Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa Football Rewatch: Inside the Hawkeyes win over Wisconsin

Episode Date: October 16, 2023

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A rewatch of the Iowa win over Wisconsin. We take a look back at the good, the bad, and the ugly as Iowa takes control of the Big Ten West. And let's enjoy the ride, Hawkeye fans, 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. Hey, welcome in.

I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We're available wherever you get podcasts. You can also find us on YouTube. While you're there, make sure you hit that subscribe button. It helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. Today's episode is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code LOCKDOWNCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase.

Well, maybe you're looking to make your way back to Kinnick Stadium coming up on Saturday as the Gophers come to town. Every day, as you know, I talk about this often. This is the biggest rivalry game for me, friends, family. I grew up right next to the border, on the right side of it, on the Iowa side, of course. But I love this game. I love the trophy.

I love the pageantry. I love how much the Gophers hate Iowa. I love the way that Kirk Ferentz has rubbed his, yeah, all over PJ Fleck here over the last seven years. I love everything about this one. Really looking forward to it. Game time, the spot to look for those tickets for the game on Saturday. But before we look forward to the Gophers,

let's look back at the Badgers as Iowa gets the win 15-6 over Wisconsin. It was a game that we talked about in the Instant Reaction podcast was not aesthetically pleasing. And that's the reality of this team throughout the course of the year. This is not going to be pretty. What do you lose your starting quarterback? What do you lose your top two targets in the passing game of luke lachey and eric all what do you have those kind of things happen to

anybody it's going to be some ugliness but iowa found a way and we're going to take a look back here there's some highs there's some lows first a little bit of an overview and people pointing to you know the inadequacies of the offense. And we'll have plenty of conversations about that. That's just what it's going to be. However, mention this in the instant reaction. And it really started to flip as Iowa was securing the win.

You listen last week, you know, I didn't give Iowa much of a shot. I just didn't with the ineptitude of the passing game. I thought that Wisconsin was going to come up with a game plan I just didn't. With the ineptitude of the passing game, I thought that Wisconsin was going to come up with a game plan and make it difficult. With a 240-pound running back against a run defense that had been good, but not at the elite level that we saw this year, I thought that Luke Fickle and his offensive staff led by Phil Longo would come up with a scheme that would

certainly work a whole lot better than what they came up with on Saturday. They played right into Iowa's hands, and it was beautiful. And I was frustrated after the win against Purdue, and I was frustrated against the win against Michigan State, and really because I did expect more. I put my money where my mouth was. I picked this team to win the Big Ten West, and I bet on them at FanDuel to win the Big Ten West.

I got the tickets. I got receipts. I thought that we were going to see a much improved team offensively, and I believe the influx of talent was going to surpass some of the issues from Brian Ferentz. But as the game was making its way through, and it was after Drew Stevens kicks the field goal to make a 10-6, I was ready to embrace it. Enough of the negativity. Enough of the negative talk. It will come up from time to time. It won't completely go away because if we're going to tell the full story of Iowa football, it's still a part of the conversation. However, when the national talking heads go crazy and they start ripping on Iowa and when people are laughing about the offense and the

woes and, oh, their best player is the punter, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, tell them to stick it. And in fact, don't even tell them to stick it. Let them do their thing. Because they want the reaction. That's what they want. They want the reaction to those kind of comments. That's what they're looking for.

They're looking for Iowa fan to go right back at them. Let them have their fun. Let's just enjoy this team. For all its faults, for all its flaws, let's enjoy this football team for what they are. Tough, physical, grind it out. The personality of our state. The personality of this football program.

Kirk Ferentz personified. That's what this team is. So let them have their fun. Let them do their thing. Let's enjoy it. And if Iowa goes out against Minnesota on Saturday afternoon, when they come out with a 9-6 win, enjoy it again. And just keep piling these things up. What comes at the end in a Big Ten championship game, if Iowa gets there, and they're certainly the front runner to get there, we'll get there in a little bit.

If that happens, and there's a behemoth, maybe the best team in the country in Michigan or Penn State in a rematch against the Nittany Lions or the Buckeyes, and remember what happened a year ago. We'll get to that when we get to that. In the here and now, let's enjoy the moment. Enjoy the final year where Iowa gets to play in the Big Ten West.

