Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - SHAKEUP LOOMING? Is It Finally Time for Beth Goetz to MOVE ON From Tom Brands as Iowa Wrestling Slips?

Episode Date: February 27, 2026

University of Iowa wrestling faces a pivotal crossroads as unmet expectations spark debate over Tom Brands’ future. With Penn State dominating the NCAA wrestling scene and Iowa’s recent portal add...itions falling short, is it time for a renaissance in Hawkeye wrestling leadership? Trent Condon and Tom Kakert weigh whether names like Doug Schwab or Jordan Burroughs could reignite championship aspirations—or if any candidate can truly close the gap. Basketball momentum heats up as Iowa women’s hoops lock in a likely No. 2 NCAA Tournament seed, fueled by breakout performances from Hannah Stuelke and post-season implications on the line. On the men’s side, questions swirl around lineup changes, Big Ten seeding, and Bennett Stirtz’s outsized impact. Plus, bold predictions for Iowa baseball and softball’s matchups against powerhouse programs round out this can’t-miss Hawkeye update. Follow Trent Condon on X: https://twitter.com/trentcondon LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-hawkeyes-daily-podcast-on-iowa-hawkeyes-football/id1441592240 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GTyz5ygevcGXdTF6QSoEo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnHawkeyes Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Have your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It's party time. Order Now at https://5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon. Mazda Like our players, we’re driven by the details. Because highlights make the reel. What it takes to get there makes it count. There’s more to a Mazda. Because there’s more to you. Turbo Tax For a limited time, you can have your taxes done by a local TurboTax expert for just $150 — all in, if a TurboTax expert didn’t file for you last year. Just file by February 28. Take taxes off your plate and get back to your life. Visit https://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today. Coast Right now, Coast Pay is offering our listeners up to $2,000 credit when you get started at https://coastpay.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. Term Apply. The Coast Visa®️ Commercial Credit Card is issued by Celtic Bank. All card accounts are subject to credit approval. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast Gametime 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. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Use your Profit Boost on an NBA future and get entered for your chance to win a trip to the NBA Finals. Play your game with FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM 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) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Starting point is 00:00:02 At the University of Iowa, wrestling isn't just a sport. It's a standard. But after mounting pressure and unmet expectations, the question is, is it finally time to move on from Tom Brands? And possibility that the decision might be coming sooner rather than later. You are Locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. Welcome in. I'm Trent Condon.
Starting point is 00:00:37 This is the Locked-on Hawkeyes podcast, your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast. Thanks for joining me today as we talk all things Hawkeyes with you. I've been covering the Hawkeyes for over 20 years on the radio, including currently on the Iowa Sports Radio Network each weekday from noon to two, talking the world to sports with you and lots of Hawkeyes. Stations all across the state, Sioux City, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, the Quad Cities, and our flagship 106.3 KX&O. Today's episode is brought to you by five-hour energy.
Starting point is 00:01:06 Have your cake and drink it too. Birthday cake flavor is back. No fork needed. Vanilla cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It's party time. Order now at 5hourenergy.com or on Amazon. Today we go a lot of different directions. We're going to talk some Iowa baseball a little bit later on,
Starting point is 00:01:27 along with Iowa softball is, yes, the spring sports are underway and a huge opportunity for both of the programs against some ranked teams here. and potentially put themselves in position. Very, very big chances for them coming up. We'll talk about that a little bit later on. We got Iowa basketball talk coming up with Tom Kaker from hawkeye report.com. We'll talk to him about the men as they look to continue with the wins as they get Penn State coming up tomorrow in state college and what should be a terrible, terrible
Starting point is 00:01:57 environment for basketball. And then the finale for the Hawkeye women after their win against Illinois as they go on the road for Wisconsin. Plus we'll talk a little Iowa wrestling with him. And that's where our conversation begins today with the Hawkeye wrestling program. A incredible, incredible decade after decade run. And for somebody like me that grew up now, somebody grew up in the 80s and into the 90s
Starting point is 00:02:21 and knowing what Iowa wrestling meant and what it still means to the university and that sense of pride that comes along with it. Just last week, I was down at the Casey Center in Des Moines, calling the state tournament on the radio as I do each and every year and have done now for a very long time. I absolutely love it. Though I was a terrible wrestler,
Starting point is 00:02:40 I absolutely enjoy the sport to the highest level. And as somebody that is an Iowa wrestling fan and watches it, and though I don't keep the closest eye on it compared to what I do for football or men's basketball and even women's basketball in a way today, I still follow it incredibly, incredibly closely. And watching what happened against Oklahoma State. I mean, you've got national TV that is there and just the no-show effort. And you see what is happening to this program and the way that things are not up to snuff.
