Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - DEVASTATING? Iowa Football Reels as Lavar Woods Leaves —How Will Hawkeyes RESPOND to this Loss?
Episode Date: December 19, 2025Iowa Hawkeyes face a seismic shift as Special Teams Coordinator Lavar Woods departs for Michigan State—how will Kirk Ferentz’s program respond? The shake-up raises questions about succession plann...ing and staff stability, with key insight into why Woods made the move and which internal names might step up to fill his role.Trent Condon and Tom Kakert examine the ripple effects across Iowa’s football roster, including quarterback priorities with Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown, and the outlook for the running back room after T.J. Washington’s transfer portal entry. The show also previews Iowa women’s basketball’s daunting matchup against No. 1 UConn and the men’s clash with Bucknell, exploring betting odds and potential upsets. Don’t miss expert perspectives and recruiting updates as the Hawkeyes chart their path forward in a changing Big Ten landscape.Iowa Hawkeyes face a seismic shift as Special Teams Coordinator Lavar Woods departs for Michigan State—how will Kirk Ferentz’s program respond? The shake-up raises questions about succession planning and staff stability, with key insight into why Woods made the move and which internal names might step up to fill his role.Trent Condon and Tom Kakert examine the ripple effects across Iowa’s football roster, including quarterback priorities with Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown, and the outlook for the running back room after T.J. Washington’s transfer portal entry. The show also previews Iowa women’s basketball’s daunting matchup against No. 1 UConn and the men’s clash with Bucknell, exploring betting odds and potential upsets. Don’t miss expert perspectives and recruiting updates as the Hawkeyes chart their path forward in a changing Big Ten landscape.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/LockedOnHawkeyesEverydayer ClubIf 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!Omaha SteaksSave big on unforgettable gifts with Omaha Steaks. Visit https://OmahaSteaks.com for 50% off site-wide and an extra 20% off select favorites during their Cyber Sale.And for an additional $35 off, use promo code COLLEGE at checkout. WayfairGet last-minute hosting essentials, gifts for all your loved ones, and decor to celebrate the holidays for WAY less.Head to https://Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.Wayfair. Every style. Every home. Rocket MoneyTake control of your finances and cancel your unwanted subscriptions with Rocket Money.Go to https://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDON today. Aura FramesFor a limited time, save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames - named #1 by Wirecutter - by using promo code COLLEGE at checkout.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) 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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A potential devastating loss for Iowa football.
Special teams coordinator, LeVar Woods, leaves for Michigan State.
The impact on the Hawkeyes could be significant.
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.
Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes, your first listen every day.
Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, now number one, sports podcast network.
I've been covering the Hawkeyes for over 20 years on the radio in the state of Iowa,
including currently on the Iowa Sports Radio Network, where you can hear me each weekday
from noon to two with stations in Des Moines, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids,
the Quad Cities, and Sioux City.
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Big news of the day, LeVar Woods departing after the bowl game as he will make his way to Michigan
State.
We'll talk about that, the impact and maybe some potential changes that we'll see with Iowa's
coaching staff.
We'll also talk with Tom Kaker from hawkeye report.com.
Part of On 3. Tom will join us and we'll get his perspective on that.
Also talk a little bit of basketball and get ready for the weekend.
Iowa women taking on number one
Yukon and the men in Des Moines
against Bucknell. We will preview
those matchups as well, get you a deep dive
into it and what the Iowa women are going to
have to do to pull off what would be a
huge, huge upset.
But we begin today with the news from
yesterday. Kirk Ferrence is up there for his
press conference, is pre-departure
press conference for the bowl game and
thought it was going to be pretty ho-hum.
He talked a little bit about a couple of different
things. We'll get into here momentarily.
And then about halfway through the press conference, he said, well, we're going to do something different here.
And LeVar Woods comes up and after the announcement by Kirk that he is going to be departing and leaving for Michigan State.
LeVar Woods, of course, a former player, he was part of that group that went from the Hayden Fry era to the Kirk Farrant's era back in the late 90s.
As a player went on to the NFL, had a successful career as a linebacker, but mostly as a special teamer.
And as LeVar talked about in the press conference, as you can tell,
an incredibly emotional press conference for him,
this was something that definitely ate at him.
But we also know that LeVar was also looking around.
And it leads to the speculation when we go back and when Seth Wallace was elevated
and handed the title as associate head coach.
He's not going to unseat Phil Parker as the defensive coordinator.
That wasn't there.
And his other programs, specifically Minnesota,
were going after Seth Wallace to become their defensive coordinator
and with the associate head coach,
well, Iowa had to do something.
