Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Drew Tate joins the show to talk about the memorable 2004 Hawkeye squad

Episode Date: April 10, 2020

We wrap our review of one of the best seasons in Iowa football history with former starting quarterback and Big Ten Player of the Year Drew Tate joining the show to discuss a behind the scenes look at the adversity this team went through to put together an improbable 10-win season and a top-10 ranking to end the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I thank God, I was born on the good arms of the Midwest, and not on the battlefields of Europe. It's a time of panic, and it's intercepted! It's picked off right away! Intercepted by Marty Hooker! Pick six! Eight seconds into the game! Buffen sets up deep in the pocket, goes down the field for Smith! Oh! He's got it. Smith. Touchdown, 85 yards. Iowa. Touchdown, 10.

Taking a shot in the end zone. It is caught. No offense. Touchdown. That's either one or you have it. Go ahead and three. Yes. Two-point lead for the Hawkeye Nation, to another episode of the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast,

your daily podcast covering your Iowa Hawkeyes on the Locked On Sports Network. It is finally Friday. It feels like this week took forever. But on today's show, we have a very special guest. I'm really excited to share this content with you. As you probably know if you've been listening this past week, we've been doing kind of a special review of some of the best seasons in Iowa football history. And this week specifically, we were talking about the 2004 Iowa football team. And I was able to get former Iowa Hawkeye quarterback and Big Ten player of the year, the starter for that season, and the thrower of the catch, Drew Tate.

He is joining the show today to talk about that entire season, talk through some of the key moments of that season, talk about what was going through their minds after the two losses. And it was just an absolutely great conversation. Loved having him on the show and as always, really appreciate his time. So I hope you really enjoy that. If you are tuning in for the first time today, make sure to like, review, and subscribe wherever you downloaded this podcast at, whether that is Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, or Spotify.

And make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also, as a special announcement, as you likely, hopefully know, since there's not a lot of other sports things going on, the NFL Draft is taking place in just under two weeks. That is fantastic news for all of us sports fans who are dying for some more new sports things to happen. So, with that being said, on the Locked On NFL podcast, we are doing a very special mock draft with the network. And today's episode is the first episode of that mock draft going through the first six

picks of the mock draft for this year. And why that is important is every single day they're going to be doing this over the course of the next week, week and a half, and you're going to see some Iowa players drafted. And I think if you tune into today's episode of Locked on NFL Podcast, you're going to hear an Iowa player get drafted. So make sure to check that out. It's a lot of fun.

Trades, surprise picks, everything you could possibly want in a mock draft, and analysis from some of the best NFL draft analysts in the country. We have, obviously, four in-house analysts who do a fantastic job with Locked On NFL Draft Podcast and the Draft Dudes Podcast, Trevor Sikma, Benjamin Solak, Joe Marino, and Kyle Crabb. So make sure to tune into all of that. You're going to really enjoy it. That being said, though, a couple quick announcements.

The coronavirus pandemic, obviously a huge concern right now. Everyone stay safe out there, please. Nate Stanley is auctioning off some game-worn cleats to donate to the coronavirus pandemic and the efforts to fight that. So make sure to tune into that if you do have the ability to donate some money. Maybe try to win some game war in cleats from Nate Stanley. So some cool stuff there. And then the NFL draft in general is going to be virtual. It sounds like Tristan Wirfs and AJ Epinesa are going to be participating in this virtual

draft. I'm going to try to do some more digging to figure out exactly what that means and then drop some of that content on our show on Monday. So looking forward to some of the great stuff we have coming up on the show. Next week we will continue our discussion of some of the best Iowa football teams in the history of the program. But for today, let's listen to Drew Tate talk about that 2004 season. So I'm joined here today by former Iowa quarterback and Big Ten Player of the Year, Drew Tate talk about that 2004 season. So I'm joined here today by former Iowa quarterback and Big

Ten Player of the Year, Drew Tate. We're going to be talking about the 2004 Iowa football season, continuing our discussion on it. We talked a little bit about this on Monday and Wednesday, and now we have Drew on the phone to talk a bit about the 2004 season from a player's perspective. First off though, Drew, it does sound like you're doing well. How are you doing, though? Doing well, thank you very much. Thanks for having me. So far, yeah, everyone's safe and sound on my end.

I love it, man. How are you handling it at home? What are you doing to stay busy? Cooking, doing a lot of cooking, doing some walking, reading, napping, just little exercises around the house. But that's about all I guess you can do, something. I definitely understand that. Has your drinking consumption gone up at all?

