Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa Football changes with Cade McNamara, Huge weekend for Hawkeye hoops

Episode Date: February 24, 2023

Trent Condon and LeShun Daniels break down some changes in the offseason for Iowa football and what it can look like next year.Some thoughts on how much power Cade McNamara will have for the Hawkeye o...ffense and a look to Iowa men's basketball vs. Michigan State and the women facing #2 Indiana.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!LinkedInLinkedIn jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at Linkedin.com/lockedoncollege Terms and conditions apply.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet to get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Free Bets – win or lose! Visit Fanduel.com/LockedOn today to get startedFANDUEL 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

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Starting point is 00:00:01 We have LaShawn Daniels back with us. We're talking some Iowa football today. It's the offseason. Plenty to get into and some inflammation of some new ideas, what Iowa's going through here as the guys are working out and getting ready for spring practice. Iowa with a monster matchup coming up tomorrow as they face off against Michigan State.
Starting point is 00:00:19 How do the Hawkeyes bounce back? Being back in Carver certainly will help. We'll do that today on Locked on Hawkeyes. Our Locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. He's LaShawn Daniels, 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 your podcasts, and you can also find us on YouTube. Make sure you hit that subscribe button while you're there.
Starting point is 00:01:03 It helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. Today's episode of the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. They're the official sportsbook of Lockdown. Make every moment more. Visit FanDuel.com slash Lockdown today to get started. LaShawn, what's happening to your neck? Yeah, yeah. It's been a good little minute,
Starting point is 00:01:33 but you know, I'm happy to be back, happy to be back on and talking to Hawks. Nothing crazy going on. It's been a little, obviously a little boring on this side without any football going on now. I mean, obviously now we got XFL and got a few few hawkeyes playing but uh yeah no no calls football no nfl so i've really been looking down and paying attention to a lot of calls basketball and a lot of nba um now but yeah we're feeling good and happy to be back on so you mentioned the xfl we got the usfl coming up here in what about a month i think that they get started i can't get into it I've tried in the different iterations of this thing we remember the original XFL when that came out and all the pomp and circumstance that surrounded it I just can't I maybe it's the bad quarterback
Starting point is 00:02:15 play I know there was more scoring last week I just can't get behind it don't have a team to root for yeah you can jump on a team it just it isn't the same you love football though i mean you're a lot deeper in with an eye and you play at a high level and all those different things is it something that is enjoyable for you or is it keeping an eye on former hawkeyes what is it if anything that gets the interest in these spring football leagues yeah i mean main thing for me is obviously yeah just paying attention attention to former Hawkeyes, for sure, and then any other former teammates or people that I knew. I mean, I know there's a guy that, you know, from where I grew up, Davion Smith, who's in the XFL, and he's playing, and he went to Michigan, and he's still, you know,
Starting point is 00:03:00 obviously trying to keep his football dream alive. So, I mean, I like to pay attention to those guys and then, you know, any of the Hawks. But, yeah, it's tough. It's tough to really get into it because, I mean, the thing that obviously draws a lot of eyes to football is obviously good quarterback play. There's a reason why, you know, those NFL quarterbacks get paid a lot of money. And it doesn't help when the offensive line play isn't great either. And it doesn't help when the offensive line play isn't great either. Because literally, I was just talking about this with James and my dad.
Starting point is 00:03:31 And we were like, yeah, a lot of times, like if you're – because it's hard to find good offensive linemen to begin with. So if you're going to be like even like halfway decent, most of the time you're probably going to be playing in the NFL either as a reserve or on the practice squad on teams. in the NFL either as a reserve or on the practice squad on teams. So I feel like that's kind of making the XFL stuff not as enjoyable. There's still some big-time plays that get made. I mean, every now and again, and it's obviously good to see former NFL players in it. But, yeah, I kind of understand why people just aren't drawn to it just enough.
