Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa Football Depth Chart SURPRISES | Will Sam Phillips DETHRONE Reece Vander Zee?

Episode Date: August 26, 2025

Iowa Hawkeyes football fans, brace yourselves for a game-changing depth chart reveal! Who's stepping up as the surprise starter at wide receiver?Host Trent Condon breaks down Iowa's newly released lin...eup for the Albany matchup, spotlighting unexpected selections across the field. From Sam Phillips' emergence in the receiving corps to Bryce Hawthorne's rise on the defensive line, this analysis covers it all. Condon also tackles the running back committee approach and Koen Entringer's versatile role in the secondary. Plus, get the inside scoop on why the Hawkeyes are heavily favored against a struggling Albany team.Tune in for expert insights on how these roster moves could reshape Iowa's strategy and impact their season outlook.Listener SurveyWe’ve put together a survey to learn more about our listeners and make your favorite podcasts even better. Go tohttps://lockedonpodcasts.com/survey/ to get started. Everyone who completes a survey will be entered for a chance to win one of ten $100 Amazon gift cards.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!UpsideSimply download the free Upside app in the App Store or Google Play and use the promo code FOOTBALL to get an extra 25 cents back per gallon on your first fill up. Start earning cash at the pump, today!Click Here: https://getupside.onelink.me/zlLr?af_xp=custom&pid=barrington&c=barrington_lockedon25&deep_link_value=promo&deep_link_sub1=lockedon25&af_dp=upsideapp%3A%2F%2FRugiet150,000 men have made the switch →https://Rugiet.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGEUse code LOCKEDONNFL to get 15% off your order!SupplyHouseJoin the free TradeMaster program today and score serious perks like priority shipping, lower prices, and a dedicated support line. Visit https://www.supplyhouse.com/apply-for-trademaster to sign up for free and use promo code SHCOLLEGE5 for 5% off your first order. GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE at www.monarchmoney.com/lockedoncollege for 50% off your first year.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 The Iowa football depth chart is out for week one against Albany, and we got some major surprises to kick off the Hawkeye football season. 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. Today's episode of Lockdown Hawkeyes is brought to you by Fandul football season right around the corner. Visit the Fandual app today and start planning your future bets now.
Starting point is 00:00:40 I've recovered in the Hawkeyes for over 20 years on the radio here in the state of Iowa, including currently on the Iowa Sports Radio Network. You can hear me each weekday from noon to two on our flagship 106.3 KX&O in Des Moines and the Sports Radio Network across Iowa in Sioux City, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. talking plenty of Hawkeyes there each and every day. Well, we're going to take a look at Albany. Who are the Great Danes? A quick look ahead at the matchup on Saturday.
Starting point is 00:01:09 And how much resistance can we expect coming in from Albany? We're going to talk about the depth chart, though. That is our major conversation pieces. The game notes came out on Monday, and that means it is time to overreact to what we saw with that. We certainly have something that we've been waiting for. And the reason that this depth chart is a little bit different, than what we've gone through in the past
Starting point is 00:01:30 just because we haven't had this sheer volume of depth charts that we normally get in past seasons. In most seasons, at Big Ten Football Media Days, there was a depth chart that was released at that time. Also, we get a depth chart a little bit earlier than we do game week, sometimes coming out on the Friday the week before,
Starting point is 00:01:48 about eight days before a kickoff. That's why it's different this year. And Kirk Farrants has mentioned one of the reasons for that is because some people get rankled by it. And you get not just parents, but you have agents and people asking for more money and things like that. Hey, my guy's now a starter. My guys now in the two deep. Maybe you should be getting a little bit more.
