Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - STRENGTH: Why Iowa FOOTBALL'S Strengths Can Be MAGNIFIED This Year - Special Teams will be special

Starting point is 00:00:00 We know the concerns for Iowa football in 2025. Today, we look at the strengths. The position groups that give Iowa chance to have a special season in 2025. 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. I've been covering the Hawkeyes for over 20 years on the radio here in the state of Iowa, including currently. You can hear me on the Iowa Sports Radio Network with stations all across the state. Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, the Quad Cities, Des Moines, and Sioux City can hear me each weekday from noon to two. Talk to the world of sports and lots of Iowa football. Today's episode is brought to you by Game Time. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code Lockdown, Lockdown, college for $20 off your first purchase today a 28 team college football playoff that is potentially what the big 10 is looking at we'll talk about that and its impact to iowa football

Starting point is 00:01:09 rivalry games always important kirk ferens certainly has shined the spotlight on those games throughout the years and there's a program out there that just can't stand losing the hawkeyes anymore but today we begin the program with a look at the strengths for iowa football in Now, here over the last couple of weeks, we've been talking a lot about the most concerning elements, as we are two weeks away now inside of two weeks from the opener against Albany. And, of course, what's going to happen? It is game week for our in-state rival is Iowa State.

Starting point is 00:01:41 We'll be facing off against Kansas State this week over in Ireland. So the football juices are definitely flowing at this point in time. And we've talked about those position groups that are a concern. We've talked about left tackle, and that is an absolute huge one that Iowa has. has coming into the year. We've talked about the new linebacker group and what that's going to look like. And I will figure out cornerback after it struggled so much a year ago. We're going to still talk about those position groups. We're going to talk about that throughout the course of these next couple of weeks and keep passing along information of what we're hearing happening

Starting point is 00:02:14 from camp and we will get into that here in the coming days. But we open today with some of the strengths. So let's start the week with a positive note, right? When we start to dream, When we have those big expectations and what's going to happen for this football team, and Iowa gets a couple of breaks, a couple bounces go their way. They win those close games down the stretch, and suddenly they're in a position that we're hoping for come November, that those games against Oregon and USC, and at the end of the season against Nebraska are going to be incredibly impactful.

Starting point is 00:02:44 In order for that to happen, we have to have some major strengths. So I mark down a group of five strengths for this Iowa football team that I believe will be those difference makers. if Iowa is going to have the special year that we're talking about, these are going to be things that we're talking about, one of the main reasons for it. Yeah, those other components that are question marks, those have to be good as well, or at least maybe better than average, but these are the ones that Iowa, I believe, can take a big step forward and because of that are going to have, can have a special season. Let's start up on the offensive side of the football. And I'm going

Starting point is 00:03:19 to put it very simply. This is running the football. And this goes kind of, two different ways. First, I was ability to run the football predicated on what we saw a season ago with a running game that was an elite level. They did it though, remember the system that changed, that evolved, the offensive system that we grown so much custom to. And though it was three different offensive coordinators before Tim Lester, the basic tenets of what we saw, and specifically in the run game was there. And what we saw a year ago, there was more gap blocking, more inside. It wasn't strictly a zone blocking scheme. You saw that lead to a whole lot more. There's a little bit more counterplays in there and the misdirection that goes along that.

Starting point is 00:04:02 So those were components. Now, yes, you also had an all-world running back in Caleb Johnson. And you continue to hear the reports of him in Pittsburgh now with the Steelers during their camp. And you can understand. Iowa had something special a year ago in Caleb Johnson. But I go a little bit further and why I believe this is going to be an absolute strength for Iowa football this year, even without Caleb Johnson, even with the questions at left tackle, first, run blocking, easier than pass blocking. A majority of the time for offensive lines, and specifically an offensive line built like Iowa, running game is easier than the passing game and figuring out what you're doing on the

Starting point is 00:04:42 offensive line. So even with that question that you have at left tackle, the other positions, the other four positions that you feel good about. Of course, right tackle, Jennings Dunker. what you have with Cade Piper, who I think is going to wow people. And speaking of the scheme that we saw and what we saw in the running game a year ago, the athleticism required for your guys to be able to get out, which is always a component of the zone blocking scheme.