And this is what they came up with was to give that title to Seth Wallace,
meaning,
well,
that title didn't go to Levar Woods.
A lot of people thought that that was going to happen.
And if there was some kind of ascension plan that could be in place,
that LeVar, Seth Wallace,
those are the two names usually mentioned most in that scenario.
Well, of course, that didn't happen.
And here we are today with this.
So let's get into the impact a little bit.
and what LeVar Woods has meant to these Iowa special teams.
The impact that we saw from LeVar in these special teams and becoming the coordinator.
And when college football decided to add an extra assistant coach, Iowa made the decision.
Kirk Farrants made the decision that they were going to add a special teams coordinator.
I think a lot of people kind of forget what special teams were and the difficult nature that they had.
And you look at Micahide and obviously the great NFL career that he had, both as a defensive back,
but also as a returner, there was a time where he,
just went back there, put his hand on the air for punt returns, and you think how dynamic
he was at the next level, what could have been? During the late odds, now that 2006 to 2008 range,
the downturn of Iowa football before 08 when they really started to turn around, a big part of that
was the mistakes that they made in special teams. And though they had good specialists at times,
they had good kickers. seemingly they always do. Their coverage units weren't very good. The return game
wasn't at an elite level. And LeVar Woods helped change that. And we think of the great plays,
Polkat against Ohio State and the drubbing of the Buckeyes, 55, 24.
We think of those plays.
The weird end-round play that they had, I believe, with Hawkinson against Minnesota network.
They did a myriad of different things.
We didn't see a ton of that lately, but just how buttoned up, they are in all avenues.
And that shows you as a coordinator.
And now people equating a special teams coach, you look at what John Harbaugh is obviously done at the NFL level as the Ravens.
He was never an offensive or defensive coordinator before.
He was a special teams coordinator.
And there's a lot of people that think that job very well prepares you to become a head coach.
And that is the reason that LeVar Woods is leaving, spreading his wings,
learning something outside of Iowa City and Kirk Barents and certainly don't have a problem with that.
What I do have a problem with, though, is Pat Fitzgerald going out there and not just poaching LeVar Woods,
but sounds like maybe some other coaches were getting phone calls as well from him.
Don't like to see that part of it, but certainly overall, this is one you're hoping for LeVar.
This is something that works out well that he gets that operational.
opportunity to continue to move up and become what he wants to become, and that is a head coach,
certainly at the collegiate level. He's going to be on the list. You have to feel whenever it is
that Kirk Barron's makes the decision to hang it up, that he is going to be one of those
candidates that is going to be out there, a chance to learn from somebody new. Definitely a good
thing for LeVar Woods. Another big impact of that is a question that was out there, his son, Mason
Woods, would he be following him to Michigan State? And LeVar didn't mention yesterday that that is not
going to be the case that he is going to be sticking around in Iowa City. He made the decision
to stay there and good news certainly there. Mason Woods, tremendous athlete, guy that I think can
help them in a multiple different positions. He's just got that kind of athleticism that he can
play multiple spots, find the right fit for him. We know Iowa throughout the years has been very good
of moving those guys around, finding the perfect opportunity for them, but definitely an impact
and definitely a stinger with the loss of LeVar Woods off to Michigan State and doing it
against a conference rival.
That's not very fun.
I mean, you'd rather see him land in the SEC or the Big 12 or something like that.
But alas, here we are as Lovar moves on.
Another note from the press conference, the question of quarterback came up to Kirk
Barrens.
And he was asked about what they're looking at.
Are they going to be shopping around in the portal?
And Kirk said they're happy with where they are.
With Jeremy Hecklinsky, they're in the fold along with Hank Brown,
that they feel pretty good about what they have going into.
next season. Now we know come January 2nd if one of those two guys does enter the portal
if there's a possibility of some movement there. But certainly feel as Iowa goes through this,
as they take a peek at what it's going to be, Bo Prubula, he's in the portal. Iowa is very close
to getting his services a year ago before he ended up at Missouri. So there'd be a possible
connection there. So a lot of connecting dots there, but at least at this point in time,
feels like Iowa feels like they're set at that position. We continue here,
locked on Hawkeyes and it's time to take a look and hear from Tom Kaker hawkeye report.com
will get his thoughts on LeVar Woods departing also a running back transfer we'll get the news
of T.J. Washington and Tom's thoughts on that as we continue locked on Hawkeyes.
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Right now, Tom Caker, Talking Hawks.
Hello, Tom, Trent, and Ken.
How are you, sir?
I'm good.
I wish I was my palm and in Vegas.
