Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa Football: Hawkeye Report's Tom Kakert on best prospects of the recruiting class, who can help next year

Episode Date: December 20, 2023

It's signing day for the class of 2024 and Trent Condon is joined by Hawkeye Report's Tom Kakert.A look at the best prospects of the recruiting class and some of the players that can potentially help ...next year.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. Terms and conditions apply.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.PrizePicksGo to PrizePicks.com/lockedon and use code lockedon for a first deposit match up to $100! Daily Fantasy Sports Made Easy!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelScore early this NFL season with FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook! Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR MONEYLINE BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your team wins! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.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

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 it's football signing day and we got the goat. That's right. The best guy in the recruiting industry as it pertains to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Tom Caker joins us as we break it down. The 2024 recruiting class today, locked on Hawkeyes. You are locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Starting point is 00:00:19 Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome in. I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We're available wherever you find podcasts. You can also find us on YouTube. While you're there, hit that subscribe button.
Starting point is 00:00:52 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 with any winning $5 Moneyline bet. That's $150 if your team wins wins, visit fanduel.com slash lockdown to get started. Football Signing Day is here and happy to be joined by the dean of recruiting analysts
Starting point is 00:01:16 here in the Iowa Hawkeye realm. He is Tom Kakert from hawkeyereport.com, now part of On3 Media. Tom, well, we've been talking on the radio for what two decades now yes i believe this is the first time that we've uh done something like this right with a little face-to-face you've hung out with us in chicago yeah this is first time that our ugly mugs are together on something yeah i i apologized to everybody on youtube but uh it is what it is well uh tom obviously a day that is different, I think, for you. I talk to people here across our network on lockdown, you on on three.
Starting point is 00:01:53 Iowa football recruiting is kind of different than anywhere else. The class has been locked up from August. This is something that's been going on, what, the last four or five years. Kind of take us in and how different it is when you talk to your colleagues, what you do with the Hawkeye beat compared to pretty much everybody else across the country. Yeah, it's weird. I mean, last year there was some drama towards the end with Caden Proctor up in Alabama. But otherwise, it was a drama-free class.
Starting point is 00:02:20 And this year, they were essentially done. They had a big recruiting weekend where they had 21 prospects on campus. They land 20 of them. The only guy that gets away is the Xavier Lucas kid who goes to Wisconsin. Otherwise everybody else commits and, and there's no drama there. There's no wavering, even with, you know, what happened with Brian Ferentz during the season. No wavering from anybody. So it's been that way for a while, honestly,
Starting point is 00:02:52 where they've just kind of figured out the guys that they want, and they've been able to lock them up, and they've been able to just keep them. And not a lot of wavering, not a lot of guys looking around. So that tells me that they're, you know, I think sometimes they probably look at themselves in the mirror and go, did we get the right guys sometimes? Because there's no, you know, wavering from any of these guys or, or, you know, was it too easy sometimes to, to just get these guys? But you look at the offer list for most of these guys, and there's impressive offer lists out there from Midwest schools
Starting point is 00:03:30 that are Power 5. So it's not like they're – I go back to like 2016 when they were beating out. Everybody was joking, oh, they're beating out Mac schools or whatever. They're beating out Power 5 schools. So I don't have any qualms with this class is 28th. We've got it right now in the country and eighth in the big 10. And that includes the West coast schools now. So are in our ranking.
Starting point is 00:03:57 So it's out of 18. So upper half. So I think solid class. They hit a lot of needs. I want to start offensively and we'll get into the defense as well. Some of your favorite prospects. I know you break these guys down. I watch a two minute huddle video and make a determinations on that.
Starting point is 00:04:15 You did get a little bit deeper than I do. And of course, all the industry resources that you have. But pretty much every class you start with the quarterback position, James Rezar. And our locked-on recruiting analyst, he's from Florida, seen a lot of James in his high school career. I guess the question still about him is accuracy. He's a tremendous athlete. He's got the speed that I know a lot of people on the message boards
Starting point is 00:04:37 at Hockey Report have been clamoring for for a long time. He's definitely got the wheels, but I guess the one question, what's he going to be accuracy-wise at the next level? Yeah, I think that's the big question as a thrower more than a runner. But everybody's been clamoring for this dual threat guy. So here he is. They've got one. And the good news is he can probably take some time to develop.
