Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa Basketball Disaster in Carver, New Offensive Coordinator name emerges for Hawkeye Football

Episode Date: January 25, 2024

Trent Condon returns with an Instant Reaction Podcast after the Hawkeyes fall to Maryland at home at Carver Hawkeye Arena 69-67.Thoughts on an ugly game where Iowa couldn't get enough going against Maryland and some terrible defense late in the game.Where does this team go from here and is the season over as it pertains to being a potential NCAA Tournament team?A new name has emerged in the search for the football programs offensive coordinator. Former Duke and Indiana offensive coordinator Kevin Johns is the latest name.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelRight now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY in BONUS BETS – GUARANTEED when you place a FIVE DOLLAR BET. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.eBay MotorsWith all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to turn your car into the MVP and bring home that win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.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

Season over, it feels like it after last night's pitiful performance as Iowa falls to Maryland. We break it down instant reaction style, plus a new name emerges for offensive coordinator 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. Hey, 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 find podcasts, and you can also find us on YouTube. While you're there, make sure you hit the subscribe button. It helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Make every moment more. Right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets, guaranteed when you place a $5 bet. Visit FanDuel.com slash locked on to get started. Last night, Iowa falls at home at the hands of the Maryland Terrapins. It was a very frustrating game and opportunity lost once again down the stretch. Iowa without a field goal over nearly the final six minutes of the game. Now

they did get to the free throw line. Well, Tony Perkins got to the free throw line and he knocked all six of his free throws down the stretch, but it's kind of the same old song and dance. Not a whole lot of stops and not a whole lot of scoring, unfortunately, in clutch moments for this. Now, it's crazy that this is really the first close game that I was had all season long. I mean, just incredible. What do you think back upon it? One of the things that jumped out here, if you've been listening every day, or as you know this, I am a big fan of analytical websites. I think it helps paint a picture. I don't go too deep into it, but it just, do the numbers kind of relay exactly what you're seeing? And there's some of them that are garbage. There are some of those numbers that I don't think tell a whole story or don't tell you the real story.

But this was absolutely incredible. Win probability charts are a little bit weird. They can be off. But with three minutes and 58 seconds left to play in the ballgame, Maryland had a win probability of 5.8%. Yet, Iowa found a way to lose this game. It was late. Jameer Young, who they did a really good job of in the first half

and made it difficult on him. He got going. Couple of big threes down the stretch for Maryland as they eventually took the lead. And, of course, the game winner as he got to the rim. We'll get to that play here in a moment. But throughout the course of this game, this is a team that played with physicality.

This is a team that got up into Iowa and made them very uncomfortable. And it's something that has kind of been a rarity for teams this year that have been able to slow Iowa down and certainly slow Iowa down at home. We knew coming in that Maryland was going to be a good defensive team. They were top 15 in the country in defensive efficiency. And that showed up. coming in that Maryland was going to be a good defensive team.

They were top 15 in the country in defensive efficiency, and that showed up. I mean, they're going to check you. They're going to hold you. They're going to clutch you. They're going to grab you. They're going to do the things that Michigan State does and Wisconsin does and those kind of things. That's what Kevin Willard teams do.

I mean, you go back to his days at Seton Hall and before that at Iona and obviously for Anne McCaffrey back in the Metro Athletic Conference I remember their days incredibly well of those two guys going to head-to-head back in the day that's what they do that's their identity that's their philosophy that's what they're going to do basically time in and time out and Iowa couldn't adapt you know this squad what do you look at them Ben Crickey we know can be a pretty good offensive player was out there last night and the deficiencies on the other end of the floor were immense as he saw inside Julian Reese being able to do whatever he want his ability to block shots making it difficult on

Crickey that was tough to see now Owen Freeman started cooking for a while still a freshman and struggle with foul trouble still play 28 minutes in the game. Good. I don't like that number to be more 30-32, but alas, foul out. That's going to happen. Josh Dix needs to continue to be more aggressive. You just need more out of him. And maybe he's just not wired that way, but you have to have it. Peyton Sanford 0-4 from three.