Starting point is 00:03:12 Now, I heard something, read something earlier in the week that just really stuck with me. And it deals with Iowa and our expectations, right? Yes, ultimately it's about winning a national championship. That is the end game. And Penn State has changed the equation for not just Iowa, but really everybody in college wrestling. though Iowa has won national championships recently and would have had another one in 2020, to be fair. Ohio State has also won one.
Starting point is 00:03:41 Kail Sanderson and this Penn State program has gone to a completely different stratosphere. But as the pressure continues to mount on Tom Brands and the decision that athletic director Beth gets needs to make of what to do with this program, they went out and they portaled hard. And the returns on those portals not looking very good. You have a multitude of guys now that are not even going to be wrestling, it looks like, in the
Starting point is 00:04:07 Big Ten. When your big money spends, they're not even going to be there for you. That's a problem. The development inside the program, and you think of guys short of Spencer Lee, there's been instances, but when you're talking about building guys into national champions, that's become a rarity for Iowa wrestling. But this stuck with me. Jimaleski Zaleski was fired after winning three national championships in nine years.
Starting point is 00:04:31 but you could see things were taking a step back. Tom Brands has won four, should have been five with the 2020 COVID year, but is one four in 18 seasons. And I don't know why maybe it's just the symmetry of the nine seasons for Zeletsky and 18 for brands. But that just continues to sit in my mind. I get it.
Starting point is 00:04:53 Penn State has gone to another level. But when we bring up these conversations, the same things come up. Where do you go? what direction do you go for Iowa that is going to change around the fortunes and be able to chase down Penn State. Oklahoma State looks like they continue
Starting point is 00:05:11 and are continuing to build what they're doing with David Taylor. And you see what Ohio State's able to do in a year-out, year-out basis, coupled with the national championship that they won a few years back under Tom Ryan. People point to Tom Ryan. And more resources maybe at Iowa wrestling
Starting point is 00:05:28 that they have at Ohio State Wrestling. Now overall, financially for an athletic department, Ohio State absolutely runs laps around Iowa. But in terms of the wrestling program, there's potential. Still, when you look at high school recruits coming out of the state of Ohio compared to Iowa now, it's night and day. We know what Pennsylvania is. And that's another reason that the advantage certainly is on the side of Penn State. But it's not just that. It is the development of the talent.
Starting point is 00:05:55 And that doesn't feel like it's certainly happening at the same level. anymore under Tom and Terry Brands. Doug Schwab, I know Doug, saw him at State Wrestling in fact last week. Still,
Starting point is 00:06:07 is Doug going to be able to elevate? Is he the guy that could chase down Penn State? I think you have to think outside the box. Ben Ascran's been a name that's been bandied about a bunch
Starting point is 00:06:17 with his health problems, though, it really feels like an on-starter. Thomas Gilman, I like the idea. Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Dake, you know, those kind of guys.
Starting point is 00:06:26 An outside voice, an outside influence, I like the thought I would have to know more. And to be completely honest with you, and yes, we're supposed to be experts, but it's hard to be experts on everything. I don't know the personality. I don't know the drive.