Starting point is 00:04:03 Just because, yeah, I mean, the level of football isn't quite as good as what you're used to on Sundays. And then a lot of times, like you said, people don't really have a team to root for unless you're in a city where there is a team. And even with that, hearing people in some of those cities, it's difficult to wrap your mind around. Well, that kind of leads us into a good conversation here with some Iowa football, and that's where we're going to begin today's conversation, talking about this Hawkeye football team. It's the offseason. We've talked before, LaShawn, about what these guys are going through at this point in time, what they're getting ready for, obviously, the workouts that they're going through, the early calls, getting up there, going through weight training, goals that they're looking to attain, all those different
Starting point is 00:04:43 things. But, you know, we're looking at an offseason where there's going to be some changes. I think schematically, you know, Iowa was just so behind the eight ball a year ago. Offensive line was wide receivers, didn't have a whole lot of depth there. Quarterback play, that was poor. I mean, you had all these things that really handcuffed the offense in a way that made it deplorable. And absolutely, they're going to get better from what they were a year ago. You guys went through an offseason with a lot of tumult as well when you were playing 2014 going into the 2015 season. And though there weren't a whole lot of schematic changes, I know you guys moved practice time.
Starting point is 00:05:17 That was a big impact to the program. You guys went up and started doing morning practices. But there were also some tweaks that you did offensively. And that's what you anticipate. This is going to be tweaks. You're going to be able to do more with better players. You know, when it comes to those tweaks, is that something that is just implemented when you get to spring football, when you're actually out there on the practice field or are those conversations and, you know, Hey, we're going to tweak some things in the playbook or audibles or whatever it is. Is that things that are also happening right now for this football team? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:05:46 So it's definitely kind of both. Right. So especially really for the quarterback. So the quarterbacks, they're working with the coaches, you know, really essentially from the point they get back every opportunity that they're allowed to. essentially from the point that they get back every opportunity that they're allowed to um going over the playbook um obviously talking about a bunch of things that they that they liked from from last year and some things that they you know quite honestly just didn't like i see still having spencer in the building obviously allows a little bit of a bridge um between between years and um can provide input on what things felt like went well,
Starting point is 00:06:27 things that obviously didn't go well. And then obviously with Cade coming from Michigan and how they ran their offense, obviously he's going to speak on things that he liked a bunch when he was playing. He was their quarterback and some things that he didn't like. And just finding a way to kind of mull all those things together and then it kind of slowly gets to the rest of the uh the rest of the offense right so a lot of times for the running backs i mean especially for us running backs like we like we went over stuff but we didn't really go over stuff it was just like quarterbacks or
Starting point is 00:07:01 they got left right run right pick up a block yeah quarterbacks got all the information and they're like yeah you're just gonna do this and we're just like yeah all right cool um but a lot of it a lot of the installs it's gonna come uh spring ball and spring ball is essentially gonna be like really like the trial run of really a bunch of things that you're planning on doing for the fall. So obviously it's not going to be the entire playbook. Not everything is going to be entirely hashed out, but a good portion of it of what you're going to be trying to do is going to be getting implemented in those spring ball practices. And you're going to want to find some things that that really kind of carry over that you feel like your guys can do really well, um, offensively to put points on the
Starting point is 00:07:48 board. Um, obviously a big change from, you know, going from 2014 to 2015 is to be had some different players and some different guys in, um, different spots. Some guys that were obviously able to create a little bit, um, more, uh, explosives in different plays in different plays from the offensive standpoint, from a talent perspective. So when we kind of went through that transition, it wasn't like anything that was crazy, drastic, complete overhaul. And obviously everyone saw that. It wasn't like we were running anything that was crazy different. It was just, we were just using the abilities of our guys that were around us
Starting point is 00:08:25 and using it to the best of their abilities and putting everyone in spots to succeed so a lot right now yeah they're still they're gonna be working on it and especially where we at last essentially the last week of february like now they're getting into what we used to do skills and drills and basically the quarterbacks are like going to run a place you know through uh basically their knowledge and any like play sheets and stuff that they that they have that they can go off of so we can try to get a little bit of rhythm you know so when you get when we do actually get into spring ball that we can kind of hit the ground running but yeah a lot of the coaching and a lot of the adjustment playbook is going to come in a month from now when they actually get on the practice field. Well, you talked about Cade McNamara. When we
Starting point is 00:09:09 come back, we're going to talk about the new Hawkeye quarterback. What kind of autonomy is he going to have with this Iowa offense? What we're going to see, maybe schematically some changes that can happen there. And of course we get ready for a huge weekend in Iowa basketball Saturday. It's Iowa back at home against Michigan state where the Hawkeyes sit as they get ready for a huge weekend in Iowa basketball. Saturday, it's Iowa back at home against Michigan State, where the Hawkeyes sit as they get ready for that one, looking at some NCAA tournament numbers for them. And the Iowa women on Sunday with game day in Iowa City. Women's game day will be there at a matchup against the second-ranked team in the country.
