Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Hawkeye Tailgater recruiting intel, Iowa football prospects & wrestling adds 2 new transfers

Episode Date: June 19, 2023

Hawkeye Tailgater recruiting intel, Iowa football prospects & wrestling adds 2 new transfersSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BirddogsGo to birddogs.com/lockedoncollege and they’ll throw in a free custom birddogs Yeti-style tumbler with every order.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two of the most important weeks in Hawkeye recruiting this past weekend. It was the Hawkeye tailgater with a big bunch of class of 2025 prospects. Class of 2024 coming up this weekend. We'll talk Iowa football recruiting and some of the newbies arriving on campus, including Rusty Feth. He's looking good in his Hawkeye black and gold. Plus some more transfers for the Iowa wrestling team. All today, Locked on Hawkeye. You are Locked on Hawkeye black and gold. Plus, some more transfers for the Iowa wrestling team. All today, Locked On Hawkeyes.

You are Locked On Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome in. I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We're available wherever you get podcasts. You can also find us on YouTube.

While you're there, make sure you hit the subscribe button. It gets us in front of more Hawkeye fans. This episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, official sportsbook of Locked On. Make every moment more. Visit FanDuel.com slash Locked On today to get started. Well, we open things up today with a conversation on Iowa football and an Iowa football team

that obviously comes in with expectations that haven't been seen, I think, in a really long time. Yeah, a couple of years back, there were expectations on the heels of the 2020 season in the shortened year, expectations with a lot of returning talent that Iowa's going to be good. They were preseason top 20, but there was also some lingering doubt about that team. And with all the infusion of talent, especially offensively this year, it has gone certainly to another level. We're going to talk about that a little bit more. Some of those newbies and the guys that are now on campus, Russ and Beth getting in, but today I want to start with

this quick note. If you noticed towards the end of last week, I was not here with the podcast, a little shortened version last week. Got a couple episodes out to you, but I was away attending a funeral. And it was one of my best friends, a roommate at the University of Iowa of mine, also somebody that I have been tailgating with ever since. In fact, my first tailgate was when he was, let's see, a sophomore in college. I was a junior in high school and visited some of the older guys from my hometown. He was friends with them, and that's when we first met. Ever since, almost 30 years later, we have been friends and have been to hundreds of tailgates. I've been across the Big Ten, have been across the country,

the bowl games together. And somebody that was not just a great person, but a great friend. And now he's no longer with us. And if you're somebody right now that's struggling with whatever it is, I want you to know that there are outlets. There are people in your life, there are family members, there are friends that are there for you. No matter how hard it is, how difficult it is,

how maybe backed into a corner you feel that you are, there are so many options out there. There are so many places that you can go, not just with friends and family, but people outside of that. And if this gets by to one person, if it makes an impact to one person, that's all that it takes. Just want to get that one out there. And reach out to me. Reach out to some guy you just know from the internet.

That you just listen to. Talk about the Hawkeyes. Whatever it is. Whatever makes you get to that right place, it is there for you. And there are so many different places out there. It is there for you. There are so many different places out there. It was a tough week last week, and we'll work to make this one feel a little bit better.

Let's get into the Hawkeyes and get into what was happening in Iowa City over the weekend. What just went on was what they call the Hawkeye tailgater. This is really setting the groundwork for Iowa football and what they're going to do for the next recruiting class. Class of 2024, the guys that are getting ready for their senior year of high school. Now that he's not in the barn and next weekend, hopefully it'll be a big one for that. There'll be more of those 2024 prospects that will be on campus. All the guys that are currently committed to the University of Iowa, they will be making their official visits on that weekend. So it's a huge weekend

for that. And guys solidifying for the most part what they've already said. Yeah, we're getting married. We're going to do it. And let's just make sure of it. Not quite consummate the relationship. You got to sign in the dotted line for that, but we're getting there. All right. Maybe we're buying a ring at that point in time, but also some of the big prospects that they're at. And we're going to have a recruiting podcast a little bit later in the week. Got to dive into these prospects a little bit more, some good stuff coming up in that avenue from our lockdown expert. And that'll be coming in for you every day or is here later in the week. In fact, we'll make it that one up for you on Tuesday of this week. But that aside, so this was laying the groundwork and we're going to see more and more names

emerge. We haven't seen any commitments. Really the biggest one in 2025 that has the most buzz right now is Robin Clitter Lake and that's Thomas Meyer. Meyer, tight end prospect. He's a four star. He is a guy that people look at him athletically and what he can still become. A lot of excitement about him.

He's got some big-time programs after him, but Iowa appears to be in really good shape for Meyer in the class of 2025. Football tight end recruiting is going incredibly well. Looks like right now they're going to have a couple of big 2024 prospects coming in next weekend, so that's going to be a big avenue. But one thing that I've learned,

and talking to families that have gone through this before, talking to people in the recruiting scope, is what a good job Iowa does year in and year out with this event, getting people understanding exactly what being a Hawkeye is, not selling them just to sell them and try to get a commitment, but to being truthful too. And that's not always the case on these kinds of events, these kinds of weekends where a lot of times it is, hey, let's just show all the glitz and the glamour. We're going to get all the buzz going and we're going to do it that way. That is not the way that Iowa does it. It is a very real selling of the program.