Starting point is 00:05:06 But I think even maybe goes to another level with when Tim Lester's doing and the Shanahan offense. Because of that, Cade Piper, I think, is going to be a star. He's still going to make mistakes. Look, this is a guy with not a ton of game experience. He's not going to be perfect out there. But we're going to see plenty of those. He's hard-nosed. He's physical and he's athletic.

Starting point is 00:05:26 And that's going to show up. Obviously, Logan Jones, another one. When he gets that snap off, just how good he is, making plays there. He go over the left side with both Stevens and then whatever shakes out. I was going to be able to run the football because of the interior of the offensive line. That is a strength to this football team. And when I look at this group, not just what they have with the starters with Stevens, Jones, and Piper, but also with the depth that they have.

Starting point is 00:05:50 And maybe we are going to find out that Bryce George, look, the jump up from D2 up to the D1 level is just too much. The speed of the game is too much for a guy that was not a left tackle, even at the D2 level. And we're going to find that, yes, left tackle is not his spot, but you had that kind of depth in the middle of your offensive line. Michael Maslinsky, we've talked about him a lot, all the injuries that he's gone through. He's finally healthy and what he's done. Kail Winter, another guy that they really like in the middle. and Leighton, yeah, Leighton Jones, no. Yeah, Leighton Jones, Leighton Jones on there.

Starting point is 00:06:29 And what we've seen, and with Bo Stevens and the injury that he's gone through during camp, that Leighton Jones has been able to get out there. He's going to be the heir apparent likely at that left guard position going forward. Him and Trevor Lauch, how close those two guys are, two Indiana guys over there on the left side of line for the future as we build into that. So that's a belief that I have, that I was going to be able to run the football this year regardless, regardless of who the running back is. And that takes it to another step and the reason for this is the depth in the running back room. And as we've talked about, you know, Kamari Moulton, he's been banged up. He has not been practicing.

Starting point is 00:07:03 And Moulton, hopefully going to get him back out there this week and be able to get at minimum a couple of reps. Same thing with Torell Washington, Jr. But the depth of this running back room. Look, we've talked a ton about Nathan McNeil, the true freshman that has come in. And, you know, there's been some pushback. And maybe it's fair about Jazzy on Patterson. And maybe a little bit too hard of the ceiling that I don't believe that Patterson has the highest ceiling.

Starting point is 00:07:28 But the dependability that he has, that's fair, absolutely. And I've seen that in the comment section on YouTube. In fact, you can watch us on YouTube if you're listening right now. Make sure you hit that subscribe button if you're over there. Back to the running back depth. Devin, excuse me, Brevin Dahl has real speed. And with Dahl, um, He's potentially your number five or number six running back,

Starting point is 00:07:49 and you got a guy with that kind of speed. You take it a step further. Xavier Williams, you know, we talked about a lot about Nathan McNeil and how his name continues to come up. Same thing with Xavier Williams. And he's just, he's probably under the radar. He's not an in-state kid, like Dal. And we haven't seen him out there.

Starting point is 00:08:05 And we haven't seen him even at the same level. I think that we've seen Nathan McNeil going back to spring. And now what we've seen here at our one glimpse during Kids Day. And because of that, maybe he's been forgotten a little bit. But I think you've got to remember, Xavier Williams, the size of the physicality that he plays with, 230 pounds. If he can be a guy that can be impactful.

Starting point is 00:08:23 So you take that step further and what they have, the depth at the running back spot. Another reason that I believe this Iowa football team is going to be able to run the football and is going to be a strength this year. One final component why I believe that the running game is going to be a huge strength here goes to the quarterback position. Now, you didn't hear me say that it is an absolute that the passing game, that Mark Grunowski, even the wide receiver group,

Starting point is 00:08:46 that any of those are going to be a strength that year. I think that is still remains a question mark. What is not a question mark, though, is Mark Grunowski's ability, at least in the past, to run the football. Coming off shoulder surgery, that is question number one. Where is he physically when it comes to the ground game?