Starting point is 00:09:39 Also, Iowa baseball this weekend starts today against Sam Houston State. They get number one LSU coming up on Saturday. That's all as we roll through here on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Today's episode of the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. Our friends at FanDuel has geared up as we look forward to the weekend. Iowa going to be a slight favorite in the game against Michigan State. Take a look at that number. Well, we're also at the midway point of the NBA season,
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Starting point is 00:11:06 Again, fanduel.com slash locked on to learn more. Make every moment more with FanDuel, an official sports betting partner of the NBA. Trenton and LaShawn Daniels back with you again on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. As always, thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. And for your second listen, don't forget about our brand new podcast.
Starting point is 00:11:28 It is a great work that the guys are doing over there with Locked On College Basketball. Locked On College Basketball brings you everything you need to know inside the world of college hoops all in one place. Our big name experts, insiders, coaches, and players with Locked On College Basketball. It's available here on YouTube and wherever you get podcasts. We're talking football back into it and talk about the quarterback position. So it was three years of Spencer Petras. It frankly did not do what it was.
Starting point is 00:12:02 Now you have a guy that I think expectations are is going to raise not just what they do statistically ability that they have to do some different things, but also offensively taking a step forward. You go back and you watch kind of the way the office looked underneath Stanley and the numbers that he was able to put up. That was a pretty good quarterback number. I think you're going to see something pretty similar here with kade mcnamara but coming in this is something that's different than even your era that wasn't that long ago is with these new guys coming in brian ferentz you know how willing is he going to be to listen hey these are the things we did at michigan this is what's going to work this is also we believe going to work how much autonomy do you think that kade mcnamara is going to have in those conversations with brian budmeier and the rest of the offensive staff?
Starting point is 00:12:49 Yeah, that's going to be a great question. And it's really just going to fall back on how much trust that they have in him. I mean, I feel like there's already a bunch of trust there because I mean, the fact that they went out to go get a quarterback and to bring him in the building i feel like is is already a pretty good indicator already that like hey like
Starting point is 00:13:11 we trust we trust that he's going to be able to come in here he's going to be able to make the plays and he's going to be able to do the right things to to get it successful because i remember uh when you know cj took the reins of being a quarterback and, you know, we slowly started and he slowly, as he got more comfortable in the offense and started just making more and more plays and was putting us obviously in great positions to win football games, just that he got more and more autonomy on, you know, the offense and things that he loved, things that he liked to do.
Starting point is 00:13:44 on, you know, the offense and things that he loved, things that he liked to do, and especially making audibles and getting us in good place. I mean, a bunch of times I can just think of when, hey, like, we got a run play call, and then, you know, he sees a matchup that he likes on the outside and just flicks the ball out there or throws a quick bubble screen or whatever. Like, they allowed him to do that, do those things. And I feel like that's going to be opportunity that that K is going to have just because, hey, we already feel like they've got a bunch of trust in him. The fact that they brought him that they brought him in and expect him to come in here and make plays as the way that he did in 2021 for the Wolverines.
