Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Kadyn Proctor coming home? New faces for Hawkeye Wrestling? & the hoops weekend with David Eickholt from 247 Sports Hawkeye Insider

Episode Date: January 11, 2024

Trent Condon opens the show talking about the news of Nick Saban retiring as the football coach at Alabama and how that may relate to Iowa with Kadyn Proctor and a potential of him returning to Iowa after his freshman campaign in Alabama.David Eickholt from Hawkeye Insider, part of 247 Sports then joins Trent to talk men's and women's basketball along with the search for a new offensive coordinator, Kadyn Proctor and more before finishing up with some talk about potential changes to the Hawkeye wrestling roster and line up as they move into the 2nd semester of the season.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!LinkedInThese days every new potential hire can feel like a high stakes wager for your small business. That’s why LinkedIn Jobs helps find the right people for your team, faster and for free. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/lockedoncollege. Terms and conditions apply.Jase MedicalEmpower yourself when you purchase a Jase Case, providing you with a personal supply of 5 antibiotics that treat 50+ infections. Get yours today at jasemedical.com and use code LOCKEDON to get $20 off your order. GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelRight now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY in BONUS BETS – GUARANTEED when you place a FIVE DOLLAR BET.  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

Nick Saban has retired from coaching football, but Trent, what does that have to do with Iowa football? Well, there's a big offense alignment with Iowa ties. Caden Proctor, could he return home? 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. 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 LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Well, we got a busy one here today as we got a lot of things going on in the world of Hawkeye athletics, the continued search for an offensive coordinator. We have talked about that a lot and we got a whole lot more coming up. David Eicholt from 24 seven sports Hawkeye insider.com. We'll stop in and we will talk a little bit to David about that, about what they are going

to do in the basketball realm. We'll get some hoops talk also going on and a whole lot more that's coming up here in the program today. But we kick it off with the news of the college football world, and that is the loss of Nick Saban. Nick Saban, a guy that Iowa's path has crossed a few times in the past, going back to his days at Michigan State, of course, when he was the coach at LSU in the 2005 Capital One Bowl after the 2004 season. The Drew Tate touchdown to Warren Holloway that proved to be the game winner on the final play of regulation. What a great moment that was for the Hawkeyes and sent him off to the NFL in a losing note as he went to Miami after that

football game. But we're here to talk about the here and now. And the here and now is that there is potential that Caden Proctor very well could be looking to come home. So just passing around some different rumblings and rumors that have been out there. Obviously, where I'm located, I am here in Des Moines. I have called high school athletics now for 15 years in Central Iowa. I have a lot of connections to coaches, administrators,

people inside the school districts, and there was a lot of smoke during the winter break. Ken Proctor's back in Alabama right now getting ready to start classes next week, but a whole lot of smoke that things didn't get well in his freshman campaign. Now, if you saw him on the field, you saw him as a day one starter, as a true freshman at left tackle for Alabama, what is crazy in its own right, but it didn't go very well early on in the season. That offensive line was much maligned. Caden Proctor was right at the middle of it. He really struggled early in the season for the Crimson Tide. And though he got better as the year went on, got beat up pretty badly by Michigan in the college football playoff in the Rose Bowl in that semifinal game. Look, everybody got beat up.

Look at the Washington offensive line, the Joe Moore Award winning offensive line from Washington. People are going to get beat up. But he really improved as the year went on. You saw why he was a five star while everybody in the country wanted him. And if you remember his recruiting, it went down to the final hour. Iowa thought that he had locked himself into Iowa, that he was comfortable with his decision during the course of his senior season.

He took some visits, including Oregon, including Alabama. And eventually right before signing day, he flipped his commitment from Iowa and made it obviously known. But there was smoke that he wasn't real happy, maybe in Alabama, that he was looking at a change in what it would take for him to get into the portal. And if he would, would Iowa be willing to re-engage with him? I think Iowa would be willing to do that. There are fences that need to be mended, bridges that need to be rebuilt.