The three-point shot continues to struggle. It is 3-10 the last time out against Purdue. 1-6 the game before that against Minnesota after his big game against Nebraska. They just need more from him. They do. And Peyton is a try-hard kid. He can knock down some shots for you, but he's not your alpha.

I mean, he's not a number one. Tony Perkins, I don't think he can come up with any knocks with him. Perkins is playing out of his mind. He has been, he has surpassed, I think, anything. When he showed up on campus, what, four or five years ago, I think he has surpassed what you could potentially hope for from this guy. He's given everything, and he just needs more. This is kind of an area now where you're left looking at this squad and you look at it big picture wise, you lose the game at home to Michigan. You can't do it. You just can't.

That's a bad Michigan team. That was a reeling Michigan program, but you're right at the ship. You got three in a row. Okay, you lose to Purdue and then you lose this game to Maryland. You hold them to 69 points. Iowa and Carver, you should win every game. If you hold a team to 69 in your building, the way Iowa plays normally offensively, you should win every single time. They didn't. And couldn't make the plays down the stretch. Now, eventually down the stretch, the reason for it,

it's just some hideous play defensively. And the final play of the game is as bad of a defensive performance as you're going to find. You had five guys that all did something wrong. Five guys. First of all, you know that Jameer Young're going to find. You had five guys that all did something wrong. Five guys. First of all, you know that Jameer Young was going to be the guy with the basketball. They go high screen and roll.

They let it wind down. That's great. What do you not want to let him do? He's left-handed. Get to his left. What do they allow him to do? Get to his left. I don't know if they were trying to switch.

I heard on the broadcast Stephen Bardo said they need to double-team him, get the ball out of his hands. I don't know if they were trying to switch. I heard on the broadcast, even Bardo said they need to double team him, get the ball out of his hands. They didn't do that. Peyton Sanford somehow gets caught flat footed and just absolutely blown by Ben Cricky's under the rim. He's nowhere to be seen. He's late getting over. Tony Perkins is guarding the corner.

You give up a corner three as opposed to a layup. He's nowhere to be seen. And Asante Bowen, he's on the other side of the floor with no clue. I mean, it's just, it's hideous. But before that, Brock Harding. And Brock Harding is fun. He's quick. He's entertaining.

But if he can't shoot, he cannot be a starting point guard in this league. He already has deficiencies defensively. You saw that show up. He's listed at six foot 162. He's little. He's a little guy. And that's fine. Little guys can get by. Hell, listed at 6'1", 62. He's little. He's a little guy. And that's fine. Little guys can get by. Hell, look at Purdue. They got a little guy out there that's playing pretty good basketball, right? Braden Smith, not exactly a huge guy.

And he's able to figure it out on that end of the floor. But it goes to show you this defensive philosophy. It shows you this Iowa program and what it was. When they need to stop, they can't get it. And five different guys not doing the right thing. That's coaching. That's defensive coaching, and it's just not there. Frank McCaffrey had an opportunity a couple of years back when there was some changeover in the staff. And instead of doing what he needed to do, which was hire somebody for the defensive end of the floor. I bring this up a lot. You've probably heard it plenty of times now, but at this point, it bears repeating. Michigan basketball under John Beeline was good, solid, right?

Year after year, you knew they were going to be, at minimum, probably a tournament team. Not much more than that. Maybe he can get a run. Maybe he can do those kind of things. But overall, Michigan was going to be all right. And what did he do? He went out and hired a defensive coordinator. He went out there and changed his program and got them better on the defensive end of the floor.

Throughout the first five years of John Beeline, went to the tournament three times, never got to a Sweet 16. Went to the tournament three times. Never got to a Sweet 16. Then after that, he goes out and gets, what was it, Yaklich? To be his defensive coordinator. They go to the national championship game. The next year, they go to an Elite Eight. That's what Iowa had an opportunity to do.