You know, that's okay.
Yeah, mid-70s.
We'll go visit.
I'll be in Tampa in the 26th.
Okay, you know what, that's good.
I'm glad I was going to ask you that at some point during our conversation.
When do you get there?
So Trent and I can make plans to have you from Tampa.
Good stuff.
Well, obviously, the news, there's a couple of news items yesterday, the Rodriguez.
but the LeVar Woods was the one that really reverberated.
Just your take, Tom, did it come out of the blue?
Were there any whispers that this was kind of, you know, percolating behind the scenes at all?
There was some stuff that I had heard over the weekend and shared with a couple of people just kind of checking around to say, you know, somebody kind of said to me, hey, there might be some staff movement, but I didn't think it was going to be at this level.
but it was interesting and it makes sense, right?
Because LeVar, you know, he basically said it yesterday, wants to be a head coach.
And he's going to get that, you know, assistant head coach title, associate head coach, however they term it these days.
And that looks better on your resume and perhaps that'll springboard him into being a head coach.
I think ultimately he wants to be in that conversation to be the next head coach at the
University of Iowa. So he had probably had to go somewhere else to potentially make that happen.
Any potential names to replace LeVar Woods? Is there anybody that either in-house makes sense?
Any connections as you go through it? These are big shoes to fill what LeVar has done with these
special teams. Any names jump out to you, Tom? Yeah, in-house. You know, Chris Belize.
He has been with them.
He was a grad assist with them.
Some NFL experience, I believe, had some, you know, experience at, like, U.P. Martin and other places,
worked special teams there.
He's been on the road recruiting for them.
So kind of he would make sense.
I know he's well thought of.
The other thought I had was, what if you moved to?
Abdul-Hodge to special teams coordinator.
And there's one of the analysts is Billy Vandermeet.
And he is, he's a guy who worked with Tim Lester for three years at Western Michigan.
So they're really, you know, he brought him in to be an analyst because he's really comfortable with him.
He's done some tight-end coaching in the past.
So it just, maybe that's another way you could make this work.
work internally is it's moved billy into that tight end position move abdul into special teams
no more coaching movement do you think on the staff tom this was it or was there another one maybe
i think this is probably it what about you never say never because you remember lidel betts
at a very late hour so um you never know when you know the NFL stuff starts happening and
staffs get put together, and you're like, okay, I guess he's going to the NFL.
But right now, I think everything is quiet.
You know, I know some places I've made runs at Seth Wallace, you know, conversations with
Tim Lester, but they seem like they're going to stick around Iowa City.
What about bowl opt-outs, and hearing anything there?
Have not.
But other than, you know, Jackson Stratton, I think everybody's going to stick around and then, you know, once the bulls over, you guys, then you're going to see a few guys jump in the portal.
But I think everybody, both teams, Vanderbilt and Iowa are just kind of sticking around and going to do the bowl thing.
And then you'll see guys get in the portal and you'll see Iowa getting more active in the portal.
it's weird.
It's like, you know how NFL free agency is where, you know, yeah, they're not supposed
to be talking or nothing, but like then the minute the free agency starts, like five deals
that are, hey, you just signed a four-year deal worth $36 million.
And it's one minute after midnight.
One minute.
It's like, how does that happen?
Whoa, okay, I guess you've been talking to the agents.
And that's how all this is going is like you're talking to agents and they're,
kind of doing all the lake work with you know
GMs and player personnel guys
Kirk was asked yesterday during the press conference about the
quarterback position feels like they're in good shape with Hank
Brown and Jeremy Hecklinsky but
Lord Pabula who they were incredibly close to getting a year ago
that didn't happen he is at Missouri he's back in the portal
what can you tell us your intel saying about the quarterback spot
I think they're gonna go forward with
what they have and just
unless one of those guys left.
Unless at Glensky left or Hank Brown left, then the dynamic changes.
If Ryan Fitzgerald leaves and goes to play for his dad,
then you're probably just going to go out and find an arm.
And I think they've got guys that they're kind of keeping warm in that regard.
But it's not going to be, it'd be more like a Jackson Stratton,
kind of player to come in than a Cade McNamara or Mark Grinowski.
And the big thing is, now you don't have, you know, if you keep those guys and you think
like you're going to have Hecklinsky or Hank Brown be your starter, then you don't have
to expend the resources and you can devote some of that to another position that's usually
pretty expensive, which is defensive tackle, which is what they probably
really need in the portal this year and wide receiver you can spend a little bit more where they
haven't been able to do that and given iowa's offense they probably have to um pay a tax
for some of these high and wide receivers if you know what i mean if you guys know what i mean sure
no absolutely do uh is there anything to the letmer rumor that's uh i don't know it's on your board
are you is there anything to that that nebraska's going to open up the checkbook to that uh i mean i have no
idea with the going, he had a hell of a year I thought he really came on.