Enjoy the final year that we'll get to play Purdue and Illinois and Northwestern every single year. Enjoy it for what it is. Have some fun. Take the wins because there's a lot of programs across the country that would trade spots for Iowa. Six and one ranked in the top 25 and inside track to play in your conference championship game. There's probably well over a hundred teams that would die to trade for the position that the Iowa Hawkeyes are in right now. We're in it. Let's enjoy it. Let's get into the game right now. And I'll look back at some of the highs and lows. I loved what they did right away in the football

game coming out and saying, we are going to play physical with you. When the toss will take the football, even with this offense. Yes, we will take the football. Even with this offense, yes, we will take the ball. That's what we're going to do. First play, Caleb Johnson. Second play, Caleb Johnson. And yet they did enough in those two runs that on third and medium, third and five, they ran it again. I love that. Get the first down. A couple more runs, couple more first downs. That's what you love to see from this team. Caleb gets the first two runs. LaShawn comes in. He has the third down. He's their third down back. You completely keep them off base. And really the only negative of the first drive, short of not getting points, of course, was when they finally didn't decide to run the ball. It was third and

three. You knew that Wisconsin obviously was going to be geared up to come after because Iowa hadn't thrown the football yet. I just didn't like the pass play. They set up some kind of middle screen to Eric Hall. Deacon Hill has a strong arm. He has no touch, right? And that was a delicate spot. There was a lot of bodies in there. Just didn't like the play call. Punted away. beautiful punt again by tory taylor shortest one of the day 39 yards well there's a reason for it he was punting from the 43 hits of the two they down it at the four yard line defense comes out gives up a couple of big plays oh boy here we go for our first down pass on a 12 yarder then the big play up the sideline but the big play came

just as they gave the ball back to iowa fourth and one, dashing off the side, Cooper to Jean. Just how incredible that was. Iowa gets the football back. All right, you got this stop. You didn't give up a score. Zero-zero game. You get the ball back. And they run it.

They run it. You get a third down completion by Deacon Hill. Great pass to Eric Gall. You go right back to him again. That's the one that unfortunately ended in the injury. And they kept throwing. Second and five. Throw it.

Pick up a third down. Completion this time to Ragini. As Ragini made the catch on that one. But it was too inconsistent. I wanted to see the game plan we saw in that first drive. Didn't happen. And then it ends in the play that just sent me haywire. Fourth down and three.

You're at the Wisconsin 32. You can kick a 49-yard field goal, take a three-nothing lead, you hope. And from what we've seen out of Drew Stevens bouncing back the way that he did from the week before when he missed two kicks, including having one blocked, I would have gone that direction. Didn't. Again, the play call. And I went back and forth with some people on Twitter that said, well, you know, if, first of all, because of the Eric all injury, your tight end that was playing in that spot is a true freshman playing in a big moment for the first time in his career. You're asking him to go out there and seal the outside guy. And even if they would have read it perfectly and ragged eating would have read that perfectly, the block would have happened. There are three other defenders waiting there from Wisconsin.

It was just a terrible play call. So give it right back to Wisconsin. The news is Wisconsin gives it right back. Get it back after a quick three and out from the Badgers. Start of the second quarter. First, a run at two yards at second down and eight as we go into the next quarter. Then a completion for four yards. Incomplete.

Sacked, actually, on third down. Give it back. All right. So, a couple of pass plays in there. And, again, I just wanted to see Iowa at this point. As we're playing into the second quarter, get back to what you're doing. It's that ground game. That is working a little bit.

Inside zone. Some counters. Old Wisconsin football. Go do that. They finally get the football back after another quick three and out from Wisconsin. First run, Caleb Johnson picks up nine. Second and one, don't take a shot, get the first down. They do that.

You thought, no, it was a loss on the play. Third and two, what are they going to do? They stuck with the run. 82 yards later, LaShawn Williams is into the end zone for the touchdown as Iowa takes a 7-0 lead. That is what we saw throughout the course of this one, sticking with the run. And it just got better and better. Iowa got a third down conversion in the quarter. It would be their last one of the game. That's right. Iowa's last first down conversion. Think of that. Last first down conversion came with what?

