Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / Frank Schwab talks NFL, Scott Dochterman on his Kirk Ferentz interview & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports

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Frank Schwab talks NFL, Scott Dochterman on his Kirk Ferentz interview & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

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Hour number two, welcome back Miller and Condon.
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Iowa Sports Radio Network, Trent Condon, Ken Miller with you
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until 2O clock still to come this hour.
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Scott Doctorman, really good one-on-one piece with Iowa head
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football coach Kirk Ference that published today at the Athletic
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Publishing at yahoosports.com is one of the rights of summer.
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As I've said, Frank, many times in the last couple of years
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since Peter King retired, you're the one that gets me to
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football. He used to look for his
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vacation. When he went on his three weeks
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vacation, I knew it was getting close to football season.
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Now it's your countdown 32 to one that does it for me.
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And today you unveiled Team 26. So we're getting close.
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Frank, how are you? Doing well, doing well.
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And yes, it's always demarcation point in my summer, too, when
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I'm, you know, saying that, OK, football, football's right
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around the corner. It can't be too long now.
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No, absolutely. So help us out.
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How do you do this? First of all, do you, do you
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rank teams one through 32? Do you change at any point in
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your countdown? Maybe it's four and five that
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you're not happy with, or you could make a case either way.
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Do you, do you write down teams one through 32 and stick with
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it? How do you do it, Frank?
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I do, I do one through 32 at some point in May and to be
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honest with you, I don't change it because of our graphics
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department. I send those out to them to
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make. So unless there's some major,
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you know, if that press got retired today, I think I'd move
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the Cowboys down. But, and we just figured it out.
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But mostly I like to just stick with it.
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And you know what, there's sometimes every year, every year
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happens where as a team or two, when I really, really dig into
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the writing that I'm like, OK, I'm, I'm, I'm too low on this
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team. I'm too high on this team.
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This year was a Jets, The Jets I, I had, I believe 28 and I, I
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look at the roster and I say, well, you know, I was very high
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on them before last season. I was wrong, but I was high on
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them. Most of the same reasons I was
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high on them coming in the last year kind of still exist there.
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They have a lot of good young core players that, you know,
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Garrett Wilson and Bruce Hall and Quinn Williams and you know,
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on and on. And now you know, they they, I
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think Aaron Glenn could be a really good coach.
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And Justin Fields isn't necessarily a conventional
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quarterback. He's never been a great passer,
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but he does some things in a running game that you really
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like. So I look at Jets are an example
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of a team that yes, when I, when I get into the writing and
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actually spend a lot of time digging into a team, my, my
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opinions change a little bit. I'm not.
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I don't think Jets are a top ten team or anything, but I think
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they're probably better than the 28 I have them for one example.
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Let's go to 29 because we're looking for dark horses.
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Ken loves big prices. What he's looking in the futures
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market. Not that the Carolina Panthers
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are going to win a NFC Championship, a Super Bowl,
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anything like that. But maybe in a year where we
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know the Saints are going to be terrible, you can you trust
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Baker for another season of staying healthy in Tampa,
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Atlanta? You never know what you're going
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to get out of them. If you're looking for a dark
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horse in that division race, maybe it is the Carolina
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Panthers. Why yes, nobody's going to have
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them, even in the teens. I don't think of their power
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rankings this summer. But why 29 for Carolina?
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Mostly the defence. The defence was not just bad, it
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was miles worse than every other defence in the NFL.
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They allowed the most points in NFL history last year and they
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didn't do much to fix it. I mean, yes, they added some
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free agents, but no big, big difference maker.
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Travis Moreg, you know, won their safety.
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OK, that that's nice. He helps a couple of their
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defensive tackles help, you know, the still of a run.
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They were by some statistical measures, the worst run defense
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in the NFL last year and the worst pass defense in the NFL
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last year. And that's hard to do.
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They usually can do one thing right, Like you could do
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something at a respectable level and they could do nothing well
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on defense. But that's OK.
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This is not a year where you look at the Panthers, if if
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you're looking at the big picture with them and say, well,
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they they needed to compete for a playoff spot.
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Not necessarily. I agreed with them drafting
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McMillan a overall saying, Hey, this is the guy who's number one
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on our board. We're not just going to reach
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for defense because we need it and help Bryce Young out.