Because I feel like I'm having at least a beer at night now with these social happy hours and stuff. Yeah, I mean, yeah, pretty much. That's a good way of putting it. Yeah. Got to figure out something to do when it becomes five o'clock and there's nothing else right absolutely well you know it makes i've been sleeping really good definitely some definitely some pros then well um drew i appreciate you jumping on the show um obviously great to have you on we had you on about a year ago and like i said we're going to

talk a bit about the 2004 season i want to talk a bit about just some of the storylines that played out because I think maybe you could agree with me on this one. It was definitely a season filled with adversity and filled with some ups and downs. And I think out of all Iowa football teams, this is one of the teams that really represented what Iowa football means from a toughness aspect, great defense, just not willing to back down from anyone.

Would you agree with that? Yeah, that's actually probably the best way to put it it's just a typical iowa football team that you're gonna you're gonna get every year yeah it's a good way i love it so coming into the season um you guys lost seven offensive starters including you know including nathan chandler a quarterback you stepped in as the starter you lost four defensive starters was there a concern around the program of what could this team do? Is this a rebuilding year? Or was it kind of the mantra of, no, we're ready to continue to win? Yeah, it was more of the mantra of continuing to win.

I mean, think about that they had won, I think, what, 20 games in two years. So I think there was definitely a situation to where, hey, no, we're expecting to win now. You know, it's not like, oh, I hope we win or anything like that, regardless of who's playing quarterback because they won 20 games with two different quarterbacks. So, you know, I don't – I can't – you know, I'm pretty sure at the time, you know, I think everyone was pretty confident in what we were doing and how we were doing it.

Now, no one could predict how it played out. You know, there's no way with the – you know, I know that the run game was – is and will always be, you know, number one, right? I mean, you know, to dominate the line scrimmage, control the line scrimmage, run the ball, and then have a high percentage play action. And, I mean, yeah, that's what I knew Iowa football was because I'd only been there one year. So I had to learn, you know, what the philosophy was really.

And I just really understood the Iowa game. And so, yeah, I mean, going into the 0-4 season, man, I thought we were actually pretty good. We had good receivers. You know, I knew our defense was just dynamite and lights out. Special teams is always going to be good. And, yeah, I think, you know, you lost Chandler. You lost Fred Russell. You lost Eric Jensen. is always going to be good and uh yeah i think you know you lost chandler you uh you lost fred

russell you lost eric jensen you know gallery obviously mo brown razor uh edgar you know those guys but uh we also had some guys that were you know that had been getting time they just weren't you know i think what ed hinkle was probably the only one coming back maybe household name besides uh actually yeah who else probably would you know there know, there's Pete McMahon kind of in there. Well, obviously, Jermell Lewis. Yeah. And then, you know, and then a lot of other guys are just kind of new guys. And, you know, that's just like you said, it's just what Iowa does.

You know, they plug and play. It's next man up. You know, they're going to be well-coached from top to bottom on the depth chart. And then the guys are going to take advantage. That's why Iowa wins games. They've got tough players mentally, physically, emotionally, and that's just what happens. Definitely, man.

And you mentioned Jermell Lewis. One of the things, Fred Russell went pro a year early, but people felt like that was okay. Not okay, right? You would love to have a Fred Russell back for another year. but Jermell Lewis was a guy who people felt pretty confident in his ability to run the ball and then the injury started piling up and all of a sudden you know by game six you're playing with a a walk-on who came you know from a small town in Iowa Sam Brownlee um was there was there any concern at that point about the run game of, like, what are we going to do?

And then kind of a second part to that question, did the offense really change for you at that point, saying we're going to put more of the pressure on you, Drew, to lead this team from a passing game? You know, the first part is, you know, I mean, like, to me, like I just wanted to throw the ball. So, like, I wasn't freaking out or anything. I didn't want to hand off.

You know, now, you could ask the coaches that. I'm sure they were freaking out, you know, when they were going through, you know, their big stuff. I mean, I'm sure they weren't, but I'm sure that they were asking those same questions you were. But, no, I never asked questions because I won the ball in my hands every play. I felt confident with the ball in my hands that, you know, we were going to lose chains, put points on the board.

