Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - SWAGGER ALERT? Iowa's Tony Diaz HYPE Surges, Are Hawkeyes READY For Breakout Offense in 2026?

Starting point is 00:00:00 We had media availability for Iowa football and Iowa basketball. The Tony Diaz hype train continues, and Iowa hoops, how good they looked in practice. We talk with David I Cole. You are Locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast, your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast. Today's episode is brought to you by Fandul. The biggest stage in world soccer is here.

Starting point is 00:00:38 Let there be goals on Fandual. Visit Fandual.com to get started now. Today we're going to be joined by David Eichol from hawkeye insider.com. We're going to talk to him a little bit about where Iowa goes now without the swarm and what it means for the collectives and NIL for Iowa athletics. We'll talk some Iowa basketball as well, a breakdown of what David saw at Iowa's open practice, the second open practice that we got a glimpse of. of the stars from that one and what a lineup looks like for Iowa hoops coming up next season.

Starting point is 00:01:08 And we'll talk some football. David had an opportunity to talk to a number of players, including Tony Diaz. And yes, the hype train for the transfer wide receiver definitely continues on. Let's get David Eicholt. And here he is David Eicholt from Hawkeye Insider.com, part of 24-7 sports. David, good to catch up summertime, the birthday boy as we make our way through. It is a fun summer though, certainly. And at a different kind of summer for me, different kind of summer as we get ready for Chicago, Big Ten Football Media Days, not Vegas this year, though Chicago is a pretty good consolation price. It's not bad. I've only been to Chicago once for Big Ten Media Days because they really did move it for the most part in Indianapolis.

Starting point is 00:01:47 And Indianapolis does a great job. But selfishly, Trent, I really wanted to be back in Vegas. I had so much fun last year. Obviously some late nights and early mornings. But other than that, I mean, it's, I'll tell you what, I was so proud of some people, because you Usually I thought I'd be the last to tap out. I think there was one night where I was out at about 2.30 or so. I know people that were out until 4.4.30 and they got up at 7.30. I know I text to you. And I'm like, my age is catching up to me.

Starting point is 00:02:19 I need that second year or something. That was crazy. Well, just wait until you get another 15 years on you. Then it's really good to be catching up with you. There's no doubt. Well, David, speaking of Vegas, a note that just kind of came across and I kind of forgot about because one of my friends mentioned it to me is Vegas is also going to be Big Ten territory for the Big Ten women's basketball tournament coming up this season. And I guess I don't know for whatever reason.

Starting point is 00:02:42 It kind of flew under my radar for two guys that love Vegas as much as I do. I guess I shouldn't. But we already got to get our papers, right? Got to get this thing set up to make our way out to Vegas for the women, which I would guess would be a big contingent. We know how well the Iowa fan base travels in general for women's basketball. But you throw Vegas on top of it early March, that could have. have a chance to be really, really fun. I think so. And the other part is to direct flight. Like that, that's half the trouble of some of these tournaments sayings. I know even,

Starting point is 00:03:09 you know, when Minneapolis has it, people can go drive up. Iowa has a great contingency there. But I also think, too, that could be the time frame where number one, obviously, like all the conference tournaments and might bring out some of the sports bag side of things. But Iowans are going to be done with snow. They're going to be on their last will to live with snow. So I think they'll be able to fly out there. But again, I also think the women's team's going to be extremely good. And they'll probably be one of the favorites to go all the way in that tournament. So I won't be surprised if they have the, well, one of the largest. I would argue the largest, but we know how this West Coast schools, after what UCLA did last year, I think you got to put

Starting point is 00:03:49 some respect on the contingency that they could bring to Vegas to. Juju returns for USC. And obviously there's going to be a lot of excitement about that program. But it's going to be a fun one looking forward to March and maybe you can hang out with me and David out there in Las Vegas. Before that, though, we got football season in front of us. Let's start right there earlier this week. You had an opportunity to talk to a number of the players over there amongst them, Tony Diaz. And one thing, you know, our friend Chad Leisdikow, you can tell, he's very tepid. He doesn't want to get too excited about a wide receiver. I feel like I've heard Chad say that and write that. I don't know, about three dozen times here

Starting point is 00:04:22 throughout the going back to spring football and here throughout the summer. You and I, though, we're not in the same case. We're jumping all in and head first dive into the pool. see if it's the shallow end of the pool with a wide receiver for Iowa. But Tony Diaz, we've heard hype before. I go back to Caleb Brown and there was exciting. You got a guy that played as a true freshman in that Ohio State wide receiver room. He's got to be good. Why is it different with Tony Diaz?