Starting point is 00:06:39 I don't know how they would sell the vision of what they're going to do. But I like that idea more than some of the acting head coaches that are out there. I like the idea of thinking outside the box, going a different direction. And modernizing, easy for me to say,
Starting point is 00:06:59 moderate, we'll just skip past that word. Coming to a modern era of wrestling at the NCAA level. It's frustrating as a fan. And as we look forward now to the Big Ten tournament coming up the following weekend. And when you look through and you see the pre-allocation spots that happen for the Big Ten,
Starting point is 00:07:20 RPI numbers that are out there. And as it pertains to Iowa, and you see their RPI, Dean Peterson's come in, been okay for Rutgers from Rutgers. Drake Ayala's been a disappointment. He's got an innate number by him. Nassir Bailey, 11, 15 for Ryder Buck,
Starting point is 00:07:38 Caliano's a three. Kennedy's a three as well. And Ben Keeter had a 10. And if you would have said that coming into the season, probably would have been called crazy. And you have been asking where some of these other guys are. Not there currently. We'll see what it looks like.
Starting point is 00:07:54 We'll see what the lineup looks like. That is another big question. question that looms, but a lot of frustration, certainly right now for Iowa wrestling. We'll talk a little bit more about that with Tom Kaker from hawkeye report.com. I know he's got things covered over there with Tanner, who does a great job. We'll get his thoughts on that. But a lot of Iowa basketball talk, important for the Hawkeye men, not to give one back after getting the win against Ohio State.
Starting point is 00:08:16 This Penn State team is bad. There are concerns, though. We'll talk some Hawkeye hoops when we come back. This is Locked on Hawkeyes. Welcome to the five-hour energy flavor draft. with 18 different flavors to choose from, including new options like confetti craze, fruity rainbow, or cotton candy, there's something for everyone. The board is set, the flavors are ready, and I got my number one pick for the five-hour
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Starting point is 00:10:07 The biggest stretch of college basketball season is almost here. We got the buzzer beaters, the bracket busters, and those unforgettable moments that everyone's talking about the next day. Bearing their live or something like that, well, that's bucket list stuff. The hard part, actually getting tickets. You got long queues. prices jumping around for you and surprise fees at checkout. The Game Time app gives fans the advantage with constant innovation.
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Starting point is 00:11:03 It can be obviously the Hawkeyes. You're looking at the Big Ten tournament, men or women, they got you covered there and see those alerts when new deals are in there. No stress, no guesswork, just a smooth experience from start to finish. Exactly what you're looking for in the busy part of the season. Take the guesswork out of buying college basketball tickets with games. time. Download the game time app, create an account, and use code locked on for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code locked on. L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N for $20 off. Download the game time app today. Let's get to Tom Kekert, Hawkeye Report.com. He joins the program. Tom
Starting point is 00:11:46 Trent and Ken Good to talk to you. How are you? Well, it sounds like everybody else gets good guest and you guys get stuck with me. We're happy to have you. You're a staple here on Fridays. And we're glad for that. The flu game for Hayden? Is that what we're calling it yesterday? I mean, a trend for me. That's the second time she's played
Starting point is 00:12:03 what she's been under the weather. Boy, boy, what a game out of her. Yeah, she is just playing at a, I mean, just think about like last year at this time was when she kind of sort of started to emerge. It was more Big Ten tournament where she kind of came out of her shell. And now look at her.
Starting point is 00:12:25 She's, I would think, is she going to be an All-Beg 10 player? I would think. Should be. I would think. And it's become maybe the best post in the Big 10. And next year she's probably going to be, I would guess, mentioned preseason All-American type mentions, I would think. So she is just playing unreal basketball right now. And she and Hannah have really developed a really good chemistry in that.
Starting point is 00:12:55 high-low action that they've been running too. They've been tremendous. So we've certainly seen that really pop here these last couple of games. Hannah exited early with an arm injury. She sat out the Purdue game a week ago, banged up towards the end of the season, but didn't feel like there was going to be much outside of a break that was going to keep her
Starting point is 00:13:11 off the floor last night as she came back. And this women's squad now with the win against Wisconsin to lock up the two seed in the Big Ten tournament. They're a big favorite in that game projected to be a 14-point favorite on the road. The Big Ten tournament in front of them, maybe a rematch in the some eyes against Michigan.