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And I think with the Bryce Young thing, I do wonder Bryce Young
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did play a lot better late last season.
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Did he play that well? Like I think what what might be
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happening with the Panthers is we're looking at how low Bryce
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Young set the bar and we're over praising him for how well he
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played. He played fine.
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He was obviously a lot better, but does it mean he's good all
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of a sudden? Is Bryce Young a top 15
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quarterback or is it just that he was so much better than he
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was when he got benched after two games?
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So these things are rattle around in my head about the
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Panthers. But I will say this, look, late
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last season and I, I led my preview by saying this, they
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almost beat the Chiefs. They almost beat the
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Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia and they got really
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unlucky not to beat the Buccaneers in overtime.
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Those are three of the best teams in the NFL last year,
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including both Super Bowl participants.
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So they're close. I think they're close to it, a
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turn around. I just don't think it happens
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this year. I think they need one more
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offseason to fix that defense. Well, I want to go to the team
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that came in at #26 that was published today, and that's the
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Raiders, because I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind
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around this team. I think that I still think the
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NFC North top to bottom is, is going to be the most difficult
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division. And I think that'll bear out in
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your power in your unveiling, because I'm not sure you'll have
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a team outside of 20 of the four teams in in the NFC North.
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And I was kind of surprised to see the Raiders as early as you
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have them at 26 because I, I think they upgraded their coach.
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I, I know they upgraded their coach.
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I think they upgraded the quarterback.
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I'm pretty sure even though Geno Smith is old, Bowers looks like
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he could be any type of player. Ashton Gente.
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I voted for the Heisman, not net.
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Doesn't mean he's going to start in the NFL, but I really like
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him. Obviously, Crosby's elite.
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I just think that maybe this Raiders team might surprise some
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people. Frank and they really could.
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They are one team I struggled with a little bit.
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It's just that they started from such a low point.
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I mean it. And then you're right.
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And Geno Smith has a huge upgrade, but what's an upgrade
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to? I mean, if you say he's the 16th
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best quarterback in the NFL, OK, that that's fine.
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But does that make you a good team?
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And they also, again, I can't get them out of the basement of
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the AFC West even in a best case scenario.
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The the best thing I can say about the Raiders is they might
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be the best last place team in the NFL, but I'd probably
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whoever finishes last in the NFC North will be the best last
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place team in the NFL. But you get what I'm saying.
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Like, no matter how positive I am on the Raiders, they still
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can't get above the Broncos, Chargers or cheese for me.
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So but I think they could be look, it was a wee.
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It's weird too, that a rebuilding team hired the oldest
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coach in NFL history, traded for a middle of the road quarterback
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who's going to turn 35 and then drafted a running back number
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six. But I just think they were so
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desperate for any whiff of a winning culture and just to get
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out of this being a laughingstock year after year
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after year, that they don't care that they're kind of building
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for the short term when there's no hope for the short term.
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I think they just want to turn things around.
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And Pete Carroll, my coach, who knows that piece, a different
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dude. But, you know, we all talk about
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his energy and how he's the youngest 74 year old ever.
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And that's all very true, but is he really going to coach more
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than two, three years? I, I don't know that I can count
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on that, but I think what the Raiders are counting on is this
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guy's going to leave things better off than he found them.
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And for the Raiders team that I I had this in the preview that
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over the last 20, however many seasons, they've had 13 head
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coaches and two playoffs parents.
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It's like this is this is a bad organization.
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So I think any semblance of getting adults in the room, Geno
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Smith, a quarterback, Pete Carroll at head coach, just to
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get them to a point where they're they're an NFL franchise
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again, I think it was worth it for them for the just to take
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some swings in the short term. So you talked a little bit about
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the process with Ken. As you get into well here, the
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division that matters the most is, of course, the NFC North.
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We got Packers, Vikings, Bears around here along with the
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Lions. Is would there be anything that
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could happen here before those previews come up that make you
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adjust your numbers, that say, you know what, I need to give it
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another look, or as you're writing through or making some
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edits, whatever it is, how deep is your process and how willing
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are you to adapt before it actually hits publish?
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Yeah, not I usually don't. I usually save that because I
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don't see the preseason and we trust me, I do power rankings
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every week. I can, I can make some.
