Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa Football: Press Conference Notes & How Iowa beats Penn State

Starting point is 00:00:00 It is a monster matchup for the Hawkeyes coming up Saturday night at Penn State. How do the Hawkeyes pull off the shocker? We talk about it today. Locked on Hawkeyes. You are locked on Hawkeyes. Your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. We're available wherever you get podcasts. You can also find us on YouTube.

Starting point is 00:00:46 While you're there, make sure you hit that subscribe button. Helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. Today's episode of Locked On Hawkeyes is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Let's get into it here as we hear yesterday from head coach Kirk Ferentz in the weekly press conference. Of course, got to hear from many of the players. One guy, though, that was absent from the proceedings was Cade McNamara.

Starting point is 00:01:17 Now, he normally comes in a little bit later on from the other group of guys that are out there about 11 o'clock central time that we get the players over there with the media availability before Kirk Ferris talks at about 145. First couple of weeks, it was 120. That's when Cade would show up, and they'd get a good 15, 20 minutes of him. That was not the case here today. Read anything into it, he had a scheduling conflict. We're not going to go down that level. But obviously, Cade McNamara is in the spotlight this week after a disappointing performance from him last week against Western Michigan.

Starting point is 00:01:50 Two interceptions in the football game, the inability to get the ball out quickly. We talked yesterday, Jason and I, about the times that he kept the football too long, trying to make something happen, and leading to a number of sacks. So got to have a better Cade McNamara. In fact, we're going to get into that here today. Iowa, how do they pull off this upset? How are they going to get into that? We'll talk about that here a little bit later on today. Plus, a little hoops talk as the men's basketball schedule has been released today. We will talk a little bit about that, coupled with another big-time award for

Starting point is 00:02:25 Kaitlyn Clark. But back to the press conference and what we heard. No surprise, Kirk Ferentz, as he seemingly does every single week, went down memory lane and talked a little bit about the 2009 game. Mentioned I was at that game, one of the most incredible football games that I have ever been at in person. That environment there, the whiteout coming on the heels of 2008, where Iowa pulled the shocker. Penn State was ranked third in the country, looked like a great chance of playing in the college football playoff when it was just the two-team BCS at the time playing for a national championship.

Starting point is 00:02:57 And Iowa thwarted that with the win on the Sean Green game, where he dominated that one. Of course, the walk-off winner from Daniel Murray. That is 2008. 2009 then, Iowa goes out there. Another great Penn State team. They're looking for revenge, and it didn't happen. That was the last time Iowa also played in a whiteout

Starting point is 00:03:18 against the Nittany Lions. And though they played out there in the last couple of times and concluding one that was a night game, it was not their official designation of the whiteout. We got CBS. We'll get to hear the music. It'll be incredible to hear that leading into it. It's going to be the big crew.

Starting point is 00:03:33 It's going to be a big game and a weekend full of just monster games across college football. And this is going to be there. Look, Notre Dame against Ohio State will be happening at the same time. That's going to create a lot of spotlight, too what would you have this one I just cannot contain the excitement but Kirk Ferentz he was he was talking about that game uh talked a little bit about the environment and what it's like 110,000 there it's loud and though it was a very rainy day in State College that day and it rained basically all day long. Didn't put a damper on the crowd. And I mentioned this on my radio show the other day. The sound of the ball as it was blocked

Starting point is 00:04:14 by Adrian Claiborne. And then later yesterday, Kirk Ferris talked about that same thing, that sound that just reverberated through the stadium. It was just an amazing scene. Iowa can recreate that. And it was interesting, not just hearing from Kirk, but listening to the players and listening to a number of the interviews that came out yesterday is, it wasn't outward cockiness,

Starting point is 00:04:40 but there's confidence with this team. They feel like they're in a good shot. I think having a guy like Cade McNamara helps that out. Having a guy that has done it on the biggest stage, that has won a Big Ten championship, that has gone in to Penn State and won a big football game, a guy that has won a Big Ten championship and played in the college football playoff, he brings that confidence too. But this team, 3-0 start, haven't beat the who's who of college football, no doubt about it here in the early portions of the season, but they're feeling good about themselves and they should. There's negatives that we've talked about. There's things that need

Starting point is 00:05:16 to be cleaned up, but one of the players said today, you can't be better than what we are right now. And that's 3-0 and it's exactly right. And there's sometimes we got to kind of take that step back, right? And realize that. So a've got to kind of take that step back and realize that. So a few other things from the press conferences and what we found out. Obviously, on the injury front, that was a big one. Luke Lachey looks like he's going to be lost for the season, undergo surgery on that broken ankle, and we'll see if he has any ability to come back towards the end of the season, even for a bowl game, or if it's going to be getting ready for the NFL for Lachey.