Starting point is 00:05:01 You're going to have Cade McNamara hopefully healthy. You know, Deacon Hill, you've got Marco Lainez. So you've got some cushion between what James is going to have to do. So I think he'll have some time to develop. And, you know, the thing with quarterbacks today is if you don't like what you got, you can always go out and get a new one. That's what everybody does, you know, because out and get a new one. That's what everybody does. Because really one of the toughest things to do right now in college football
Starting point is 00:05:31 is have quarterback depth, quality depth. Because if your quarterback, if your backup quarterback is good, guess what? He's leaving. He's going to go find another opportunity because that's just the way it is. It's the new reality, and you're exactly right. And that's kind of where we are. We see what Joe Labus now is he's in the portal getting some MAAC-level offers.
Starting point is 00:05:51 And we saw Carson May a year ago depart after just a season there on campus. So it happens, and it happens quickly. Rezar, one more thing quickly on him. If it doesn't work, if the accuracy just doesn't get there, they don't see him being able to be a collegiate collegiate level big 10 level quarterback does he have possession position flexibility i know it's been bandied about do you see that at all i know he's been a quarterback for a long time yeah i don't know that that doesn't jump off the page at me we're like a you know marvin mcnutt you could have seen some position versatility there but um I just don't see it with him right now.
Starting point is 00:06:26 All right, let's get into the running backs next. Now I talked about this on yesterday's podcast or every day or said they know this very difficult for me to make a determination about Brevin doll because, well, I grew up with Shanlon and Adam, his parents, uh, they're a couple of my best friends. And because of that, I've known Brevin since he was a baby and, you know, he was running around our tailgate, tossing a football around as a little kid, and now watching him at the high school level.
Starting point is 00:06:49 So outside perspective, your perspective on him, a guy that had a lot of nice offers, and Iowa kind of came in there late. I knew when it came, the likely commitment was going to fall very quickly afterwards. But your thoughts on Brevin Dahl? Yeah, I am super excited about him. In fact, you know, in my signing day awards, I recognized him with the offensive group as one of the players to watch and the sleeper in the class.
Starting point is 00:07:18 Just because I think he got hurt this year. And I think he kind of fell off the radar for a lot of people. If he had had a regular senior season, he's putting up some eye-popping numbers and everybody's talking about him. And, you know, I think he kind of fell off the radar a little bit, but the other thing that he's going to have as a challenge, if everything holds together and, you know, right now it looks like all three of the top running backs are coming back and the two guys behind him are coming back. That's a crowded room. That's a really crowded room. So, you know, he's going to have time to develop.
Starting point is 00:07:56 And I think that's probably a good thing, but you know, that's the added pressure of not having to come in and play right away. But I think he would probably love to come in and play right away. And I think he's capable of doing that, but that's just, that's a crowded room. Now it's going to be interesting how that shakes out because I think eventually some guys are going to get, get antsy and want to look around. Well, and with Brevin, a guy that caught the ball in the backfield, a ton dad, Adam six foot five. Uh, he was over in Iowa Iowa City during track season last year.
Starting point is 00:08:28 Had a little bit of a hip issue. And I made sure to mention to the Dolls, make sure you ask if his growth plates are still open. Still open. So maybe he can grow another inch or two. We've been looking for that big 6'3 receiver, right? Maybe that eventually becomes Brevin Doll. It could be.
Starting point is 00:08:42 He's got the speed. I mean, as we know, he's got track speed, big-time track speed. So he's a kid that maybe, you know, if he adds a couple inches, yeah, could totally see him being a receiver. And maybe that's something they can carve out early in his career before he becomes a running back is maybe he's in that position. Maybe, you know, Tim Dwight came in and he was going to be a running back and ended up being a wide receiver.
Starting point is 00:09:09 Maybe that's not saying this kid's Tim Dwight. Don't want to put that on anybody. But it's happened. All right. One more on the skill position. And very intrigued by Reese Vanderzee, a guy that it looked like he came down to Iowa and Iowa State for him.