About six minutes and change left in the football game. That was last time. Second half completed one ball for two yards, one yard. Check that. That's what we had out of this team. We'll continue with the look back. Some of the spotlight players and some of the big ones that stepped out in this one. I haven't talked much about the defense and we definitely do some of the notes from the look back. Plus the numbers from pro football focus and the updated odds to win the Big Ten West from FanDuel.

We'll do that as we continue. This is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Today's episode of Locked On Hawkeyes is brought to you by GameTime and the GameTime app. You shouldn't have to worry when you're looking to buy tickets for your next big event. Maybe it's the game against the Gophers.

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That is what we have. Love those guys and what they're doing for us here on the lockdown network. Trey kind of continuing with you once again on the lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. So as we make our way through the game, I was up. We're feeling good, right? At least for portions of it. End of the first half.

Clock management again. They were very willing to let Iowa basically run out the clock. And Iowa's snapping the ball. They're back on their own eight-yard line. They're snapping the ball with like eight seconds on the play clock. You just can't do that. You just can't. That is the simple things.

Clock management has been a long time issue for Kirk Ferris coach teams. I know he got a new quarterback out there in Deacon Hill. That should be one of the simplest things that you know. Luckily, as Iowa gives it back on the Torrey Taylor punt, a couple of incompletions and the half comes to a close. But if that would have cost him three, that could have been impactful. Luckily, it was not. We go to the second half.

Tom Kakert of HawkeyeReport.com, he likes to joke about the Kirk lockbox, him and John Boenkamp and Dockerman and Eichholt and all the beat guys, they talk about that often. Put it in the lockbox right well that's what it was here as we begin the second half wisconsin marches down the field they get a field goal to make it 7-3 iowa starts with the pass looking for dionte vines didn't like that run incomplete and from there on first drive of the second half iowa threw the football two times they will throw it two more times the rest of the way incredible field goal

is it seven three and then seven six after another field goal for wisconsin the iowa defense though, did they step up. Sebastian Castro, we talked about him a ton on the Instant Reaction podcast. He was so outstanding. The physical play that you had, just on and on and on. And that continued to pop out. Rewatching the football game again,

it was him and what he was able to do. Getting those tough yards in the ground game, making the big plays. Jay Higgins was all over the place. You know, another guy we got to talk about is Nick Jackson. I thought Nick Jackson early in the season was really struggling. You could tell at times he was maybe a little bit up in his head about the way this game was being played as he moved from a middle linebacker moving outside. There was a lot going on, trying to understand and learn the Phil Parker defense. He has taken a huge, huge step forward this season and what he was able to do in iowa boy the

physicality that they played with sebastian castro coming off the edge on the safety play just monstrous and then ya black just cleaning it up castro selling that he wasn't coming right how many times do you see a guy coming off the edge and they let. You know, they dictate that this is what's going to happen. Now, there's times that you obviously want to show pressure and either bring it or step back out of it. That's a part of football and what they do defensively. But the play before that, and I was like, what are they doing? They're wasting their time out in a tight game.

Wisconsin's facing third and long, backed up inside their 10-yard line. What are you doing? Never second-guess Phil Parker, I guess, is the one that we say on that one. You know, as I said, as we go through the game here and some of my notes from the rewatch of the football game, just keep pounding the football. There was something.

I'm not even sure. It's not orgasmic. That's not the right term. But there was just something that put a put a warm feeling in you beating Wisconsin with that style right just lining up and bullying them we're going right at you this is your style this is your style that you employed with a lot of success for a very long time and going out there and just out physically them. And that was something that made it so, so good

is to be able to do that, to be able to play in that fashion. Incredible. Castro caps it off with the interception. A couple of Neals and Iowa gets out there with the win 15 to 6. Got some numbers for you from Pro Football Focus. Always like to take a look at these each and every week and see if they line up with what our eyes saw. Starting in the offense in the quarterback position,

Deacon Hill was a 50.2. We know the numbers. Not pretty. 6 of 14, 37 yards. He didn't turn it over. And just keep doing that? Hey, maybe. Running back LaShawn Williams was a 77.