Not all the great things, but all the work that needs to be done. And for Iowa and for the kind of player that they recruit, the kind of athlete that they're looking for, and really the kind of personality that goes along with it. They're going to go out there, and they're also going to be able to weed through and some guys that they don't think can make it. You know, I would love to say, and maybe after retirement, if you could ever get Kirk Ferentz in a quiet moment,

where he said, you know, how many guys throughout the years that they thought they had a great shot at, good prospects, good football players, but they didn't think they could make it in the Iowa environment. How many guys in Iowa moved on? Not because they weren't good enough to play in Iowa, to play in the Big Ten, to compete for division championships.

Not good enough for that, but not good enough for what they try to do because it is different. And I know a lot of programs try to tell you that they are different. They do things differently. We know at Iowa, the work that needs to be done, the way you go about it, it is different. How many of those guys just can't do it? Be a fun conversation to have. We continue here on Lockdown Hawkeyes a little bit more on the upcoming football season.

Not about the future, not about the recruiting, but what's happening in 2024. We will get into that. Also, a little wrestling news all coming up as we continue Locked on Hawkeyes. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Well, baseball season's in full swing, and there's no better place to get in on the action than FanDuel Sportsbook, America's number one sportsbook.

Right now, new customers, you can get a no-sweat first bet up to $1,000. That's up to $1,000 back in bonus bets if your first bet doesn't win. Just go to FanDuel.com slash locked on to join today. I am a big golf bettor. Had some ups and downs this past weekend at the U.S. Open, but already taking a look forward to this week at another big tournament. Baseball, it's been a little bit of a slow golf better. Had some ups and downs this past weekend at the U.S. Open, but already taking a look forward to this week at another big tournament. Baseball, it's been a little bit of a slow grind here.

Rough week for me and my baseball betting, but we're going to get back into it. And of course, you can get into the futures. You can bet on the over-under, the Hawkeye win total, which I still believe that 7.5 number feels like an absolute gift. Team went 7-5 in the regular season last year

with the worst offense we've seen from a power program in years. Number 7.5 with an easier schedule? I like that one a lot. Don't miss your chance to snag a no-sweat first bet up to $1,000 when you join FanDuel today.

Just go to FanDuel.com to sign up. FanDuel, official partner of Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball trademarks used with permission. Trent Conant back with you once again here on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. As we continue the conversation here today, this upcoming season. So there were some pictures over the weekend on social media instagram and a couple other places with uh rusty fat that he

just looks apart right so rusty fat he's the incoming offensive line prospect from miami of ohio and he comes in pretty good accolades he all mac a couple of times he's played both guard and center i love the versatility for you know this offensive line It goes without saying they have to be so much better up front. This team is going to get to the levels that I think they can. This is not just, well, we've got a quarterback that's going to be better than what we've had. We're going to have a better run game. Caleb Johnson, sophomore year, better receivers. It's not just that.

You have to block up front. And though we've seen some guys that have taken lumps, guys that struggled during their career, developed into great players, and waiting for that late bulb to come on. They've had a lot of injuries. They've had a lot of guys that have had to leave the program on that offensive line, so recruiting misses on top of it.

That's why they're at the spot they have been the last couple of years. But with that, Iowa goes about this and now understands not just to be better, but also have some attitude, right? Have the bullies of the Big Ten come back. And when that moniker was thrown out in 2002, and after Iowa beat Michigan and just ran away from them in the second half in the 35-9 win against the Wolverines.

And that was when the term was born. And though it's been there at times, the offensive line, I would say for the better part now of 15 years, has been pretty disappointing. There's been great individuals, the Tristan Wirfs of the world, the Tyler Linderbombs bombs and on and on and on the individuals but as a whole it just hasn't come together we've talked in the past is it because we haven't seen a ton about you know the emergence and the changing and the evolution of what they're

doing in the run game and is it more schematically based as opposed to what they're doing there are other people that will point to the firing of ch Doyle and say that that is the reason. I completely disagree with that notion because as the offensive line has gone down, the defensive line has stepped forward. I don't think that is the case, but I think it's more retention. That has been the biggest problem with this. But here we are. So you bring in Rusty Fett. Big red beard.

Looks like an offensive lineman. Tough guy. He's got it all. Bring some attitude to the table. Love to see that. his problem with this, but here we are. So you bring in Rusty Fett, big red beard, looks like an offensive lineman, tough guy. He's got it all. Bring some attitude to the table. Love to see that. But the other thing I love about this addition to this Iowa football team is he has played center in the past. Now I have heard nothing but glowing things about Logan Jones, but he was bad-lashed. I mean, there's no two ways about it. It was not just what he graded out as a blocker, but also what we saw from him struggling, snapping the football. That weird hitch that we saw all throughout the season, and it really didn't get better.