Starting point is 00:04:44 Why for you does this feel different than some of the other wide receiver hype we've had in the past? I'd also been throwing Keegan Johnson in that category as well after what he had like 360 plus yards. I think there's a couple different things. One, obviously the Alabama visit that got cancer. and he ended up committing, that's a big deal. I just think he's wired differently. And I mean that, like, he just brings a much needed level of swagger and confidence in that room that I just feel like they haven't had throughout the last several years, right?

Starting point is 00:05:12 And his story is compelling. So I didn't know this until I got the chance to speak with him. His high school team went 0 and 10, his senior year, Trent. He had two scholarship offers coming out of high school. And one of the pitches is, hey, we're starting up this FBS program. you're not going to play games all next year. So he went from going 0 and 10 to just training and doing inter-squad scrimmages. And obviously we know what he accomplished last season with 11 touchdowns, you know, 870-plus yards.

Starting point is 00:05:43 I mean, he was, I would say unstoppable. But I just think he brings a different level of swagger of the room, confidence. And the other side of it, too, man, they got some help. Like, you're not solely relying on one guy to elevate the entire room or the office. offense. Like, there are so many other pieces of this offense that could allow Tony Diaz to succeed in his own right. I'm very high on DJ Benami. Quite frankly, I think I'm the highest on him of anyone, but I'm, you know me, I fire off hot takes. Like, I think he could be the best tied in to play at Iowa throughout the next two seasons. They have a great offensive line coming back.

Starting point is 00:06:20 Even though they're replacing a lot, there's a lot of optimism with Layton Jones, obviously to get Trevor Lowe, move Kate Peeper inside. And they, the, the, the competition between wide receivers three through six, like it's as quality depth-wise as Iowa's had probably since I started covering this team in 2018, 2019. So all of those things on top of having the best running back room that they've had in a decade, there's less pressure on 20 Diaz perform. It's going to allow Tim Lester to open up the playbook a little bit more. Obviously, we need to see what happens at quarterback. But with Diaz's mindset, his ability to go up there and snag the football,

Starting point is 00:06:58 I think the thing that stood out to me was the quarterback's trusting. When they throw the ball, I'm going to come down with it. I don't care how I land. I'm going to come down with the football. And he just has a level of physicality, I think. He's not afraid of the moment. And I think that's been a big, big deal with the wider seeer groups of the past. So yes, I'm buying hype into him individually, but I also am buying hype into,

Starting point is 00:07:21 there's just more across the board that I was going to be able to do. So that's going to allow, you know, a greater chance for Tony's. Bs to succeed. So you mentioned quarterback, and that is the biggest conversation for most everybody out there. Who is it going to be? We've been back and forth, Hank Brown, Jeremy Hecklinsky. I thought a year ago it said so much when Hecklinsky took up as a backup, something

Starting point is 00:07:43 almost unheard of at the backup spot of quarterback in the Kirk Ferrancerra, something like that happening. He became the backup after that Indiana game. Yet, as we made our way through spring, Hank Brown, if there was a gap, certainly closed it. And this is a true competition. and we know going into it. After having a chance to talk with Hank Brown, I know he was there on what you've heard

Starting point is 00:08:03 and kind of this is a different time. They're getting ready for camp, but the guys are still working out together, kind of where you are at this point, at the quarterback spot, and ultimately what you think this is going to play out, that it's going to be a competition throughout August. Yeah, I mean, it could go into the season.