Starting point is 00:13:27 This team, are they a two seed for the NCAA tournament? I think so. I think as long as they don't lose to Wisconsin and maybe lose their first game in the Big Ten tournament, I would think they'd be safely in as two seed. And that would be nice. You know, that path gets pretty nice, much nicer than, you know, I think a, you know, are they a week or two ago, we would have said, well, we'll take the force. and no.
Starting point is 00:13:55 And now they've played their way with some big wins into potentially being the two-seed in the NCAA tournament. Yep, sign for that in a heartbeat. Let's go to them in. It's spots like this that make me nervous. I mean, the Penn State game is not a very good team, right? There's going to be nobody there. Friends and family will be there.
Starting point is 00:14:16 The atmosphere is going to be bad. And it's a bad basketball team. How does McCollum get his guys up? for this one, do you think, Tom? I asked him that very question this morning. Basically, I'm like, I'm like, how do you? Is this a bring your own energy game? Because it kind of is.
Starting point is 00:14:38 It's because, you know, and he probably acknowledged that, you know, there might not be a lot of people there. But at least, you know, because it's harder if you're, if that's your home arena and you don't have a lot of people there. Yeah. that makes it tougher to motivate. But, you know, he's like, we're happy that there won't be a lot of people cheering against us there. So I think they're excited to have the opportunity.
Starting point is 00:15:05 And they know that they, you know, get this win and they'll lock up that eight for sure. And, you know, potentially if things go crazy somewhere, maybe it's a, maybe they can move up to a seven. but it seems like it's going to be hard to get there. But, yeah, I really thought they played a pretty good game the other night. Bruce Thornton just, I was shocked. I thought Bruce Thornton was going to be on one of those runs where he wants to get to the NCAA tournament. And Dale Combs started him great and kept him in check the entire night. We saw the breakout game for Elverill Fulgaris, and he's been playing.
Starting point is 00:15:46 He was in good basketball. We had the stat. of it was finally broken in double figures, but still this guy playing at a high level, we know what the skill set is certainly there. Is it just being more comfortable, being more confident? What have you seen out of Big Allen getting him going
Starting point is 00:16:00 because that secondary scoring option, they can get that consistently, really changes the equation for this Iowa team? It does. It does so much. They need that second score and then just take so much pressure off Bennett Sturts and he's able to do different things
Starting point is 00:16:14 and be more of a playmaker and facilitator. along with the score. I think we're giving credit to Alvaro's brother Nacho. Nacho was in town. Nacho plays over in Dublin, plays pro ball. His real name is Ignacio,
Starting point is 00:16:32 by the way, and not, but everybody just calls him Nacho. And, yeah, he gave Nacho all the credit. So I think Ben said, maybe they could,
Starting point is 00:16:42 after a game, maybe they should keep Nacho around for a couple weeks, get into the tournament and everything. That would be great. Absolutely. Get him on the plane, get him to the Big Ten tournament, whatever it takes. He's really good.
Starting point is 00:16:55 I did see this morning on Twitter that apparently, that must have been the one that you were part of, the press conference you were part of. McCollum, is he tinkering perhaps, or is he flirting with a change in the starting lineup, Tom? And if so, what do you think that would be? What was your takeaway when that question was posed and the answer that he received? He said that last week, too.
Starting point is 00:17:16 he never changes it. So he said the same thing about three weeks in a row when people have brought up about, hey, maybe think about changing the lineup, do something different here. You know, he just, every time then you get excited about it and then it's the same lineup. So I have just, I'm just, he's not going to, especially after a win, he's not going to change a struggle. It's just not going to happen. Get to go with it.
Starting point is 00:17:43 Cooper Cotch struggling with his shot. is it simply just confidence that you've seen because it wasn't just misses. There were some bad misses in there where he was, and not just deep on a shot or just not short on a shot. He was missing kind of wildly on a couple of them. Where do you go with Cooper Cotch? He helped out on the boards. We know he's a good defender and has turned himself into a good defender.