Starting point is 00:02:09 You take away those headaches, right? You move away from that. Now that we're at game week, this is what we get. A couple of top of the fold headliners. And if you're watching along with this on YouTube, I'll put those up there. If you're listening on the podcast side, we will talk through this one as you can get a little bit better look of what this is. I think at the top, probably offensively, the most surprising thing that we see in the Iowa football depth chart
Starting point is 00:02:32 is right at the top of the release. And that is Sam Phillips listed as a starter over Reese Van der Z at one of the wide receiver spots. Now, Iowa now has three starting wide receivers that are listed. Yes, that's something a little bit different than we're used to. But with Sam Phillips, a guy that is nine inches shorter, 30 some pounds lighter, you talk about two wide receivers that are built completely.
Starting point is 00:02:56 completely differently, that is Sam Phillips and Reese Van der Z. Vander Z, we saw a year ago, thrust onto the scene, had that big opener against Illinois State. He was banged up a lot last season, but we definitely know the upside of the true sophomore Reese Vander Z and what he can be. And there's 5'7, Sam Phillips. And at 183 pounds, he is a speedster. He comes in from Chattanooga, put up nice numbers there.
Starting point is 00:03:21 One thing that you hear about Sam Phillips, though, is not just a speed. Yes, he is a speedster. And to play college football at even the level of FCS football and here at the Big Ten level, you're five foot seven, you better have some wheels. And Sam Phillips definitely has that. But it's not just the speed that he has. He's also a very good route runner.
Starting point is 00:03:40 Now, also I understand he is learning this offense coming in in the spring like he did and starting to understand what this is going to look like and what that's going to be. I thought that was probably maybe our biggest surprise that we see, though, Sam Phillips. And it's not to say that Reese Van der Z, isn't going to play and that Reese Van der Z is not going to be out there. We know that there is going to be a pretty big rotation out of this wide receiver room,
Starting point is 00:04:03 but definitely a headliner there. The other two starting receivers are two older guys. Seth Anderson listed at one spot, and we've continued to hear that Seth Anderson has been nothing short of tremendous during spring football and here during August camp. We've seen flashes, but they just have been so small, so miniscule that you can't get overly excited about him because of the injuries that have been there for Seth Anderson. Now he's healthy and it sounds like it's finally all coming together for Seth
Starting point is 00:04:33 Anderson. And then the other one, the dependable guy, the leading wide receiver from a year ago, Jacob Gill came in after starting his career at Northwestern was just exactly what you want, solid, dependable, knew what he was going to do, make the tough catch, get out there and be a willing blocker doing all those things. Behind Seth Anderson, it was Cain Weechin who was listed. Another thing going back to spring. We've heard that they want to get him more involved in the offense and being more than just a gadget guy used more than just in the jet sweeps and talking about the great speed. That is something something you certainly have with Caden Weechin. And then KJ. Parker, the red shirt freshman
Starting point is 00:05:08 out of Illinois. He is a guy that has been talked about a ton, just a playmaker. That's the term that always comes up when people talk about KJ Parker. The kid knows how to make plays. And when you talk about Phillips and you talk about Seth Anderson and you talk about KJ. Parker, and you talk about KJ Parker and you talk about Kaden Weechan. You're talking about four guys with speed. That is a component that the Tim Blaster offense sort of lacked a year ago, and I think they want to
Starting point is 00:05:34 get that back in there, and it's going to be a big component of stretching that field vertically this season. Let's go from wide receiver to on the guy that's going to be chucking the ball to him, and it's no surprise. Mark Bernowski is your starter at the cornerback position. 6-2-235, coming in
Starting point is 00:05:50 from South Dakota State. We've talked about him a ton. There is we're out of things to say at this point, right? Yes, was it a slow start to camp? Absolutely. We'll hear from the players on Tuesday and we'll get a little bit more perspective on that on coming your way. But Mark Grinowski is your starter with Hank Brown as the backup. I was, I don't want to say surprise, but I anticipated that we were going to see maybe three guys listed on the depth charted quarterback that maybe they were going to throw a bone to Jeremy Hecklinski, the Wake Forest Transfer.