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I remember moving the Commanders way up before last season when I
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was going on every radio show talking about, hey, the
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Commanders could be a playoff team this season. 1 of the
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things I got right, actually, at the end of my power rankings, I
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had them in the late 20s. I was like, I need to adjust
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this. I don't look in the preseason.
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I don't like to overreact to things, but I think one thing
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that could make me react is JJ McCarthy.
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Is he healthy? Is he good?
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Because I'm kind of coming around to the fact I don't know,
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I'll tell you this, I don't have the Vikings that high in my
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power rings. I don't have that low either.
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I think the pendulum is swarming on the Vikings where everybody
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thinks they're going to regress. Everybody's like, oh, that even
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they're over under win total. I know we talked about batting
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here and there. It's 8 1/2, 8 1/2 for a team
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that won 14 games last year and I thought had a good offseason,
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very good offseason, fix the offensive line, brought Aaron
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Jones back. Are we saying Sam Arnold is
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worth six games to the Minnesota Vikings?
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Like, I don't really can't get there.
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Like, I think Sam had a really, really good season.
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But why can't JJ McCarthy have a really good season?
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The Vikings traded up the draft in 10th overall in a loaded
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quarterback class. We saw all pretty much all of
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them have success last year. He's still in the same
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environment throwing the all world Justin Jefferson along
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with Jordan Addison healthy, TJ Hawkinson, a better offensive
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line. The Kevin O'Connell still called
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plays last I checked. So the Vikings infrastructure is
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so good, why can't JJ McCarthy be awesome right away?
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Like, and I'm talking like legitimately like think about
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what Bonex did last year. I think that's a big comparison.
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I'm starting to use that. Bonex was put in a very good
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situation with a very good head coach and had immediate success
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and took his team to the playoffs.
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Why can't JJ McCarthy beat Bonex if he's healthy now?
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I want to see a little bit of it in preseason.
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I want to see moving around well, I want to see him kind of
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confident and playing well. That's kind of the one thing
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though, I think the Vikings are the team that maybe we're all
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sleeping on again. We're we just expect them to go
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from 14 and three to win total of 8 1/2.
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Why? Because the Sam Darnold is that
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great. Like, I think McCarthy's going
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to be a lot better, people think.
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Yeah, I saw Circa move to 9 1/2. There was so much steam coming
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in yesterday. There was 9 1/2.
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Well, just circa just. But they should be.
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It should be, absolutely. It should be at least 9 1/2.
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Yep. They were the first ones to move
11:04
that I've seen and they bring in Alan, bring in Hargrove.
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I like the way they address the defensive line as well.
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So the Chiefs have won the AFC West 9 consecutive years.
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I, I think this will probably be the 6th consecutive year.
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I say it's not going to happen again this year, but I feel, I
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feel I've got it right this year.
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I do I, I think the Chargers and the Broncos have both closed the
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gap. Frank, I really do.
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How about you? Which one do you pick though?
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I'm going to pick Denver, and I got to say I'm a Denver fan
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first and foremost. I think I've told you this
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before. I love their offseason, Frank.
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I truly do. Especially if Greenlaw is
11:39
healthy. Hafanga looks like, I mean, he's
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a huge addition. I like the the running back pick
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up from last week. Dobbins.
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I think Bo Nicks has got one more step.
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The offensive line is good. I think they're loaded, Frank, I
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really do. They might be I mean, the
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offensive line is really, really good.
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The defense, why can't it be top five again?
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I mean, it's really good. You might be right because I, I
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asked you because I kind of go back and forth now I'm huge on
12:06
the Chargers just because I have this incredible belief that Jim
12:09
Harbaugh, he converted me Latin. Not that I knew it didn't know
12:12
he was a great coach, but I sat here, we talked about it.
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I said, come on. Jim Harbaugh has been out of the
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NFL nine years. He's coming to a Chargers team
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that had to let a lot of guys go because of salary cap reasons.
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It's going to need a year to adjust back to the NFL, get his
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guys in there and in 2025 he's going to be awesome.
12:26
Well, he was awesome in 2024 and I just kind of forgot like Jim
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Harbaugh is probably one of the five dudes on the planet who are
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just better coaching football than everybody else.
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He is he's an incredible coach. I love Omari and Hampton.
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I think he's I think he's a dark horse win rookie of the year.
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I think that they've put together pieces for him.
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Justin Herbert's changed who he is as a back, much more
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efficient with Harbaugh scaling back on how much he's passing
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and but being better at when he does drop back to pass.