Starting point is 00:09:26 Nebraska was also involved, but been searching for that next big X receiver. Haven't been able to find it. Well, he's definitely got the size of six foot five. So he had a big basketball game. Good athlete over there. What you've seen from Vanderzee, and is he a guy, if he comes in,
Starting point is 00:09:41 the speed kind of translates right away. Could he be a guy we're talking about maybe seeing some reps right away they could um you know i think back to like um early in like scott chandler's career and scott chandler was six seven but he came in as a wide receiver and played right away just because um you know he had some size and he could do some things in the red zone that other guys couldn't do as a as a big target so potentially yeah you know the thing i always thought of in his recruitment i know there was a lot of rumors well maybe he's leaning towards iowa state or whatever i'm like he goes to central lion high school i
Starting point is 00:10:15 mean if you go to central lion high school you just sort of have to go to iowa it's just how it works and um and that's how it's how it turned out. Intriguing player, really intriguing player because you don't see guys with that size at wide receiver from in-state kids very often. Well, we were going to talk next about the inline guys offensively, Tom. Talk with Tom Kaker from Hawkeye Report. Inline players, both the offensive line, a big offensive line class and the tight ends, a very talented group. We'll do that as we continue here. This is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Today's episode of Locked On Hawkeyes is brought to you by the FanDuel Sportsbook. As the weather gets colder, the NFL offers stay hot on FanDuel. Right now,
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Starting point is 00:11:50 Trent Conner back with you here on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Joined today by Tom Kakert, HawkeyeReport.com, part of On3 Media. Busy day, Tom. Appreciate you carving out a few minutes for us today as we take a look at this recruiting class. A lot of great things going on. And I think maybe the story of this whole class as a whole is the amount of offense alignment that they're bringing in. A couple of really talented guys with some big time offers in state with Cody Fox.
Starting point is 00:12:15 And then you also have, obviously, Nolan, a couple of guys with some big time offers, top 200 type prospects in the country. So let's start there. The offensive line, those top two guys and potential. We don't see it very often. Do you see any potential out of this group, guys seeing playing time early on the O-line? It's going to be hard. The thing I'm interested in, too, is that they've stacked two really good classes in a row on the offensive line, and that's without Caden Proctor.
Starting point is 00:12:50 They've really kind of, I think, put together two classes that are going to be pretty good longer term with Leighton Jones and Trevor Lauch and those guys last year. And then Will Dolan, Cody Fox was a guy that he's the first commit in this class. 2021 he committed and his brother had been on the team so and he you know from Robert Gowrie's high school and and John Gowrie and all the the galleries so he was kind of you know it was Iowa that was always going to be his place he got a lot of attention early on recruiting wise was four-star kid for most of his tenure being ranked. And Will Nolan, 6'6", 275. Iowa really just kind of crushed it in the Chicago area. I thought this year it reminded me like of, you know, going all the way back to 2005 when
Starting point is 00:13:37 they were getting, you know, Dan Doering and all those guys, Dace Richardson and kind of cleaning up in Chicago. And I don't know if any of these guys are at that level star-wise, but Will Nolan's certainly in that mix as a four-star player. And you've got Bodie and Josh as well that are coming in. They just seem like kind of typical Chicago area kids, a little tough roughness to them and like to play physical.
Starting point is 00:14:10 So I think good gets. Tight end position, two guys coming in. It's tight end. You're like, okay, well, if they find the field, they're probably going to play in the NFL. Now, we don't know, at least for this season, what it's going to be, depending on the decision from Luke Lachey
Starting point is 00:14:23 and even Eric Aul, though it sounds like Aul may be leaning more towards leaving. Regardless of that, going to be depending on the decision from Luke Lachey and even Eric Hall though it sounds like all maybe leaning more towards leaving regardless of that going to be tough we saw the emergence of Addison Estrenga this year for a guy to get out there at least a whole butt on a bunch on the field but Gavin Hoffman that dude is an absolute athlete talking to the Dahl family when they were on their official visit back in that what June visit that everybody was on that was the one they weren't sure about. They're like, yeah, you know what? He was a little bit, parents were kind of just taking it all in.
Starting point is 00:14:50 They weren't real chatty compared to most of the other parents. Hoffman, they weren't sure. And then sure enough, what, a couple days later, he commits to the Hawkeyes. Yeah, that was one of those. I remember he kind of gave a comment, and I think it was kind of privately, that he said after Iowa offered, his response was about time. So he had kind of been like, why aren't these guys offering me? As successful as Iowa is with the tight end position.