Starting point is 00:06:20 Not the case. It is Hank Brown alone. Speaking of having a great camp, Hank. Brown sounded like it was a tremendous one for what very well could be the heir apparent at the quarterback position in Hank Brown. Let's go next to running back. And another interesting spot here for the Iowa football depth chart. It is Kamari Moulton that is listed as the starter.
Starting point is 00:06:39 Now, as we've seen, Kamari Moulton has been a little bit banged up. Moulton has dealt with a few injuries so far throughout the course of camp, soft tissue issue that he was working his way through. He kind of know what you have in Kamari Moulton, though. You know, we saw enough of him a year ago. He was a lot of people's pick to click last season when we were in August camp until Caleb turned into Caleb, right, and did the incredible things that he did. Terrell Washington Jr., though, listed as the backup, and there's some oars there.
Starting point is 00:07:09 So you got three oars then listed, pro Washington Jr., Xavier Williams showing up on the depth chart, and there is Jazian Patterson. We've talked about him quite a bit here recently, but four guys listed. do you read into it of what you see at the number two spot with Terrell Washington Jr. listed there. Another guy that was a little banged up at times during camp looks like he's good to go. And I think seeing
Starting point is 00:07:32 Xavier Williams there, that big body wider running back, excuse me, in Xavier Williams. You just, if you saw him at kids' day, you saw him in spring practice, you can see he is a bigger kind of running back. And that more looks like a goal line type of back, right? He's got some size to him to go along with the power of Xavier
Starting point is 00:07:49 Williams. Jazzian Patterson. Now we don't see Nathan McNeil, the true freshman that has got a lot of buzz, he doesn't show up on this depth chart. And we also don't see the six running back in Brevindal. I will, so I will be surprised if we don't see a little bit of Brevindal if I will pulls away like I think they will Saturday against Albany. So that's what we have at the running back room. Next up, let's go to tight end. This is probably the easiest one. Addison Estrange is your starter. Number two is Zach Worth. And then Hayden Large is your number three. And Hayden Large, more of that H-back, old full-back roll.
Starting point is 00:08:24 That's what you're going to get with Hayden-Large. No surprises, no new names on there, no freshmen that are bopped up, anything like that. But that's what you have at the tight end position. Let's go next, though, to the offensive line. And maybe the biggest battle coming in is at left tackle. It is listed, Jack Dostler at the top, Trevor Lauk, as the second one listed with an oar underneath.
Starting point is 00:08:44 And then Bryce George is listed third on the depth chart. As I've said, I think Trevor Lalk will be the guy that we will see in the starting role. Dotser's going to play a lot and he's going to be a guy also that you're going to see backing up at right tackle more likely your swing tackle.
Starting point is 00:09:00 As long as Trevor Loutke is able to hit the ground running doesn't run into big time issues. I think you're going to see him a lot and then Dotser becomes that swing guy. In fact, he is listed then as the backup to Jennings Dunker at right tackle along with Trevor Lout.
Starting point is 00:09:13 Let's go inside on the offensive line. It is both Stevens. No surprise there. 21 career starts. He gets the starting nod at left guard with Layton Jones backing him up. Another heir apparent there. And your likelihood next season is you're going to see probably two guys from
Starting point is 00:09:28 Indianapolis, from Indiana, Leighton Jones at left guard, and Trevor Lauk at left tackle. In the middle, we knew it was going to be Logan Jones. And a story that we've talked about before, Michael Mislinski, seeing him there, he's battled so many injuries. And I hope he's able to get out there and get some snaps this season, a guy that has battled through coming in from Florida and has persevered and finds himself in on the depth chart. Rapid things up, Cade Piper is your starter at right guard.
Starting point is 00:09:54 But here's another surprise for you. A true freshman before a game's even been played. Lucas Allgaier is listed as the backup at the right guard position. Now, we'll see. Want to maintain red shirt. Obviously, if injuries hit what that's going to be, Algeier, good accolades coming out. He's got the bloodlines.
