Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa Football: Offensive woes and questions with former Hawkeye LeShun Daniels

Episode Date: September 29, 2023

Trent Condon and LeShun Daniels return with the latest edition of the Locked on Hawkeyes Podcast.Thoughts on the Hawkeye football offense and a look at the passing game and what Iowa can do to improve on that side of the game.Then thoughts and comments from LeShun on what it is like to be in the Hawkeye locker room after a loss like the one to Penn State.Finishing up with picks presented by FanDuel.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!NutrafolTake the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com/men and enter the promo code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. DoorDashGet fifty percent off your first DoorDash order up to a twenty-dollar value when you use code lockedoncollege at checkout. Limited time offer, terms apply.Jase MedicalSave more than $360 by getting these lifesaving antibiotics with Jase Medical plus an additional $20 off by using code LOCKEDON at checkout on jasemedical.com.Athletic BrewingGo to AthleticBrewing.com and enter code LOCKEDON to get 15% off your first online order or find a store near you! Athletic Brewing. Milford, CT and San Diego, CA. Near Beer.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase.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.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Right now, NEW customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get TWO HUNDRED in BONUS BETS – GUARANTEED. 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

Well, we know the Iowa offense has problems. We're searching for answers, and we're going to a former Hawkeye for them. Well, Sean Daniels, stop. We talk Hawkeyes, not just the running game. We get into the passing game. What can Iowa do to fix these problems today? You are locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network.

Your team, every day. Welcome in. I'm Trent Condon. He's LaShawn Daniels, and this is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We're available wherever you get podcasts. You can also watch us on YouTube. While you're there, make sure you hit that subscribe button. Greatly appreciate it.

And the overlords of the clicks. Love that as well. Helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, official sportsbook of Lockdown. Make every moment more. Right now, new customers can bet $5 and get 200 in bonus bets guaranteed. Visit fanduel.com slash lockdown to get started. Well, LaShawn, that sucked Friday, Saturday night in State College. And we were talking about a little bit, you and I were talking a little bit during the game. And I'll tell you, at halftime, as bad as everything went in the first half, as poorly

as that second quarter went from the Eric Hall fumble as they're going into the red zone and moving the football pretty effectively. Even that first drive, they get a couple, they get a first down, get it to midfield, pin them deep. You're feeling like, all right, everything goes against them in the second quarter, yet you're only down 10-0 at the half. And I walked away feeling relatively confident. If Iowa could come back, get a couple of breaks, that they could be right in the football game.

We knew that was not the case. How did you see it Saturday night against the Nittany Lions? Yeah, very similar um like yeah obviously you start off the game pretty well probably as they probably expected um as I would expect it to start off the game me moving the ball on offense able to get some stops on defense um you know kind of slowing them down. And then kind of as the game went along, we started making more mistakes, really uncharacteristic mistakes. Obviously, you know, you get a fumble, you know, you get a muff punt, like you get some things that don't necessarily go your way. But, you know, as you mentioned, right, you get to halftime

and it's like deficits and nothing crazy. Like it's nothing, you know, you can't handle. And then, you know, you get in the second half, and it was like there was nothing there. There was nothing going both offensively and now at that point, now your defense is on the field, gets to the point their defense is on the field, you know, 30 minutes, almost 40 minutes. So, you know, it's tough to start, uh, tough, tough to tough watch from really the second half on.

And yeah, I don't know. There's a lot of work that Iowa has to do that they're going to have to fix to go ahead to get to the goals that they're trying to achieve. No doubt about it. And we've talked so much because of your obviously background as a running back and playing for this Hawkeye program. We've talked about the running game and I think we both at least are happy that they're trying different things.

We've talked about more counters, more iso blocking, moving away from just inside-outside zone and adding a little bit more to that offense. We've seen a little more jet sweep and jet sweep motion. We've seen the things in the running game, but the passing game, you upgrade the quarterback position. At least we thought. The offensive line we thought

was going to be better. Wide receivers, you go out, you bring a couple of guys in the transfer portal, you return a guy with a lot of experience, Anika Raggini. I mean, it feels like the pieces are in place for this passing game to step forward, yet it's actually taking a step back as pitiful as it was a year ago. Statistically, they're behind throwing the football where they were a season ago. So when you look at the passing game what do you see yeah uh i feel like the passing game right now there's there's there's no real identity and um it's something that that's missing um from everyone whether it's from the quarterback consistency, receiver consistency, play calling consistency. I feel like nothing's really marrying together.