Starting point is 00:15:21 And here's the interesting thing with Gavin Hoffman. He is going to enroll early. So he will be in January. So that's going to give him, you know, he's 220. He could potentially be, you know, 230, 235 by the time we get to August and get those much needed reps. and get those much-needed reps. And say Eric Hall, almost certain gone, but say Luke Lachey's gone too, boy, all of a sudden there's kind of an opening there for somebody to jump in there as that third tight end.
Starting point is 00:16:00 So I would think he's primed. He's my guy that I picked as most likely to play as a true freshman just because he's coming in early. I don't really count the punter because we know he's coming in to punt. And by the way, his videos are ridiculous. I mean, there's just the, you know, multi five second hang time things. I mean, there's just the, you know, multi five second hang time things. I mean, if Tori Taylor's a legend, wait till we see this guy shooting him up to the moon, you know, kicking him over the water tower or something. But and Michael Burt's pretty talented, too.
Starting point is 00:16:42 You know, he's another big kid, six, five and a half and almost 230. I kind of thought he was one of the surprise guys, guys too because I thought maybe he might end up at Nebraska. You know, he's from that area. He's from Omaha. And, you know, they got the excitement with the program coming and everything. But he was really sold on Iowa. So two good tight ends in this class for the Hawks. Jump over to the defense.
Starting point is 00:17:05 We're talking with Tom Caker from HawkeyeReport.com. And let's jump into a defensive line that all four of these guys, I mean, you talk about upside, intrigue, storylines. Joseph Anderson, a kid that won the 110-meter hurdles in high school, the long jump, the triple jump. Oh, yeah, he's a defensive lineman. I mean, just ridiculous athleticism. Devin Kennedy. Oh, his dad's just Jimmy Kennedy, a guy that hasn't been playing football very long. Drew Campbell, you might know his brother, Jack Campbell playing
Starting point is 00:17:33 now in his rookie season with the Detroit lions. And then Chemeke, I love this guy's upside. He had some offers down there in Texas and turned them down. You talk about four impactful storyline prospects. This defensive line class again, knocked it out of the park. Yeah. Both the line classes just jump out at me for their potential. And boy, this D-line class is just really good. I am just super intrigued with Anderson and Kennedy. NFL bloodlines, too. You mentioned Jimmy Kennedy, but Anderson's dad
Starting point is 00:18:07 also an NFL, former NFL player, Benny Anderson. And both of them just long-limbed, athletic, put 40 pounds on them and look out. They'll be just as quick, but they'll have that extra weight on them and just be dynamite, I think, getting to the passer. They both kind of remind me of like a Chauncey Golsan. When Chauncey came in, he was just sort of skinny and long-limbed, and we've seen how he turned out. You know, terrific player for Iowa. Very good last couple years in a Hawkeye uniform playing still in the NFL.
Starting point is 00:18:52 And then Drew Campbell. I don't want to tag. Well, I don't know if he'll be as good as Jack. It's hard to be as good as Jack Campbell. I mean, one of the best linebackers in Iowa football history. But Drew's a young man, and he's a hard-nosed, tough guy just like Jack. And Cheneke, I think he's probably destined for de-tackle, I think. That's what I kind of think.
Starting point is 00:19:18 He's probably going to end up at de-tackle. But you need a de-tack tackle in this class probably. So, um, you know, I mean, you may, we end up seeing true Campbell put on weight and become a D tackle, uh, like Logan Lee,
Starting point is 00:19:31 you know? Um, so we may see something like that, uh, kind of the same, same size as Logan, you know, about six,
Starting point is 00:19:38 four, six, five. And, um, you know, Logan was probably about two 30 to 40 when he came in. So,
Starting point is 00:19:44 um, could be something similar there. We'll see. Derek Weisskopf, Cam Buffington, Preston Reese. I look at all three of these guys. All right. They're just athletic linebackers. I can't tell the difference between them. Tell me, is there, of those guys, one that maybe has a chance to play earlier?
Starting point is 00:20:02 Is there a guy that you look like out of that linebacker group? Boy, that's like trying to pick your favorite kid. I think all of them are really good. I would probably lean towards Derek, maybe. The thing I wonder about with Buffington, I think Buffington is going to be really good, but he's going to be making that adjustment not only from smaller football, but also he's playing eight man. So he's got to be making that adjustment not only from smaller football, but also he's played eight man.
Starting point is 00:20:27 So he's got to make that adjustment. So I just wonder if that's going to maybe take a little bit longer for him to kind of sort through. But all three of those guys, you could see all three of them playing on special teams early in their career and being just dynamite. I mean, just by that linebacker room is just stacked with guys. I mean, I think about like I love Ben Keeter and he didn't even see the field this year.