Starting point is 00:14:25 So I'm excited to see how they build off of it. And I feel like that they want a quarterback that can do those things, that doesn't have to feel like a robot back there, that can make the plays needed, but also can do those plays like within the offense and being creative and being a actually being a good football player so yeah i'm excited to see it because yeah we saw it we saw it a bunch with with cj i mean i can remember a bunch of times where cj called an audible that we probably didn't
Starting point is 00:14:54 like we didn't even have game plan but everyone was on the same page and you know we went in and did it and then obviously when nate took the reins we saw a bunch of big plays that he made during his career here. And I'm really excited to see if Cade is going to be able to have that level of trust from the coaching staff and be able to really make this offense his own. Well, Sean, it's going to be a huge offseason for this team. They're putting in the work right now. Those cold days when you're getting up and you're going in and you're working out and doing those kind of things, it's something that culture-wise, you know, that's something that maybe at times I overlook, you know, from the outside looking in that culture and going out there. Kirk loves to talk about leadership, you know, and those leaders and getting guys. And you just see the guys that are juniors and seniors and they're getting ready to go off to the NFL and see the work
Starting point is 00:15:48 that they put in. How important is that for the Iowa football program and the adults in the room, if you will, the older guys in that building understanding that, hey, it's not fun. It's not the best thing out there. Yeah, you'd like to be out partying. You'd like to stay up till 2 a.m., but you got to get up and you got to go and you got to work. And if we're going to hit our goals, we're going to be able to do that. What is it about the Iowa program? Because everybody talks about leadership, but it feels like more Kirk and for this football program, it it's even taken to
Starting point is 00:16:17 another level. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's a great point because it's, it's been a long, long history. I mean, essentially ever since Coach Ferens got here and whenever players come back and they always talk about their times here. And it's very, very similar to how I felt when I was a player. And then it continues to even now with the guys in the building. with the guys in the building, right? Like it's, Coach Ferentz understands the importance of your leadership of the football team, right? Especially your juniors and your seniors. Those are the guys that really help, you know, keep that momentum going for your football program.
Starting point is 00:17:01 And it starts in January every single year. And that just continues to snowball all the way through the end of the season. When you get there in January, when you start your workouts in January, a lot of times the beginning part is usually the toughest to start. It's because A, you're coming off of a longer break and now you're finally getting back into working out and getting back into shape now. And that part's really a grind.
Starting point is 00:17:37 And the people that are usually going to be typically that are going to be leading are going to be your juniors and seniors because you know that your program typically is only going to go as far as those guys go. And, and it continues every single year. Whenever we have competitions,
Starting point is 00:17:52 you you're expecting your, your, your older guys to be leading those competitions. You expect those guys to win every single rep. And that's how I was, my mentality when I was, when I was a player there. I mean,
Starting point is 00:18:04 I always wanted to win even when I was younger, but it really took it to another level as a junior and senior. Like, like, yeah, I'm going to win every single rep, every competitive rep that I got. We're running 10 yard dashes. We're doing an agility drill. You know, we're trying to hit new maxes in the weight room, things like that. Like I wanted to be, you know, the person that everyone looked to as they saw it, when everybody saw a list of like, you know, records being broken. Like I want to like my name and stuff to be at the top or the top performance. I always wanted my name to be up there. And when younger guys see, you know,
Starting point is 00:18:38 guys that are starters or guys that are playing a bunch and they're the ones that are being up top, being at the top of that top of those lists, it makes you think like, like, dang, like not only are these guys super talented and they're playing a bunch, but they're also putting in the work in the weight room. They're spending the time in the film room. They're spending the time when, you know, they're not in class or they're not at the not a study hall or they're not working out in the weight room. They're on the football field and they're connecting with their teammates
Starting point is 00:19:06 and they're running routes and they're doing different things. And it's so, so important because these, it may seem like a bunch of little things and it might feel like, hey, who really cares because the football season is, you know, eight months away. But all these little habits, they build up and they build up. And then once you get into a spring ball and you're competing, now you're really competing against a football setting. And then, you know, you go through the summer workouts and it's a lot of the same grind in,
Starting point is 00:19:38 you know, and I were adding a bunch of conditioning. You're still trying to be first. You're still want to be the first one crossing the line every single time that we finished a conditioning rep. And then you get in the fall camp, like all that stuff builds on top of each other. And it's a reason, it's a big, big reason why a lot, a lot of the seniors typically play their best football because they've been building this, these habits over time, over four years.