That needs to be a part of that. And I believe that Proctor was willing to do that, but also the opportunities that he had from the Swarm Collective. Are they the same as they were back a year ago, basically at this time, 13 months ago? That's probably changed. And what's on the plate for him right now might be different, but we will see. The transfer window has opened back up for these players at Alabama. After a coach leaves, the window opens up. Now, remember, classes are starting very soon. You got that component. Yeah, these are still student athletes. Sometimes we do forget that, but that certainly needs to be a consideration

and something that is talked about overall with this. But just something to keep an eye on here. This is not that it's happening. This is not me reporting anything. That's not what I'm doing. What I like to do is pass around some of the rumors that are out there. And that's all that this is, is rumors. There's nothing concrete. There's nothing that is inevitable. Don't be going and running along to the message boards and going to your Facebook group and doing those kinds of

things and saying, I'm reporting that because that's not true. But the smoke has been out there. It's been out there for a while. It looked like after their season came to a close, there was a potential maybe he was going to enter the portal. We'll talk about this a little bit more coming up with David Eichel. It is the big news, though, and a potential starter on that offensive line, an offensive line that has been pretty bad the last couple of years. You add in that kind of talent to the offensive line, that's a pretty good thing.

Did it end well? No, it didn't. Do things need to be amended, changed, fixed? No doubt about it. But is there potential? I believe that there is. David Eichel coming up next. We're talking Hawkeye hoops with him. We will get into that.

Talk about the Caden Proctor situation. What's happening in the search for the offensive coordinator? We will do all that. Then a little bit later on, little Iowa wrestling, the changes and potential new changes for the Hawkeye wrestling program. Obviously, the Ferraris have been at the forefront of the conversation. What about Ben Keeter? We'll get in that as well.

We continue coming up next with David Eichold here as we talk Hawkeye sports with you. This is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. talk Hawkeye sports with you. This is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Today's episode is brought to you by the Game Time app. I was at the Final Four with my daughter a year ago. No, not as a media member.

I was there as a fan, and it was incredibly frustrating trying to find tickets. There just weren't tickets that were available. Well, Game Time can help you out in a situation just like that. They have killer last-minute deals, all-in prices, view from your seats, and their best price guarantee. GameTime takes the guesswork out of buying tickets. I love the ability to have those last-minute deals. How about this? You can get tickets right up until the start of the event.

GameTime has deals on those tickets right until the start of the event, even an hour after it starts. Hey, maybe wait a little bit. See if those prices drop. You can do that with game time. It's the place to find last minute seats and they have exclusive flash deals and sponsor deals on tickets for football,

basketball, baseball, concerts, comedy, theater, and a whole lot more. And the game time guarantee means you'll always get the best price. If you find tickets in the same section and row for less, GameTime will credit you 110% of the difference. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account, use code locked on for 20 off your first purchase terms apply

again create an account redeem code locked on l-o-c-k-e-d-o-n for 20 off download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed impending snowstorm that can mean only one thing iowa basketball getting ready to play a home game in january joining us to talk about that and a whole lot more he is david eichel 24-7 sports and he joins us here today david as always appreciate the time thanks for jumping aboard with us yeah getting ready getting the chains on the tires getting your way to carver over the weekend yeah i'm still waiting for my parka to come in the mail but you know we'll we'll trudge through it maybe get eight dogs in a sled and maybe that's how i'll get there based on the snow but we'll we'll find a way regardless to get there 8 30 tip off difficult in its own right coupled with the winter storm that's going to be coming in overnight iowa

basketball throughout the years look we've seen the attendance figures. They have not been great, certainly this season, and it dissipated even more from even past years. But it feels like this one's going to be a tough one to get people inside of Carver on Friday night. Yeah, and, you know, I just remembered the 8.30 start time myself because I wasn't going to check until tomorrow, but I remember that was the story.