Starting point is 00:10:13 His dad was a hawk eye back in the day. And some good things. When you see a guy show up at that level, I think that is definitely an eye-opener. So that's what we have on the depth chart on the offense. We take a look next at the defense. Some surprises over there as well as we dive into the Iowa football depth chart. Game Week is here, and we got you covered.
Starting point is 00:10:33 Stay right there as we continue. A look at the defensive depth chart on the Locked-on, Hawkeyes podcast. August 26 is officially Fandual Futures Day, a brand new holiday for football fans who live for bold, predictions and preseason hunches for just 24 hours. Fandual is giving you deals on NFL season predictions. So whether you're calling your MVP eyeing a long shot division winner or ready to crown your Super Bowl champ before week one even kicks off, this is your moment.
Starting point is 00:11:04 You can take a look at the MVP. How about crowning your champion or picking who's going to play in that championship? I got the Ravens in the Super Bowl, beat the 49ers. That's a pretty good price. You can find it on the Fandual Sportsbook app. Parlay your division winners, find some dark horses out there and your chance to win big. Visit the Fandual app today and start planning your future bets now because futures day is one day and one day only and that day is today.
Starting point is 00:11:34 Fandual, play your game. Trenkana back with you once again on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for being with us and making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. thank you to each and every one of you out there, including our every dayers with this every day. We are your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast. Hey, we do have an important request for you right now. Lockdown does want to hear from you.
Starting point is 00:11:59 We put together a survey to learn more about our listeners and make your favorite podcast even better. This is a chance to tell us what you like, maybe what you don't like, and you can do it right now with us and with lockdown. Go to Lockdownpodcast.com slash survey to get started. Everyone who completes a survey will be entered for a chance to win one of $10, $100 Amazon gift cards. Again, that's locked on podcast.com slash survey.
Starting point is 00:12:27 You can find the link in the show notes, and thanks for helping us out. As we look now a little bit deeper at the depth chart, let's flip over to the defensive side of things and take a peek at what we saw. Open the things up and let's go first to the defensive line for the Hawkeyes. and a couple of things that I think stand out a little bit when you're looking at the defensive line. Now, the starters on the end positions, Max Llewellyn, Ethan Hercott, no surprises there. That's what we anticipated. Great to see Brian Allen listed there coming off the offseason surgery.
Starting point is 00:13:01 We talk a lot about Brian Allen. This is a Brian Allen fan club podcast right here. Absolutely love what you see out of the guy, made a couple of plays. He showed up on kids' day. He showed up in spring practice. He could get to the quarterback. and now becoming that complete defensive end in him and Kenneth Meriwether, another guy that they really like.
Starting point is 00:13:20 You get excited about the future of what they have along with the guys in Llewellyn and Hercott that have definitely approved it at this level. Defensive tackle on the left side, it's Aaron Graves, no surprise. But how about this? The other starter is Bryce Hawthorne. So this goes back to some summer conversations that we had here on Lockdown Hawkeyes. And there was a lot of talk about Bryce Hawthorne. They got more than they even anticipated.
Starting point is 00:13:47 I think we heard maybe it was Kelvin Bell, I mentioned that we should have recruited him out of high school. He was maybe an inch shorter than we wanted. We should have just done it at that time, not allowed him to go to South Dakota State. We should have recruited him. They did, but they got him now. And when they brought him in,
Starting point is 00:14:03 first of all, you have the injury for Jeremiah Pippin, who was the anticipated starter at the other defensive tackle spot, and we will see how much, if any, we're going to be able to get out of him at that defensive tackle spot, certainly early in the season. But when they won out and brought in Jonah Pace, that was the first guy, the grad transfer out of Central Michigan, solid, productive, good size,
Starting point is 00:14:24 $6,5, 285, all right? Plug and play type of guy, right? And then they get Hawthorne, and Hawthorne just kept impressing. I mean, time in, time out, whatever they were doing. He's still just a sophomore, too. Thinking that you got three years potentially a Bryce Hawthorne, That is incredibly exciting.