And then, yeah, i realized it i'm obviously i mean you start by week six yeah sam browning is your tailback that's not uh you know it worked out for us but that's not you know what you want penciled in probably going into a big 10 season you know and sam and i and sam and i were roommates so you know sam and i just talk about that all the time so you know just you know it is what it is and but I mean look at what Sam was able to do and look at what you know through the injuries how you know it and then it got other guys more playing reps and it just made us deeper I think as we kept playing definitely man um and I know obviously when we talked last time

you basically said you know I want a gun I want to air it out. I was a cocky, you know, SOB is kind of how you described yourself. Starting the season though, you won the first two games. You beat Kent State. You beat Iowa State. Obviously beating Iowa State is always a great thing to do. But then you drop a pretty big game to Arizona State. So I want to touch on that for a second. I did some research back. I kind of forgot about this, but there were some rain delays. second i did some research back i you know kind of forgot about this but there were some rain delays um obviously going to uh the pacific time zone playing a later game it was hot out um do you did you feel like going into that game that you're you know that the hawks were ready to play or did you just kind of have a bad feeling about it no i didn't have a bad feeling about it at all

i've never gone into a game with a bad feeling and i've played like 25 years of football i can tell you that never gone into a game with a bad feeling i i've played like 25 years of football i can tell you that never gone into a game with a bad feeling i love it even when i was hurt and stuff like nah hell no if i'm gonna play i expect to go out there and get the job done you know that's that's why you play the game i mean i would hope that's why you play the game not a lot of people play the game for different reasons but that's neither here nor there but first off it was a night game and you're right like i was just really excited to go to Arizona. I had never been to Arizona.

So I was like, man, this is cool. I could go to the desert and then play in Sun Devil Stadium. It's a cool stadium. Yeah, it's right up against that little mountain there on campus. And so I thought it was awesome. Because I remember the year before, we had beaten them up in Iowa City. And I was like, man, Arizona State. I used to want to go there as a kid and stuff because of Jake Plummer, right? So I like man that's really cool and so i was just excited to go down there and play and oh man that was that was the worst beating i had had up to that

point in my playing career from like ever playing from second grade all the way to there i'd never been shut out as an offense never because we scored uh uh we returned that punt yep at the end for a touchdown and uh but other than that we never scored a touchdown that's the first time that i've ever been a part i've ever been starting a quarterback on an offense i didn't score a touchdown that's funny yeah yeah i think i got emotional as a game i was like man like i can't believe like i did like just felt so bad yeah Yeah, you know, the delay and stuff. I wouldn't even, I mean, I don't like to use that as an excuse. I mean, of course it's all different, but we're football players.

So whatever, you know, to me it's all about, man, we're willing to play anyone, anywhere, at any time, right? So regardless if it's in Arizona or on Pluto and it's freezing or it's in a storm, like, it doesn't matter. Like, we got a game to play. I mean, I'm serious because, I mean, you know, playing in Canada, man, it doesn't matter about what weather is like out there. It's the windiest and the coldest I've ever been on a field in my life. It's just normal game.

Real quick on the Canada thing. You played for the Calgary St. Peters, correct? Yeah, them, the Saskatchewan Rough Riders, and the Ottawa Red Blacks. I actually. Yeah, so I actually went to Calgary about a month and a half ago, and we went skiing up the mountains and whatnot in Banff, and I have never been so damn cold before. It was so – I mean, kudos to you, man. That was tough. Man, it was – I'll tell you, it was an experience.

I mean, you'd be playing a game, and just icicles are on face masks and, like, guys' beards and stuff it is insane and there's people in the stands like are you serious different breed man those people are crazy well they're canadian they don't care about weather that's what i'm saying like so i mean that's the mindset like canadians you know have the mindset of like outside they don't care well like i will football or especially just a football player in general like man hey we're i mean we'll play football wherever you know yeah we got to go to play we're gonna go and play i mean that's how i'd like to be built you know if i was coaching the team or something like that i want that mindset and all the players hey we're just itching and scratching

just to play someone anyone anywhere i don't care right i mean that's what you want absolutely i think that's what's so interesting about that loss is the fact that Iowa doesn't typically lose games like that. Interesting to see that. Then the next week, you guys bounce back. You play a little bit better, but you still drop the game to Michigan State. Can you tell me about the preparation leading up

to that week? Did the coaches talk a lot about Arizona State? I heard a story about a toilet being placed in the locker room to flush away what happened last week but what was kind of the the mindset going into the game against michigan state after the defeat against arizona state uh well it was michigan and so yeah you're right yeah you're right though it was there was a toilet there and yeah there was something like that there was a toilet or something and uh, yeah, that was the whole thing.

Plus, we got to move on. But, I mean, like, all right, yeah, we got our ass kicked. Okay, you know, we could have made excuses, all this. And I'm sure we did, too, at some point. But, I mean, the thing was, was, shit, we're playing Michigan next week. Like, it's over with. Like, yo, we're going to the Big Ten. We're playing Michigan in Michigan.