And when I think back when I was playing, not that our pass offense was anything like, you know, crazy, like it wasn't anything, you know, special. But, you know, we had some consistency in our passing. I mean, there was things that we would do to help get the quarterback in rhythm, help get CJ in rhythm, help get the receivers in rhythm. I mean, like, you think back, I mean, Tavon, Vandenberg, Riley, like, these guys, like, they were involved in the offense. It's one way, shape, or form, right?

There was plays that we would run specifically to help get these guys the football, even though we had some really good tight ends like we had Hank, we had George. There was guys there that that that, you know, command the ball just as much as the tight ends do in our current room right now. But we found a way to get those receivers the ball and you know really create balance in the offense where it feels like uh it felt like then like hey obviously there were certain situations where like maybe it's like a third and short or a third medium where you kind of know where the ball is going to go just because again you got to have your best place for those but in general it felt like okay like the ball was being spread around to a

number of different players and right now it feels like it feels like there's no sort of balance on the offensive side of the football especially when it comes to the passing game it's like okay if if they're throwing the football if it's in a situation where they have to throw the football it's going either to a tight end going to a check down or it's or like after that it's just kind of just tossed in the air at that point like you don't really know you don't really have an idea of like really where to go and it feels like um that that defenses are obviously able to just kind of just uh focus on those two areas and not have to worry about the receivers because they're like i mean they're not going to get the ball thrown to them.

They're not going to run a route that's really going to threaten us as a defense. So I feel like right now it's just a complete balance issue in the passing game, and it's something that obviously needs to be fixed because you can't run an offense in 2023 by just throwing the ball to your tight ends or running backs. It doesn't work. I have a theory. I want to run this by you. And I go back.

Now, before your time at Iowa, Ken O'Keefe, the former offensive coordinator, he was much maligned. And you look back statistically, and I think we'd all kill to have a Ken O'Keefe offense at this point in time of what he did. You played under Greg Davis, and you know he was much maligned as a play caller. Now, Brian, Kirk has a philosophy, right? I mean, there's a certain way that he wants to play, and there's going to be parameters that are put in place with Kirk there. But we look at what happened the last two years. After Ken O'Keefe retired, and we've seen this offense,

Brian's had a couple of good offenses, right? I mean, there's been times. You look at what they did with Brandon Smith and Amir Smith-Marset. I mean, they've had wide receivers that have put up good productive seasons. But the loss of Ken O'Keefe two years ago, him as a game caller, him helping out in what they're doing offensively, him as a quarterback coach. Look, Brian has no idea as a quarterback coach. I mean, does Brian know the mechanics of quarterback play? No, absolutely not. He has no background on that. Yet he as a quarterback coach. I mean, does Brian know the mechanics of quarterback play? No, absolutely not.

He has no background on that, yet he's the quarterback coach. I think that loss, a lot of people are pointing to Doyle and the loss of him, but I think the loss of Ken O'Keefe and having his fingerprints on that offensive system, I think it's pretty big. Your thoughts on that and your takeaway. I know you obviously met Coach O'Keefe and know him a little bit. And is there maybe something to that? A guy that I know is really respected there and you lose a lot of veteran leadership when he retired.

Yeah, you know, I could see that playing a part because I see some of the best offenses and Coach Ferentz's career been under Ken O'Keefe. And Coach Ference's career have been under Ken O'Keefe. And when you have that type of experience on your coaching staff who can help, you can help with the quarterbacks, you can kind of help with, you know, some of the past game concepts that you run. Like that type of experience is definitely extremely valuable to have. And, you know, missing, not having that has obviously, you know, created a situation where we're not being able to produce offensively. And, you know, you're right. Like, Brian doesn't have necessarily the original background knowledge of coaching quarterbacks, right?

I mean, obviously he was a offensive lineman um you know coach offensive line coach tight ends uh at a high level um and obviously quarterback is entirely different different place right it's a new new area so missing that type of leadership is definitely something i feel like that's put a damper on the offense quite a bit. I mean, and it's obviously showing a little bit like with the quarterbacks, but I still feel like it shouldn't be that way. It shouldn't like, there should be some type of, like he should have like learned like from, you know, that experience from working with coach O'Keefe because again you you

mentioned uh Brandon Smith you mentioned Amir and then um you know Nate Stanley obviously was able to put up you know good numbers in a in you know Brian Ferentz led offense so it wasn't necessarily um it's not necessarily you know missing Ken O'Keefe I feel like that that is limiting the offense but it's something uh that should definitely be taken note of because again not having that type of experience when the coaching staff can can limit your production that you're able to provide you know offensively especially with the person who doesn't necessarily have that that quarterback background knowledge and you know they're they're in there their first time calling the call. Well, Sean, you were in a locker room after a tough loss.