Is that rumor true?
I have no idea.
Nothing would surprise me that offers get made.
I would be very, very, very, very, very, very shocked.
Good.
Very shocked.
I like him.
I don't anticipate him leaving Iowa.
And, you know, you can, I'm sure if you just, you know, if he did get those, those
things you know i know there are certain schools that we're trying to lure um Trevor
loutk into the portal um you know that um that that we're looking to try to get him to
jump in and and um and he's got two years left right yeah yeah yeah yeah i think maybe maybe a team
that might be in the college football playoff might have been trying to lure him in
bring him back home the Hoosiers yeah maybe home call from Notre Dame yeah good
couple of them out there. What quarterback did I see
they're in on? It was just somebody that was
recently into the portal.
It'll come to me. I mean,
we're talking about Indiana's quarterback. I think he's
a one year guy. Indiana? Yeah.
Oh, you know what is? It's your guy from
TCU, Hoover. Oh, Josh Hoover.
Yes.
Of Hoover. Yeah.
He'll get somebody. Yeah, he will.
He'll get somebody somewhere.
Tom, we see TJ Washington
has entered the transfer portal.
Just didn't click. You know,
freshman year, he was playing both wide receiver.
And running back, you wonder maybe if you would have stayed a wide receiver, what it could have been.
But, okay, he moves on.
You feel good about the running back room, returning another year of Bolton.
He's your starter.
Obviously, Xavier Williams, we saw glimpses out of him on the freshman McNeil, jazzy on Patterson.
But if another one of those, certainly younger guys, you wonder about Patterson, but younger guys leaves,
do they have to reevaluate what they're doing in the running back room?
Yeah.
And I kind of hinted a couple weeks ago that it seemed like,
just the scuttle butt was that there was going to be some movement in the running back room.
But I thought most of it would happen after the, after the bull.
And I don't think they're done.
I think there's probably at least one, maybe two more guys that will jump in there.
But I think the good news is they're, you know, Camarie seems happy.
And I think McNeil's pretty happy too.
So I think he's okay.
But, you know, beyond that, it's maybe a little bit up in the air, but we'll see.
There'll be some other running backs in the portal.
And I think that's an attractive position for somebody to come in, given the way that Iowa runs to football.
So I think somebody would be attracted to coming in if there's some opportunities there.
Emily Rodriguez with the Iowa women's team.
So my, as I've told Trent's aware of this,
my college,
women's college basketball goes all the way back to Caitlin Clark's junior year.
Did Blunder or, and then Jensen,
have they dealt with something like this before?
Is this all new to them, Tom?
I mean, they're certainly making it hard for her,
not hard for her to leave,
but they're sure not closing any doors,
which is, you know, in some respects,
very commendable that they're,
doing that but have they gone through this before tom yeah i'm sure they have with different players
over the years um but i you know this one's this one's unique um because i think it it's coming
down to like fit with style of play more than off the court it's it's on the court kind of stuff
that where she's kind of a uh a freelancer in a little bit of ways and likes to kind of
operate on our own and and do some things and and they want to use their system and so that's um
that's i think where the problem was now she was dinged up she was hurt too but um i think it's
just kind of exacerbated since then and um i'm guessing for uh somebody who grew up in you know
the Dominican republic and spent a lot of her time in florida this month
has not been the greatest month in the world for somebody like that to be in the state of
Iowa. It's not been very hospitable. So that might be part of it too. They're working
through it. We'll see what happens after the semester ends what she does. But hopefully
they can get things settled down, get her, get on the same page with her and get her on the
same page with them and, and she can help contribute because she is a talent.
She's a really good player and somebody who could bring scoring punch to the team.
So I hope they figured out because I was really impressed with her with what I saw thus far
this season.
Tom, last 30 seconds for you, Yukon number one team in the country tomorrow for them without
Emily Rodriguez.
because you're a gambler.
If I gave you 20, is that enough?
Do you need 25?
You need 30.
How many going to need to bet on the Hawkeyes?
Keep going.
I might need 25.
Yeah.
Might need 25.
They just beat, didn't they just beat USC by 28?
Yeah.
Good God.
At USC.
They're another level.
Yeah.
That sounds of things.
And USC is probably right there with Iowa.
I think they're pretty similarly evaluated in terms of rank and everything.
