Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - REVELATION?: Slow Mesh Offense UNVEILED by Hawkeyes | Will It REVOLUTIONIZE Iowa's Attack?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Kirk Farrant's upset with his special teams. What's it going to take for Iowa to turn around a tough start to 2025 today? Locked on Hawkeye. 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

Starting point is 00:00:32 Hawkeyes your first listen every day. I've been covering the Hawkeyes for over 20 years on the radio here in the state of Iowa, including currently on the Iowa Sports Radio Network where you can hear me each weekday from noon to tune on Des Moines Sports Station, 106.3 KX&O, along with stations in Sioux

Starting point is 00:00:50 City, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. Today's episode of Lockdown Hawkeyes is brought to you by Fandual. Football season is around the corner. Visit the Fandul app today. and start planning your future bets now. We're going to take a look at the press conferences from today. Kirk Farrant's talk to the media along with the players.

Starting point is 00:01:08 We will break it all down. We'll also hear from Elliott Clough. He was there in Iowa City and get his perspective after his conversations with the players. Plus what we want to see this week against UMass. Yes, that's opponent and the minute men are not very good. But let's begin today from Iowa City and what we heard from Kirk Farrant's first press conference since after the disappointing loss to Iowa State over the weekend, 16, 13, as the Hawkeyes fell in that one.

Starting point is 00:01:35 On top of line, takeaway certainly at the top for me, was just a small clip, but he talked about the disappointment in the special teams. And that was something that we talked about, a key to the game leading into the game against Iowa State over the weekend. I thought Iowa certainly had to win special teams. And when you broke down the game, you look at the differences in the team and the way that they were played, usually it was an advantage for Iowa. Iowa in past years and certainly wasn't on Saturday.

Starting point is 00:02:02 That goes kind of big picture with this team, even as good as the field goal kicking has been now with Drew Stevens. After his disappointing end to his season two years ago on what it's turned into last year and into this year, he's been good. Obviously, Reese Dakin, you feel like in good shape there, but Dacon wasn't at an elite level. But then taking the step further and the disappointment that we saw from the return man in Caden, Weegean. Starting the game off just on a bad note with the penalty, backing them up, and starting that way,

Starting point is 00:02:33 was never able to get any running room and really do much of anything. Went backwards, let a punt dropped. It was just special teams were not a elite factor for Iowa. And when that's the case, you're going to see the Hawkeye struggle. I mean, they have to be at a big time level. And Kirk Ferenz certainly mentioned that. He also talked about the tight end play and the wide receiver play and said that there was some disappointment on that area. wants to see more growth out of that.

Starting point is 00:02:58 He talked about being more balanced. And it kind of leads to what we'll talk about a little bit later and what we want to see in the game against UMass. Against this UMass team that's not good that just lost two Bryant over the weekend. You know that this is going to be an opportunity for Iowa to work on a bunch of different things. And Kirk mentioned, well, first we want to win the game. Yeah, we get that. Secondly, though, is that they want to be balanced.

Starting point is 00:03:21 And if there was ever a time where throw balance out the window, go out there and try to see and try to build not just to see what you have in your passing game but try to build on what you can be and potentially being going forward this is the weekend to do it this is the final tune up for this iowa football team what they are and what they're going to be able to do going forward back to a moment and kaden weechin i will hear from elliott about this a little bit deeper later on kateen weechan mentioned that he was not wearing grass shoes on Saturday. He was wearing turf shoes. Now, I personally don't know the difference. Of course, I don't run a 4-4-40. Not going to matter for me. I'm going to be slow regardless of what kind

Starting point is 00:04:05 of cleats you put in my fat body. However, for a guy like that, to have something, what seems as simple as wearing the right shoes in a football game that's played on grass, it just leaves you scratching your head a little bit the way that played out. Also, Mark Gordowski, talking and hearing from Mark Grinowski and what he had to say. You can see that he's still trying to find his way. And there were drops on Saturday, no doubt. You know, I mentioned it went back and watched, reviewed things on Sunday night.