And we were still seeing that in games 10, 11, and 12, the same as you're seeing in games one, two, and three, that just shouldn't happen. Now,

a year under his belt. Remember, he was a defensive lineman before he moved over to the offensive side. He very well could develop. But if it doesn't happen, if we're seeing those same things, because it's one thing to go through and get the practice reps and do your thing and get rid of whatever weird hitch that he had a season ago, snapping the football.

But until you're in actual game action, you don't know if it's completely gone away. And if we see that same thing again, you can't play him. You just can't. It was too impactful a year ago. And now you got a competent guy that can play the position has done it at the division one level in Rusty Feth. I think a change needs to be quick if we see those same kind of issues. I hope everything that we've seen and heard for Logan Jones is absolutely correct.

But that is a huge, huge feather to have. Not just a guy that's going to be starting guard for you, but likely a guy that can help out at center if you need to go that route. Speaking of the offensive line, we talked a lot when Dajon Parker made his commitment to the Hawkeyes and what he was going to mean helping out of the tackle position. That has been really kind of the biggest problem is what they've seen out there. But we've seen that offensive line a couple of years ago,

Colby, just not ready for prime time. Guys thrust into lineup, Mason Richmond, the same thing. We saw guys out there earlier than they should be at Iowa. And it was because those upperclassmen just weren't there anymore because of injuries, because of retention, those guys were all gone. I think you have a chance to see some ascension out of those young guys that have been taking the lumps the last couple of years.

And if that happens, this offensive line does have a chance to be really, really good. Rusty Feth, though, if you miss the pictures, there's some good ones. Also some good ones with Cade McNamara wearing the black and gold.

They did some of the pictures that they had out there and some funny ones. He played center and rusty back behind him. I think in one of them, a couple of the other offensive linemen out there and some funny ones. He played center, had Rusty back behind him, I think, in one of them. A couple of the other offensive linemen, they're having a good time, and that's great to see with everybody arriving now in Iowa City. Coming back and wrapping things up, Iowa Wrestling has hit the transfer portal hard. They do it again with a couple of new additions,

including guys with some accolades. That's as we continue Locked On Hawkeyes. Trent Conner back with you one final time here on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. So as we continue the conversation here today, it has been such a odd year inside of Iowa wrestling. Going back to a season ago where we're trying to find the math, right? How was Iowa going to be able to keep up with Penn State? What was it going to take come the national championships to Iowa run down the behemoth?

Then it didn't happen. It just didn't. They were at a completely different level. Everything was going to have to go perfectly for Iowa. Penn State guys were going to have to get upset, and it just didn't happen that direction. But I was getting more, and they continued to build. Going back to a couple of weeks back,

they got an Oklahoma transfer in Joey Cruz. Excuse me, that made his way to campus. Of course, the continued speculation of what's going to happen with the Ferraris. Younger brother Angelo committed to the Hawkeyes a couple of years back, so you have that angle to it. Well, now two more. Two more guys that will be adding themselves to the Iowa wrestling room.

A couple of guys that are veterans and a couple of guys that really have a great opportunity to be All-Americans once again. So they tapped into North Dakota State. That is where Iowa picked up a couple of more commitments over the weekend. So both those guys were All-Americans a year ago. Both those guys are going to be helped. So double porter pickup with Jared Franek and Michael Caliendo. Those are the two former Bison wrestlers that are going to be making their way to Iowa City. The depth right now that they have at 157 to 165, I mean, it is an absolute log jam

at those weights right now, but it gets exciting. Franek possibly going to be the guy at 57. At 65, is it going to be Caliendo? Is it going to be Kennedy, who we saw do some good things a season ago? And again, what happens with the Ferraris in the edition there? So there is a lot that is happening out there, but that wrestling room is getting better. And that is definitely a good thing to see as celebrating the new era of collegiate athletics. It appears like brands and company, they are doing just that, going out there, bringing in talented guys right away. brands and company they are doing just that going out there bringing in talented guys right away and even if it's to help for a season trying to get iowa back to what we are used to more football

recruiting coming up tomorrow on the lockdown hawkeyes podcast we will have you covered on that front we will get into both the classes of 2024 guys that are already committed guys that might be on the precipice of committing and to look forward also to 2025. A lot of good prospects here in the state of Iowa across the Midwest, and we will talk about them coming up on tomorrow's podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. NBA mock season is here as we are right around the corner from the NBA draft. Lockdown's NBA mock draft special is here and bigger than ever.

You can follow around the entire first round in a six episode ultimate mock draft experience only Lockdown can deliver. All episodes are available right now on the Lockdown NBA big board on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also hear what I had to say about Chris Murray as he gets ready to hear his

name called coming up later in the week. That does it for today. Thanks as always for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Go Hawks.