Starting point is 00:14:41 We'll see about Jeremiah Pittman. He is not listed, though, on the depth chart. On the other side, opposite Aaron Graves, number two on that list, is Will Hubert, a guy that has built himself into a dependable guy and hoping to get into the rotation in the middle of that Iowa defense.
Starting point is 00:14:57 All right, let's go next to linebacker. Let's start with the traditional spots. In the middle, again, no surprise. Jane Harrell, he waited his turn, the Irbanddale kid, waiting his turn, and he gets the nod. at the middle linebacker's spot, 6-2-237, a sat behind Jay Higgins,
Starting point is 00:15:14 he sat behind Jack Campbell, and here he is in his final year of eligibility with his opportunity to get things done. Then it is Jaden Montgomery. I've told you, I've heard it plenty of times. If Harold falters, they believe they got something there in Jane Montgomery, and the gap maybe not real big between those two guys.
Starting point is 00:15:33 At the Will Spine, Carson Shire, I've run out of superlatives to say, If you don't believe in the hype tray now, I don't know what else to say you. Jackson Rexroth is listed as his backup out of Cedar Rapids, Xavier. Rex Roth, though, he's flipped around. He's also listed as the starter at the Leo spot. When they go to a 4-3, Rex Roth will be the guy out there. It's been a great special teamers played a little bit defensively.
Starting point is 00:15:57 Also listed at that Leo spot behind Rex Roth is Landon Van Kickrat. Speaking of Special Teamer, felt like he was all over the place last year. When you're watching kickoffs, felt like 23 was down there. there all the time. Now we get into where things start to get a little bit goofy. And this is where the change is coming, maybe how I was going to play defensively. The starter at cash is Zach Lutmer. Entringer's listed at this backup. So as we've talked about this position and going back to Las Vegas talking to Cohen Entringer there, we talked about all the guys that played the cash position, talked about maybe what he could do different. But you
Starting point is 00:16:34 could tell this was definitely a guy that understood what this position. is and what Phil Parker has built at the cash. So with Lutmer listed as a starter, I anticipate this is more seeing Cohen entering her just being able to be solid at one spot. So at strong safety, then Entringer is listed as a starter with Lutmer, and maybe you're not flipping around.
Starting point is 00:16:55 You know, we saw this a lot the last couple of years. With Sebastian Castro, moving from cash, then going back to safety, and maybe it's just a way to simplify things a little bit. But then it goes a step further. And you go over to free safety and now Coing Enterger's Entringer is listed again. He is listed as an or was Xavier Wampa.
Starting point is 00:17:15 I don't know what to think. I mean, this one is a little bit confounding. We haven't seen this happen very often. Where he can make an argument, Coing Enteringer is almost listed to three different spots as a starter. Now, it's not the case, and he can't do that. You're not going to play 9 and 11,
Starting point is 00:17:34 but I think it also says, what they think about him. And there was a reason he was sent to Las Vegas. The players absolutely love him. The highlight play of his career, missing a tackle, and then coming all the way back on the punt return against Michigan
Starting point is 00:17:48 in the Big Ten championship game. I know that's a lot of people certainly know him, but there's a lot more there. I couldn't have been more impressed talking with him in Las Vegas. He is sharp. He understands the game.
Starting point is 00:18:02 He understands the media game. Really like him. And I think you're going to way to see a big season out of him. Also listed at the free safety position, another walk-on, Kale Carrick from Indianola called some of his games in high school, and he was a kid that definitely popped.
Starting point is 00:18:18 And then we wrap up defensively at the cornerback spot. So you got T.J. Hall listed as a starter on one side, and then on the other, it is Deshaun Lee. Those are the two guys, certainly most veteran, are the two guys that we've seen the most throughout the time. And that doesn't come as a surprise. Jalen Watson. is listed as the backup, though, at both spots.