Starting point is 00:20:02 And then it continues on their career after Iowa, whether they play in the NFL or they play or whatever their professional career may be. They take these habits and they build on top of them and it allows them to be productive after their career at Iowa. So, yeah, it's very, very important culture and it's something that all the coaches understand and it's preached every single day. culture and it's something that all the coaches understand and it's preached every single day and um you know i feel like it's something that's made the culture at iowa very very strong and continues to do it up to this day you can ask players from you know back when coach parents first started all the way through players now they'll say a bunch of the same things really good perspective there good stuff lashawn we'll wrap things up on the other side with a little talk about iowa basketball both the men's and women's team get ready for huge matchups
Starting point is 00:20:47 at Carver Hawkeye Arena. Iowa baseball with a big weekend as well. We wrap things up. Can this Iowa basketball team get things turned around as they come back home? We'll talk about that as we continue here on Locked On Hawkeyes. Trey Cotton, LaShawn Daniels back with you one final time on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast Trey Cotton, LaShawn Daniels back with you one final time on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. All right, LaShawn.
Starting point is 00:21:11 So a frustrating two-game stretch. You go to Northwestern on Sunday. You get just absolutely blitzkrieged early in that game. They're hitting shots from all over the place, and Iowa just never could get over the hump. Don't shoot it very well, but Northwestern's good. Wednesday against Wisconsin, that team stinks. That was the frustrating angle.
Starting point is 00:21:29 That game was there for the taking. And now I was in a really precarious situation. Now they're solidly in the NCAA tournament, looking at bracket matrix today, which combines all the bracketologists out there together. They're the top number eight seed in that. They're on that 7-8, maybe 9 seed. They're the top number eight seed in that. You know, they're on that seven, eight, maybe nine seed. They're not on the bubble right now. They're still in good shape, but you got to win games now.
Starting point is 00:21:50 And that's the spot that they put them in. Likely, I mean, the double buy is basically completely off the table unless they run the table here and get some help in the Big Ten tournament. In fact, they're probably looking at an eight, nine game. And if they keep losing, they might be playing on Wednesday. I mean, they might be the 11th seed if they keep losing games. And we go from talking about going into Sunday possibility of a two seed all the way down to 11. That's how tightly packed things are. So first of all, a team that is struggling like this, I mean, shooting the basketball so poorly,
Starting point is 00:22:19 I know their home road splits are incredible. The difference between the two, what Iowa does in Carver, as opposed to on the road this season, there's. The difference between the two, what Iowa does in Carver as opposed to on the road this season. There's a huge gap between the two, and that's going to help coming back home. But kind of the mental aspect of this team, struggling with the shot like it is, it just looked like there were so many times, and there have been some wide-open shots. It really felt like there was a big mental block that this Iowa team is trying to break their way through right now. Yeah, that's kind of where I was at with the basketball team as well. I think they shot like 30% from the field against Wisconsin.
Starting point is 00:22:53 Horrendous, just bad, bad, bad, bad. And then Northwestern, they might have been low 40s. So again, it hasn't been a great two-game stretch. And then, yeah, as you said, like basketball, basketball is a little bit different than football. I mean, you're trying to put the ball in the basket every single time you go down on offense and you've got to, you know, shoot consistently. You want to be, you know, in that upper 40s, you know, low 50s on average right whenever you're shooting a basketball and where i was at right now is it's i feel like it's definitely a lot more mental than what it is uh player wise because obviously we've seen them throughout the entire uh season they can put up
Starting point is 00:23:36 points um every single one of fran's teams are able to score points and put the bat put the ball in the basket and yeah right now they're just kind of going through a tough stretch. And then, yeah, being on the road is not easy. And we've seen it with this Hawkeye team. You covered it. They're not great on the road. So coming back home and being in a comfortable environment is a great – and they obviously have a great opportunity against Michigan State to be able to get back on track and making the shots that we know that they're used to making.