Starting point is 00:08:17 And an idea that I've heard Flooday around, I think Tim Lester may have said this on Chad's podcast he did with him. I'm hoping to get Lester on mine as well. I wouldn't you be not surprised? if they have a little bit of quarterback hitting in full camp. I mean, I think you need to see how he reacts under pressure because that was my biggest criticism of Hank Brown throughout the last year. When pressure got in the pocket, his mechanics broke down.

Starting point is 00:08:41 You can go back to last year's spring game or we're all sitting there like, okay, you know, he's not even getting hit, but the footwork was bad. He was thrown off his back foot. I walked away fairly impressed with him in the spring. I thought he really wanted to showcase the verticality in the passing game. I thought his mechanics were a lot better. I think he feels less pressure on his shoulders.

Starting point is 00:09:02 I think Hecklinsky is bringing out the best in him. The big comment and takeaway I have from talking to quarterbacks was I asked Jeremy Heklinsky about, you know, does it feel like you guys can open up the playbook? It seems like you guys are pushing the ball more vertically because you have DJ Benami, because you have different wide receivers. And he said, look, Hank and I are different players, but this system we're running can cater toward each one of our strengths. So that tells, first of all, that's the first time I've really heard them separate themselves as what kind of players they are.

Starting point is 00:09:33 But secondly, that's also the first time I've heard either one of the quarterbacks talk about, look, the offense is big enough. Whoever's quarterback Tim's going to be all to cater toward their strengths because we know what happens. If it's Heck Blinsky, there's probably going to be a little bit more mobility in the passing game. You probably expect maybe some more, maybe option sort of plays. You probably expect Hecklinski to take care of himself. And Hank Brown might have just as good of straight line speed as Hecklinsky. That's something that they've talked about. But Heklinsky's quicker, at least in the short area.

Starting point is 00:10:03 And I think that that's where you can open it up. But I think with Hank, you know, they like the pocket passer, but he can, you know, escape the pocket. How he throws on the run, I think is going to be a very big deal about this competition. At this point, I think it's going to go into the season. I'm still on the Hecklinski hype train, but it is the slightest of margins. And I think you need to give Hank Brown a lot of credit. it because he had every reason to fold like a cheap tent after what happened against Indiana and letting Heklinsky go above him on the depth chart. But he's really, really determined to try

Starting point is 00:10:35 to take that starting spot and not give it back. So, you know, I think by Northern Iowa, you probably have to have it, quite frankly. I think you have to have it against Iowa State. We know Iowa State's going to be in for a down year, but you still have to respect the in-state rivalry. But maybe Iowa goes first quarter Hank, second quarter, Hekwinsky against Northern Iowa, you're a 30-point favorite. And then you just make a decision based off that tape in the next week of practice. You know, an interesting thing that you brought up and what Lester has mentioned. And yeah, I heard that too with Chad is talking about going live, going live with the quarterbacks and being able to hit them. Now, you're not going to have Yose land on top of them, right?

Starting point is 00:11:12 You're not going to have something like that. A little extra shoves, maybe just a little knockdown. Like they're not going to put their full body weight. It's not going to be like Carson Shire against Diego, Fabio. Nothing like that, but because one thing throughout the Kirk Farrant's tenure has drove me absolutely crazy. Outside of Drew Tate, it feels like every quarterback has had awful pocket presence. And though I was a crappy junior high quarterback, I don't know a whole lot about it. Pocket presence is one of those things.

Starting point is 00:11:37 It feels so innate. It's not something that you really can coach up. And until you're in an environment where you know you're going to be hit, where you know there's a chance you're going to get absolutely rock. Without that, you really can't tell what the pocket presence is. I mean, C.J. Beatherd had some of the worst pocket presence we've ever seen for Iowa quarterback. If you think of the number of times, he just bumped into sacks. And it's happened throughout this time. I think that's something that you can only see when the bullets are flying, when it's live action.