And then that was my first time going to the big house. So, that's all I thought about. So, again, like, I was like, all right, yeah, shit, I i don't care about that i can't wait to go to michigan i can't wait to see this stadium now you know what i mean like yeah and we and and we played a lot better i thought on offense that's when i think after that game is when we were like as an offense probably and then i think guys looking around at each other like okay like we just we just went there we had a chance to win the game i believe if i'm not mistaken at one point kind of later in the game or later third and yeah we didn't do it

but man we bounced back we played really well in the first quarter in the first half i believe and then fought back i think in the second half it just felt short but i think that was like okay like yeah we're right there because like we just just went to Michigan after we got our asses kicked down in the desert, and we put up a fight like, no, we can play. So, here, let's just keep regrouping. Okay, yeah, we lost that one. Boom, all right, let's not feel sorry for ourselves. We've got Michigan State coming to town.

And that's what happens. That's what Iowa is. That's how the program is built. That's the mindset that Coach Ferens, you know, has in the building as a culture. And it trickles down to the coaches, and everyone who players and the players get it so it that's that's iowa football yeah i mean i mean i'm looking at the the box score right now iowa scored the first touchdown um it was 16 i mean i was in one score until nine seconds left

in the third quarter so um right in that game. Do you feel like that was the turning point, though? Because at that point, you all turned it on and won eight straight games. So, you know, you talked about the offense. Do you feel like at that point you could say, we clicked and we were ready to go? Yeah, absolutely. Because I think, if I'm not mistaken, I think we came out in the first drive maybe and scored on them.

Yep. So I think it was after that right there, it was like, okay, we did flush it. We got done playing in the big – or down in the desert. Like, we just took the ball, shoved it right down their ass on the first drive and scored in the big house. Yeah, we're fine. We're good. Let's just play.

I love it. So then from there on, you went and won eight straight games, beating Ohio State a huge time. Anytime you can beat Ohio State, beating them 33-7. What was the mood in the locker room after that? Did you feel like at that point, I mean, obviously you felt like the offense was clicking after the Michigan loss, but beating Ohio State kind of represents something different, I feel like, in teams, especially when you're an Iowa football team.

I remember watching Iowa versus Ohio State in the late 90s, and it was not pretty. So did you feel like you kind of got a chip off your team's shoulder at that point? Was there any sort of different reaction to that win? Yeah, that was a big one. You know, there was a big deal after the game. I remember the guy's name, Larry Healy. He was like the honorary captain, I believe, of the game. And, man, he was so funny about it.

I think, you know those honorary captains they come they talk the day before on the walkthrough day and then they're out there on the field stuff and man he was so pumped after the game that he like ran in started screaming yelling everyone and it took a he stole someone's ohio state hat started peeing on it i believe somewhere in the bathroom in the locker room i can't remember and it was still the old locker room back in old four. Like, so, you know, you had to climb up those stairs and go up there and stuff.

And it was just like a, like an old, like gym, like basement. That's what it felt like. Like, it was just really like, you know, old and damp in there and stuff. But yeah, I mean, that was, you know, because I believe, okay, so we beat Michigan State after Michigan. We had a bye week and then we come back and we got Ohio State at home. Yeah, so we had Ohio State at home. You know, they were trying – okay, so we beat Michigan State after Michigan. We had a bye week, and then we come back and we got Ohio State at home. Yeah, so we had Ohio State at home.

You know, they were trying to figure out who they were. You know, that was before Troy Smith. Actually, I think they inserted Troy Smith. Yep, in the way in the game. He scored a touchdown, yeah. Yeah, and so that was it for Troy Smith. But, yeah, you know, we just caught them at a vulnerable time, I think, in their point.

And then, you know, we were – like I said, you know, the confidence was there. It was just, all right, let's just finish out the game. Let's play a 60-minute game, not a 30-minute game. But we knew we were talented because, like I said, we had lights out defense. Special teams was always going to win that. So it was just offense. Hey, what are we going to do? Yeah, we had these injuries in run game, but all right, like, all right,

let's go to the quick game. Let's establish that. We we still got to run the ball and then let's just stay out of third long and then okay third long let me get in shotgun and then hopefully let's go get a first down right so that was it i mean and of course i mean as you're playing that game and it's going on you know by the third quarter i'm like i look at the scoreboard, like, wow, this is against Ohio State, right? So, yeah, it was a big deal, but it was a confidence thing. There's nothing better than a confident player when you're doing stuff like that. And like I said, the confidence was there, I believe, the whole time. Because why would there not be?