Starting point is 00:05:46 That, though, I think is interesting. Eric Hall, we know, still working his way back after having back surgery last year at Michigan, him getting out there. He's such a good blocker. He has so much physicality to his game. And then the other two tight ends that we're going to see a whole lot more coming up this week. Addison Estrenga is a guy that has been building.

Starting point is 00:06:08 You saw him right away when he showed up on campus. Remember, this is a guy that was committed to play baseball at Iowa. And it feels like he's really getting his footing underneath him. And he's going to be probably that next in the line when you're talking about that next tier of guys that's going to go out there, have a really nice career, and then go off in the NFL with tight end you. And that's just what Iowa does seemingly every single year of finding these guys. But the other guy that bears mentioning, and Kurt talked about him a couple of different times, was Steven Stylianos. Now, Stylianos is a guy that transferred from the D2 level, came in last year.

Starting point is 00:06:41 He saw some playing time. He was out there at times times but with what you have with Sam Laporte and of course Luke Lachey is the number two there wasn't a whole lot of reps for him and Kirk mentioned that at times he seemed a little bit overwhelmed that there was that transition is incredibly difficult he characterized it very much like Van Valkenburg a couple years back in that first year it was difficult difficult. By year two, he belonged. He belonged on a Big Ten football field. And you're seeing that, I think, now with Stylianos.

Starting point is 00:07:11 This is a guy that can block. This is a guy that can set the edge. And all is going to be now more that passing threat that we saw Luke Lachey be. He can play both roles. But Stylianos could help you out there, too. And he had a really nice catch when Deacon Hill came in late in that game a little seam route up the middle nobody's around him good throw from hill and uh completed that one but he's gonna be able to help out i think i was gonna be okay look you lose your best weapon in the passing game in luke lachey it's going to

Starting point is 00:07:38 impact a team that already struggles enough offensively but i don't think that the the drop off is going to be as significant maybe as some people are believing I believe in the other two guys after Eric Hall that both Stylianos and Estrenga are going to be able to help this football team out and perhaps help them out come Saturday night a couple other things on the injury front of course the running back position also a huge part of that and I will be without two of their top three running backs this weekend as both the starter coming into the year, Caleb Johnson, who set the freshman rushing record a year ago, who's been banked up, hurt his ankle in the Iowa State game,

Starting point is 00:08:16 didn't play against Western Michigan, and then a lower body injury to Jazzyon Patterson in the game against Western Michigan last week. Both those guys are out. We know how talented both those guys are. Now, LaShawn Williams had a great performance last week. Who's going to be behind him? Now, is he going to be taking a bunch of the reps? We've seen a couple of times where Williams has struggled in pass protection. That's scary against a defensive front as talented as Penn State is and what they can do off the edge.

Starting point is 00:08:42 You've got to have those guys, whoever's in there at the running back position, you have to be able to pick up blocks. And we talked about the Iowa State game and what a great job Jazzy on Patterson did on that and that rush from the outside, basically knocking two guys off course with the block. If it's Bolton, if it's Washington, if it's Max White, who we saw in the first half and had the last touchdown of the game against Western Michigan, doesn't matter who it is. You have to be able, if you're called on to protect, to help out, to pick up a blitz or whatever it is, those guys have to be ready to go, have to keep Cade McNamara upright. So that's what we have on the injury front from the football game and the press conferences from earlier today.

Starting point is 00:09:22 We will continue here on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Got some numbers for you. Kirk Ferentz, how good is he in this role as a double-digit underdog? How good are the numbers? Might surprise you. And how does Iowa beat Penn State? How do we knock off the Nittany Lions? We will get into that as we continue here.

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Starting point is 00:10:31 Trent Cotta back with you once again on the LockedOn Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making LockedOn Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Hey, hit us up on YouTube. Make sure you hit that subscribe button when you do. If you're on the podcast side, five-star reviews that we're looking for.