Starting point is 00:04:39 And going back and watching the second time, the thing that still came up to me, yeah, there were drops, absolutely. But the ball placement has to be better for Mark Grinowski. And it feels like there's a lot of people that are starting to come to the defense of Mark Grinowski. And he wasn't awful, right? But he wasn't great either. And for as good as he was in the run game, and that's going to be something that's going to be important if he's even going to be an average quarterback fry with this year, a big part of that's going to be what he's able to do

Starting point is 00:05:08 with his legs this season. But that was a component that in the passing game, he still needs to be better, too. Yeah, wide receivers, tight ends, they got to help him. It can't afford losses. Another interesting component was the conversation about the slow meshing. You know, and after Warren Rogero was hired in the offseason, we talked a little bit about here on lockdown Hawkeyes, about that slow mesh that he brought to Wake Forest and took a Wake Forest team and brought something different to them. Always a team when he was the offensive coordinator

Starting point is 00:05:37 that were able to score in the ACC, Wake Forest, certainly some disadvantages for that program in comparison to many of their ACC brethren in terms of financial aspect, what they pay in NIL, those kind of things, small private school in comparison to the big schools that are there in the ACC and he was able to close that gap

Starting point is 00:05:57 but he did it with something innovative. Does this become part of something that Iowa does game in and game out? Are we going to see it on Saturday night against UMass? The slow mesh concept is something that absolutely can work at a high level because it has before.

Starting point is 00:06:12 And this is something that adds an extra wrinkle that teams then need to practice against that need to work on that they need to go in and when you're doing that, It's the same thing that we get into special teams. You know, when you add these extra layers to things, it just adds to the hours that are put there in film work and what you do. And then it also takes away from what you're doing of just your basic work that you're doing in preparation for an opponent.

Starting point is 00:06:36 I want to see Iowa use it even more. I want to see Iowa out there six, eight, maybe 10 times a game that this is going to be a concept that they're using because, A, it can be effective. But secondly, it adds an advantage to Iowa and some of the other. other things that they're doing. I'm hopeful that it will be a part, but not overly optimistic because we've had these conversations before about seeing something different, seeing something innovated, going another direction, and hopefully possibly that could be something that will see work out for Iowa.

Starting point is 00:07:09 A couple other things from Kirk. He also mentioned that Addison Estringa, the tight end, is going to be out for the season. An Achilles injury that puts him out for the year, he does have a redshirt season available. so potentially he'll be able to come back next season for the Hawkeyes at the tight end position that the last couple of years has turned into a little bit of a disappointment. Is that by design, tight end usage was not high a year ago. Luke Lechay, though, was coming off that injury or is this something that with the Shanahan offense and the way that Tim Lester runs the offense, that we're not going to see tight ends involved

Starting point is 00:07:42 at the same level of past years. It would be a disappointment, but also another disappointment has been the recruiting at this position. before all the accolades and everything that I was built and building up tight end you and many of those guys, you know, underutilized, under-recruited and the gems that they were able to find in the recruiting world, the Sam Laporteus of the world,

Starting point is 00:08:04 obviously the George Kittles of the world, the guys like that that were not well regarded at the tight-end position and I was able to find them. You were hopeful these last four or five years that Iowa would be able to take that momentum at the tight-end spot and get some of their top-level targets. And that hasn't been the case. They have missed out on a number of the best tight ends that they've been after in the recruiting game.

Starting point is 00:08:24 And certainly a disappointment when you look at that stage. And if you think there would be a position that Iowa would not have trouble recruiting and be the tight end position, unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. Let's go over to Iowa City. We're going to hear from Elliott Club. He was there talking to the players earlier today and also there for the Kirk Farrant's press conference. We'll get Elliott's perspective on what he saw as we continue at a breakdown of the quarterback position, Mark Grunowski, what?

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Starting point is 00:11:03 Now we're going to talk Hawks. Elliot Kluf's been busy this morning as he's been listening to some of the players. They've met with the media, at least a handful of them. Kirk Farrant's coming up in about an hour from right now. so Elliot, then folks at Hawkeye Insider will have that one covered for you. Elliot Trenton, Ken, thank you for coming on. Good to speak with you.

Starting point is 00:11:21 As always, we appreciate you doing this for us on a Tuesday. Who did you meet today? And maybe a takeaway or two from what you heard earlier. Are they over the game on Saturday and looking ahead or is there still some lingering after effects? Yeah, I talked with quite a few guys today, Ken. Caden Weigen, Ethan Herkitt, T.J. Hall group, you know, I think they reflect Kirk Ferrence pretty, pretty well.

Starting point is 00:11:48 Kirk has kind of been known as a coach that can galvanize the guys after a loss and not let a season spiral. And, I mean, you just get that feel from the guys, right? They talked about the Iowa State game, of course. They talked about their mistakes. They talked about how they can improve going forward. But really, I mean, what we hear a lot from these guys after a bad play or after a tough loss is flush it.