Starting point is 00:12:05 That's the only time it can happen. And that got me excited, got me pumped up because that is one thing throughout the years of frustrating quarterback play at the Iowa position is just pocket presence. We've had so many guys, even some of the most talented guys outside of Drew Tate, that it was not a strength. there. Brad Banks is another one that had good pocket presence. Yeah, absolutely. And I think there's two things to keep in mind here. One, it's all about the internal clock. Like, it just comes with rep and having a second football nature.

Starting point is 00:12:30 Even as a coaching perspective, it's almost innate. Like you have to almost be born with certain pocket presence. Yes, you can get better. But the internal clock and understanding of game speed, I just think you have to be wired like that, quite frankly. But the other thing that's important about this

Starting point is 00:12:46 quarterback battle, and I get accused of being too narrow-minded on this, but I'm going to hammer this home. I just don't know, and this is nothing against Hank Brown, because he could be more mobile than I'm aware of, right? We need to see more of him in live action. I just don't know how you watch what Mark Bernowski did last year for Iowa's offense and go back to a standard pocket passing quarterback. Even Sullivan. Even so, like it just, it unlocks a new level of everything, but the other side of it too is if Hank Brown's capable of lying up in a shotgun and doing some great rollout routes. And Iowa's wide receiver routes.

Starting point is 00:13:20 and the route trees are crisp, they're great off their brakes, the releases stellar. You can at least cover up a standard pocket pass in quarterback. I'm not talking about Hank Brown specifically, but just in general the characterization of that kind of quarterback. You can cover it up and still be mobile with great schematic work. But how much of it's going to be backyard football,

Starting point is 00:13:40 how much they trust their quarterbacks be able to play backyard football. But the other side of the two is, man, you know, Heklinsky has to take less risks. Someone has to find the happy medium. And whoever does that the best, I think is to be the starting quarterback moving forward. Well, it wasn't only Iowa football earlier this week. Also, David got a glimpse at some Iowa hoops. We'll talk about the men's basketball team, some stars from it.

Starting point is 00:14:02 And how does this roster shake out? And how does the minutes divvy up? We'll talk about that with David Icold as we continue. This is your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast, Locked on Hawkeyes. This episode is sponsored by Fandul on the biggest stage in the world. FanDuel is changing the game because sometimes your player gets subbed off. and your bet goes with him. Not anymore.

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Starting point is 00:15:14 That's Fanduel.com slash locked on. L-O-C-E-D-O-N to get started now. Fandul.com slash locked on. Trent kind of back with you once again here, locked on Hawkeyes, along with David Eichold from hawkine insider.com. David, we jump over to a little hoops, another availability, our second one of the summer, got a glimpse, watch a little bit of practice. And really, I think the headline to me was the return to Cooper Koch. He sat out that first practice. He was back out there.

Starting point is 00:15:47 And as I've talked about Cooper throughout this offseason, the thing is, he needs to add dimensions to his game. He shot the cover off the basketball in the back third of the season. You saw what he can be. you saw a little bit of swagger also build with him which was great to see kind of a more quiet reserve kid and that definitely built and he saw a guy playing with confidence in the back part of the season but you can't just be a corner three point shooter now there needs to be more versatility to the game more skill set back to the basket off the bounce those kind of things and watching some of the tape that you guys had at hawkeye insider it seems like that game is definitely growing the more than just a shooter I love this team I think this is going to be a really fun team to watch I think what they've done in the portal and development-wise is really, really solid. You know, John Rothstein, as good as he is, the fact that he had Ben McCollum on his podcast and put him 11th in the Big Ten rankings is kind of crazy to me, especially after watching this team.

Starting point is 00:16:43 I was incredibly impressed with Cooper Koch. I think he's going to be a big leader moving forward. The thing that really surprised me, you're right, he's a more quiet reserved kid, but he embraced the villain role in that NCAA tournament, and he talked a lot of smack during the games. I think that that's kind of going to carry over into this season. But the thing that really impressed me, he had every reason

Starting point is 00:17:05 to still be just a perimeter oriented player, but watching him in scrimmage against this current Iowa team, he was so comfortable in the post and just being in the inside, especially with Andrew McKeever, 7 foot, you know, Trevin, 7 foot, you know, Camany out 6 foot 9 and 6'10.