And they didn't do it. Rand didn't do it. And you see that continue to show up. And though this team is better defensively than they were a year ago, they're still bad. 117th in the country in defensive efficiency. They're bad on that end. And he saw it again.

Brock Harding gets caught, gives up a three-pointer to Young. The one thing you can't do in that spot late in the game, does it. He's out of the game. You see other, this is not just about one guy individually. This is as a team.

Speaking to those efficiency numbers. see other this is not just about one guy individually this is as a team speaking to those efficiency numbers right now defensive rating this is an estimate of points allowed per 100 possession possessions 100 is average if you're below 100 that's good you're giving up less than a point per possession above it while you're on the other side of things Iowa has one player amongst their regulars that would be considered even above average. That's Owen Freeman. Evan Bronze is also up there. Freeman's a 97, 98 for Bronze.

And then after that, your next best defensive player, who is considered below average by this metric, is Lajay Dambale, not available last night. Perkins is next. Peyton Sanford after that. The bottom of the list, DeSante Bowen. Patrick McCaffrey.

Josh Dix. Ben Kricke. It's a pretty big piece of your rotation. And these guys are not just bad, incredibly bad. Kricke, 107. Dix, 107. McCaffrey, 107. 109 for Bowen.

That's bad defense. And bad defense lost them the game yeah, you would have liked to get more shots absolutely, but down the stretch when you needed stops, Iowa couldn't do it now is the season over? we'll talk about that as we continue this is the Lockdown Hawkeyes Podcast today's episode is brought to you by eBay Motors.

Passion, drive, and patience. What brings home the winning trophy is also what keeps your ride or die alive. eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to peak performance from superchargers, roof racks, exhaust kits, LED headlights, and more. Whether you're into speed, power, or style, eBay Motors has got you covered. With over 122 million parts for your number one ride or die, you'll always find exactly what you're looking for.

And with eBay Guaranteed Fit, your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time or your money back. Because with eBay Motors, you're burning rubber, not cash. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it's easy to turn your car into the MVP and bring home that win. Keep your ride or die alive at ebaymotors.com.

Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay guaranteed fit only available to U.S. customers. Trent Conner back with you again on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day.

What does this mean? Is the season over? It is. The Big Ten is down this year. And though Purdue is incredibly good again, Wisconsin, very solid team as they sit right now at the top of the Big Ten standings as they are 7-1 in the conference.

The Boilermakers behind them at 7-2. Illinois, 5-3 along with Northwestern. I think the Wildcats are probably a tier below that top three, even with the win last night at home in overtime against Illinois. I would say that the three teams that you consider locks right now, at minimum, to be tournament teams, Purdue, Wisconsin, Illinois. Then you get to that next tier. Northwestern, in pretty good shape.

Nebraska, possibly. Michigan State, well, it's Izzo. And then after that, there is a whole bunch of yuck. Iowa, Maryland, Ohio State, who can't win away from home. Minnesota, then you get to the bottom of the barrel. Penn State, Rutgers, and yes, Michigan. Right now, projected conference finish standings from Ken Pomeroy, Michigan is projected to be the worst team in the league.

They got two league wins. One of them came against Iowa. Iowa now with home losses against Maryland and Michigan has put themselves in an incredibly deep hole. And though they are projected to win the next five games, it's by a point against Michigan. It's by a point against Indiana. It's by a point against Indiana. It's by three points at home against Ohio State, by three points on the road of Penn

State, and it's by seven at home against Minnesota. Those five games, the likelihood that they run them all off, even if they're projected to win them all in semi-close fashion, is incredibly low. It's just, it's not likely. And you continue to dig yourself this hole. Again, a season this year where even you go 10 and 10, even if they're able to right the ship, they're three and five right now in the league.