Starting point is 00:10:45 And we get in front of more Hawkeye fans. We roll through here on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast and continuing the conversation and the big question this week. And I've heard it from a ton of you already. How do you pull the upset up against the Penn State Nittany Lions? This is a really good team. If you were with us during the summer months when we were getting ready for the season previewing and talking about the Big Ten as a whole, you know how high I was on this Penn

Starting point is 00:11:12 State team. Love the talent. This is a talented team from the running back position. I love their tackles. I love their defensive ends. Their defensive backfield might be as good as anybody in the Big Ten. This team is elite at a bunch of different positions. Now, James Franklin, as a game day coach, plenty of people will tell you

Starting point is 00:11:30 not very good. Here's some numbers for you. And the question this week on the betting angle of side of things, how's Kirk Ferentz when he's a double digit underdog? Well, here's the record for you. Well, straight up, taking the point spread out of it he's 426 all right that's not good now four wins as a double digit dog in 30 games is okay in comparison some other guys including a guy like james franklin but 426 against the spread 17 and 13 all right now we're getting a little better so he's covered 17 of the last 30 games as a double-digit dog. Problem. Last four, has not covered.

Starting point is 00:12:12 That's right. Four straight losses against the spread as a double-digit dog for Kirk Ferentz. A few other numbers for you. Speaking of James Franklin in a similar role here, being a favorite between 10 and 20 points during his career at Penn State. He's good in this kind of role. 18-8-2 against the spread during this time period.

Starting point is 00:12:33 Overall, Kirk Ferentz 10-8 against Penn State, 11-7 against the spread, 2-4 against Franklin, though he has won the last two against Franklin, including that epic game back in 2021. The last time Iowa was in Penn State, nobody was in the building. It was 2020, a little bit different. And as we talked about yesterday, Davion Nixon made the 70-yard interception return for the touchdown that sealed that one as Iowa won going away. This is a different Penn State team.

Starting point is 00:13:02 This is a different Penn State team that Iowa saw two years ago in Kinnick Stadium, and it starts at the quarterback position. Drew Aller is a stud. Now, the question remains. He got a little begged up, took a hit late in the Illinois game. You look at the overall numbers, they were not elite. A defense for Illinois that I believe in, and though the line I had not played great up until this point, Aller, he is in control of everything. This is a five-star. This is a guy that can run it, can throw it, incredibly productive to this part of the season, completing 78% of his throws, four touchdowns, no interceptions. But I believe he hasn't seen a defense quite like this. So here's my keys. This is how it's done. This is what it's going to take. And starting with the defense or special teams, as you go back in history, Davion Nixon having

Starting point is 00:13:52 to pick six to salt away the game against Penn State. 2009, Adrian Claiborne with the block punt. I was going to need something special to happen either defensively or on special teams, probably with the score. Cooper Dejean on a punt return. Caleb Wettgen on a kick return. Something like that. A pick six, a scoop and score. The defense or the special teams, I believe, is going to have to score for Iowa to win

Starting point is 00:14:20 this game. We know about the limitations offensively. We know about the issues. And we've talked about them ad nauseum here on Lockdown Hawkeyes. In order for them not to keep it close, not to have a chance, not to maybe gain respect for people even in a losing effort, Cade McNamara was not brought in here for anything like that, right? Cade McNamara was brought in to win big games. Iowa, they can beat Purdue and Minnesota and Nebraska and teams like that. Iowa's showing the ability, even with bad quarterback play, that they can beat those

Starting point is 00:14:49 teams. What they haven't shown recently with bad quarterback play is to be able to win those games. Well, McNamara, if he can play better than what we've seen, if he can bring it to a higher level, maybe Iowa's got a chance. But it starts, I think, with the defense and special teams. And you look historically, when Iowa's won in state college, the defense has been the name of the game or special teams scoring some points. A couple other keys to the game. If I was going to pull this off, when we talk about special teams, Iowa has to dominate special teams. We know about Torrey Taylor, preseason All-American. He's really good. I mean, I was just in really good shape with Torrey Taylor and what he does, not only his ability to boom the football, but also his ability to pin teams deep,

Starting point is 00:15:31 make it a long field, make teams drive 95 yards, be backed up on the shadows of the goalpost. Those are the kind of things that you're going to need out of this team. You need it good. Drew Stevens missed a field goal against Western Michigan. Overall, we know how solid he is. He's got to be up to snuff. And I mentioned the return game from Dejean and Wetchin. This is where Iowa has an opportunity. When you look at the statistical profile of this football game, in the early portion of the season,

Starting point is 00:15:58 Iowa has a chance not just to win special teams, but to dominate special teams. Here's a couple of numbers for you early on in the season. Net putting, 77th in the country for Penn State. Punt returns, Nittany Lions, 74th in the country. Kickoff returns, 65th in the country. Those are numbers that Iowa can win and win going away. They hit it, you hit in yardage. Look, if Iowa wins this game, the likelihood that they out-game Penn State is incredibly small. Even in a win, Penn State likely is going to out-gain Iowa. We know how it's done. Play well. Bend but don't break. All the things that we've talked about now

Starting point is 00:16:38 for a quarter century with Iowa football under Kirk Ferentz, those things still ring true. Penn State's more than likely, regardless of outcome, going to outgain Iowa. How you cover that up? Hidden yardage. Win the punting game. Win the field goal kicking. In fact, just one of three on field goals this year for Penn State. They've tried out two different guys back there.