Just saw a little bit of Jazzy on Patterson as he works his way back from the ankle injury. Caleb Johnson. There were some more yards to be had, I thought, from Caleb. I thought a little bit of that moving too quick, not letting it develop. We talked about that a lot with LaShawn Williams on Saturday night in the Reaction Podcast for you every dayers. You know that we talked about the patience that he showed in that run. Still need to see a little bit more out of that from Caleb Johnson, getting that patience, and I think something that we've heard

from Liddell Betts talking to that group about. Eric Hall was a top-rated pass catcher before the injury as he had a couple of grabs early in the football game. He's going to be out, though, for the year. Steven Stylianos, a 51.9. Johnny Pacuzzi, a 47.5. Zach Ortworth in his first extended playing time, a 41.9, put him in a difficult spot.

Really, really important that they get Addison a string of back now. I mean, he's kind of the next in the line of what you hope is great tight ends. Maybe we'll see Ortworth eventually get there. That is the hope, but there's a true freshman out there trying to figure it out. Wide receiver, Seth Anderson had the nice run,

didn't get any balls out there. Nico Ragini with a couple of catches, a 55. Deontay Bynes with a 50. They're out there running wind sprints and doing their thing. Your best graded offensive lineman, the big right tackle, Jennings Dunker with a 67.8. I was a bit surprised by this. I know they gave up a couple of sacks, but Mason Richmond was down at a 40.7. Rusty Feth, a 47. Rusty Feth has played, I thought, really, really well. That does not, these grades do not grade out with what I saw from Rusty Feth and that big bulldozer in the middle. Even Logan Jones with a 54, which isn't a great grade by any means.

I thought he played a whole lot better than the way that that one definitely goes out. So those are just a couple of numbers from you as we take a look at the offensive numbers, excuse me, in the football game. Here's defensively from Pro Football Focus and the numbers defensive line. Yes, Y.A. Black, absolutely. That matches the eyes and what we saw,

though statistically, it wasn't anything that you write home about. He was all over the place. That Wisconsin offensive line could not figure him out why black continues to stack his best game on top of each other just week after week exit the game look like a shoulder injury he is on the depth chart this week that's incredibly important thinking that at least he has a chance coming up this weekend aaron gray's another young guy continues to pop for him joe ev didn't play a ton. He wasn't really successful while he was out there very often, though he did help on the

pressure that I believe eventually Aleta Mordecai going out. He was just being held out there all the time. And Joe Evans, when he takes on a big offensive line that can hold all the time, well, Joe Evans isn't going to be very successful. A damn take Craig down at a 56. I thought he was a tick better than that. Linebackers were excellent. Mentioned Nick Jackson a little bit earlier.

He grades out with an 82. Kyler Fisher didn't play a ton, did play a bit. He was a 78, 74 from Jay Higgins. And we know Jay Higgins should be even better than that. Castor, your best defensive back. No surprise. Jamari Harris. Boy, he was bringing some lumber too, huh?

Love to see that from Jamari Harris as he continues to get his feet back underneath him after missing last season with the injury and then the suspension for gambling at the beginning of the year Cooper Dijon to 69 he was good Wampa I thought showed some more physicality that was good to see from him when Choltee not great and uh Cohen Entringer was your dime back the reason for that is we talked about the injury to Deshaun Lee, who looked really good in Harris's absence, I thought. But now also TJ Hall is out. So you're getting down there.

And on the depth chart, Adian Fernandez is listed along with Devin Hilson as the two backup cornerback spots. It's getting thin quickly. And we'll see if we get any update on Lee and Hall. Need those two young cornerbacks back in a big time way. Those are the numbers from Pro Football Focus. More numbers coming your way up on the Lockdown Hawkeyes. Any update on Lee and Hall? Need those two young cornerbacks back in a big time way. Those are the numbers from Pro Football Focus.