Starting point is 00:17:22 Cooper Koch led the team in the open scrimmage and rebounding. And there was a couple of times where in fast break, he was, would bully smaller guys and finish strong at the hoop. And I'm like, that's just not something you saw a lot from him last season. So if you can turn him into that more complete player that we saw in the scrimmage, Iowa is going to be in an outstanding spot, especially when you couple that with how good we think Tate Sage could be this season.

Starting point is 00:17:45 McKeever is so clearly, I think, getting used to what, how Ben McCollum wants to use him. Honestly, I still think he's growing into his body, quite frankly, and still understanding just how big he is, which is not uncommon when you're settled. foot three. That's why you see how many guys, right? There'll be, you know, mediocre one year, and he wasn't mediocre last year statistically by any means. But that's when you see this crazy production jumps from those big post players, because they finally understand how to play

Starting point is 00:18:10 within a system to be able to do that. So I'm very excited about Cooper. I think it's going to be a very, very fun team to watch. The only thing that's going to be really, I think, frustrating for Ben and this team moving forward. We know how much gravity Bennett Sturts had when he on the basketball court. How many times last year when the shot clock was winding down, did they just give the ball back to Bennett? He just hit some ridiculous step back or did something crazy with the basketball. They're not going to be able to do that this year. So they're going to need more guys, I think, to step up, have a more balanced scoring effort, which I think they will have. But I mean, like I said, dude, if you got Cooper Koch and Tate Sage as you're starting two and

Starting point is 00:18:47 three, I think you are in a really really good spot. No doubt about it. And, you know, it's been fun to see the development here. The one guy that is intriguing because they're loaded up front. You talked about Yorock and I go all the way back to Des Moines and Polk County High Club here a few months back and I asked McCollum about Treve and Yorock. We were in West Des Moines. So I had to ask him about my guy Trev. And he just said there was a little gleam in his eye.

Starting point is 00:19:14 And he said Trev's different. He's playing different right now. And he expanded upon that. But you guys have seen it these two practices, the skill set, the athleticism that is improving on that front on the defensive end. There was one of the highlights that I saw watching through some of the things that you guys had where he made just a great defensive play led to a runout, moving his feet, something that has never been. One of the strengths of Trevin, Yorak, even going back to the high school level is his body is catching up with that huge growth spurt that he had, but you saw that. He is

Starting point is 00:19:42 an incredibly skilled offensive player. And even if he can just be okay defensively, he's so good on the offensive end, him and McKeever together. But I want to go to the back court because there isn't a lot of depth there. You got Kill Combs, but Tyree Coleman, what you've seen out of him and is he ready to have a good solid role? I'm not saying 30 minutes a game. I'm not even saying 25 minutes a game, but do you feel confident that right away, you're number one, Tyree Coleman can go out there and give you a good 16 to 18 minutes a game? I would say yes, but there's the ups and downs, but you watch him and you see 100% why Ben McCollum really whined it. I think with his development and his all-around skill set, he's a perfect fit for this offense and defense.

Starting point is 00:20:23 he's different. He is so much stronger from the shoulders and up than I thought he was. He's a little bit taller, I think, than he's actually listed as well. Great shot mechanics, solid base, you know, great follow through. Didn't shoot it particularly well when we got the chance to watch him, but I've been told that that's not been the case, you know, throughout the last several weeks. But defensively, you know, Ben McCollum say he's been outstanding.

Starting point is 00:20:50 I think he makes relatively good decisions with the basketball. I still think he's gained chemistry with the guys. But you're right. I think he's going to play an instrumental role about where this team could go. But, I mean, I can say the same thing about Kail Koltz. I mean, to be frank with you, I think point guard play is my number one concern about this team. I feel really good about the two and three.

Starting point is 00:21:09 I love Iowa size all around. And I do want to point this out. I should have pointed out last question. They did run Trevin and Andrew McKeever in the same lineups. They are testing that two, seven foot lineup. The problem is who's going to guard. But I leaned over to Chad because we were sitting next to each other. And I said, that's what we call the Illinois lineup.