Starting point is 00:12:10 And that's pretty much the thought from the guys right now. it's flush it and move on. Talk with Caden Weegean about, you know, some of his returns and then flipping on that pick. And Mark talked about how he can go through his reads a little bit quicker and he felt like he played a lot better this weekend. A little bit more calm, ready to go. But, yeah, not a ton to take away,

Starting point is 00:12:33 especially going into a game like UMass. There's just not a whole lot to talk about when it comes to the Minutemen. Not a stellar program that they're playing this weekend. And so, yeah, it's tough right now. It's just a few days separated from that loss, but they do, they do have that 24-hour rule and they stick to it. They flush it and move on. There was a lot of talk and some of the things that I see that you've compiled over at Hawkeye Insider about the slow mesh. Talking with Gronowski, I think also Ortworth talked a little bit about it.

Starting point is 00:13:03 The slow mesh we saw for a couple of plays. It was intriguing at the very least. Take us a little bit deeper. And is this going to be a building block? and a pretty major ten of what Iowa does going forward? That's a good question. Of course, you know, they don't want to give us everything regarding their plan or their game plans going forward.

Starting point is 00:13:22 But, yeah, it sounds like it's something that they want to do an added wrinkle for the offense and to keep opposing defenses guessing a little bit. It's definitely fun for us, right? Like, we don't usually get to see new wrinkles in an Iowa offense. But, yeah, one thing that Mark said is keeping the defense guessing, and forcing them to, you know, commit to a run or a pass before the plays even really started. Yeah, I think it's something that really interested the staff

Starting point is 00:13:50 when they were looking at bringing on Warren Ruggiero. And to see it already in week two was kind of surprising. And actually, one thing that Mark said is, I think it was the run that he took off himself. They kind of lucked out. Iowa State defense kind of lucked out with the coverage they ran because they were expecting to have a big play over the top. But the coverage at Iowa State ran,

Starting point is 00:14:11 didn't quite allow them to do it. So that was kind of an interesting note to take away. So not just the big play action that they missed on, or sorry, the pass interference that was called with Seth Anderson on the deep shot. They were looking to do it again at another point. It just didn't work out. So kind of an interesting note from today. But, yeah, would not surprise me if they at least continue to run it a couple times,

Starting point is 00:14:35 probably, again, probably not this weekend against UMass where they're not going to want to be showing a lot, but it would not surprise me if they run it, you know, against Rutgers down the road or Oregon or what have you just to keep a defense guessing. The running back position, I was surprised that, surprised maybe not, that Thorel Washington still listed as the starter. There is an oar down there between Williams and Patterson. Boy, sure seemed to me like Patterson might be the guy, at least until some of the walking wounded get back. Patterson, I thought, was one of the more productive hawks this past weekend.

Starting point is 00:15:06 Are you surprised to see him where he is on the depth chart at this point? honestly this is that can i think this is one of those situations where when kirk says don't really pay he doesn't really pay attention to the depth chart this is exactly what this is exactly what he's talking about like like jazz is just going to have to get more carries going forward i think i think there is some strategy to this as well personally i think Xavier williams should be rb one i don't think he touched the ball enough this weekend um and you know maybe that that's that's in part to a few different things that you know the way the iowa state defense is running or who knows maybe he cramped or something up but i thought that he should have

Starting point is 00:15:43 gotten more carries this weekend um as far as jazz to tell you the truth can i i think what they're doing right now is that they're allowing they're allowing if you're willing to get those initial carry and then jazz is just a perfect compliment once the defense starts to you know start off and puffin and puffin a little bit and then you get punched in the mouth i could run just one speed there is there is no there's no hesitancy for the way he runs the ball it is straightforward, 100% gas, all gas, no brakes. And to do that, you know, put the defense on their back yields a little bit, I think. And support the program, if you will, otherwise your B-bite is knocked out.

Starting point is 00:16:23 So, to me, that's the way it looks for the two games, of course, I could change going forward. But that's the way it looks for me, and it's perfect. I mean, you have the playing for the best ball that's played at eyework. Hey, it sounds like, Elliot, you're a little bit faint on the line here. Not sure exactly what happened. that. See if we can get you back on here. Take a step to your right. Yeah, something inside the bowels of the Hawkeye complex or maybe something happened there.