Starting point is 00:18:39 I think that says pretty strongly that Jalen Watson is your number three. Then you have an oar at the left side with Shehid Barrows, the South Dakota transfer, who comes in for his final season. And then on the right side listed as an oar is Rashad Godfrey, out of Florida retrofreshman. Godfrey, good size, probably the biggest of the cornerbacks that they have in the room to go along with T.J. Hall and excited about having that big corner maybe in the future with him.
Starting point is 00:19:08 Don't be surprised, though, if Jalen Watson ends up starting more games this year than Deshawn Lee. I think he is a guy that they absolutely are enamored with, playmaking ability again,
Starting point is 00:19:22 and when Phil Parker and Kirk Farrants, two guys that don't exactly light things up when it comes to young players. When you hear somebody's name mention as often, as we've heard Jalen Watson, I pay attention to that.
Starting point is 00:19:37 You should. So there's your bold take of the day. Jalen Watson's going to start more games and that everybody decided T.J. Hall this season at the cornerback spot. And then we wrap things up with the specialists. Now here's something interesting. We do not have kick returners listed on here.
Starting point is 00:19:54 We know Caden Weegean is going to be one of those guys. Who else is going to be back with him on kick returns though? We'll see. Max White was a guy a year ago that was back there. he's not on the roster anymore. So it will be somebody different. Punt returns. We know it'll be Weegean.
Starting point is 00:20:09 Who else? But then also, speaking of specialists, of course, Drew Stevens is your starter. Reese Deakin, your starter at kicker and punter. Easy. But no backups listed. And also the long snapper position. So we talked about this a couple of weeks ago.
Starting point is 00:20:27 They got the Boston College transfer. And maybe we're going to see potentially two different guys snapping the football, one for field goals and one for punts. Maybe that's the reason they weren't listed here, but there's something a little bit odd. Dept chart number one. Overreacting to depth charts,
Starting point is 00:20:46 yes, that's what we do as we hit week one of the season. So Iowa faces off against Albany. What does Albany look like? We will talk about that when we come back. How much of a push are the Hawkeyes going to get from the Great Danes? Look at the Albany. Great Danes when we come back.
Starting point is 00:21:02 Locked on Hawkeyes. Guys, you probably heard of Viagra or Seales. Maybe if you've even tried them. But if you're looking for something beyond the usual pill, it's time to meet Ruggiat Ready. Ruggiat ready is a next-gen prescription treatment designed to amplify arousal in the brain and boost blood flow. Unlike the usual pills that can take hours,
Starting point is 00:21:27 Ruggiat's three-and-one formula dissolves under your tongue and kicks in fast. on average in 15 minutes. Effects can last up to 36 hours so you can stay confident and in control when the moment is right. If traditional options haven't worked for you, Roo Jiet might be the answer. Over 150,000 men have already made the switch.
Starting point is 00:21:48 You can even read real customer views on their site that's helping a lot of people feel more confident and present in the moment. Head to Roogeet.com slash lockdown college and use the promo code Lockdown College to get 15% off today. That's Ruggiat, R-U-G-I-E-T-com slash Lockdown College with the promo code Locked-on College
Starting point is 00:22:10 for 15% off. Individual results may vary with prescription treatment. Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed under federal law but are not FDA approved and do not undergo FDA safety effectiveness
Starting point is 00:22:23 or manufacturing review. Please visit the Rujiet website for a full safety information. Trent, kind of back with you one final time. Hello to everybody out there as we count down to kickoff here. It is game week and we got you covered. So later on Tuesday, we are going to have the press conference. We'll hear from Kirk Farrance.
Starting point is 00:22:49 We'll hear some of the players and we'll have reaction for that one coming up for you, excuse me, on Wednesday as we start to dive in a little bit deeper to this one. But as we hit into this final game, a final countdown to the game this week against Albany. Let's take a look at the great day. You start at the top with Albany. This is a team without a full-time head coach. That's right.