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So I'm all in on the Chargers. I understand the Broncos stuff.
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They're obviously I do worry about the injury stuff.
12:58
We say, you know, or if Greenlaw stays healthy, if a fangus stays
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healthy, if Thousand stays healthy.
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Well, there's a reason we're talking about this.
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These guys are injury prone, I guess.
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So we'll see if those guys can stay healthy.
13:09
But yeah, I think the Chiefs are going to be very much challenged
13:13
in the division this year. I think that they win the
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division still. I still I'm not.
13:17
I've tried so I just like you, I've tried so hard to knock them
13:20
off the pedestal and they just keep winning the division.
13:22
So I'll probably just pick them to win the division again.
13:25
And that looks stupid, but I I could see it being, you know,
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they're not clinched until week 17, week 18, because I think the
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Broncos very, very good, solid foundation.
13:36
Sean Payton's an unbelievable coach, reminded of that last
13:39
year. And I really trust the Chargers.
13:41
I think the Chargers are going to be legitimate Super Bowl
13:43
contenders in a year or two and maybe, maybe this year.
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I I really, really like what they're doing.
13:49
And and Jim Harbaugh is a great, great coach.
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He's a weird guy. He's a great coach.
13:53
So, yeah, ASC W is just fascinating to me because I
13:56
think we all, you'll also know the Chiefs are going to take a
13:58
step back. Dave, I hate to call team lucky
14:01
because when you have a Hall of Fame quarterback and a Hall of
14:04
Fame coach, it just is better in close games than everybody.
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But that whole close games thing is real.
14:09
That doesn't have, you're not going 10 and O in close games
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year after year after year. Like that just has to regress a
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little bit. So yeah, I think AFC West is
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going to be really, really, really fun to watch this here.
14:21
Mentioned the North. Ken got to talk about the
14:24
Broncos, so let's talk about the Bears.
14:26
Just where are you? I'm not going to put anything
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out there. I just, I just need to hear from
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Frank Schwab. I I I think if it hits for the
14:35
Bears, it's going to hit big. I don't think it's going to be
14:37
one of those like, all right, they were just I think it's
14:41
either going to be that we're we're still you're away with
14:43
them. You know, Ben Jones again, used
14:45
to being head coach, all that or Caleb Williams wins MVP And
14:50
I've, I've made two bets. I've made two bets for MVP.
14:52
We like long shots. We like talking thing here.
14:54
Rockford is one of them because of their schedule and the way
14:57
it's set up and just the narratives.
14:59
And the other was Caleb Williams just because again, if it hits,
15:02
I think it's going to hit big. I I think it's going to be, Oh
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my goodness, we forgot Caleb Williams was the number one pick
15:08
for a reason. Ben Johnson was the light whale
15:11
that everybody's been chasing for two years because he's an
15:13
unbelievable offensive coach and all these weapons he has to work
15:16
with Burton and Loveland and a doomsday and more.
15:20
And it just it ended up being Caleb Williams throws for 4800
15:24
yards this year. I could totally see that.
15:26
And if they win the division, the toughest division in the
15:29
NFLI think you're going to see a lot of groundswell for Ben
15:32
Johnson, coach of the year, Williams MVP.
15:35
But I don't think that that's the most likely outcome.
15:38
But I think it's the ceiling. That's a team of a high ceiling,
15:42
I think just because I thought the coaching was so bad last
15:45
year that they couldn't get out of their own way.
15:48
Well, what if Ben Johnson is really, really good at this?
15:51
We don't know. We it's a different job off of
15:54
the coordinator, head coach. We talk about it a lot, two
15:56
different jobs. We don't know if Ben Johnson is
15:58
going to be a great head coach, but I kind of do trust him.
16:01
I, I think the Bears are going to be a really, really fun team
16:04
to watch. I, I don't, I still have lines
16:06
when that division right now, but this division, it's a hard
16:11
division to really sift through because I can make an argument
16:14
for any one of those four teams winning the division, but
16:16
somebody's got to finish last. Somebody's going to have to
16:19
finish 8:00 and 9:00 or 7:00 and 10:00 just because of math.
16:22
And that's going to be an unbelievably good losing team.