Starting point is 00:09:03 Because that is a huge part of Mark Grinowski's game. It's not just what he does with his arm, which is solid, fine, right? Good. But it's his legs that make him a separate kind of entity. makes him a guy that you believe can lead this team to another level. And coming off that shoulder surgery is Tim Lester, Kirk Farrant's going to allow design runs for Mark Grunowski because if you take that component away for Mark Grunowski, I think you take away the

Starting point is 00:09:31 ceiling that you can see from him, the upside that's there for Mark Grunowski, but I believe that is going to be a component. That is going to be something. Maybe not a ton this season, but we're going to see Mark Grunowski as a runner and design runs for him. And if that happens, and if he's the guy that we saw before at South Dakota State, that is only going to strengthen what this Iowa run game is. What are some of the Iowa other football strengths?

Starting point is 00:09:55 We're going to get into them here as we continue on. Talk some rivalry games coming up this season and a potential 2018 playoff for the college football playoff. What is going on? We'll talk about that as we continue. Locked on Hawkeyes. if you've been trying to stay on top of your routine whether that's workouts long days on campus or staying focused through back-to-back classes hydration is where it all starts and that's where

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Starting point is 00:11:07 percent off your first order just head to drip drop.com and use the promo code locked on college that's drip drop dot com with the promo code locked on college for $20 20% off stock up now before the heat hits hard. listen every day. We are with you every single day. That's what we do here on the lockdown network as we count down to kickoff and getting ready for Iowa football. If you're watching us on YouTube, hit the subscribe button. If you're listening on the podcast side, five star reviews, Apple, Spotify, wherever you are helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. Let's get back into the strengths of Iowa football. So we've gone through a couple of different things,

Starting point is 00:12:03 couple of different position groups. And we've talked about the strength offensively is the game over on the defensive side of the football. A huge strength to me this season is what Iowa has in terms of depth at defensive line. It is the depth component that I believe is going to be one of Iowa's greatest strengths this year. Now, do they have an AJ F, Vanessa, and do they have a Jared DeVarise, do they have a guy that is going to be able to get to the quarterback of Matt Roth a dozen times in the course of this season? I don't think we're talking about anybody at that level. but the depth that they've created at this group takes it to another level. So you start with what we saw, with Ethan Hercott coming back along with Max Llewellyn.

Starting point is 00:12:46 And there are opportunities for those guys, including Llewellyn, to get a big payday at other places. And there were programs sniffing around. He made the decision to stay at Iowa, finish the course, and he'll move on and have an ability to play at the next level. Herkitt, Llewellyn, Maryweather, Joseph Anderson continues to come on. And you guys know, every dayers, you absolutely know my love of Brian Allen. I just want to see him out there even more this season of what he's going to be able to help out with this group and his ability to rush the passer, continuing to build into his body. The other component of the depth of the defensive line is what they have in the middle.

Starting point is 00:13:25 And we'll see the return of Jeremiah Pittman, you know, what he's going to look like coming off of that surgery and where he is as he's getting back out onto the field. But we know Aaron Graves has the potential to be all Big Ten. I don't think it's a stretch at all. Six and a half stacks a year ago, the tackles for loss and continuing to build. From the guy that we saw early in his career, now what he is as a senior, that it just continues to stack on top of it for Aaron Graves and what he's going to be able to do. Obviously, the transfers.