I would have won 20 games in the previous two years. Yeah, we were 2-2, or now, what, 3-2, I think. Coming on a bye week, we were feeling like we were pretty good. We were gelling well. We were kind of rolling. We just played a good one against Michigan State, and then off we go, right? Hell yeah, man. So after that, the offense did seem to do pretty well.

There was only one other game that I just want to touch on a little bit. The offense didn't exactly put a lot of points on the board. I know we had an opportunity to there's two pretty short field goals but the six to four game against Penn State what was your thoughts on that from a from the quarterback's perspective putting six points on the board did you feel like you left a lot of opportunities on the field and it probably could have been a little bit um less of a you know less low scoring game at that point yeah absolutely i mean i got frustrated at one point too in that game because i mean yeah it was kind of going back to the arizona state game you know that's frustrating as a player but they were good too right and so you know you have to give them their due i mean

if you go back and look at that defense, like, I think more than half their starters on defense, if not, like, three-fourths of them were all, like, all got drafted. Like, they were really good players. And that was a hell of a place to play, too. That was a hard one. And then Coach Ferentz's father had passed away earlier in the week. So, I mean, it was just an emotional all-around, you know, with everyone. But we were, yeah, I mean, of course we left a lot of plays out there i remember leaving a lot of plays out there missing throws uh you know making bad decisions

and uh i i remember just you know i remember after the game was just it was like just really exhausted just you know because it was just a little it was a hard week and then a hard game and uh i remember being really tired about that one but then yeah i mean hey we still won the game right i mean we just came to penn state and and yeah we won six to four i mean do you draw that up or predict that no college football game but hey a win's a win and at the way that the season had been going at the rate the season had been going already i mean it was just like all right well this is just kind of how we do it we just find a way to win a game that's what we did all right like you know it was a big week for a lot of people and uh man okay just another game all right let's move on we got another one yeah i

mean it's iowa football man uh find a way to win that's right so um you did touch on the kirk ferentz and his father passing away i wanted to bring that up was there a different um feel in the locker room that you wanted to kind of do that for kirk you wanted to get that win for kirk or um i guess what was the emotional level in the locker room for you all knowing uh kind of what kirk was going through and from my understanding kirk can be kind of an emotional guy he's a very passionate guy yeah absolutely of course we wanted to do it for him and then brian brian was uh the starting guard right so and brian was a good friend of mine, especially at that time. And so, I mean, it was a big deal.

You know, it was, you know, it was, I would honestly say, I mean, for what was going on, I mean, other than you knowing, you probably wouldn't have known any differently. You know, if you were just some random dude walking in and saw the locker room, you'd think, okay, just, you know, they're just getting ready for a game, you know. But, I mean, of course, right? I mean, that's on everyone's mind. Plus, you know, we've got a game. So it just makes it that more special.

And, yeah, after the game, I remember being, yeah, real emotional, right? And then all of Kirk's kids and family were there too. And that was a new one for the, you know, program and for the team and everything. Well, Coach Ferentz, parents i think left on wednesday uh he wasn't at thursday's practice day three practice before we left so um yeah so it was just you know that was different just him not being there you know i remember that at that point and then we reconnected out of pennsylvania and uh then yeah then had the six to four game and hop back on the plane and continued on yeah so then you guys went on to obviously win the rest of your season including

kind of an interesting win over Minnesota and then finally beating Wisconsin for a share of the Big Ten title would you say out of all the games that season which one was probably your your most favorite experience or your favorite game? Was it beating Wisconsin for the Big Ten title? Absolutely. Absolutely, no question. Was it fun having the crowd rush the field? Yeah, you know, and then we got the trophy right there in Kinnick Stadium.

I mean, that'll probably be – no, actually, that'll be the only time that's ever happened in the history of Iowa football because if they keep having the big 10 championship you know and stuff like that like so that's really cool to be a part of yeah and then yeah with the fans and then just everything about it right that's that's that's college football at its best right there yeah I mean we talked about on the last time we discussed it you know is Iowa fans are incredible and playing in Iowa City is fantastic and being able to share that experience with them I'm sure was pretty memorable oh man that's that's absolutely you couldn't ask for