16:26
And it could be the Bears again. They were last place for a
16:28
reason last year. But yeah, I think if it's one of
16:31
those things where the the the gap between the ceiling and the
16:35
floor with the Bears is, why does any in the NFL 'cause their
16:38
ceiling is, I think really, really high if it all comes
16:40
together quickly. Frank Schwab, yahoosports.com
16:44
Follow the countdown. 32 down to 1 and I have no idea.
16:47
Most years, I have a pretty good idea who your number 1 is going
16:49
to be. I can make a case for three or
16:51
four teams. Frank will.
16:53
We'll run you down once we get to about 5 or thereabouts if
16:56
your schedule allows. Thanks for what you do for us,
16:58
Frank. Appreciate it.
17:00
Absolutely. Sounds fun.
17:01
We'll we'll talk to you once we get to the top five.
17:03
Take care. Thank you, Frank.
17:04
Frank Schwab, yahoosports.com as we countdown or he counts down
17:08
teams 32. So just so you know, his 3232
17:13
was the Titans, Saints 31, Browns 30, Panthers 29.
17:17
I agree with you trend. I think they're going to be
17:18
better. Jets 28, Giants 27 and today the
17:22
Raiders are 26. So that's where Frank is.
17:25
I did not realize that the Panthers gave up the most that
17:28
didn't NFL history. Now it makes sense.
17:30
Now, doesn't that seem like a stat that you and I, both of us,
17:33
should have right at the top of our head?
17:34
True, but. I don't know if I watch Carolina
17:38
play at all Last year, right? Fair fair.
17:40
Outside of red zone, I don't think they made the.
17:42
I don't get red zone. Yeah, I don't do the red zone,
17:45
but yeah, it doesn't. It doesn't appear on your rate
17:47
unless they play. I'm sure they get a Thursday
17:49
game or a London game, but I don't recall watching them very
17:52
much. But yeah, I was kind of floored
17:54
by that stat too, because I like their offense.
17:56
I do. You know, and I think Young's
17:58
starting to turn the corner a little bit.
18:00
We'll head to a break. Before we do that, though, it's
18:02
time for another keyword. Head to kxno.com.
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The keyword this hour is grand. Grand at kxno.com.
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Your chance to win grand. The keyword is grand.
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Somebody's going to win $1000 in this nationwide contest.
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KX no.com. We're going to be back with
18:17
Scott Dockerman from The Athletic.
18:19
Talk about his piece that he published today.
18:21
A1 on one exclusive interview with Iowa head football coach
18:24
Kirk Ference. That's next.
18:25
Miller and Condon, Iowa Sports Radio Network.
18:34
Mary Condon, welcome back. Coming up on 1:30 on a Tuesday.
18:40
Still to come, Trench plays of the day, Circus sports sponsor,
18:43
those about 10 minutes or so before 2O clock.
18:46
Well, as we've talked about earlier in the program, Scott
18:48
Dockerman coming up, he joins us now.
18:50
Great piece that published today, an exclusive one-on-one
18:54
sit down with Iowa head football coach Kirk Ference who will
18:57
enter season #27 hard to believe those two coaches been there as
19:01
long as they were. Obviously Hayden Frye before him
19:04
and Kirk Ference for the last 27 and talk with us now to talk
19:08
about his piece. Scott well done read it this
19:10
morning. Well, when it was published and
19:12
you're 1000% right of of all the quote, you know, older longer in
19:17
the tooth coaches in college football fair and seemingly
19:20
would be the one that was least willing to change that.
19:23
That was the perception, you know, earlier in his career.
19:26
But he's fully embracing what this NIL is doing.
19:29
In fact, we think back to, you know, his influence on the swarm
19:33
getting jump started under a previous athletic director who's
19:36
really dragging his feet and Barta.
19:38
But Kirk Ference got it at the time and continues to get it
19:41
now. And he did adapt, did he not?
19:44
Scott Tuckerman, well done on your piece.
19:46
Well, thank you. And and yes, I would say that
19:49
Kirk is certainly, you know, made everybody kind of their
19:52
eyebrows parole or whatever you want to say because you know,
19:58
what you kind of expected from him.
20:00
And maybe, you know, whether it's perception or just kind of
20:03
what we based it on from our interactions in the past was
20:06
that they wouldn't embrace the portal, that they'd be really
20:08
resistant to change. And in fact, it's kind of the
20:10
other way around. He's been more invigorated by
20:13
the changes and and some of it is just been kind of through his
20:16
own experiences, but you know, with with losing players in the
20:20
portal and what have you. But but some of it also is.