So thanks for reminding me of that. But I'm with you. I mean, with the snow storm and everything else going on. And, you know, I know a lot of people talk about the attendance. I do think there's a little bit of kind of, you know, apathy, like a lethargic feeling about Iowa men's basketball from the fan base. But I'd also point to this, that there's so much demand for women's basketball right now. And to see Iowa women's I think people are just much more willing to put in their time and funds uh to go see the women's team and you know I don't blame them when you have a talent like Caitlin Clark on that team but I'm very curious what the crowd's going to look like tomorrow I know the students might be starting to

come back here over the next couple of days as well but you know with Nebraska this is not your father's Nebraska team I mean they're fresh off a thrashing of number one Purdue I think this is the roster that Hoiberg's really been uh you know trying to build I think over the past couple of seasons but with that being said best case scenario for Iowa in this game might have been Nebraska beating number one Purdue earlier this week I'm right there with you and we see it happen so often in college athletics that let down after a big victory going on the road. They're probably going to have to change their plans, had to get out of Lincoln a little bit earlier than they normally would. Going to be a whole

lot there and Iowa got their first win over the weekend against Rutgers. Plenty of time to prepare. The question is they did it without Patrick McCaffrey. It was an anticipation that he was going to be back. What's the latest on Patrick McCaffrey returning for was an anticipation that he was going to be back. What's the latest on Patrick McCaffrey returning for the Hawkeyes on the matchup tomorrow night? Yeah, I still think his fast is up in the air, but just kind of reading in between the lines with Fran McCaffrey yesterday, I think Fran's full expectation is Patrick's going to go. He said he's not 100%, but he's doing quote much better. He was going to do some stuff in practice yesterday. We'll see what happens today when the team meets for a shoot around and everything else. But I, right now, just based off

Fran's language, I believe that Patrick will play tomorrow. And, you know, I think you're, you need as much length as you can get against this Nebraska team, especially when you have to defend a guy like he say, Toma Naga, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite players in the big 10 to watch. If not not the country is off the ball. Movement is awesome. And he just brings a really cool energy to the game. But I expect Tony Perkins to really kind of be in charge of that if they go man on man. But for Patrick, again, I think it's going to be a game time decision. But from, you know, from Fran, I'm not going to be surprised if Patrick goes.

So it was illness that was cited before the game Saturday against Rutgers, yet he showed up on the bench. Illness does not have to mean sickness. So what are we led to believe on that front? He had the break, the mental pause a year ago. Is it more that? Was it actually a sickness or is it just open to interpretation at this point in time? Yeah, I think it's open to interpretation.

I mean, as you mentioned, he was on the bench with the team despite being listed with an illness, and we haven't really asked Fran directly about it. I think the way we, as a media, have kind of phrased it is, how's Patrick doing? How's he kind of feeling? More than anything else. So I would say it's open to interpretation,

but I think that's really all we can say right now, just because I'm kind of with you. I really don't want to speculate if the anxiety is flaring up or if he's having some mental health issues, if that is the case, you know, we've seen Patrick last year, he came out with a statement and took that, I believe it was a six game pause and really opened up a big conversation among big 10 teams regarding, you know, athletes and anxiety. So I think if that is the case again i i think maybe we'll find out more in the future about that and i bet patrick would i don't want to say happily go public with

that again but he's already done it once so you know it's it's not out of the realm of possibilities that he would do it again but i do think right now it's kind of too early to speculate on it saw uh brock harding his minutes uh dropping down down to single digits against ruckers just nine minutes in that one, 12 against Wisconsin, 13 against Northern Illinois, going back to the final game of the non-conference. Is it just a fact right now that too much out there? Ray McCaffrey just thinks that there's better options at the point guard spot. Why have we not seen as many minutes? I thought they'd be increasing as the year went on for Brock Harding. Yeah, I think that's kind of what I'm interested in as well. I'm with you, especially, you know, before. Yeah, I think that's kind of what I'm interested