You were there after a tough loss a time or two. I want to get into what Kirk is like after one of those, after one of those performances, what it is like for you guys as players. We know on the media side of things and what he says in press conferences, but we're going to go inside the locker room when we continue. Plus our picks presented by FanDuel. We'll do that as we continue on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast.

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there's no better time to get in on the action. The app, it's super easy to use. You can jump right in and get going with a wide range of betting options. Of course, the spread, Iowa favored by 12.5 over-unders, 36.5 is the number there. They got player props and a whole lot more. So visit FanDuel.com slash lockdown to kick off the NFL season. Fanduel, official partner of the NFL. Trent LaShawn back with you once again here on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast.

Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. So a tough loss. What do you think, Bat? First, let's go right here. What was the worst loss that you endured in a Hawkeye uniform? Oof. Oof. I mean...

Oof. Probably the most... Most embarrassing was probably the Rose Bowl. That one sucked. That just sucked. And because it was the end of the season, there was no next week. sucked that just sucked and because it was the end of the season like there was no next week so that just sucked that sucked um okay don't count bowl games we take the

bowl games out of it because yeah we didn't have too much success when i was in school in bowl game um take the bowl games out of it the penn state loss uh my senior year in 2016 was just a brutal loss. I mean, because we come off losing, you know, pretty tight game to a pretty good Wisconsin team. You know, we go, we have a bye week to kind of recover. And now then we go on the road to, you know, a Penn State team that's been hot. All right. They just beat Ohio State, you know, you know,

in that crazy game. And then we head up there, the night game, and really just get run out of the stadium. And especially as myself and other seniors on the team, it's like we only got four games left now. Now it's like that was a pretty tough one to swallow as a player. But yeah, you obviously got to put it behind you and, you know, move on to the next. And thankfully that we did, because then we ripped off some, you know, three fun wins after that. Including the win against second rank Michigan and the walk off from Keith Duncan and just that build up that week. Like, I'll be honest, I was there.

I was tailgating, getting ready for the game, well lubricated before I walked into the building. I had no thought that this team was going to pull that off. I mean, the way Michigan was rolling, but you also saw early in that football game, for whatever reason, Jim Harbaugh, that offense was moving up and down the field. And yet he said, well, we're going to play Iowa style.

We're going to beat them playing their style. And that's not a good idea. At least back then, it certainly wasn't a good idea. And you could, all right, maybe we do have a chance in that game. So let's talk about the buildup and what the players inside the locker room are doing this week. When you have those kinds of performances, coaches can go obviously one of two ways, build them up or tear them down and talk about how crappy that performance was what was Kirk usually like coming off just a

pitiful performance was was it a rough week of practice or was it more him trying to build you back up um you know definitely trying to build us back up like I feel like like we got practices were tougher when we would come off of a dominating win or something like that, where we played great. The practices were tougher then. When we came off a tough hard loss, there was

definitely a lot of build-us-back-up trying to obviously we watched that tape from the game before and you know sundays watching the tape like that sucks like a game like that like um so we tried it um kind of understand where a lot of things went wrong and then after that we hit monday where we're back on the drawing board we're're full speed ahead on our next opponent. So that was the one thing that Coach Ference felt like did an extremely good job of

was making sure that one game doesn't beat you twice. So definitely get us, all right, this is where we went wrong last week. These are the crushes that we need to make this week moving forward. And those were things that we would, you know, we would hit on pretty hard on the upcoming week, but we wouldn't necessarily like outright, like change how we would prepare. Like we wouldn't completely go away from like what we were doing,

you know, in a typical game prep week, it was just more of, okay, let's get back focused. Let's get refocused on the things that we need to do. Especially for us as offense, get back to doing things that we know that we do well. And obviously, make sure that we're focused on the game plan and executing that game plan at a high level. You got the victory, 14-13, had the safety, down 10-0 at the half.