Starting point is 00:20:55 He's hurt, I think, a little bit this year. But, you know, that's a guy that you expect to have a big impact unless he just decides to go, you know, pull a Brody Brecht and go full wrestling here pretty soon. We'll see what happens if he participates this year. But it's, this is, I like this linebacker class a lot. And the in-state kids that just, you know, those guys play with a little bit of, as Hayden would call it, the extra heartbeat kind of thing for those guys as well. Finally, defensive back Rashad Godfrey.
Starting point is 00:21:26 One of the guys took a little longer out of the group to get his commitment, but they eventually did a safety prospect. And then Jalen Watson, bloodlines, what, Uncle Fred Russell, so you can talk about that. And cornerback with the likelihood of Cooper DeGene departing. And we'll see about Jamari Harris. I mean, there's some holes there. TJ Hall has banked up all season long.
Starting point is 00:21:47 I thought we saw some good things overall, but they need cornerbacks. And Watson looks to be a guy that could help out there. Yeah, he's my guy on the defensive side as the most likely to play early, just because of two things. One, scarcity of players, corners. They may try and get in the portal
Starting point is 00:22:04 if they have any space to maybe get a corner to come in. I think they'd love to do that. But if not, Jalen Watson might be a guy, super athletic kid and just really dynamic. So maybe some Micah Hyde qualities to him just in terms of ball skills and things like that, that you, that you look for. And obviously it's the bloodlines, Fred Russell's uncle is his uncle. So that's just you know, you'll love that, but I think he's probably, and here's the other thing, Phil has never been shy about playing cornerbacks early, just hasn't, you know, he's, he has been, that's been one of the staples of
Starting point is 00:22:46 phil parker's tenure is i'll play early at corner that's one spot i'll play safety is probably not but corners yeah i'll throw you out there um that goes back to like um you know the sean prater days and and maybe a bit earlier uh benny sap uh got in there as a true freshman too. And Gottfried, they'll have some time for him to develop, but I think he's probably a strong safety. He can learn from Xavier Wampa. Maybe if Castro's back, can help him out and move him along. But another talented kid.
Starting point is 00:23:20 Good stuff. A good recruiting class, as you mentioned, on three right now, 28th in the country. Very good. Top half of the big 10 kind of what you'd expect and hope for from an Iowa football class we'll get you out on this Tom and uh I know a busy day for you a couple days back you heard from Kirk anything from you on the OC search I mean you hear the three names he said he's talked to three guys I think it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out. Joe Philbin, Paul Crisp, Andy Ludwig, who's been the apple of my eye for the last half decade. That one may be off the table.
Starting point is 00:23:52 And then one secret guy that he has talked to. The mystery candidate. The mystery candidate. How about this? I give you this option. Philbin, Crisp, or mystery option. we don't know who it is who would you take as the oc that's what i did this the other day on our podcast and i said i said door number one door number two or door number three which one are you picking yeah you know it's like
Starting point is 00:24:14 let's make a deal what does it take i think he took mystery yeah yeah i don't think he's alone either i i did i did um i i you know i, I was on with Chad Lystico the other day, last week. And, and I said, you know, you know, FanDuel,
Starting point is 00:24:30 I think that's your sponsor here. You know, if you put up odds, I would say Paul Christ is probably plus 125. I would say Joe Philbin's probably plus 300, but I think mystery candidates's probably plus 200. I think Philbin is probably third on the list. I do. But I think
Starting point is 00:24:53 he'd probably hire Paul Christ and feel comfortable. But I think maybe this mystery guy might be a little bit somebody intriguing, I guess. Maybe that's kind of got him thinking. It's not going to be, I don't know that it'll be like maybe somebody out of his comfort zone. You know what I mean? And I think that's good because the other two guys are clearly in the Kirk Ferentz wheelhouse. You know, they're just, you know, if you're central casting for a Kirk Ferentz offensive coordinator is Paul
Starting point is 00:25:29 Crist. I mean, he's just, and he, I think Paul would be good. The thing I think is important is that the person be a quarterback coach. I think they need a, it's the most important position on the football field bar none. It is. And they really haven't had a – I mean, Bud Meyer's been coaching them, but I want an experienced, good quarterback coach at Iowa. I think that's just super important for them moving forward. And Paul Crist would check that box.