Starting point is 00:23:14 They have an interim coach coming into the season, and it's not like they didn't have time. Back in the spring, their head coach made the decision to leave for Penn State to become an analyst. And so they go into this one with instead of handing the job to somebody are conducting his search, find a head coach, Shadis,
Starting point is 00:23:30 hand off the reins to an interim coach. Interesting. So Albany was in the semifinals of the FCFs playoffs two years ago. And as we know, programs are pretty good.
Starting point is 00:23:39 Now they had Jared Verse on their team who went on to Florida State and that was in the NFL. And that definitely helped. They also got throttled in the semifinals by South Dakota State and Mark Garnowski. But pretty good program
Starting point is 00:23:50 two years ago. And then last year, they go four and eight. They got blown out by West Virginia. they lost at 1.5 consecutive games. They average under 20 points per game and things don't look much better this year. This is a year where Iowa
Starting point is 00:24:08 normally, yes, Iowa takes on FCS teams, but I think they like to test themselves a little bit. North Dakota State, South Dakota State, we know how good those programs are. You and I, Illinois State was a ranked team a year ago coming into the year, taking on some of those better Missouri Valley teams. But still with as many questions,
Starting point is 00:24:26 marks as Iowa have. I don't know if Iowa minds having a team like this as opposed to taking on one of those heavyweights, one of the top teams at the FCS level. I think they're okay with this. I was talking to somebody connected with a football program over the weekend and asked the question about this team. And it came back to me, they're back. So this should be easy. And the point spread tells you, this should be easy. I was a huge favorite. in this game, one of the biggest that they've been at a number of years. And though there's been some big numbers in the past,
Starting point is 00:25:01 this is definitely one where Iowa goes into it as the big favorite. Taking a look currently at Fandul. I was up to now a 30, excuse me, 38.5 point favorite in the ball game. That's right, 38.5 point favorite with an over under of 50 and a half. If you like Iowa, unders, I don't know if this is going to be the game for you. Albany's going to be bad, folks.
Starting point is 00:25:27 So this is going to be a game where it's not overreact. It's not freak out how good it looks because I think it's going to look good. And if Iowa gets a ton of tackles for loss and sacks and a couple interceptions defensively, it's not overreacted. If the offense is out there, they're chucking around. They're making all kinds of big plays because this is, again, supposed to be a team pretty bad at their level. They were picked to finish 12th in their preseason poll and their conference.
Starting point is 00:25:53 In the coastal athletic conference, they were picked 12th. out of 14 teams. This should be domination. This should be Iowa basically picks their score. That's going to mean Hank Brown, and that's going to mean all those running backs, and that's going to mean everybody's going to get a shot. Because right after that, it's Iowa State,
Starting point is 00:26:13 and things are going to change certainly with the cyclones after what we saw from them in week one and that win against K State. Don't anticipate a whole lot of pushback from the Great Danes. There is your quickie preview for Iowa. and all the day. Back with it tomorrow as we will react to what we hear. Kirk Farrant's press conference along with the players meeting the media over in Iowa City.
Starting point is 00:26:36 Speaking of Iowa City, I will be there on Friday. I'll be doing my radio show from Fryfest, so make sure to stop by. I'll be on from noon until 2 with my radio show, Miller & Condon, on the Iowa Sports Radio Network, including in Iowa City on 800 KXIC, Cedar Rapids on 95.70. You can also find this over there. So if you're over at Fryfest, make sure to stop and say hi. I'm going to have a little bit of time that I can hang out for a while afterwards before I got to get back to Des Moines as I'll be on the call for Valley Dowling on the radio. That'll be my Friday night and a kickoff to the high school football season, which should be a whole lot of fun.
Starting point is 00:27:13 Your team every day, we got you covered here on the lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Make sure you hit that subscribe button if you're watching us on YouTube, five-star review on the podcast side. All of it helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. It's a big thank you to every dayers with us each and every day. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Until then, go Hawks.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.