That was another thought going back to last week. 10-0 at the half. Hey, we've been here before in a game where you were outplayed in the first half, but the second half wasn't the case. So we look at this week, and guys are going through it. We hear from some of the players, K. McNamara, maybe throwing Brian Ferentz a little bit under the bus with his comments, saying, I just run the plays that are called. Not exactly probably what

you want to see, I would think, inside the locker room. Here's another one. So I threw up my O'Keefe theory to you. Here's another theory that I have. This is something different than Kirk's ever had to deal with before, right? With this influx of transfer talent. When you're going through the Iowa football program, I mean, there's a buy-in that you have to have. There's a buildup. And you were a guy that played early in your career, but that wasn't the case for a lot of different guys. And that build-in, and all of a sudden you see this new group come in, these guys that are filling in gaps and you're excited about it. But when it goes awry, that's something that compounds. And I think it's

something that Coach Ferentz has never had to deal with before. These guys that don't have the same kind of equity inside of Iowa football, that haven't had that build-in for two, three, four years. So how concerning is that for you, for somebody that put in the work, was there for your four years? When you look at it and look at the program, could that be a concern going forward? You know, I can see why that could you know raise some question marks you know uh you're so used to especially the iowa football program you're so used to everyone you know kind

of building up and being part of the team for really a couple years honestly before you even get you know your first meaningful snaps um Like there was obviously transfers like back then, but like there were teams that would go after, go hard, like maybe after like junior college guys, but it felt like Iowa wasn't, wasn't one of those programs that, that did that. It was a lot of, like you come in as a freshman and you grind, you grind through the strength and conditioning program, you grind through, you know, your practices freshman and you grind you grind through the strength and conditioning program you grind through um you know your practices and then you go ahead and you get to the position um you know maybe as a third and fourth year player like now like okay like i'm ready to

to go ahead and obviously play a lot of meaningful football um but now with the changing landscape of college football now that that's that's got to be adjusted um and with how the transfer quarter is and especially um the way that um you know some players are able to get around maybe the one transfer rule like it does raise a little bit of question marks because you you're going to be trying to you're essentially trying to recruit your kids after they've already you know been on the team whereas before it was like you're still trying to recruit your kids and keep them you know at the university but with how the transfer portal was back then like leaving you know was uh was pretty was a pretty big decision because you were probably going to have to sit out a year.

You're now going to have to go ahead and try to compete in another place and things of that nature. But now when guys can kind of essentially come in and out, almost like pre-agency in the NFL, you've got to find a way to keep that buy-in throughout the team. And you hope that the kids that you're obviously bringing in, they still have that type of mindset where they want to stay and they want to continue to grow and get better. But you look at that now,

and it's something that does raise some question marks because, you know, everyone was sold that, like, hey, this was going to be different on the team offensively and we were going to look a lot a lot and extremely more improved than we were in years prior but obviously it's kind of been a lot of the same stuff and even maybe you know some of the guys that that you bring in from transfers that maybe aren't playing as much as you know they would have liked or maybe the fans would have liked it presents another situation like man i'm as those players like now i'm just in the same exact situation where i was before and now like like it feels like i'm back to square zero so you have to continue to try to recruit those kids and keep that buy-in and i feel like that's

obviously a challenge that coach parents and the rest of the staff are going to have to try to navigate as we get into this transfer portal landscape. It's definitely a different era and something that Iowa tries to figure out. Michigan State, they're going through their own set of issues right now. The official firing this week of Mel Tucker. You have that hanging out. This is also the fifth game of the season with the four-game redshirt rule, guys, that maybe are going to decide to opt out this weekend and go

that direction. Even if they ultimately decide to stay at Michigan State, not enter the portal, they can still maintain an extra year of eligibility and go that route. So when you look at Michigan State this week, you look at the matchup, we'll make our pick coming up here in just a moment, but with what they're going through here, if Iowa doesn't come out and take care of business, I mean, what does that say kind of about Iowa? Because Michigan State, I mean, it looks like a dead program walking right now. Yeah. Yeah, it'll be tough if Iowa doesn't come out and play an extremely high high level because as you just mentioned them they're going to have guys that are going to be opting out guys that are going to be transferring that are going to be looking for these new opportunities so they'll probably be a shell of the team of you know probably what they were expecting as the year started so i will still has um big 10 west and big

10 um you know championship aspirations so if you know we can't come out and play at a high level like things obviously have to get looked at as a whole um as a program even though hey winning in the big 10 is hard winning cultural ball is hard we get it we understand that but a team going through the things that michigan state is currently going through, especially being with Iowa being at home. Like there's no reason why, you know, Iowa shouldn't come out and really dominate all phases of this football game. So, you know, we'll have to wait and see Saturday night, but it'll be interesting to see how Iowa and the team responds from that game on national television last week. Because again, this week you get another game, a big opportunity night game this week. So it'll be interesting to see how the team responds to that.