in as well. I'm with you, especially, you know, before those games, I mean, he put up a double double first career, double double against UMBC 10 and 10 had a lot of those flashy passes. You know, I think it's going to be interesting to kind of watch because I do think there is a big adjustment period when it comes to defending in the big 10 level. I know people might roll their eyes. Oh yeah. Frame McCaffrey coach defenses. But we always knew that Brock Harding's size and just can't, you know, he's listed at six feet tall. Trent, he's probably not five, 10 and a half. Like he's not six feet tall. Okay. As, as somebody who is six foot four, I'm telling you, he's not six feet tall. But I do think

they know the defense is a problem right now. I still think he has to become a little bit more consistent of a shooter. I mean, he right now he's one for his last eight and he's only, you know, one of his last 10 from the field as well. One of eight from three, one of 10 from the field. So I think that's also a concern. And when you just don't have the size, you don't have the length to defend big 10 guards. We know we can protect the basketball. We know he makes good passes, but I think right now it's just about learning and growing and making most of those minutes that he will get just to kind of overcome, I don't want to say those shortcomings, but just that transition period to really, really big-time basketball

rather than a Northern Illinois, rather than a UMBC. We're talking with 6'2", David Eicholt from 24-7 Sports. All right, Eicholt. This is the appetizer for Saturday night and what should be an epic showdown. Mackenzie Holmes and Indiana come in. The last time they were in Carver, Kaitlin Clark walked it off

with the buzzer beater in the corner to send Iowa to the regular season title. Should be another great matchup and certainly the best team that Iowa's seen in a really long time with the Hoosiers coming to town. What do you think we're going to see Saturday night? I can't wait.

I mean, you got Gus Johnson coming in, I believe. It's going to be nationally televised on Fox. I mean, this is big-time women's basketball. I really think this is going to be another one of those classic legacy Kaitlin Clark games. And you know that there has to be a rivalry between Terry Moore and this Indiana team and Kaitlin Clark and these Hawkeyes. And I'm really excited to see the intensity.

I'm curious if they, if they finally learned a double team Caitlin Clark off the inbounds, especially when everybody knows that she's going to take the shot, but this is going to be a game where if Caitlin Clark drops 40, 45 points trend, I'm seriously not going to be surprised. I think Mackenzie Holmes is going to be a big problem in post. I think Hannah Stolke, Sharon Goodman, and yeah, that's no great.

You're going to have to put together the most consistent defensive performance and an x factor for indiana sydney parish has been tremendous this year she's been red hot from three over these past couple of games she can really play a big factor as well we know they lost grace burger but as you mentioned i think this is the most complete team iowa's probably played this year kansas state we know their defense is very good we know iowa split the season series in a non-conference uh but this is the most complete team Iowa's probably played this year Kansas State we know their defense is very good we know Iowa split the season series in the non-conference but this is going to kind of give one team an upper hand in the Big Ten conference so if Iowa wants to make it another Big Ten title this is a quote-unquote must-win game in my opinion because the Big Ten's not as good as I think a lot of people thought now that we're kind of in the midst of college basketball

great shooting night last night overall for the squad. Gabby Marshall starting to find her stroke a little bit. Four more three-pointers after shooting well against Rutgers last Friday night. You know, I want to talk to you about Sydney Affolter, a young lady that you wondered kind of what her role was going to be. We saw her in spurts a season ago, but not a whole lot. She has come in there, and for somebody listed at 5'11", she's incredibly strong.

She's an excellent rebounder. She can knock down shots. She has become a really important piece to this Iowa team, and if they're going to get to the heights of a year ago, I think a falter is going to be a big part of that. She's just tough, man. I mean, that's the thing. You need players like her on your team if you want to go far.