Starting point is 00:24:06 Because, yeah, a lot of basketball is mental. I mean, it feels like whenever you get on the stretch where you can't make a basket, you really can't make a basket for a while. That's really what it feels like. So being back in your home arena in a more comfortable environment, you expect to see some of these shots that they've been missing over the past couple of games. We expect that those will start to fall a little bit more over these next,
Starting point is 00:24:35 over their next three games. They go to Indiana in about a week, but it all starts against Michigan State and getting more comfortable back to putting basketball in the basket. Like it's nothing. It's not difficult. You guys have been doing it all all season, even in the games that they've lost. Right. For the most part, they've been able to put the ball in the basket. So it's going to get back to that consistency and being home is going to help that. Yeah, absolutely. Tuesday, they get Indiana and then finish up over the weekend as they'll wrap up back at home as they will get Nebraska there. Nebraska's playing a lot better basketball.
Starting point is 00:25:09 Indiana, they've turned into a behemoth. They're going to get their point guard back. And Xavier Johnson here pretty soon. Shefino, the youngster, he's playing really well. Race Thompson, remember, he got hurt in the Iowa game. He's back playing well, that Hoosier team. And they got a little payback on their mind for that one. That's the importance of this game against Michigan State.
Starting point is 00:25:25 It just feels like to stop the bleeding a little bit, you got to get this one because you lose. All of a sudden you're looking at a four-game losing streak with Indiana on tap next if that happens. And then just one game against Nebraska, now maybe playing another bad team. Maybe it's Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. Just this thing can snowball in a hurry.
Starting point is 00:25:42 They're in good shape right now. Net still 44 after last night's games at Ken Palm. They did drop a couple of spots down to 46, but even there, they're in really good shape with the resume. You look at them compared to the other bubble teams. Quad one wins. They're still up there. They're six and eight in quad one.
Starting point is 00:26:00 You combine that together with quad two, and I win quad two games. It's five and two. So they're in good shape. I know a lot of times we kind of go into that sky is falling. Oh, man, they're going to miss the tournament. It's not there yet. Get it done.
Starting point is 00:26:13 Here's the thing. We mentioned our partners at FanDuel. As LaShawn, I think you've got to know, I love gambling on sports. I've been doing it for a long, long time. In fact, my first ever bet was on an Iowa State basketball game back when I was seven and bet my dad's best friend that game as he was a Cyclone fan. And that was my first bet, my introduction into the world of sports wagering. But if it wasn't Iowa, this would be one of my favorite spots to bet.
Starting point is 00:26:38 And I'm going to bet on Iowa tomorrow when the point spread comes out at FanDuel. Iowa will be a slight favorite in the game, probably about three, three and a half point favorite, something like that in the game. I'm going to be all over Iowa, but it's because it's Iowa that makes me a little bit nervous. Right. But in terms of the situational spot, this is a slam dunk spot. You're a spot better team coming off the road to game losing streak, not shooting well back at home. The differences. I mean, just everything's pointing to. not shooting well back at home the differences I mean just everything's pointing to and on top of it Michigan State you know they got that nice win against Indiana earlier in the week after playing their first home game back in East Lansing after the devastation on their campus
Starting point is 00:27:13 you wonder where they're going to be mentally and when we take the basketball part of it aside and yes it doesn't matter in comparison to what happened on that campus there you just wonder the mental split space that Michigan State's going to be in. If Iowa can jump out and get on them early and get the win. I think Iowa is going to win this one comfortably. Another thing you know about me, LaShawn, I'm not the most optimistic Hawkeye fan out there. I do feel really good, though, about tomorrow's matchup. Yeah, yeah, I feel good about it as well.