More numbers coming your way up on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Next, we take a look at what is happening from the odds. The betting odds from FanDuel to win the Big Ten West, plus a peek ahead at the Minnesota game. Enjoy the ride, Hawkeye fans. This is a fun one, No doubt about it. We continue Lockdown Hawkeyes. Today's episode of the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast is brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company, and it's time for your game changer of the week brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company. Much like LaShawn Williams williams athletic brewing has completely changed

the non-alcoholic beer game they make non-alcoholic beers that actually taste good leshawn had the play that will be remembered for a long time the longest rush from an iowa running back that's tavian banks the longest run that i was ever had against Wisconsin. The 82-yard touchdown run gave Iowa the lead, and they controlled it as they never let the lead escape them in the 15-6 win. Not only that, though, not just that run. Take that away. He was running so hard out there. Looked like he really made it go a long, long ways.

I love that, as he is our Game Changer of the Week, brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company. Hey, their brews are great tasting and award-winning they have beat out full-strength beers in global competitions and fit for all times watching a big game maybe you're at your kids game tackling work or a workout with no hangovers ever you can find athletic in online, and at bars around the country. Find them at a store near you or just go online. It's athleticbrewing.com. First-time customers, use code LOCKDOWN.

You're going to get 15% off your first online order. That's code LOCKDOWN, L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N, at checkout for 15% off at athleticbrewing.com. Near beer, exclusions and conditions apply. Athletic Brewing Company, fit for all times. Trent Conner back with you one final time on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day.

Remember coming up on Fridays, it is college football kickoff live each Friday starting at 10 a.m. Central time on all the lockdown college YouTube channels. You can find the guys talking about everything going on. And hey, fellas, we have to talk a little bit about these Hawkeyes, right? Six in one and ranked in the top 25. As we wrap things up here, let's take a quick peek at the numbers from FanDuel.

These are the numbers to win the Big Ten West. No surprise, Iowa is the betting favorite. They should be, right? Absolutely. Should be, as what we've seen from this team and the victory that they had. Yes, the Hawkeyes should be there. So take a peek at it right now if you're watching on YouTube. I'll read them off to you if you're listening on the audio side of things. Iowa, a minus 160 favorite. That means to win 100, you got to bet 160 to win 100 back. Wisconsin, the second choice at plus 260. But the Tanner Mordecai news, Nebraska plus 650. They're the third choice. Minnesota is 16 to 1, meaning you bet $100, you'd win 1600 on the Gophers. Meaning you bet $100, you'd win $1,600 on the Gophers.

Illinois, next up, they're 30-1. Northwestern also 30-1, and then Purdue at 95-1. Those are your odds to win the Big Ten West and represent the West in the championship game. And it doesn't matter if it's Penn State or Ohio State or Michigan. It's going to be a tall task. Enjoy it, Hawkeye fans. Enjoy it because this is not something that doesn't come around every year, but this might not come back for a long time. 18 teams will comprise the Big Ten next season. The three aforementioned powers of the East, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan,

Wisconsin, we'll see if they improve. Nebraska, improving, you'd think. Bielema, been a rough start to the year. They're not going anywhere. P.J. Flick, hey, his program can win games. Not only that, Purdue represented the West a year ago. Northwestern's been there twice. And here comes USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington. And you have to finish in the top two of an 18-team league to get to the conference championship game. Top two. Iowa basketball's had a lot of success.

And success certainly compared to what they saw under Todd Licklider and Steve Alford and Freya McCaffrey. Top two, that has not happened. This is not going to come around very often. You have a great path. Is this team perfect? No, not even close to it.

Do they have warts? Sure, there's no doubt. But this ride, what this team is going to do, and what they can still accomplish, we just can't sneeze at it, guys. We just can't. Enjoy the ride. Enjoy the ugliness.

Last night on Sound Off on WHO 13 here in Des Moines, John Sears said, embrace the suck. I like that. Embrace the suck. The offense isn't going to be pretty, but if they continue to run the football, if they can keep finding ways to run the football, I'm excited about the way this thing's

going to wrap up. We wrap things up coming up later in the week. Jason's going to stop by my guy. He will be in. We'll talk all things Hawkeyes with him and take a look through. Plus, the return of Statboy. That's right. If you've been with us, you remember Statboy from back in the day. He's got some numbers for us that will come in into the week.

Also later in the week, it will be former Hawkeye running back. Well, Sean Daniels, as he does each and every week talking Hawkeye football with him. Thanks for making lockdown Hawkeyes. Your first listen every day. We'll be back with you again tomorrow.

Go Hawks.