I look at her. I look at Kate i look at kate martin who's playing i think the best offensive basketball of her career she's you know she can give you 15 a night at this point which is a game-changing thing for this iowa offense but you're right a falters hustle her ability to hit the three she's not afraid to step back out her percentages are going up she's averaging seven and a half and seven she's a double double you know she could get you that every night i think with with significant minutes had 14 six and four assists last night only one turnover five or six from the field she's playing her most consistent basketball of her career i

think we've seen flashes even a year ago i know she only averaged two and two and a half but for her to really just embrace the role of being i would say her and kate martin being the toughest players on the floor and that's no shot at cait Kaitlyn Clark for as much contact as she takes when she drives in. A falter in Martin, just the little things they do, the hustle plays, the way they defend, the way they're just so scrappy. She's been incredibly, incredibly impressive this season, and you're right. I think if Iowa wants to make another final four run, they're going to need Simia Falter to continue doing what she's doing. And yeah, she might

not start, but I'll tell you, she is going to be in some of those end-of-game lineups, because you just can't replace, I think, what she brings to the table. It'll be fun on Saturday night, and I do wonder, with obviously the NFL playoff game being on Peacock and people searching around. I had to call my dad last night. He's a Chiefs

fan, and make sure that he had everything set up. He thinks he does, but there's going to be plenty of people. Well, I can't figure this Peacock thing out. I guess I'll be watching women's hoops. I'm very excited to see what kind of number this does on big spot of Fox Saturday night. Yeah. And again, I think Caitlin Clark's profile is just completely taken off. And I think Fox has done a tremendous job in promoting this game. Gus Johnson being on the call. I think I think you know they've been talking about this for I think at least over a week now maybe a week and a half so you just kind of don't see that buzz you know not even just about their men's games which especially in women's basketball so for them to really kind of use this as a

a forefront of what women's college basketball could be and putting the biggest stars on the biggest stage I think they've done a really really good job of that and i'm with you i think peacock's going to play a significant factor as well uh the fact that the playoff game's on there and people just don't want to invest the money they'll just read the updates on twitter or go to espn or something to get the updates on that game and turn on uh caitlin clark and the hawkeyes taking on a really good indiana team hawkeye insider.com where you go for david Eicholt and a lot of conversation happening on the message boards about a whole lot of things as it pertains to football. Let's get into the football talk now here, David, and start things off the search for

the offensive coordinator. Here we are, January 11th, deep into the second week of January, second or third week in January is what Kirk Ferentz initially said back when you guys were covering things and hearing things about what was going to happen with this search for the OC. Here we are. Where are we? What kind of update can you give the listeners? Yeah, I think that's the big question mark right now. I still think, you know, there's a lot of rumblings that Paul Crist was, you know, you know, no longer the front runner. I can confirm that that's really not true right now. I still think Paul Crist is

in the midst of, you know, potentially taking the job. Joe Philbin, I still believe is a candidate as well. There's still some mystery candidates that have been rumored, nothing really hardcore confirmed. A lot of sources are pretty locked on about it. And I know Iowa fans are very frustrated about how this process has played out, especially when you look at, oh, Nick Saban retired yesterday, and then they told their players, hey, we're going to have a head coach, hopefully within the next 72 hours. Iowa's now going on, I believe, day 73 since Ryan Fentz has been terminated. Day 73.

And I know you aren't going to do it in the midst of the season. I completely get that. But I do think right now now i think we'll hear something by next week i think it has to be in place and you know the reality is right now with the portal being closed except you know to alabama and you know other programs making head coaching changes there's really no more need to be quote unquote in a hurry they just need to get this higher right i think at this point more than anything else trent again i know people are frustrated i can assure you that people like Trent, myself, and a lot of my

other media colleagues are just as fed up as everyone else about this. I think we're all ready for this to kind of go away, I think, at this point and just kind of look ahead rather than just kind of waiting for news to happen. No doubt about it. Yes, it's something that has just been lingering and being drug on and so many different things out there. One thing that I have heard, I don't know if you've heard the same kind of thing. In order to get a big time offensive coordinator, you've got to spend money. Do we know if the athletic department, the football program, we know money shouldn't be an object. Has money been a conversation piece as they've looked out there and reached out to some different names?