Starting point is 00:16:47 You got us back, Elliot? Yes, I do. How much of that did you catch? Perfect, perfect, perfect. Hey, one final thing for me, I let Ken wrap up with you. And on the defensive side of the football, there were certainly a lot of good moments early in the game, holding them to two field goals. Feels like that they were pretty solid there.

Starting point is 00:17:04 It's one thing that came out of today, the players talking about forcing turnover. Now, you want to play clean, you don't want to get beat over the top. It's difficult to do that. What do you expect to see in order for them to generate that kind of pressure in and to be a little bit more ball hawking to force some turnovers? Yeah, you know, that's a tough call because just the way that Iowa runs their defense is so much predicated on generating pressure and making the quarterback uncomfortable in order to force those turnovers, but it doesn't always result in its backs.

Starting point is 00:17:39 It doesn't always result in pressures. It doesn't always result in QB hits, if you will. I don't know. I think it might have a little bit to do with just the fact that we're early on in the season. Balls haven't been tipped the way that, you know, maybe you would like. I think T.J. Hall, if there's anybody that I had to pick to end up getting, you know, one of those first picks of the season, those first turnovers, it would be him just because of the way that he's played so far this season.

Starting point is 00:18:04 We heard a little bit about him taking his game to the next level this off season. And it really looks to me like he has. Like, of course, Iowa State had a few drops this weekend. But, man, I mean, he's just playing at such a high level, especially relative to what we've seen from him before. You know, honestly, I just think it's time. I think it's getting a little lucky with a tip ball here and there. And we'll see.

Starting point is 00:18:28 You know, I think it'll depend on who they play. It would honestly, like, it'll shock me if they leave this UMass game without a turnover, at least one. Like, there are just too many things that just didn't go their way this last week, that punched ball out by Jaden Harrell, that got recovered by Iowa State. The tip ball that was caught by Gabe Burkle, like, they're going to get one of these things to go their way eventually. And I think if there's an opportunity for it to happen, it's against the minute men as we get. Yeah, sure, similarly would be. I'm with you.

Starting point is 00:18:59 I thought T.J. Hall played well. Another guy we didn't talk about yesterday. Jonathan Pace, so I thought he had a decent game as well. Listen, we're up against the clock, Kelly. Appreciate you doing this for us. We'll grab you next Tuesday if your schedule allows, hopefully for our sake it does. Thank you, bud. I appreciate you coming on.

Starting point is 00:19:14 Sounds good. Thanks, guys. I'm going to talk to you. L.A.Cleft, as we check in on Iowa, Haukeye Insider.com, part of 24-7 Sports. Big thank you again to Elliott Cluff, joining us as we take a look at the Hawkeyes and the press conferences over in Iowa City. And Elliott Clough, you can find him, David Eichold, Sean Bach, all their work over at 24-7 SportsHawkeye Insider.com. Lots of great things. happening there and a lot of great content if you are a hawkeye fan we continue here locked on

Starting point is 00:19:43 hawkeyes we've talked about it time to turn the page what do we want to see saturday night against umass we'll take a look at a couple of the big ticket items we want to see we'll do that as we continue locked on hawkeyes college football is back and i couldn't be more excited i love the pageantry everything that goes along with it tailgating with your friends and family The rivalries, though it didn't go very well last week. The energy in the stands, there's nothing like it. But let's be real. Actually getting tickets can feel like more than a battle than the game itself.

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Starting point is 00:21:13 Swipe, tap, Ticket, go. Download game time today. Trent, kind of back with you one final time on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for being with us and making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. As we put a wrap on things here today, it is time to turn the page. The frustrations of Saturday are still there for me. I'm sure they're still there for you as well. But we have a little bit longer than a 24-hour rule that they have inside of the Iowa football complex.

Starting point is 00:21:47 We stretch things out a little bit more. But once we get through these press conferences, now it's time to really dive in and see what we expect to see, what we want to see on Saturday. And when we look at this UMass team, we'll talk a little bit more about them on tomorrow's lockdown. Hawkeyes, but this is what you want to see from the get-go. I mentioned it at the top, open this thing up, be a little bit more aggressive, bring a little bit more in the passing game, stretching the field, taking some shots down field. And this has been a conversation that we've had now for the last six years of just

Starting point is 00:22:21 seeing this team be more aggressive, do more things of an aggressive in order to stretch the field out. get those safeties playing back having the linebackers not playing on their toes all the time but back on their heels from time to time in iowa is that such a disadvantage because of their reluctancy to do those kind of things it needs to happen so it starts right there take a shot do it early first drive of the game look you're going to win this football game you're going to beat umas you can line up and play bully ball run the ball every single time and you're going to beat this team that's how bad this umas squad is but that's not the problem. That's not the end goal. Yes, the end goal is to win the game. As Kurt said, yes, you want to win the game. Okay, we get that.