20:23
You know, he is he is very much influenced by the NFL and yes,
20:29
he was there in the 90s. So it sounds like it was an
20:31
eternity ago and a lot of people it was.
20:34
But but you know, he also has, you know, a lot of interactions
20:39
with people in the NFL on a daily basis.
20:42
I mean, his son is a coach there as one of them still is a coach
20:45
there. And he has great relationships,
20:48
probably better relationships with a lot of NFL coaches than
20:50
anyone that's college peers. So, so how, you know, he's kind
20:54
of been astute in how NFL teams handle free agency and how it
20:59
works. And he's kind of taking that
21:02
mindset to, to this. And, you know, he had, you know,
21:05
one period, I kind of documented it back in 2022, they lost
21:09
several players in a 2 day span. And it kind of hit him.
21:13
It kind of shook him up. And then he said he, you know, I
21:15
didn't write this part of it, but you know, he went to
21:17
practice and then he saw the rest of his players practicing
21:21
hard. They're getting ready for a bowl
21:22
game. And then he's like, you know
21:23
what, that's that's what, that's what this is all about.
21:26
This is what I really enjoy. And if other players don't want
21:28
to be here, that's fine. We're we'll find other players
21:31
and then he, you know, did. And as long as they kind of fit
21:34
what he wants, he's all for it. He has evolved and he has
21:39
changed and maybe it's slower than people want, but you're not
21:42
going to last in this business 27 years without doing that,
21:46
sitting down with him. And I know you've done this a
21:48
number of times. What is he like?
21:50
Ken and I had him on the radio, interviewed him, Big 10 meaty
21:54
days, didn't like. But what does he like?
21:56
Just you and him sitting down and having a conversation like
21:58
that. Because yeah, we could see the
22:00
quotes that you take out of there, but what's a conversation
22:03
like with nearly 70 year old Kirk Ference now today?
22:07
I, I've always enjoyed my conversations with Kirk away
22:11
from everybody, whether it's, you know, a press conference or,
22:15
or even at things like media days, 'cause you know, he's kind
22:19
of grown to coach speak like a lot of people are, but but away
22:23
from it, you realize, you know, personal how smart he is.
22:26
And, and I think he tries to be very self deprecating And you
22:30
know, and that's when it comes to I, I don't think know what
22:32
you know how to do this or whatever, but he's very much in
22:36
tune with just about every topic And, and it's, it's kind of fun
22:40
to see. But then he also has some really
22:42
interesting thoughts and ideas on a lot of different things
22:45
that really need to be brought out.
22:47
I mean, remember, they don't. This is the longest tenured head
22:49
coach currently in college football and he's been part of
22:53
the college game. He started that even as a grad
22:55
assistant 1980 at Pittsburgh, which was really good team then
22:58
and and he's been here today. So he's seen a lot of different
23:01
things and he has ideas and, and, and he really communicates
23:06
it well and in those one on ones and side conversations even more
23:10
so. So I, I think it's, it's really,
23:14
it's impressive to be around him when he, when he does kind of
23:17
talk like this. And, and the one thing about him
23:20
that you that really comes through when you get a chance to
23:22
talk to him in those situations is he's very humble and he
23:26
understands that he's doesn't have all the answers.
23:30
He tries to have them, but but he has principles and standards
23:33
and those are things that are non negotiable with him.
23:36
But I think that's probably why he's been, you know, relatively
23:40
as successful as he has been for all these years.
23:42
You know, obviously, you know, doing talk radio stuff, you, you
23:45
speculate, right, That's half of job seemingly.
23:48
And he just wonders is when when's it going to end?
23:50
He's under contract, under contract through 2000 and and
23:55
30. Obviously he when you pointed
23:59
out your last sentence, I've got permission for my wife.
24:02
So as far as when it's time to leave, do you think he's got
24:06
another contract in him doc? And if he got to that point,
24:09
would he go year to year? And I'm not sure you can do that
24:12
in college athletics. Do you think he's got one more
24:14
contract in him? And I would only be speculating
24:19
this situation. No, I don't think necessarily
24:21
there's another eight-year contract or or what have you
24:25
there, Although I wouldn't want to speak for Neil Corn Rich who
24:28
could probably squeeze that, although certainly could have
24:31
squeezed it out of Gary Barr. I don't know about Beth Gatz,
24:34
but but I think at this point what the smart play is for Iowa
24:39
and for Kirk because he knows that it's not going to go on
24:42
forever and how he feels good enough today at at 70.