Yeah, I think it has been. I think you look at Brian Ferenc's salary, you know, from last year, $750,000. And if you really want to get in the high level offensive coordinator, you got to shell out a million and a half, I would say at least. And on top of that trend, how are you going to pay someone to come fix the offense

when you don't, when you have the nation's best defensive coordinator not even making that much money? Because if you bring in offensive coordinator and you pay him a million and a half two million you better damn well give phil parker a raise for what he's done especially over the past three years right uh so i do think money is you know i think it's come up in conversations i don't want to say it's been a make or break from certain candidates but i do think right now i have a concern about if iowa's budget right now is

limiting their candidate pool and i think that should be have a concern about if iowa's budget right now is limiting their candidate pool and i think that should be a legitimate concern going forward yes i think we'll get clarity uh over the next couple weeks how true a lot of those rumors are but i've heard from a variety of sources that right now it is a it is a layer to this problem and i don't want to say it's why i i was been lingering on it but it is going to be an issue i think moving forward but then you look at lsu trend who they just get. They hire the Texas defensive line coach, right? They're paying him $1.25 million. Scared money don't make money. You want to compete? You have an all-time defense? You better start shelling out some money if you want to have a

shot at a playoff next season. Because with that that defense and if the punting is good again next year you need a top 85 offense and i think you're potentially looking at 10 and 2 iowa team i don't think that's that crazy to say we're not talking about anything crazy what you just said a top 85 offense to have a shot of being a playoff team and outside of the game at ohio state as we just find out that Marvin Harrison Jr. has officially declared for the draft. Outside of that game, though, this is about as good of a schedule in the new Big Ten as you could draw off. Yeah, Washington's coming in. They got a bunch of reloads going on. You look at the other opponents. Minnesota, a little payback there for Iowa. Michigan State, year number one of a new regime. Northwestern, Wisconsin, you get them both at home. You beat both those teams

on the road a year ago. UCLA, Chip Kelly, likely in his final season with the Bruins there. Maryland's looking for a new quarterback. Nebraska, I mean, outside of that Buckeye game, this is not a tough Big Ten slate next year. No, it's not. Like you said, Washington is replacing a whole bunch. We'll see what happens with Iowa State.

I know Iowa State fans are very optimistic. That should be an interesting non-conference test. Minnesota really doesn't move a needle for me, and I think Iowa's going to be incredibly motivated after what happened and what shouldn't have happened. I don't care what anybody says. The invalid catch was the stupidest call of the season. Maybe outside of Kaitlin Clark's half-court shot.

I think that didn't count because that probably should have counted too. But, no, I'm with you, man. I mean, I think you look at the schedule, you can see 10-2. You can see 11-1. I think Wisconsin I think you look at the schedule, you can see 10 and 2. You can see 11 and 1. I think Wisconsin at home is going to be a huge game. I would say it's going to be the Big Ten West decider, but there's no more Big Ten West than Big Ten East.

Right? But I'm with you. You know, Iowa returns eight of their 11 defensive starters. There's a lot of opportunity on the table. And, you know, if I'm an offensive coordinator looking at going to Iowa, I see that defense in place. And if I'm Kirk Ferentz, my entire pitch is make this off. I'll give you the table. If I'm an offensive coordinator looking at going to Iowa, I see that defense in place. If I'm Kirk Ferentz, my entire pitch is, I'll give you the keys, make this offense tolerable because we have

a championship-level defense and we have guys that are really, really excited with the potential of the team. They're running it back for a reason. A lot of opportunity, but now the ball is in Kirk Ferentz's court to really make, I would say, one of the most important hires, at least the last important hire of the Kirk Ferentz era court to really make, I would say, one of the most important hires, at least the last important hire of the Kirk Ferentz era. Finally, David, a lot of rumblings over here in Central