Starting point is 00:16:58 That is something that Iowa, if they're going to win this football game, need a score or at least a short field set up by the defense or the special teams. And the special teams not just have to win, they have to dominate on that. Converting in the red zone. That is something that the last couple of years as the offense has absolutely cratered. Iowa's been awful at that the last two years. Before that though, you go back when they had a couple of talented tight ends, first rounders, when they had a couple of tight talented tight ends first rounders when they had TJ Hawkinson and Noah Phan out there to put together Iowa was really good in the red zone and so far they've been good in the red zone again this season that is another spot where statistically Penn State hasn't been great in red zone defense in fact right now they're tied for 109th in the country in red zone defense so when Iowa Iowa gets there, not just getting field goals, getting touchdowns, there might

Starting point is 00:17:48 only be a couple opportunities. Heck, maybe it's only one opportunity in the red zone. When you get there, you have to be able to punch it in. Need sixes, not threes when you get into the red zone and then controlling the football. Penn State is one of the top teams in the country in time of possession. Iowa wants to control it. They want to grind this thing out. They do not want to allow Penn State to have 90 some plays out there. And I was running 42. They just, the math doesn't work on that one. Control the football, pick up the first downs, but the second and two don't have to go for the home run every time and try to make the big play.

Starting point is 00:18:23 Just get that fresh set of downs, keep it moving. Keep the clock running and shorten this game up. Penn State's very good at this too. And Iowa doesn't have to have 34, 36 minutes of time of possession to win the football game, but keep it relatively close. Don't have it be the other way where Penn State's got a 36 minutes and Iowa's got a 24. They're going to be in trouble. And finally, it comes full circle. Yes, Cade McNamara. We need good Cade. Not the guy we saw against Western Michigan. Not the guy that was indecisive with the football. Not the guy that made the bad decisions on the interceptions, including the one at the end of the first half. Get rid of the ball. Get out of there quickly. Live to see another day behind an offensive

Starting point is 00:19:04 line that still has question marks. You've got to get the ball out quick. You got to believe in what you're seeing with more reps. Another full week of practice now for Cade McNamara after the August injury. That's what you need. So there it is. Special teams or defense. If not a score, got to give them a short field, a time or two. A game-changing play from either the defense or the special teams. Special teams have to dominate this football game. Converting when you get in the red zone. Touchdowns, not field goals, and control the football at a good Caden McNamara. Is that a lot to ask?

Starting point is 00:19:37 Well, yeah, it kind of is. But Iowa can do it. They've done it before. Will they do it Saturday? We will find out. We will wrap things up with a little basketball talk. The basketball schedule is out for the men's basketball team and Kaitlyn Clark, another prestigious award for her should come as no surprise. They just continue

Starting point is 00:19:57 to pile up for Kaitlyn Clark. We'll do that as we continue here on Lockdown Hawkeyes. Today's episode of the Locked on Hawkeyes podcast is brought to you by GameTime. Well, GameTime is a great app to go to for all your last minute ticket deals. Heck, maybe you're heading out to Pennsylvania, going out to State College for the game this weekend, looking for the tickets.

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Starting point is 00:21:52 channels, we'll go live from 10 to noon central time all across all of our platforms with all the different channels. Lockdown college football kickoff live will cover playoff implications, including, of course, Penn State and Iowa conference rivalry games. Yeah, this is a rivalry game. And go in-depth like only Locked On can for insight and analysis from our stable of Locked On college hosts covering their team every day. You can find Locked On College Football Kickoff Live every Friday, 10 a.m. to noon on any Locked On College YouTube channel.

Starting point is 00:22:25 You won't want to miss it. All right. So basketball. We haven't talked much basketball because, well, it's football season. And that's what we're going to talk about. But a couple of things. First, Caitlin Clark, another award. And to be honest, I never heard of this award that she received.