Starting point is 00:13:53 We've talked a lot about them, Jonah Pace coming in from Central Michigan, who is exactly what you want out of a grad transfer. He plugs a hole. He adds depth to that defensive line. he's dependable, he's solid, and then the great upside of Bryce Hawthorne on what they have at that other defensive tackle spot. Will Hubert, his name continues to come out, and you're talking about the depth of this line, and that hasn't even brought up some of the young guys. You know, I talked about Joseph Anderson in the middle, but what about, you know,

Starting point is 00:14:20 Devin Kennedy, can he be a guy? And of course, Yose Eponessa. I mean, when we go through and we talked about, what, eight, nine guys there before we even got to Yosea Penaena, I think that says a whole lot about the depth of this defensive line. And as I mentioned last week on the show, when AJ Appanessa showed up, they needed him in terms of depth purposes. And it's not the same defensive line room that when AJ showed up. And because of that, that's going to be a component certainly that is going to be impactful for this group.

Starting point is 00:14:54 So depth at defensive line, another one I believe in the most major strengths for Iowa football in 2025. And there is one more major strength for this team, a differentiator, a reason that you can be optimistic for this football team this year, and it is the special teams. And though they're still trying to figure out who's going to be the long snapper this year, who's going to be the guy that is snapping the football. We talked about that a little bit last week. You look at the punting from Reese Deakin, averaging over 44 yards per punt, the show that he put on over at Kids Day and what he did on that Saturday, a couple of couple weeks back now, and what we saw from him certainly leads you to believe that he has taken it to another level. The consistency's got to get there. The specific angle punts, getting it

Starting point is 00:15:44 inside the five-yard line, the smaller parts of the punting game, those are the little intricacies that he continues. But when you're talking about a guy that can flip the field, restaken, I think you're going to see that more consistently from him this season, which was a pretty special freshman year when we look back. It was just Tori Taylor beforehand. And because of that, maybe that taints the views of a few people. And of course, Drew Stevens. And the bounce back year that he had

Starting point is 00:16:11 a season ago. And you go back to last year, 20 to 23, 87%, doesn't miss an extra point after the struggles he had at the end of 2023. To not get the opportunity to kick the game winner against Nebraska, to struggle

Starting point is 00:16:26 like he did on kickoffs, to then not even get an opportunity and both the Big Ten championship game that year against Michigan, fouled it up with the bowl loss to not even get the opportunity to kick the football in game action last year. It's otherworldly. Their leg talent is elite.

Starting point is 00:16:47 And I want to see how much Kirk Farrants this year is going to be willing to allow him to do things. You know, you go back to the end of game scenario last year as Iowa let one slip through the cracks against Iowa State. And if they would have allowed him instead of trying to go with the Hail Mary that MacDamara couldn't get to the end zone. And instead, if they would have allowed him to try to kick an incredibly long field goal. The leg talent is real with Drew Stevens. And it looked like last year between the years, that's what took a big step forward from him.

Starting point is 00:17:18 Special teams will be elite because, well, seemingly always elite with Iowa football. And a lot of credit also needs to go there to LeVar Woods and what he does with that unit. the way that they've cleaned up things year after year after year what they do in terms of coverage. You look at some of those numbers in terms of coverage, yards allowed in kick returns and punt returns and what they do on a per return basis, usually towards the top of the country every single year. And when you're talking about, you know, this year coming up, and we talked about schedule is going to be much more difficult this year, not just Oregon and Penn State, but knowing you have to go to Nebraska, you have to go to Iowa State, you have to go to Wisconsin this year,

Starting point is 00:17:56 the road trips that you're still going to have in Big Ten play. Ruckers on a short week who should be at another year better for Ruckers this season. The schedule is more daunting this season than it was a year ago. Is this a year that we finally see? It's been a couple of years now that we see LeVar Woods allowed to use a few of those gadget trick plays in special teams. It feels like it's been a while. And of course, then you talk about the return game with Caden Wichin back for his final year of eligibility. what he can be in that return game.

Starting point is 00:18:28 What that's going to look like again this season. A lot of positives and an elite special teams. A high-level special teams, that's what Iowa football has and certainly one of the most major strengths for Iowa football this season. One more thing for you is we wrap up on that. Got a kick out of this over the weekend.