anything better that's awesome man um and so the last thing I know we already talked about you know the big play the the catch with Warren Holloway and kind of your thought process through those uh final couple seconds what I want to touch on for the last thing is against LSU, did you feel a level of disrespect from LSU? I think oftentimes SEC teams can be a little bit, they can overlook teams like Iowa. We've heard about it from Iowa, Mississippi State two years ago in the Outback Bowl. I did some research and saw that it sounded like LSU players just didn't seem to care about Iowa that year and Florida seemed to not give a crap about Iowa the year before that. So did you feel that level of disrespect at all I did more so the year before like you just said the Florida when we were down in Tampa playing Florida like that's what I because

you know we were I think nine and three we were peaking there at the end and uh we're getting better at the end there in November and uh I was thinking like yeah like okay here we go we go down to Tampa so we're in Tampa Florida playing Florida Gators like awesome and then but just yeah I could totally tell at that point like oh yeah they think they're just gonna roll over us like or just like you said just Iowa no big deal you know and absolutely so but here's the thing though as far as disrespect I could give a shit about respect because here's the thing i've never been respected until i played someone and then after i played them then i've been respected so that's i mean if i

haven't played you yet i could care less if you got respect for me or not but it's after the game that i care if you have respect for me or not does that make sense no that makes complete sense man you got to earn the respect absolutely and so like if i, yeah, if we don't have a rapport or any kind of statistic or history, like I could care less what you think. Oh, but we played each other. And that changes the whole game right there. Like, nah. And even then, if you don't have respect, so what? I'm still going to punch you in the mouth again. Right. Like, so that's take your shot too. Cause I'm going to take mine. Like,

but that's Iowa football I think too you know not maybe to those words but mindset I believe right like that's Iowa football I mean Iowa football thrives on finding two and three star recruits who are going to outwork anyone else on that football field and they have to play a perfect ball game to win that game but they're going to do as much as they can to make sure they put themselves in a position to win. So, I mean,

I think that speaks volumes to what kind of football players Iowa produces. Yeah, absolutely. And I know for sure, cause I have, I coached with a buddy at coastal Carolina who was coaching this past year for USC. And man,

I thought I actually went to USC and saw him out in LA before the bowl game. But it was when I saw him they had just found out like a day or two before they were playing Iowa she's like yeah dude come up here you know and I wanted to see the facility and all that so and man and it was funny like he was like man and I was telling him like look dude I'm gonna tell you right now you y'all don't know what you're you're going up against you know and and he was in a he was uh he was a D-line coach or defensive analyst but working for the D-line he was a d-line coach at coastal and i was like and so he's working the d-line i was like hey man first off let me tell you this

all five of the starters on offensive line are state champ high school state champ wrestlers as soon as i said that his eyes got big and i'm like yeah man so this is gonna be a little different and i said y'all haven't played there ain't no one in the bit in the pack 12 that that that's like i would and i said yeah i didn't play anyone in the non-coms either that's like i said so it's gonna be different i said they're gonna just be it's gonna be a whole different deal i said even when you go when you see them like doing events together throughout the week i said it's gonna blow you away too because there's just no other programs that have kids and just kind of how they do it. Cause you know, now, you know, kids, they all got hats and earrings and phones and jewelry, and they're doing all this and doing

all that. Right. I said, no, I said, you won't see a player on Iowa have jewelry or a hat, but be on his phone. And he said, and then I talked to him after the game, he said, Oh my God, he goes, dude, actually he texted me whenever they all went to like the uh one of the one of the aircraft carriers or battleships or something he said dude he goes you weren't lying he said he goes they walked in like the russian army just sat down and no one said a word he got he said we had to get our guys get them lined up you know tell them to do this tell them to do that he goes man those kids at iowa just they just no one had to say anything to him you know what i mean so yeah like that's iowa is an anomaly i gotta be honest with you iowa football is an anomaly this time I'm going to do that. He goes, man, those kids at Iowa, no one had to say anything to them. You know what I mean?

Yeah. So, like, Iowa is an anomaly. I've got to be honest with you. Iowa football is an anomaly. There's just nothing like it. There's nothing else like it. I think, honestly, that might be one of my favorite stories I've heard from you so far. That was wonderful. And then just obviously see what happened where Iowa just laid the wood down on USC that entire game.

I was at a sports column in Denver, and, man, the place was going nuts. Yeah, yeah, crazy, right? I mean, it's just – and then, you know, because, you know, especially the way Iowa prepares during bowl prep, it's just not like that anywhere else. Like, I remember going to a Texas A&M bowl prep. It was right after Menzel won the Heisman. Like, I remember going to a Texas A&M bowl prep.