Starting point is 00:27:44 You know, Iowa isn't this year. They year, they've done a pretty good job. After a couple of losses, they've been able to bounce back really, really well, especially whenever they're bouncing back at home. They get that game at home. I mean, remember earlier in the season, they had the three-game losing streak. They were on the road twice against Nebraska and Penn State, and they came back, they got Indiana at home, and they rallied with a fantastic basketball game and won that in a nail-biter.
Starting point is 00:28:10 And I'm feeling the same way about them right now. So I feel good about them against Michigan State and at home. And then obviously, yeah, you never know where Michigan State's mental space is because, I mean, obviously it's been a crazy really week and a half over on their campus as well. So yeah, I feel good about the Hawks. I think they should go out there and play like the Hawkeye team that we're used to seeing. Women, they get number two Indiana coming to town Sunday. Game day will be there. How cool that's going to be. Environment will be incredible. Sold out
Starting point is 00:28:44 Carver Hawkeye Arena for the women's game. You get the second ranked team in the country. Indiana just one loss all season. They come in with a huge, huge, long winning streak. They're really good too. It's going to be a fun matchup here, but there's not the pressure of playing for a regular season title with the loss to Maryland. That's off the table.
Starting point is 00:29:00 Still feel good about that. It's going to be really cool to have a game day there. The pomp and circumstance. Kaitlyn Clark, Monica Cezano and company going to be really cool to have a game day there. The pomp and circumstance, Caitlin Clark, Monica Susano and company going to be really, really cool environment in Iowa city on Sunday. Yeah. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:29:12 No, this is going to be great. I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm pumped for it. Uh, have game day.
Starting point is 00:29:17 There is exciting. Uh, obviously getting more eyes on, uh, women's college basketball is great, especially when you get to watch a fantastic basketball player in caitlin clark um and yeah it's a huge huge game um just a i love having you know a top 10 matchup and car rock irene it's going to be a great time going to be a fantastic environment
Starting point is 00:29:40 and indiana has fantastic uh basketball players on their side as well so I think it's going to be an exciting game and yeah I expect I would have bounced back the women to bounce back from from the other night against Indiana this weekend so yeah super pumped excited to watch anytime Caleb Clark is on it's must watch tv obviously so uh pretty pretty pumped for this one and then the baseball team big three-game stand down in Texas. They'll take on Sam Houston State. Pretty good mid-major coming up this evening at 6 o'clock. Langenberg will get the ball there.
Starting point is 00:30:15 Brody Brett is going to get the ball against No. 1 LSU. Brody was outstanding last week, five no-hit innings in his debut a season ago. Big step up in competition here, though, going from Quinnipiac to taking on the number one team in the land of LSU, and they wrap up against Kansas State. Chance for a huge, huge weekend for Iowa baseball. Going to be fun. Hey, LaShawn, we are out of time for today.
Starting point is 00:30:38 Thanks, as always, for hopping on with us. We've got a lot more football, spring football, right around the corner and tons of basketball and all the other sports in Hawkeye world to talk about. Again, hey, thanks for joining us today, LaShawn. Yes, thank you. Go Hawks. Thanks for making Locked On, Hawkeye, your first listen every day. Again, second listen, check out our brand new podcast
Starting point is 00:30:54 as you get ready for March Madness. It's Locked On College Basketball. Our experts, Isaac Shade and Andy Patton, bring you everything you need to know on and off the floor. Plus, you can hear from the big-name experts, coaches, and players throughout all of college basketball. Locked On College Basketball, available on YouTube and wherever you get podcasts. We'll be back with you tomorrow.
Starting point is 00:31:14 Instant reaction podcast after the Hawkeyes game against Michigan State. Of course, that big jump on the women's side on Sunday. A little baseball, football, always at Conversations. For LaShawn Daniels. I'm Trent Conant. Thanks for watching and being with us on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Go Hawks.

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