Starting point is 00:18:47 And it is going once again to our neighbors to the West. Western Iowa, you've got to deal with it. Us in Central Iowa have to deal with it. As somebody that grew up in the 80s, Nebraska fans in general, they annoy me. Of course, the Halcyon days of what they were and what it turned into that in the mid-90s. The people without any connection to Nebraska, same thing for the Michigan fans out there that have never even stepped foot in the state. People from our state, the great state of Iowa that have two major conference programs to root for, and yet they root for Nebraska.

Starting point is 00:19:23 Or they root for Michigan, or they root for Ohio. Those people annoy the crap out of me. That aside. Sorry for the tangent. Bringing it back here to Nebraska. So, Sam McEwen, Nebraska beat, says this. Quote, I think it's just time. Simple as that.

Starting point is 00:19:41 I think Nebraska is going to beat them. And that will be that. Might even be by a couple of scores. I think it's just time. And that's not a knock on Iowa. I was going to have a nice team. I think Nebraska is going to do what it did to number. to Wisconsin in 24.

Starting point is 00:19:55 It's just overdue to finish that program off and beat them once at home. Unquote, first time since 2011. Back to the quote. So I just think it's going to happen. And I think it'll be a little more easier because Nebraska is ready to do it, unquote. Now, one of the reasons that Nebraska as a whole

Starting point is 00:20:15 cracks me up year after year. And on my radio show, we have Stephen M. Simple, who's been on the beat for decades. and I like to throw a little crap his way from time to time is for things like this there's no justification there's no reasoning it's just time

Starting point is 00:20:33 that's what Sam says it's just time it's not because of improved play from our offensive line because we got game breakers out of wide receiver because we fix special teams and those are reasons certainly wide receiver and special teams that I could see having an argument but after you watch this last

Starting point is 00:20:51 decade plus of Iowa's domination in this series. And Iowa always finding a way and Nebraska always stepping on their toes. Come on. Give us something. It's just time. And just because

Starting point is 00:21:07 it's time that it's going to be an onslaught like it was 42 to 10 last year with a Wisconsin Iowa game. These are the things that do not set this fan base up. And there are too many, and I don't know Sam particularly, but there are too many media members over there that are fans they're not real media members look i'm a fan i come out and say that i don't hide my intentions i am a hawkeye fan i want iowa to win

Starting point is 00:21:36 every single game i am not though a beat reporter i'm not a newsbreaker though i pass along news and i've broken a few stories in my time what i am is a provocateur i am somebody that is here to engage an audience. I am somebody here that looks to elevate a conversation. So I can just throw crap against the wall. But as a beat writer, when your justification of why a team that is dominated a series for a decade plus, as Iowa has over Nebraska, your justification is, it's just time?

Starting point is 00:22:10 That's what that fan base is getting. I wonder why they're a little nutty over in Nebraska. Back one more time here on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. a 2018 college football playoff. How that impact the Hawkeyes will do that next, Lockdown, Iowa. Have you ever decided at the last minute to head to the ball game with friends or family? Maybe it's game day and you suddenly realize you want to be in the stands. That's exactly where game time comes in.

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Starting point is 00:23:04 Game time is the official ticketing partner of Lockdown MLB, making it easy to browse the app for an exciting upcoming MLB game. Hey, how about a big one starting here today with the Cubs and the Brewers in Shytown, double header today. Then they play a game on Tuesday, a game on Wednesday, and a game on Thursday, a five-gamer if the Cubs got any chance of getting back into it, the time is now. It can find that on the Game Time app. Tired of endless scrolling to find the best deal. Game Time zone deals pick the best seats in your section for you. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use code locked on college for $20 off, your first

Starting point is 00:23:48 purchase. Terms apply again. Create an account and redeem code Lockdown College, L-O-C-E-D-O-N, C-O-L-L-E-G-E-E-E-G-E for $20 off. Download the GameTime app today. Last minute tickets, lowest price, guaranteed. 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. So over the weekend, It was floated out and to the disappointment apparently of the Big Ten about a new idea for the college football playoff. As we go into year number two of the 12 team structure, automatic bids that come along with it for the Big Ten, the SEC, the ACC, the ACC, the Big 12, and the group of five, and then the at-large teams that come after that. Now it's been floated a different way. We've talked about a 16-team playoff and what the Big Ten wants to have happen with automatic qualifies.