Starting point is 00:18:02 What do you do to get him going on the offensive end? I, you know, I disagree a little bit. There were a couple of bad ones in there, for sure, the other night. But I think the vast majority of his shots, the last few games have been on target. They're just, he's just, I think his shot's a little flat right now. He's hitting the other side of the iron from those corner threes.
Starting point is 00:18:23 And it's just, it's kind of direct hits at the other side of the iron. So that just tells me he just needs a little more arch on the ball. And he'll have a better shot at making those. But he's a really, I can't tell you guys, I saw him playing AU in high school. And his AU team in particular,
Starting point is 00:18:41 he would camp out in that. corner for the corner three because he had a really good team and what his center was the flora uh buddinga the oh yeah the can't center was his center on that team so um he was he just reined in three from the corner so i know he's capable of making those shots against good competition so it's just a matter of him seeing if you go in uh but you know i think i still got a lot of faith in coop because I know Coop's a really good shooter. It's just, I have pressing right now, maybe just, you know, forcing it a little bit. And everyone's, you know, light goes on a different time.
Starting point is 00:19:22 Price Sanford, Trenton. I shouldn't say Trenton. I was killing him. Like, I wasn't sure, you know, if he was going to be a player in the Big Ten. And look at the, look what he's become. And Nebraska. I'll throw Condon on the bus with me as well. Do it.
Starting point is 00:19:37 Right? I want to ask both of you this one, because when it comes to Sturt, He's average in 20. Next closest is 10. Is there a compatible to any other Hawkeye men's basketball team where one guy means more than stirts? I mean, if you take starts off this team, they're awful. Yes. Right?
Starting point is 00:19:58 And I know that, I mean, regards with a good player, but he had Weiss Camp. And there's been, seemingly, every other Hawkeye team has had a really good player that at least had, you know, maybe not a 1A, but somebody that would be, you know, could. you could count on. Who would that be? Who's comparable to Sturts as far as what he means to this team? The one that jumps to mind for me is Andre Woolridge in his season. So that's going way back in the 90s. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:20:24 That was the only name I. There was nobody else on that team that averaged like they were like low teams on that team. But they had good players on that team though. Ryan Bowen, I think was on that team. Cooper's dad, J.R. was on that team. Yeah. So they had some good players on that team.
Starting point is 00:20:44 I would argue probably better players than Bennett's Chartess on this team, to be honest. Yeah, with the ones you just named off, I would agree. Settles was on that squad, but he was banged up. It was no way to trench. Yes. Yeah, Jeff was on that team. Yep. But Andre Willridge led the Big Ten in scoring and assists that season.
Starting point is 00:21:04 It was not Big Ten player of the year because of that cheater, Clement Haskins and Bobby Jackson. and a big 10 championship that should be there because that one's vacated. Who finished second? The Hawkeyes. And when I haven't seen one in my 45 years on the planet, I would like to at least have that one. I'll give it to you.
Starting point is 00:21:20 Yeah, okay. I agree. Hang the banner. Hang the banner over in Carver. Penn State tomorrow. Awful environment. Tommy talked about this last week when we're kind of previewing the week ahead. It's going to be sleepy.
Starting point is 00:21:32 There's going to be nobody there. You have to create your own excitement. What does you give you the actual basketball, on the floor? Anything you look at Penn State-wise and said, all right, this might be a little bit of an issue. Nothing. I don't. Here's the thing I said to a friend of mine this morning.
Starting point is 00:21:48 I said, name me one player on the Penn State team. Yeah, good point. Pete Lassicki. There you go. Is he on the team? Not on there for 20, for 30 years. Not, neither are one of the earls around there. Dan.
Starting point is 00:22:02 Dan Earl. And none of those guys are there. Yeah, it's, they're just. I don't know. Ben was trying to sell them to us today. They were like 8 and 1 at one point. And I was like, okay. Okay. Yeah, you're like Hayden trying to sell us that Drake was going to come in and beat you.
Starting point is 00:22:21 Fairfield, New Haven, Navy, Harvard, Boston University, Sacred Heart, and Campbell. That was the 8-1. The Campbell's got a team. Hey, hey, the camels. Don't you disparage the camels. So they were 8-1 at that point. So just show up, take care of business. This one should be, and then you get ready for the week ahead.