Starting point is 00:21:28 Yep. Like that's exactly why I think that they're training for that, because we know how much size and physicality that they have. But again, Coleman Strong, I think he's got a wide variety of moves around the rim. I think he's still learning how to kind of come off the Ben McCollum style screens and this offense. But just from a foundation standpoint and what you can see and what they're trying to use him as, you got four years of Ben McCollum, man.

Starting point is 00:21:53 I mean, it's, I'm not saying he's going to be a game breaker right away, but I'm talking in two years, like, he has a chance to be a real problem for the Big Ten. I think he's a free, I don't know if you saw the photo I tweet out from the first practice, where his elbow is at the front of the rim. People are saying it was AI, and I'm like, it wasn't AI. So he's got some freaky bounce to him, too.

Starting point is 00:22:15 So just sort of those intangible tools, I think you have to be excited about. But the last quick point about Tyree, and this overall team, ma'am, this is the most athletic and long team since I've been covering Iowa. How many times do we talk about, yeah, Iowa's the length, but they're not athletic.

Starting point is 00:22:33 I think Iowa's got, I know Andrew McKeever, but it's hard to be an athletic, 7'3 guy unless you're Wemby, right? They have athleticism on the wing. They have those quick, twitchy point guards. They have guys that can shoot the cover off the basketball. Like this, at least, roster makeup wise and athleticism,

Starting point is 00:22:54 you see what exactly Ben McCollum is trying to build. And Tyreek, I think, is going to be a big part of that. David, we'll get you out on this, Ethan Harris. When the roster was updated with all the new guys came in there, he's listed as a guard. Because watching the highlights, you know, a 6-9 guy, the redhead, a lot of people are going back to Aaron White, right, with the athleticism that he has.

Starting point is 00:23:14 But talk about his guard skills, what you've seen from him. Again, we talk about the backcourt. It's not very deep right now. now, is that a guy that they could play him at times at the two, probably more likely as a three. We're also not talking about traditional basketball. Ben McCollum doesn't play that way. But could you see a lineup where he is your two out there? He is guarding a shooting guard.

Starting point is 00:23:35 Is that even a likelihood? Yeah. And that's crazy to think about, right? But you're right. I have you brought that up because, one, he's bigger and I thought. Again, like I get the Aaron White comparisons, but Aaron White was like my building coming to Iowa. like he was just more wiry right Ethan's got some muscle to him

Starting point is 00:23:54 and he's put on some good weight already he shot the basketball really well and he just he looked a lot more raid to contend for minutes than I thought you would be I'd say the same thing about Jane Coon though and you talk about a guy that's got freaky all my easy easy easy I

Starting point is 00:24:08 I said that's the first time I've seen him live I didn't get to catch him in high school oh yeah oh man he I see why they really kept going after him but Ethan Harris I think he that was the big reason why he committed to Iowa. It's because exactly all Ben McCollum uses guys. He basically said, hey, this is positionless basketball. I play it to two, I play it at three, I play it at the four. I seriously think that there is a chance that this could be a lineup for certain games,

Starting point is 00:24:35 okay? Take Sage at the one, Cooper Koch at the two, Ethan Harris at the three, Ray Thompson at the four, and McKeever at the five. Wow. You think about how long and how they could switch in different ways. That's, that's the pitch. That's why Ben McCollum wants to six foot seven to six foot 10 guys. They're able to move her. That's why they got Keller Dardy in the 27 class. He's a six foot 10 guy that can stretch the floor, but he could probably play the three if he continues to improve his, you know, lateral quickness. But that's the type of style that Ben wants to play. And that's something that Ethan just goes like when I asked him about he said, I can be a free, I can be a free basketball player, not sucked into one role. And there's

Starting point is 00:25:19 actual visible, tangible evidence that he's not going to be stuck in one role. He's going to be able to play the two. And the other thing is, Ben said they have seven or eight guys that they could bring out of basketball up the court. Trevin was bringing the ball up the court. Yes, I know. Yeah. Eliminate that.