It was right after Menzel won the Heisman. And it was like, basically, it was just like a hangout sesh. And we're just going to run around and take pictures and practice a little bit and this and that. Like, no, man. Like, you're getting ready to play a bowl game against someone. I can't remember who they were playing against, but I'm like, this is insane. Like, you should go. Y'all need to go watch Iowa practice bowl prep. I mean, it's just as intense as, like, you know, fall camp.

I mean, it's crazy. But, hey, that's Coach Ferentz. That's his environment. That's the culture. That's Iowa football, and that's why they are who they are. Definitely. And you're right. I think especially at the USC game, more people respected Iowa.

But, you know, I mean, I guarantee you, as you get older, you know, and you start seeing how people look at sports and how this betting and all this goes, oh, man, all these bettors just love Iowa. Dude, they're the perfect team to upset. I mean, they're the perfect team to pick with and to cover the spread. I mean, they're going to keep it close. They're going to win.

I mean, they're the perfect team. Every time. It's funny, All these bookies and stuff that I come around and all my friends that bet and all that, they either love Iowa or they hate Iowa. That's exactly right. There's no in-between with Iowa. That's awesome. One quick story I got to tell you. I was

in Vegas for the Iowa-Nebraska game. I lost some money on Iowa covering the spread, but there was this very drunk Nebraska fan in the bar who just kept apparently thinking Nebraska was going to win. So he kept betting me on – he bet me on Keith Duncan making the game-winning field goal, like $200.

And I was like, fine, deal. Anyways, I ended up winning about $300, $400 from him over the course of 15 minutes because he was so arrogant about Nebraska and Iowa winning. So it was fantastic taking that money from a Nebraska fan. Man, yeah, Nebraska. Nebraska, man, y'all understand it's 2020, and it ain't the 90s anymore. I mean, I hope y'all realize this, right?

Like, we're in 2020 now. Like, you know, I don't know what y'all are thinking and why y'all think what y'all think. It doesn't make any sense. Like, wake up, guys. I mean, I like Nebraska too, but damn. Like, I grew up watching them too. why y'all think what y'all think doesn't make any sense like wake up guys i mean i like never asked it too but damn like i used to i grew up watching them too that was you know in the early 90s and then you know throughout really the 90s and that was when i was a kid in elementary and

junior high so i was like man you know tommy frazier tom barringer like all those guys scott frost like but man like y'all gotta move on like over. You got to respect what they did. Yeah, the late 90s were fantastic. Absolutely. That was 20 years ago. That was 30 years ago. Yeah. Like, come on, y'all. And it was funny.

I worked for a guy. My first job, the guy who hired me on my first job, my first coordinator, was Marvin, oh, man, Marvin Sanders. And he played at Nebraska. He was funny. So, like, he played at Nebraska. I think funny. So like, so he played in Nebraska. I think he graduated like 90 or 91 from Nebraska. So I mean, like, you know, he was a Tom Osborne recruit, stuff like that. It was cool getting to talk to him about it and stuff like that. But

that's, and we had had many discussions like that. Cause he ended up going back coaching Nebraska a little bit, but he's like, man, Nebraska is just going crazy. Like they still think it's, you know, the nineties and you know, all the, I'm like, hell yeah. Like, you know, cause especially being a big 10 and then the rival with And, you know, I'm like, hell yeah. Like, you know, because especially being a Big Ten and then the rival with Iowa and stuff, like, I'm like, well, first off, it's not even a rival. They've got to win some for it to be a rival. And then, you know, we can start talking about rivals.

But, like, yeah, it's just a corn thing, really. Like, you know, but, you know, you do it with all fun, though. A hundred percent. No disrespect, yeah. My best friend's a Nebraska fan, so it's always fun to take his money come Thanksgiving. Definitely a great way to win a couple bucks from him. Yeah, man. And I've met a lot of guys that play Nebraska and from Nebraska, too.

It's awesome. They're just like, all right, well, I mean, that's a cool deal. It's a neat deal. But it's time to move on, guys. Let's go. Come on. 2020. So, Drew, you've been taking a lot of time i

really appreciate it last question for you um do you feel like that 2014 was one of the top five teams in iowa football history you know like if that team was to play probably 10 other iowa teams they probably wouldn't win i mean it was just kind of you know know, I mean, because like I said, like we were one-dimensional for the most part on offense, you know. Our run game, I mean, I don't know. That's a hell of a question. I don't know.