So, yeah.
Uh, UConn's good.
This is just in.
You know Ariama has a good basketball.
Imagine that.
Hey, Tom, let's run out of time, buddy.
We'll talk to you from Tampa.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Tom.
Thanks for what you do for Trent and I appreciate it, brother.
Absolutely, guys.
Merry Christmas to all your listeners and you guys.
Thank you, Tom.
Take care.
Tom Kekert, hawkireport.coms.
We check in on Iowa.
Thanks again to Tom Kaker for joining us from hawkeyeorport.com.
Always great information from Tom.
We'll talk to him next week from Tampa.
I'm definitely looking forward to that.
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Iowa, the women, can they pull the shocker?
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We'll talk about that in the men's matchup next.
We continue Locked on Hawkeyes.
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As we continue, let's take a look at it.
I was going to be a huge underdog against Yukon.
A line is not out currently at Fandul.
We'll be interested to see what this one is as the Iowa women face off
against top-ranked Yukon, obviously a tremendous opponent.
They are far and away, the number one team in the country.
Bart Torvik, his analytical site, as Yukon favored by 18 in this game.
He's got Yukon winning 7961 in the matchup.
We do know Emily Rodriguez will not be making the trip to New York for this matchup.
It'll be a decided Yukon majority inside the building for that one.
But a 1230 tip off, Big Fox will have the coverage.
obviously going to need an incredible performance.
You know, somebody's going to have to step forward and have that great game.
And it very well could be Ava Hayden going inside and dominating inside.
Maybe it's Hannah Stolke after her last performance,
kind of putting it all together and using her athleticism to create some space.
Taylor McCabe squeezing awesome shots, knocking down four or five, six, three-pointers,
chit-chat right going up.
I mean, you're going to have to have one of those type of performances to knock off this Yukon team.
the problem is they're well coach speaking of this team they're number one in the country in
defensive efficiency they're number two in the country in offensive efficiency i mean everything
that you look at is at just an incredible rate everything's in the green how about this think
about this squad they're going to get it inside they're going to do it outside they're shooting
40% from three as a team and i well we go back a couple of games ago in their a non-conference
matchup at carver hockey arena against fairfield remember in that game they gave a
up 18, three-pointers in that one certainly leaves a little bit of concern about this
Yukon team. They're behemoth, but here's the good news. If it doesn't go well, and I don't
anticipate that this is going to be one where I was hanging around. After this game, Iowa opens up
Big Ten play. And though they played already a Big Ten game against Rutgers, the meat of the
schedule comes. They get Penn State Nebraska at home, favorite in both of those games. On
the road at Northwestern, favored in that one. Their favorite at Indiana. They're favorite at Indiana.
favorite at home against Oregon. Their favorite against Michigan State. Iowa is favored in their
next seven games the first time after this Yukon matchup. They're an underdog, at least according
to the Bart Torvik metrics, is a road trip out to Maryland, January 22nd. Even if things
don't go well, there's a chance here for Iowa to get off to a really good start in Big Ten play.
Not that they're going to win every one of those games or anything like that. Nebraska looks like
they're very good this year. The Indiana game very well could prove to be difficult. That team,
certainly can score this season as they did against Iowa State.
So it's not that they're going to be undefeated and get off to a eight-no start or something
like that, the Big Ten before Maryland.
But the schedule sets up.
It's going to be backloaded, a chance to lick your wounds after this one.
They'll have more than a week off before a week from Sunday when they get Penn State coming to town.
On the other side, the Iowa men, they're playing a neutral site game.
There won't be a neutral site game against Bucknell on Saturday at the Casey Center in
Des Moines, Iowa projected 20-point favorite.
And this one against Bucknell.
One storyline from this matchup with Bucknell is they have an Iwin on their
roster, Rubezsche, who called a bunch of his games in high school when he was at West
Des Moines Valley, guy that can fill it up from the outside, pretty good shooter during
his career at Bucknell.
This team, though, is ranked 292nd in the country.
Should be an easy victory.
But we'd love to see a great crowd on hand for this one.
Then one more non-conference game for the Hawkeyes against UMass,
a week from Monday will be that matchup before Big Ten play also starts for them.
It's that time.
Got a couple of non-conference opponents.
Different ones, certainly, though, for the men or the women coming up this weekend.
Hope you have a great weekend.
And thanks for being with us here, Lockdown Hawkeyes,
and making Lockdown Hawkeyes, your first listen of the day.
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recapping what we see over the weekend.
Any other football news that is breaking.
We'll certainly get into that as well.
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Until then, go Hawks.