We'll make our pick on that game. Iowa favored by 12.5 currently at FanDuel. LaShawn, send you the games for the week. Take a peek at those as we come back. Our picks of the week brought to you by FanDuel. We'll pick five games against the point spread as we continue on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Today's episode of Locked On Hawkeyes

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Exclusions apply. Trent Codd and 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, let's get into it, LaShawn. Our picks of the week. We were both terrible last week. Let's try to bounce back in a big way because that didn't go well last week at all. Got to push in the Ohio State Notre Dame game this week. We kick things off here this evening. Now you still got the lead on the season series. There's still three games up on me. You're just dominating. I'm terrible. NFL, I've been, the bets have been going well in the NFL

and that's above water. On the other side, the college game has not been pretty and I'm an underdog player. Well, we'll talk about some underdogs coming up here. Kick things off tonight. Utah goes to Oregon State. Utah survives last week. Still waiting for Cam Rising to come back. We'll see if he's able to go this evening against the Beavers. Utah, a top 10 team getting four in Corvallis. Yeah, this is going to be a fun game.

It's going to be a fun game. It's going to be a great environment. The thing that, obviously utah's defense has been absolutely phenomenal especially um stopping the run game um they've done an extremely great job with that and oregon state doesn't run uh i mean excuse me oregon state runs the ball extremely well so that's going to be a extremely good battle tonight where I feel like the opportunity lies is going to be how Utah's offense is going to come out. Because, you know, Oregon State, they're going to go out and they're going to be able they're going to put up points and they're going to be able to score no matter how good Utah's defense is. and how Utah has performed offensively has kind of had some question marks, especially last week was probably a pretty frustrating offensive performance for them.

So that's where the challenge is going to lie. But I think Oregon State is going to bounce back. They played a tough Washington State team last week, and I think they'll bounce back and they'll go ahead and recover tonight. All right. I'm going with Oregon State in this one I got the Beavers uh to get the victory I love their running style I love Jonathan Smith in fact if Kirk walks away I would not be I would love to see a phone call made out there now I know he played at Oregon State he was you know that's his alma mater but you also look at the future of that football program and what they

have with the falling apart of the Pac-12. That guy has done an incredible job and a very difficult place to win at Oregon State. Utah, even if Rising's back here, you wonder how much rust is out there. In fact, if I was Utah, I know they really struggled last week against UCLA offensively. They tried a couple of different quarterbacks. That's something that also lingers in my mind. So I'm going to lay it here, and I'm going to take Oregon State. Pick number two, we go to Norman, Oklahoma,

as the Sooners welcome in Iowa State. Cyclones getting 20 and a half here. We saw last week Iowa State really change what they do offensively. They still try to run the football, and it wasn't very successful because they can't run the football. But the passing game looked really sharp. They got the ball out a lot to Jalen Null. I that continues here Oklahoma has not been tested they played a joke of a schedule and they were struggling last week on the road against Cincinnati which I think is at best

an average Cincinnati team of this season I'm gonna grab the clones they played well against Oklahoma under Campbell as well I'm gonna grab nearly three touchdowns here give me Iowa State plus 20 and a half yeah I'm in agreement with you right there. Because, first off, this line is crazy big. I don't think Oklahoma has been that dominant against some of the teams on their schedule to kind of warrant this line. Obviously, Iowa State has had some tough games this year. But, obviously, they had a great performance last week. Who knows how good Oklahoma State is going to be.

They might be another team that's just terrible as well. But, you know, coming out and getting a win like that is something that can definitely boost the momentum for the team. And as you mentioned, Iowa State always plays Oklahoma extremely tough under Campbell. I see that continuing this week. We'll see if Oklahoma is for real this week. Give me Iowa State and those points. You got a little look ahead, of course, with the Red River shootout. Speaking of that, their opponent in the shootout, Kansas goes to Texas.

Jayhawks last year got blown out of the building, but they've had their own successes against Longhorns, including the first big win from Leopold down there when he took over the program. Jayhawks getting 16 and a half in this one. Yeah, I think this has, it's crazy to think about, first off, Kansas, you know, actually being good in football. Now, I mean, obviously they started the past two years extremely well. Jalen Daniels has been an extremely fun watch.

I mean, I watched him play Illinois a few weeks back and was just, like, I was just making crazy amount of plays. I feel like the biggest thing here, though, is Texas and, you know, them up front. They've been extremely well up front on both sides of the football. So that's going to be an extremely big test for Kansas. And I feel like Texas has been extremely, extremely dominant, you know, with that. And I really feel like that's going to continue. They're an extremely good football team and has been really in control of all the games they've played up to this season. I really see that continuing this week. So to me, the Longhorns have the points.