Starting point is 00:22:42 One upset. Then we start talking six, seven seed range. You pull an upset next week. Obviously, hold serve against Penn State. They do that. Then we can start having that conversation again, Tom. Yeah, I think so. If they somehow beat Michigan, then, boy, it's hard to keep them off maybe the sixth line.
Starting point is 00:23:00 Just because Michigan is going to be a one right now, I would think. Yes. And they're going to win the league. by multiple games probably. So, yeah, that would be the feather in the cap. Or if you go out to, you know, play out at Lincoln and win. And that's going to be, boy, you think that's going to be a fired-up atmosphere against Iowa. You have to.
Starting point is 00:23:27 Yeah. After what happened in Iowa City with Hoyberg, et cetera, et cetera. The Michigan game is a 7 o'clock tip. Did I see that? I think it's middle of the ads. It's not six or it's a seven o'clock. Well, that's sell out, Tom. I know it's a midweek Thursday night game.
Starting point is 00:23:44 Senior night. I hope so. I do too. Are there, I'm sure there's still tickets available, but it's not like it's an 8 o'clock tip. It's on just six. It's pretty good timing. 7 o'clock.
Starting point is 00:23:53 That game should sell out. I'd be disappointed if it doesn't. I hope so, but Point Michigan is just, there's a series of bad matchups for this Iowa team in the Big Ten conference this year with Purdue and Illinois and Michigan. is one of those. Just with their
Starting point is 00:24:09 sides up front is just I was going to have to rain in a bunch of threes like they did at Purdue to kind of stay in it and we'll see if they can do that. One more for you, Tom, over on the wrestling front. I know you got Tanner covering things over at Hawkeye
Starting point is 00:24:25 Report and he's doing a great job on it. A difficult spot. You got obviously an all-timer in Tom Brands and it just saw something that really stuck with me. Zaleski was fired. He was fired after winning three national championships and nine seasons, but he was also coming on the heels of Dan Gable. In 18 years, Tom Brands has won four.
Starting point is 00:24:44 And it looks like they're a lot further away now than they ever have been a winning a national championship. Beth gets the decision that is in front of her. What are you hearing on the wrestling front and potential movement? I think it might be an interesting situation in March. I really do. I think there's a best kind of decision to make. And I know this, Beth is not going to let the story history of the Iowa wrestling program slip and become Nebraska football, if you will.
Starting point is 00:25:17 Yeah. You know, just because that's the comparison. Yeah. That's the comparison is, you know, Nebraska football is Iowa wrestling, same times. And just, you know, right in the hunt, you'd argue Iowa wrestling probably better than that. And now it's nobody's, but here's the other thing. Nobody's even in the neighborhood of Penn State right now, really. I mean, I just, you know, the, I mean, they slaughtered Ohio State recently,
Starting point is 00:25:46 Ohio State was missing a couple guys that wouldn't make it closer, I think. But still, it was, you know, 30 points difference in a duel. It's crazy. I mean, they're, I don't know what you do. Here's the thing I always said to Iowa fans who, when they, bring up, hey, we're going to get rid of Terry. Who are you going to hire? Are you going to hire?
Starting point is 00:26:10 That's Jordan Burroughs? Yeah, there's not an easy answer. There's not, and Doug Schwab, you know? That would be the one, that was the first name that came to my mom, but I'm not sure. Yeah, I mean, there's, he would be a logical one with the kind of the Iowa ties. Jordan Burroughs is kind of the bold decision, maybe if you do that. But there's just not a lot of, you know, it's Tom Ryan from Ohio. state going to be interested. He's about Terry
Starting point is 00:26:36 or Tom and Terry's age, so I don't know if he'd be interested in leaving. He's got a guy with tie with ties. I just don't know that there's an easy answer. Like when they got rid of Zelicki, the easy answer was Tom Brand. And everybody knew this was the guy. And nobody will tell me Spencer Lee,
Starting point is 00:26:56 because Spencer's still competing. He wants to wrestle in the Olympics in 28. He can't coach. He's not going to coach. So his name's off the table. Tom Kaker at Hockye Report.com on 3 Media. Tom, thanks for jumping on. Talk to you in a week's time. Appreciate it, Tom Kaker.