Starting point is 00:22:43 But it's a big deal. It's a big deal. This is the Sullivan Award. It's prestigious. You look at the names of past recipients of this award. It's the who's who of college athletics. I mean, there's some incredible names on this list. It just continues to build as we get ready here, less than a month away from the crossover at Kinnick, you can see over my shoulder here. If you're watching on YouTube, the last time we had a indoor sporting event, the wrestling match against Oklahoma state that was there at Kinnick. Well, this one's going to surpass that one. Lisa Bluter said during the broadcast against Western Michigan that over 45,000 tickets have been sold already. It's going to be an incredible environment. Let's hope the weather holds out, but

Starting point is 00:23:28 Kaitlin Clark just continuing to do special things. The other part is on the men's basketball side, the non-conference portion of the schedule has been completely set along with the conference schedule that came out today from the Big Ten. So you look through and no surprise, there's plenty of cupcakes in there, as there should be in a team that loses a lot, has a lot of question marks coming into the season. I have huge concerns about this men's basketball team and where they're going to be defensively, something that has never been a strength of Fran McCaffrey's team. And you look at the makeup of this roster, it gets a little unnerving when you go through that.

Starting point is 00:24:09 But the bye games are bye games, and there's a bunch of them on the schedule. North Dakota, Alabama State, Arkansas State, North Florida, Florida A&M, that game will be in Des Moines, along with Maryland, Baltimore County, and Northern Illinois. That's what you have with the bye games. Other than that, they go to Creighton in the Gavit Games. We talked about that before.

Starting point is 00:24:29 The San Diego tournament, they'll take on Oklahoma in the first game, and then either USC or Seton Hall in the second game of that one. And this year, it's a road trip to Iowa State. So where my eyes always go with the schedule and the new-ish now, early season Big Ten games that are played there late November, early December, depending on the calendar every single year. This is what Iowa's got right after that. Their first Big Ten game at Purdue. Good luck. Then they have the game against Iowa State a couple days later. Then they have a home game against Michigan. Now that

Starting point is 00:25:03 Michigan game is a little more winnable, but that three-game gauntlet is going to be incredibly important for this team and finding a way if they're going to put themselves with the chance, getting a win at minimum and maybe a couple wins to put themselves in position. At Wisconsin, then when they get back to conference play again, that will be the second opener, if you will, on the road against Bucky, then home for Rutgers or Nebraska. One thing, Iowa's got to get off to a really strong start this year in the Big Ten because down the stretch, they have a gauntlet. They go on the road late in

Starting point is 00:25:36 the season at Maryland, home for Wisconsin, at Michigan State, at Illinois, Penn State at home, okay, at Northwestern, not easy, and then Illinois at home again. Those final games there, that final stretch of, what is that, seven games, is going to be incredibly difficult to find wins. Get that work done early. Get off to a good start, and you know what, if we're talking about a Fran fade, put yourself in position to at least have a chance. Get us to November, to February, excuse me, and at least be talking to at least have a chance. Get us to February and at least be talking about a team with a chance. I think it's going to be a tall task. A lot of new faces out there. Let's hope the youngsters, the Brock Hardings, the Owen Freemans, Dambale, let's hope those guys are able to pop. Of course, Price Sanford also coming in in that recruiting class.

Starting point is 00:26:21 We'll hope and we will talk more hoops as we get closer to the season. But it's football season. I gave you the blueprint. Can Iowa win this football game? We got more coming up for you this week on Lockdown Hawkeyes. LaShawn is going to join us. LaShawn Daniels, former Hawkeye running back. We saw the running game get going. What a LaShawn scene. We'll break things down with him later in the week and also efforting to get a little crossover podcast and get a little more intel with our Lockdown Nittany Lion page and find out a little more about this Penn State game. And I told you, at least the online fan base for Penn State, they're fired up for this one. They did not forget two years ago. They are going to be ready for the Hawkeyes making their way out there.

Starting point is 00:27:05 Going to be a fun one. Oh, and I was going to be wearing the black pants. How about that? Good luck. Looking solid out there. Now, I'm very much a traditionalist. I'm also the self-appointed uniforms are for the state of Iowa. Thumbs up.

Starting point is 00:27:19 Thought it looked sharp. Cooper Dijon looked good in the video. You can find that. Lockdown Hawkeyes on Twitter. Retweeted that one if you missed the video. You can find that. Lockdown Hawkeyes on Twitter. I retweeted that one if you missed the video. Hey, give us a follow over there. Give us a follow right here as well. Subscribe on YouTube.

Starting point is 00:27:31 Five-star rating if you're on the podcast side. We greatly appreciate it. As always, thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Go Hawks.

Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa Football: Press Conference Notes & How Iowa beats Penn State

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