That means going seven and five down the stretch to get to 10 and 10. I don't think that's going to be good enough. I don't think there's going to be enough in the resume to make them become an NCAA tournament team. Now that's okay. It really is. If Fran McCaffrey took this group to the tournament, I think you can argue that's one of his best coaching jobs.

This guy's coming on five straight tournaments. They would have made it in 2020, five consecutive NCAA tournaments. Dr. Tom didn't do that. Steve Alford didn't do that. Lou Dolson didn't have a run, a potentially six straight, which it would have been this year. Now it's not going to happen. I just, I can't see the path. There's too much inconsistency.

There's not the alpha. There's not the leader that you need to be able to go out there and win you basketball games. Perkins is fine for what he is. And he's a guy that you hope for, but you're not getting enough about out of Sanford. Owen Freeman is still just a freshman. There's too much on his plate. The future looks good. You look at that recruiting class next year.

Jared Koch's son's coming in. Great. You'll get Cooper Koch out there. He'll be able to do some things. The other kid in the class, really excited about his athleticism and going to add certainly an element that they need. But you need guards.

And that is going to be looking towards next season where Iowa has to attack the portal. Would you like another big? We'll see. But you need better guard play. You need more. In the point guard situation, Brock Harding, we talked about him. DeSante Bowen, it just hasn't worked. I would have liked to see him get the keys to the car. It didn't happen. And it appears it's not going to happen under Freya McCaffrey. Turnaround needs to start this weekend against Michigan. You owe them one. That was a devastating loss, giving up 90 to that reeling Michigan team. Just absolutely hideous. I think it's over. And I

think because of the way the end of the season also looks, going to Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Illinois twice, at Northwestern. That's not easy. The only easy one there is a home game against Penn State. The rest of them, ooh. Prove me wrong. I would love to be wrong on this one. Unfortunately, I think this one is done.

Not done is the search for an offensive coordinator. That's right. Iowa football still looking for an OC. We'll talk about that as we continue here on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. A new name has emerged in the search for an offensive coordinator. What's the timeline for Kirk Ferentz? We'll talk about it as we continue Lockdown Hawkeyes. Trent Conner back with you one final time on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day.

So new names have emerged here. And one of the names is Kevin Johns. Kevin Johns was over the last two years, the offensive coordinator at Duke. Had some success, certainly there. This is a guy 48 years old, has been all over the place as an offensive coordinator at Duke. Had some success, certainly there. This is a guy, 48 years old, has been all over the place as an offensive coordinator. So he started his career after playing quarterback.

Yeah, that's a good thing. In Ohio at Dayton. After that, high school coach. Went to Northwestern as a GA under Randy Walker. From there, Richmond, back to Northwestern for a number of years. He was there, I think, seven years, something like that. From there, he went to Indiana, became the co-offensive coordinator

and the wide receiver coach, continuing on that role for five years from 2011 to 2016. One year at Western Michigan, a year as the OC at Texas Tech, Memphis, and now finally Duke over the last two seasons. Did a lot of good things. Had offenses that also had kind of different ways of doing it.

Riley Leonard is an incredible athlete, the quarterback the last couple of years for Duke. Used that athleticism to his strength, but that's not all. I mean, you can't just look at what he did. The thing that I like about Kevin Johns and the reason twofold that there should be some excitement, I believe about him and the potential that he becomes the offensive coordinator. Number one is just what I said. This is a guy that has adapted, that has done it different ways. He's had years at Indiana where he had a couple thousand yard rushers.

He's had years with athletic quarterbacks. He's had years with more drop back type of quarterbacks. He's done it with a myriad of different systems. He is not locked into one certain philosophy. This is what I do. This is how we're going to do it. He adapts. I'm a huge fan of adaptability for a coach.