Iowa, and I'm sure over in Eastern Iowa during the winter break about Caden Proctor not being overly happy during his freshman campaign in Alabama, maybe looking at the portal. It didn't happen, but now the portal opens back up with the news of Nick Saban, retiring 30 day window now opens up once again, there's definitely been smoke. There's been smoke out there going back to right around Christmas time. And it's been out there for a while. I know here across central Iowa,

but it's just that there's, there's nothing concrete. What do you know about the Caden Proctor situation? And is there a path? Is there a path for him to come the way that he left the Hawkeye football program? Obviously, you know about the Caden Proctor situation? And is there a path, is there a path for him to come the way that he left the Hawkeye football program, obviously, you know, up there waiting for him to come down and then the day before signing day, making his way to Alabama.

What's if anything you can tell us on that front. Yeah. You know, as you mentioned, I mean, I've heard the rumblings as well, but the reality is I'm not going to buy any stock into it until Caden Proctor, if Caden Proctor enters the NCAA transfer transfer portal i think if he enters the ncaa transfer portal i think there's a way in a pathway for him to get back to iowa city um you know i think right now i know there's a lot of ill feelings about it but trent if a five-star offensive tackle number one offensive tackle in his class the guy who started for alabama all 13 games uh 14 games during the

season called and said hey i want to come to your school you're not hanging up the phone mcconnell's class the guy who started for alabama all 13 games uh over 14 games during the season called and said hey i want to come to your school you're not hanging up the phone your pride's not going to be above that especially when you look at the iowa offensive line over the past couple of years you take a guy with kane proctor's makeup a guy that could be a future top 10 nfl draft pick maybe a top five nfl draft pick if he puts it all together. If he enters the NCAA transfer portal, I will be keeping a close eye on Iowa. But until that, if that happens, you know, my guess is he's going to stay at Alabama. And, you know, as you mentioned, the rumblings have been real. But right now he's not in the portal.

And if Alabama finds a way to keep him, good on them. If he enters the portal, you know, there's going to be no short list of sewers for him. But the big deal for me also, Trent, is will there be a no contact on his portal entry? Because if there's a no contact on his portal entry, you know, I'd probably quickly put in a crystal ball for Iowa. Because I think it makes the most sense.

Is that something you guys have access to a 24-7? I know you see a lot of the portal entries. Do you see if that no contact order is in there? Yeah, we will. We have sources that can give us that sort of information. So it'll be, like I said,

it'll be very interesting. I think over the next 72 hours, if he enters the portal, if not, then I anticipate him staying at Alabama. And again, I'm not even saying that the air is the portal. He's going to Iowa because there's going to be no short list of suitors for Caden Proctor if he goes in the portal.

That is David Eichel from 24-7 Sports. A big thank you to David for joining us here today on Lockdown Hawkeyes, breaking things down. A lot of great information. Well, we have talked a lot of football. We have talked about the transfer portal. We have talked about the new OC. We've talked about women's and men's basketball. One thing we haven't touched on, though, is wrestling. Big couple of duels coming up for the Iowa wrestling team. What's that roster going to look like? Ben Keeter off the football field onto the wrestling mat. Is he going to be part of it? Wrestling heavyweight and, of course, the Ferraris. Tom Brands talked earlier this week.

We'll get into that as we continue. This is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Today's episode is brought to you by the FanDuel Sportsbook. The NFL regular season is wrapped up, but the playoffs are here. And that means it's still time for you to get in on the action with FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. New customers get $150 in bonus bets guaranteed when you place a $5 bet. That's $150 in bonus bets.

Win or lose. Love the sound of that one. Look, I've been known to make a bad bet from time to time. Hey, if you put that bet in there and it comes up a loser, that's okay. Your first bet, $150 in bonus bets still coming your way. The FanDuel Sportsbook app is super easy to use and so many different ways for you to bet. They have the same game parlays.