Starting point is 00:23:07 Thank you. Yes, everybody wants to win every game that they play. But if this team is still, has a chance to do something this year, if this team is going to build and grow into a team that can beat, so many teams still left on that schedule. And, you know, we talk about the top-level games, Penn State, Oregon, Indiana, USC. But even that next tier game, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, these are difficult opponents. Even the short week that they're going to have next week going out to Rutgers on a Friday night,

Starting point is 00:23:40 it's not going to be an easy one. We saw I would not handle the crowd very well on Saturday. It's not going to be the same kind of environment, but they're still going to be ready to go and Rutgers likely is going to be undefeated when that game happens. And they're going to be charged up for an Iowa program that they know, they look at as a winnable game. So I was got to be ready. And in order to do that, in order to build on it, you have to be able to do those kind of things.

Starting point is 00:24:04 Also, we want to see a little bit more at that tight end position. Now, doing it without what are your best, if not your best, in Addison Estringa, that is going to be a problem. But building now on the strengths of Zach Ortworth. Artworth is a guy that can get down the field. We've seen that in the early moments of his career. He is a guy that has made plays up the field.

Starting point is 00:24:24 So with the speed that he has, use that to an advantage. Get him up the seat. Talk about stretching the field. Use the tight end position to do that. Get him up the seam, do some things with him in order to use and play to his advantages. Zach Wortworth, Vonamey, the red shirt freshman out of Carroll, those guys at this point in their career, they're not built for bully ball. So play to your strengths. Speaking of the tight end position, when I went back, I don't even remember if I brought it up yesterday, but one of the more baths

Starting point is 00:24:54 components is on that final fourth down play. Who did the final target go to as Grinowski was rolling around trying to find somebody open? It went to Hayden Large. We heard all offseason. This wide receiver room was deeper, that there was an ability for them to do more. And on the biggest play of the game, came down to one play to extend the drive, you got a converted fullback on the field trying to catch the final pass.

Starting point is 00:25:21 where is KJ Parker? Where are some of the other guys that we've been hearing about? I know they're without Bander Z. I know they're without Jared Bowie at this point in time, but that one, another one that was just confounding to see on that final play of the ball game. With that, we've got to see more. A forcing turnover stew, it is time.

Starting point is 00:25:43 Get out there, make some plays, get an interception, force a fumble, defense needs to do more. And yes, as always, we're asking a ton. out of this Iowa football defense. It's the spot that they are. Unfortunately, being a Hawkeye is your defense is going to have to do more in the way that they're built. But yes, we're asking for it.

Starting point is 00:26:02 Let's see even more on Saturday. And then, wouldn't it be nice to get up big and then be able to see extended playing time for Nathan McNeil at the running back spot to see Hank Brown in an extended action? And if an injury comes in the way Mark Bernowski's playing and the physicality and the pounding that he's going to be taking, you wonder how long he's going to last, but to see what you have in the backup of Hank Brown

Starting point is 00:26:25 and see if there is actually that depth that we've heard about at the wide receiver position. See some of these new young faces, including at the linebacker's spot. I want to see Preston Reese out there. I want to see Buffington. I want to see that group of guys and see what they're going to be in the future of Iowa football.

Starting point is 00:26:41 Those are some of the things that I want to see on Saturday night, but the biggest thing, yes, is an Iowa victory. Thanks for being with us, as always, and making lockdown Hawkeyes, your first listen every day. We are your daily source of Iowa Hawkeye Talk every single day. I got you covered throughout the course of the week and you every day. There's a big thank you to you to being with us each and every day. Couldn't do it without your support.

Starting point is 00:27:05 If you're watching us on YouTube, make sure you hit the subscribe button. Just takes a moment and helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. If you're on the podcast side, five-star reviews, all that helps us out immensely. Thanks for being with us today. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Until then, go home. Hawks.

Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - REVELATION?: Slow Mesh Offense UNVEILED by Hawkeyes | Will It REVOLUTIONIZE Iowa's Attack?

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