Starting point is 00:26:02 He was a very good quarterback coach at Wisconsin. You know, they're not superstars there, but, I mean, he coached some really good quarterbacks there and developed them. And some of those guys ended up in the NFL, maybe backups and stuff. But still, you know, I think it's important. That's one thing that Philbin doesn't box it. He doesn't check. And I would think he'd have to hire a quarterback coach. And then that's why I wonder if the mystery guy is somebody who's got a quarterback background
Starting point is 00:26:32 and maybe can develop. Because I just think it's vital. It's just vital. Well, that's really good information. And yes, intriguing about the potential extra candidate. A little bit more outside the box, if you will. And the way that you put those odds there, a decent chance at minimum, which gets me excited and gives us content to talk about. You on the message boards over at HawkeyeReport.com and me here on Lockdown Hawkeyes. Tom, really appreciate it.
Starting point is 00:27:00 I know this is a crazy day for you. Thanks for giving us a little bit of time. We'll be doing this again. I really enjoyed this. We'll try this again here down the road and we can rely with basketball at each other for a while. Hey, that would be awesome. Anytime you need me, Trent, I'm here for you. You know that. Absolutely.
Starting point is 00:27:14 That's Tom Caker at HawkeyeReport.com. We continue a few news and notes here on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. We talk basketball hoops coming up this evening as the basketball team prepares for UMBC on the men's side. Women in action tomorrow. Plus, some disappointing news from the ranks of wrestling. Nelson Brands. His collegiate career has come to an end. We'll do that as we continue Locked on Hawkeyes. Today's episode is brought to you by linkedin jobs when you're hiring for your small business you want to have as many top tier candidates as possible to interview that's why you have to check
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Starting point is 00:29:06 on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Hoops, tonight it is the men's team as they take on UMBC. Yeah, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. You remember them beating number one seed Virginia what a half decade back in the NCAA tournament. Not the case anymore. Iowa big favorite
Starting point is 00:29:21 currently at FanDuel. The Hawkeyes favored by 26 and a half. Yeah, that's a big number there. But Iowa against these bad teams, it's gone pretty well. And I anticipate the same kind of thing. We will have an instant reaction podcast coming up for you, though, into your feed tomorrow after that one. Looking forward to that.
Starting point is 00:29:39 We'll talk and give some more news and notes on the recruiting side of things. Finally, disappointing news as it pertains to Iowa athletics and the wrestling program as Nelson Brand's career has come to an end. He posted last night on Instagram and Twitter that his appeal was denied by the NCAA and with it, his career is over. You look at this big picture, and this is not to say that they did anything, you know, terribly. We're not talking about anything deplorable. We're talking about guys that bet on sports. Yes, it's a no-no in the NCAA. There's a lot of things that are no-nos in the NCAA. There are many things that you can't do, and you don't see your collegiate career come to a close because of it. From Noah Shanna, Nelson
Starting point is 00:30:25 Brands, some guys with the baseball program that have just walked away from the sport. This has been devastating at an individual level for these programs. Nelson Brands, a guy that got to All American status a year ago, looked to be making his way up the rung going into his final season of eligibility, and that's not going to be the case. It's obviously going to impact Iowa as they race to, well, still likely finish behind Penn State in the national championship race, but potentially be a team that could be a trophy team and finish in the top three at a minimum, do that as they reload and rebuild that wrestling program. But just for the individual, you feel terrible for him. A guy that made a mistake, no doubt. Made something that he regrets, of course. But we're talking about something that
Starting point is 00:31:13 is such a way of life for so many people in college, outside of college, but me on an everyday basis. I just feel bad for him. He made a mistake. Should it cost you your career? I don't think so. Unfortunately, the NCAA does not see it the same way. Back with you tomorrow, a little basketball talk as we will recap what we saw tonight from the Hawkeye men's team on the hardwood and preview Iowa on the women's side as they face off in their matchup against Loyola
Starting point is 00:31:42 on the women's side of things. Plus more football talk and we continue to see, maybe we can get a name on that mystery third candidate that Tom Caker was telling us about. Thanks to Tom Caker for joining us. Thanks to you for hanging out with us here today. This is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. We'll talk to you again tomorrow.
Starting point is 00:31:58 Go Hawks.

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