot gum up the anger, the angst that is out there by a lot of different people. I understand. We like traditions. And when bracket creep happens and it's going to continue to happen and it's going to happen in college football, the likelihood that we're going to 24 teams, I just can't get a big problem about it. We have so many systems that are broken. And though nobody was asking for this, by the time it comes around and that Tuesday and Wednesday,
Starting point is 00:26:13 before we get to traditional Thursday, it's going to be fine. It'll be more hoops. There'll be some entertaining games. There'll be some duds, but that's okay. More basketball. I'm never going to say no to that. That'll do it for today. Thanks for being with us and making Lockdown Hawkeyes, your first listen every day.
Starting point is 00:26:29 And don't forget, if you are an everyday subscriber, the Everydayer Club is built for you. You can get Lockdown Hawkeyes ad free plus members-only Discord access. Go to Lockdownhawkeyes. That's Lockdownhawkeyes.com. That's Lockdownhawkeyes. com. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Ben McCullough.
Starting point is 00:26:47 and Jan Jensen. Some good insight from both of them as we make our way through the off season. That's coming up on tomorrow's show. Thanks for being with us. We'll talk to you then.

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