I'm sure you've heard a lot about those. Not only that, they now have live same game parlays. That's right. In the middle of the game, you can bet a same game parlay. See how that game's playing out and go that way. Find bets in the new explore tab, make a parlay in the parlay hub. It's the best way to find the most popular parlays and so much more. So visit fanduel.com slash locked on and make your first bet a layup. That's fanduel.com slash locked on for your first bet. FanDuel, official partner of the NFL.

Trey Connick back with you one final time on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. As we sit here on a Thursday, we got the storm that is making its way here to our great state. We'll be dealing with more shoveling. We'll see storm that is making its way here to our great state. We'll be dealing with more shoveling. We'll see what the attendance looks like. Some reports here on Thursday that Indiana, as they play Saturday against Iowa, is not scheduled to leave until Friday. That's going to be a problem. And that huge epic matchup with the Hoosiers and the Hawkeyes,

a monster one as it pertains to the Big Ten title race. Let's hope maybe they get out there a little bit early. Nebraska, though, on their way as we sit here on Thursday afternoon. And they will be here ready for that 8.30 tip-off. How many people will be able to get into Carver? We will see. Before that matchup, though, against the Huskers, there will be a wrestling match happening on the mat in Lincoln. It's the Hawkeyes and the Huskers on the mat. And, you know, a year that has been filled with so much tumult,

the suspensions, and eventually for guys like Nelson Brands, their career coming to a close. Tony Cassiope with the gambling investigation and the disappointment of that. And because of that, it has created, obviously, holes in the lineup, holes that were not anticipated before that. Ben Keeter now has been back on the mat. Ben Keeter is one of the most talented wrestlers that has come through Iowa in a long time.

Yes, I understand that Spencer Lee is there. He is one of the few guys, though, that his accomplishments before he got to collegiate wrestling are even in the same scale. Ben Keeter, though, has the decision. Do you use this year as a redshirt year? And they go full bore. Look, the likelihood of Iowa, even with Keeter in the lineup, even Keeter making a run to, say, Friday in the semifinals in the NCAA tournament, which I don't think is far-fetched, it's still not enough to close the gap with Penn State. So do you use him in a year where he's still going to be good, he's still going to be talented,

but you're not going to win as a team a national championship? Or do you use this as his redshirt year, go that route, and then make the decision going forward over the next four years what it's going to look like? I think it's something that is incredibly compelling. We'll find out for sure what happens on the mat coming up tomorrow and what Brands is going to do. It looks like the likelihood it's going to continue to be Hill at heavyweight. And then you have the impending Ferrari situation. AJ, after his exploits over in Coralville at the Soldier Salute, after his exploits over in Coralville at the Soldier Salute.

Just a head-scratching moment. How anybody can behave in that fashion. But for many people, it's not a surprise. It's not a surprise in a guy that is not down to his last chance, but is maybe walking on eggshells a little bit more than he had in the past. To come out with that led to some frustrations. A lot of people saying they don't want to see him in a Hawkeye singlet ever. Regardless of how contrite he may be or saying the right things, they don't want to see it. We will find out. Second semester starts here shortly. Next week, second semester

begins and the decision at that point will have to be made. A lot of talk about A.J. Ferrari potentially using this year as his Olympic redshirt year. Boy, Tom, Terry Brands, even Beth Goetz as the interim athletic director. An inevitable situation. It's not a fun situation. How about that? For anybody involved in this one. You got talent. There's no doubt. Talent is not the problem. It's the baggage that comes. How about that for anybody involved in this one? You got talent. There's no doubt.

Talent is not the problem. It's the baggage that comes along with the Ferraris. That'll do it for today here on Lockdown Hawkeyes. As always, thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We got a lot more football coming your way tomorrow as we'll talk the former Hawkeye running back LaShawn Daniels. The offseason is here.

Getting ready for the start of the second semester. What things are going to look like going forward. Your team every day. That's what we do here on the Lockdown Network. Thanks for being with us. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Go Hawks.