And Kevin Johns has shown throughout his career that he is that kind of guy. That's intriguing. Part number two, reason to be excited about this guy. If he does get the job as OC, he's outside of the Ferentz coaching tree. We talked earlier, about a month ago, about brain drain. I know it's different when you're talking about football circles. Getting some new ideas, getting some fresh eyes on this look

and what they can do. We're not asking that Iowa football suddenly becomes some kind of team that's out there going up for 500 yards a game and putting up 40 points per contest. That's not realistic. The philosophy that they're going to play with, the pace that they're going to play with, that's not likely. But it's got to be better than the garbage that we've seen over the last two years. But I think Kevin Johns is a guy with some new ideas, with new wrinkles, and the adaptability that he has that can get you excited about the potential for him. It is the first name that we've talked about here over the last at least week that has got me relatively excited.

Now, this is not to say that he's some slam dunk. This is a guy that, well, his head coach, Mike Elko, went to Texas A&M. He didn't go with him. They brought in Colin Klein from K-State. He was one of the biggest rising stars as an offensive coordinator at A&M Pace. Now, when he was at Memphis, his coach, Mike Norvell, you might know him as the Florida State coach, undefeated regular season this year. He didn't go with him there. So there's a part of it. But he's done it a bunch of different ways. When he was at Texas Tech, he was under Kingsbury. You know that's going to be obviously the air raid system

and going back to the days of Mike Leach, and you're going to see that style of football. When he was at Western Michigan, worked under Tim Lester that did a whole bunch of things there. Kevin Wilson, another great offensive mind. That's another thing. He's worked with some really good offensive minds throughout his career. Cliff Kingsbury, Tim Lester, Kevin Wilson.

These are all guys. Randy Walker, even going back to his days at Northwestern. All people that are definitely known as innovators as an offensive staff. This one gets you going, I think, a little bit. It's better than, obviously, Luke Getze, fired, a much maligned offensive coordinator, as he should be as a Bears fan, with the Chicago Bears over the last couple of seasons. Some of the other names, you know, Joe Philbin was out there.

We'll see. We'll see if it comes to fruition. Some reporting out there from Tom Kakert of Hawkeye Report and Chad Leistigau of the Des Moines Register that there's still going to be another interview out there on Friday, potentially the final interview. And is that going to be it? We'll see on this one. But yeah, sounds like Kevin Johns is at least part of it.

A name to know about that. We'll put it that way. One final thing, as we've talked a lot about the DCI investigation and some of the missteps that appears the DCI made in the investigation of sports gambling at the University of Iowa, along with Iowa State. A little bit interesting yesterday. Tom Brands got up on the podium and had his weekly press conference, talked for about two and a half minutes about the investigation. More than anything, he blamed the media for not doing a little bit more.

Unfortunately for us in the media, you see it's kind of bare bones, right? It's not what it once was. Investigation pieces aren't there. And we don't have subpoena power. Believe it or not, the media does not. So he was upset that the right questions were not being asked, that the media didn't push further try to find out information like you can call the dci and try to get information guess what it's not going to come it's unfortunate it sucks one interesting thing though he talked about tony cassiope being ready seabrook being ready nelson brands being ready i don't see a way that the ncaa goes back and rescinds the suspensions for this season.

And for some of the guys, their careers being over, I don't see that being a realistic possibility. But maybe just open a crack. We will see. I will back on the mat this weekend. They got Illinois coming up on Friday night. And of course, keep a close eye on that one as well. Big weekend coming up as well in basketball. The women, after having their quote-unquote

bye week this week, they'll get back on the hardwood and I'm sure after the loss to Ohio State, they're ready to get back on there. And of course, Iowa on the men's side trying to get back in the win column in a must-win situation again as they go to Michigan. Have to get wins. That's a bad Michigan team.

Gotta do it against the Wolverines. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen. Every day, we'll talk to you again tomorrow when we have our man, LaShawn Daniels, former Hawkeye running back. He will be stopping by. We'll talk everything going on in the world of Hawkeye football. Also, we'll make some picks, get you set

for the championship games in the AFC and the NFC. Some football thoughts from a guy that played in the NFL with LaShawn Daniels. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Go Hawks.