Starting point is 00:24:48 And leading to a championship weekend that not only has a Big Ten championship game, but has other play-in to the playoff type games. The three-team, number three team in the Big Ten against the six team, Iowa would have been involved with that a year ago and the four versus the five. I love the idea. And though it is completely different than anything we know and how we understand college football, I love the idea selfishly from an Iowa perspective. Look, in this 18 iteration of the Big Ten, what's a likely scenario? How many times is Iowa going to play now in the Big Ten championship game? Once a decade, once every 20 years? Well, let's be honest here.

Starting point is 00:25:30 Even a great 10-and-two season and a much more difficult Big Ten might not even get you there. You might have to be 8-1 or even 9-0 just to play in the Big Ten championship game. This gives something realistic for Iowa to shoot for. and a path to get into the playoff, which is going to be tough. We've talked this year. Iowa might go 10 and 2, but if both of those losses would be to Penn State and Oregon, they could be on the outside looking in.

Starting point is 00:25:58 It is not in a vacuum. It depends on what else is happening in college football. Last year, might have been tough. What do they take in 9 and 3, South Carolina team over Iowa? A year ago, a 9 and 3 Alabama team with the name recognition over Iowa, if it came down to one final spot a year ago. We don't know what's going to happen to the rest of the country. Again, just speculation, but it's going to be more difficult.

Starting point is 00:26:20 This gives something for Iowa, though, realistically, that they can tackle. And now this 28th team playoff takes it even a step further. Now, for a college football fan, it's not my favorite thing. However, for Iowa. And not just Iowa, for Minnesota, for Illinois, for Indiana, for Michigan State, in the SEC, for Vandy and Mississippi State and South Carolina. and on and on and on. So many of the mid-tier teams and all the Big 12 and all the ACC,

Starting point is 00:26:49 they should say, we need to look at this a little bit more. It's drastic. It's crazy. But for the good, the middle, and the lower-tier teams, every one of these programs should say, yes, that is something realistic to shoot for. That is something that our program can absolutely hit. We can be a playoff team.

Starting point is 00:27:10 And win a game, win a couple. Think of the high-water marks. Think of the way that we talk about some of our great teams. Great teams that still had losses. Great teams that still had devastating ends to the year. The Orange Bowl after the 2002 season and how it ended against USA. Yet we still think so fondly of that year. The 2014, our beloved team, they get absolutely throttled out in Tempe against Arizona State, yet we still think highly.

Starting point is 00:27:39 And for a lot of these teams, almost all these teams, it's good and poorly in the playoff, but to get there, even to win a game in a 24-team structure, that would be something that would be remembered for a long time. Will people think about it, though? Will they get out of their old way of thinking of college football and come into the present? That's what Tony Petiti, the Big Ten Commissioners, trying to do. We'll see if you can get anybody to come on board.

Starting point is 00:28:05 Back with you tomorrow. We got lots of more locked on Hawkeyes. We're going to be talking with my buddy biz. That's right. Degenerates reunite. As Bidz is going to join us this week, got a couple other things heading up this week that we're going to come out to you

Starting point is 00:28:18 as we continue to preview this Iowa football team. Today, look at the biggest strengths, rivalry games. In Nebraska, always leaves you shaking your head and a whole lot more with the college football playoff of what that's going to look like going forward. Your team every day here on the lockdown network, I got you covered on the Hawkeye side of things. Hit subscribe if you're watching us on YouTube.

Starting point is 00:28:37 A five-star review on the audio side on Apple on Spotify. helps us to get in front of more Hawkeye fans. We're trying to get to 5,000 on YouTube. Just takes a second to hit subscribe. Would appreciate it if you did. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Until then, go Hawks.

Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - STRENGTH: Why Iowa FOOTBALL'S Strengths Can Be MAGNIFIED This Year - Special Teams will be special

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