Starting point is 00:25:35 So you talk about Trey Thompson being able to do that. You talk about Ethan Harris. Like all of this stuff is on the table. How Iowa played last year, foundationally, it's probably going to be at least somewhat the saying it's going to look really, really different, though, I think with just with the way the roster makes up right now. And again, you don't have Bennett Sturts who is probably playing for one of the favorites to win the NBA title next season. It's going to be a fun year. No doubt about it. David Icold will have it covered hawkeye

Starting point is 00:26:02 insider.com, him, Sean Bach and Elliott Clough doing great work over there as always. David, we will talk to you again soon. Maybe try to track you down again last week because I got a billion different questions for you and a different billion different things to talk about. I'm on vacation the last month of July before we'll get ready and football be here before we know it. We'll talk to again though soon. Happy birthday, David. Hey, I appreciate you, man. Just hit me up and we'll do this again. Appreciate you.

Starting point is 00:26:27 Hockaiinsider.com is where you can go for David's work and all the great group over there at hawkeye insider. We come back on the other side. The countdown to kickoff continues 50 days away from Iowa football. We'll talk about that next day right there. This is Lockdown Hawkeyes. Trent kind of back with you one final time on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast, your daily Iowa Hawkeye podcast. Get your daily lockdown Hawkeye fix completely ad-free by joining the

Starting point is 00:27:02 everyday or club today. Start your seven-day free trial right now and get closer to the Hawkeyes without the interruptions. Click the link in the show notes or go to LockdownHawkeyes. That's www.com to claim your free trial. That's Lockdownhawkeyes. That's supracast.com. Rapid things up and our countdown continues. We are 50 days away from Iowa football.

Starting point is 00:27:25 Number 50 on the roster, a walk on from Denver, Iowa. Will Lockhart. He was a former cyclone up there with the Denver program. 6-3, 250-pound defensive lineman walk-on. We know the stories definitely about that. But a couple of the guys that we missed here over the last few days, including number 51, Luke Gaffney. We talked about the importance of that defensive tackle position.

Starting point is 00:27:48 And of the two veteran walk-on guys that began their career there between Luke Gaffney and Will Hubert, feels like one of those guys has to pop. You need one of those guys to be able to give you a foundation. You know you're going to be good with at least one of them for 25 snaps a game. Maybe the other one could give you another 15 and then building the other pieces. Bryce Stevenson, he is the biggest part of this defensive line and the defensive tackle position. We've talked about the growth of a guy like Brad Fitzgibbon, what he can potentially be. Christ Stevenson coming in from the transfer portal coming in from Holy Cross,

Starting point is 00:28:22 Emmanuel Alibaggio coming in from North Dakota. These guys are all important, but those veterans, the guys that have been there that have been putting in the work and know what it takes to play at this level, absolutely huge on that front. We are getting closer and closer and single game tickets are available for Iowa football, though not for the Sihawk game. That has been listed now officially as a sellout as of yesterday on Thursday. So you can still get out there.

Starting point is 00:28:49 Tickets available for many of the games, but getting too close to sell out status for many of them, including the Ohio State game coming up in early October during that early opening gauntlet that Iowa has to begin. Big Ten play. We got more over the weekend for you here, Locked on Hawkeyes. I got a few news and notes from the open practice for basketball.

Starting point is 00:29:08 I want to get into and also talk a little bit more about the media availability. We got you covered each and every day here, Locked on Hawkeyes, your daily. Iowa Hawkeye podcast. Again, you can check us out and get each and every episode at free. Go to lockdown hawkeyes.com. Lockdown, your team every day. That's what we do here on the network. Thanks for being with us and making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. You can join us so many different places. Find us on social media as well. You can find me at Trent Condon and the show on Twitter at Lock on Iowa. We're on Facebook as well, putting a lot of content

Starting point is 00:29:43 out there with a lot of short clips. You can find us. Just search Lockedon, on hawkeyes. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Hope you have a great weekend. Until then, go hawks.

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