Starting point is 00:27:10 Thank you. You bet. See, buddy. Tom Kaker, Hockyreport.com. Iowa wrestling, Nebraska football. Ouch. That was the stinger. Tom Kaker, hawkeye report.
Starting point is 00:27:21 com. Big weekend in front of us for the Iowa baseball team. What a couple of wins can mean for them. That's next. Lockdown Hawkeyes. Coast Pay is giving lockdown college listeners up to $2,000 credit. for your business when you get started today.
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Starting point is 00:29:19 your first listen every day, your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast. And if you are in everyday listeners, big thank you to that. You can get Lockdown Hawkeyes ad free with our Everydayer Club. You can also get members-only Discord access. Just go to Lockdownhawkeyes. dot com. Lockdown hawkeyes. Dot supercast is where you can go to become an everyday member and help support what we're doing for you each and every day.
Starting point is 00:29:45 Shout out to our latest member, Tom, who joined us. Thanks for joining us on the ad free everydayer club. Back into it here as we go through and look at Iowa baseball. It's been a okay start to the season. Hasn't been exactly daunting. The opener against Kansas State was a little bit of a disaster. Rough start in that one out of the starting pitch. Didn't have certainly the start that we were anticipating in that one.
Starting point is 00:30:11 But they bounced back when their final two games of that opening weekend, took two or three last week against Florida Atlantic on the road. And now it is the Friscoe College Baseball Classic. Three games starting on Friday against Alabama. Alabama, very good program, though they had their own set of issues off the field a couple of years back. They're off to a seven and two start. You'll get that chance.
Starting point is 00:30:34 Then Houston, a good team from the big. Big 12 anticipated they're going to be a team in the top half of the league this season. In fact, right now they're taking on Oregon State, and that is a tight one. And that's how Iowa finishes up against the Beavers. A top 25 team, another opportunity for Iowa. Look, at minimum, you're hoping to get a win out of this. Don't get swept away. Find a way to get a victory.
Starting point is 00:30:57 Then from there, you can start dreaming big. If Iowa takes two or three this weekend, we can start to have real hope. So maybe this team can put enough together this season. They're going to have to match. They're going to be, this is going to be a team built more on swinging the bats. I believe that is their path to be an NCAA tournament team. In order for that to happen, though, they're going to have to get some quality victories, and this is going to be the opportunity.
Starting point is 00:31:20 Yeah, they'll get UCLA coming to town in late March. Crazy to think, but yes, that's going to happen. Still, with what is in front of them, what they still have coming up this season, you look at the opportunity for some quality victories. They go to L.A. against USC later in the season. that'll be happening in April. They're off to a tremendous start on the year. Nebraska towards the end of the season.
Starting point is 00:31:41 It's still, though, not quite built like we've seen some of the past schedules like last year with Oregon and Oregon State at the end. An important weekend for Iowa baseball. On the other side, the Iowa softball team continues to impress. They're 12 and 5 on the year. They got a couple of victories already here on Friday, a win against Memphis and a win earlier today as well. They have a big opportunity coming up later this weekend.
Starting point is 00:32:05 That'll be tomorrow, in fact. They'll get LSU, a top 25 team, an opportunity in that one down in Louisiana, in Baton Rouge. Talk about a quality victory. Ooh, that would be a big one for them. Out of time for today. Back with you on Monday, big weekend ahead as basketball continues, Iowa baseball, Iowa softball, as we got you covered each and every day here, your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast,
Starting point is 00:32:30 Locked on Hawkeyes. Again, if you want to join the everydayer club, Lockdownhawkeyes. dot supercast.com. That is where you go. Lockdown hawkeyes. dot supercast.com to join the everyday air club. We'll talk to you get on Monday. Have a great weekend.
Starting point is 00:32:45 Until then, go Hawks.

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