I just try to look at it as like we were just, you know, we were just, you know, resilient. We played well together. It was a good group. It's just it's hard to say how they would stack up against other teams because i would say other teams were just deeper and stacked at other you know what i mean like across the board right so but again i'll tell you what i don't i know i always had a lot of good defenses but man that oh four defense i used to

like because you know i'd go against them every day in practice you know we'd go against them as offense and so man like the first half of the season of 04, like I didn't want to sit and talk on the bench. Like I wanted to stand up and watch the defense because I was like, man, like they're just so good. They were so good. There's so many good players on that defense. Yeah, I mean, Matt Roth, Jonathan Babineau, Chad Greenway,

Abdul Hodge, Javon Johnson, Sean Considine. Sean Considine, yeah. That's ridiculous. That is an absurd defense. Absurd defense because, I mean, a lot of those – and then Tyler Lukey. You know, all those guys, I think, except George Lewis, made like an NFL roster. And even Lukey made the roster, but then I think he retired

because they just – you've got to be 300 pounds. He's like, you know, Lukey was an all-state high school swimmer in Iowa, like 300-pounder. I mean, it's going to like – he'll just be miserable trying to be 300 pounds. And then playing the game, like, nah, screw that. I'm done. I don't blame him at all. Not at all.

But he made the team as an undrafted free agent, right? And then, yeah, Derek Robinson, yeah, Roth. Babineau played what 12 years on the same team greenway played like 12 years in the same team uh you know jovan johnson actually went up to canada and he's gonna be a hall of famer i mean yeah you know so and jovan and here's the thing about jovan that no one knows either that talks about jovan made the pittsburgh steelers team as an undrafted free agent as team as an undrafted free agent. As an undrafted free agent made the Pittsburgh Steelers defense at the time with Dick LeBeau, you know, Troy Palamalu, all those.

I mean, it was the best defense in all of the NFL for years. And he made the team as an undrafted free agent. Which is not an easy task at all. I mean, the dude was a baller. He's a baller. You know, he was a baller. Shashaya Baller. That's what he was.

And he had great ball skills. I used to try to get him on offense. They weren't having it. I'm like, dude, this guy's so good. He can catch. He's quick. He's smart. I think he holds a record for – he's either most interceptions in a career

or most interceptions in a season. But he's definitely up there in the record books for interceptions, regardless at Iowa. Yeah, no. He's a hell of a player. He's a good guy. I love him, man. Well, Drew, thank you so much, man,

for talking with me about the 2004 season. Obviously, I enjoyed listening to the stories. I still think the USC story might be one of my favorites out of the two times we talked. But, again, I really appreciate it. I hope you stay safe with all this craziness going around, and hopefully we'll get a chance to talk to you again, man. Yeah, you too.

Take care. Be safe. Will do. Talk to you later, Drew. Go Hawks. a chance to talk to you again man yeah you too take care be safe we'll do talk to you later drew go hawks all right and that concludes our episode for today again a special shout out to drew this is the second time he's joined the show and i really appreciate every time he's jumped on he's been very easy to get a hold of very willing to come on and talk about anything i had to talk

about with iowa football and absolutely appreciate that about anything I have to talk about with Iowa football. Absolutely appreciate that. Just a fun guy to talk to. As you probably noticed, a straight shooter. A guy who doesn't really beat around the bush and tells you exactly how he feels about things. I can respect the hell out of that. A lot of fun to listen to. A lot of fun to talk to.

I hope you enjoyed the interview as much as I did. That'll do it, though, for the show today. If you did like this, we do try to bring on other former Iowa basketball players, Iowa football players as much as we possibly can, especially with some of these themes we have coming up each week. We want to get guys who were a part of those seasons to discuss those seasons. So if you like that kind of stuff, make sure to subscribe on Apple or follow us on Spotify and give us that five-star review.

Let other people know about this awesome show covering Iowa Hawkeye nation every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And as I said,

when we began the show, we're going to be covering a lot of the NFL draft coming up over the next week and a half, two weeks before the NFL draft actually hits with that very rare. And, uh, what will be very interesting virtual NFL draft that's going to take place in two weeks.

If that is not enough NFL draft coverage for you, if you're just an NFL draft junkie or you love hearing about other people talk about Iowa football players, make sure to follow the Locked On NFL Draft podcast with Trevor Sigma and Benjamin Solak, and make sure to hit up the Locked On NFL podcast where they are airing that special mock draft for the next week. And you have possibly an Iowa football player getting drafted today. So make sure to check that out if you get some more time to listen to additional podcasts on the network.

Thank you again, Hawkeye Nation, for tuning in. Have a fantastic Friday, a very safe weekend. And I'll talk to you all on Monday. Go Hawks!