Going to lay it with Texas. I'm going to grab the points. I'm going to jump on board with Kansas here in this one. You mentioned Daniels, the high octane offense that they play with. I mean, they need to make this thing a shootout. They need to make it up and down the field and back and forth they go. And we still kind of wonder how good was that Texas win at Alabama as we continue to wait kind of on the crimson tide. Pick number four, we go to Duke. Game day will be there for the first time ever in Durham. Well, for football, not obviously for basketball. I anticipate we'll see probably Coach K. He's probably going to be the celebrity picker up there,

and he'll make it about himself because I hate that weasel. But that aside, Duke, loved what we saw from them, obviously game one against Clemson. When the nation was watching on that Monday night Labor Day, just how good they looked in that one. This is a team that I was very high on coming into the season, returned 19 starters from a year ago. Notre Dame coming off

the devastating loss last week, final play of the game. Where is this team mentally? How do you bounce back? Remember last year after their loss to Ohio State, they came back the following week and lost to Marshall. So I have my concerns. I need to see it for Marcus Freeman. I got to see that he can get the guys up after a loss like that. I'm going to grab the points here. Give me the dookies. Now I'd like it a lot more if I was getting more like a touchdown, five and a half kind of in that weird middle, you know, between the three and the seven. And if it does even get to six,

I know I will make an official bet for myself on this one. But for our purposes, five and a half's the number. I'll take the Dukies. Yeah, this is going to be an interesting game. It should be a fun one. Obviously, Notre Dame is going to be trying to bounce back from a tough loss. Duke started off the year extremely well. They've been playing extremely well, especially on both sides of the football, to be honest.

But something that really impressed me, I think, last week was Notre Dame's defense. I felt like their defense played extremely well in limiting the amount of big plays from Ohio State's skill guys. Obviously, they're still trying to get their feet under them with the new quarterback, but they really impressed me defensively, and I feel like that strong type of defense is going to be able to go ahead and really keep them in games and allow them to be in a position for their offense to go ahead and create plays and do their thing. So give me Notre Dame on this one. I think it will be close, but I think it's going to be a situation where Notre Dame ends up pulling away.

And we wrap it up as we do each and every week. Iowa at home against Michigan State. Spartans getting 12.5 in Kinnick Stadium. It's a night game, always special. What do you got for us in this one, LaShawn? Yeah, so, you know, as I had mentioned earlier, right, if Iowa doesn't come out here and, you know, dominate the way that we expect them to dominate,

there's going to be some questions, you know, that are going to need to be answered. Obviously, Michigan State, the players that are going to play, they're going to come out inspired. They're going to come out with probably some energy, especially energy especially you know playing at kinnick at night um but that said i do expect iowa to come out here and have a great bounce back game especially with all the noise going around and and come out and play at a high level so you know that the backs are still a question mark for us offensively and as well as offense as a whole.

But I do expect Iowa to come out, play at an extremely high level, and go ahead and really dominate that night. So, yeah, give me the Hawks. Put my faith in them this week. Hopefully they bounce back for me. I'm going the other way. You've got to prove it to me. And I'm going to take Michigan State in the points here.

I think this thing's got ugliness written all over it. 13-3, 12-9, something like that. And I'll grab all those points there. So, we're on opposite sides of that one. You have, let's see here. You've got Iowa State, Texas, Iowa. Who'd you take in game one, Oregon State or Utah? Oregon State, yep.

You got Oregon State and Notre Dame. Duke, you took? Notre Dame. And you got Notre Dame. All right, those are our picks here for the week. LaShawn, enjoy the game, and we're about a month away from you and I getting together once again for the first time and hanging out at Merkel's.

That's where we'll be doing our show live on Friday, the day before the Iowa game at Northwestern in Chicago. Come on down to Wrigleyville. We'll be hanging out at Merkel's. Should be a fun time and working on maybe getting a couple of extras going on there. So that should be a fun time. Looking forward to it, LaShawn. We got a little more football, though, before we get to that one.

Yeah, for sure. No doubt. We'll get it done. Hopefully the Hawks walk away a victory. We'll be back with you with more coming up after the game on saturday night i'll be back with you with an instant reaction podcast a full breakdown of what we see on the field those instant reactions a lot of times run a little hot as it was after the penn state game we'll see how this one turns out let's shot we'll talk to you next week yeah for sure go hawks