24:46
But he's like, I don't know what it feels like to be 727374,
24:49
whatever. And that's true because some
24:53
sometimes things just kind of fall off a Cliff that when you
24:55
get to an older age, you know, physically or mentally or what
24:58
have you. So I think it it's probably
25:01
under that just a continual extension, you know, one year,
25:05
you know, at the end of this year, go to another year, you
25:08
know, and maybe not increase the buyout part of it or just
25:11
maintain it, but just kind of perpetually just kind of take
25:14
that one year at a time approach at the end.
25:17
A lot of schools do that with with their coaches.
25:19
I think that would be the right route because I mean, whether he
25:22
gets to the finishes the contract, I'm not sure.
25:26
But you do want to provide that kind of stability for him in
25:29
recruiting. You know, even though it's maybe
25:31
not as imperative as it once was with the transfer portal and
25:35
players leaving, really good players leaving after a couple
25:37
of years, I think you do want to have that proof that he's still
25:42
our guy no matter what. Doc, you know the narrative out
25:45
there. You're now a national writer and
25:47
you work with a bunch of national people there at The
25:49
Athletic. What would it take at this
25:52
juncture of his tenure for the narrative to flip a little bit
25:57
that he's not what you talked about at the beginning of the
25:59
piece? Is it the offense Catching Fire,
26:03
passing game catching up and this team makes a run and goes
26:06
9:00 and 3:10 and 2:00 slips into the plat?
26:08
I mean, is that what it's going to take?
26:10
And even would that be enough to change the big perception that's
26:13
out there about Kurt Berenson and the Iowa football program?
26:17
I do think it'd probably be the offense.
26:19
It would have to be explosive. It would have to be explosive
26:23
more than just once, you know, it couldn't just, you know, like
26:27
the the Ohio State game in 17, You know, you know, that's
26:30
awesome for Iowa fans and stuff. But but you're also the next
26:34
week, you can't have 66 yards of total offense either.
26:38
You're you're going to have to be at a pretty good clip for
26:41
most of this season. You know, for it's a really
26:43
change. I mean, it might mean winning a
26:45
shootout against Indiana. It might mean just simply
26:48
getting a win against Penn State.
26:51
It might mean losing to Oregon, but not 4814, but but 41 to to
26:56
34. You know, just so you feel like
26:59
when Iowa's offense is out there, and I think fans would
27:01
agree to this is when Iowa's offense is out there that they
27:04
have a chance to score every time they got the ball.
27:06
And, and if that can be the case and they look kind of exciting
27:09
doing it, but still maintain their standards and, and, and
27:12
principles, then I think the perception would change quite a
27:16
bit very quickly. And I think there'd be a new eye
27:19
cast on Iowa, which is, you know, they're remarkably
27:22
consistent. I, I think very few teams are as
27:25
consistent as Iowa. And they've had, you know, some
27:28
really nice peaks over the last, you know, 10 years.
27:31
You've had a 12 win season, you know what, 3 different 10 win
27:34
seasons. That's pretty strong
27:36
accomplishments. Never dipped below eight wins in
27:39
any of those years. But I think you want to win a
27:42
big one and I think you want to, you know, showcase your full
27:46
potential, which on offense they really haven't done really in a
27:50
long, long time. Yeah, I'm glad that part made
27:53
the peace talk when he kind of reflected on the past and that
27:56
he's he's I think the quote was I'm proud of what our and prayer
27:59
phrasing. I'm proud of what our record is
28:00
over the last 10 years. And he should be.
28:02
I mean, you stack it up there. There's not a lot of programs
28:05
that can say that. I know fans want to win the Big
28:07
10 and they want to you know, they they they want to reach the
28:10
pinnacle. I get that.
28:11
But when you stack up what Iowa has done in college football
28:15
under the Ference era and particularly these last 10
28:19
years, I'm glad that he that he brought he he brought that up
28:23
and you know, he does it as he said, he don't.
28:26
We don't advocate a lot for ourselves, but the record is
28:29
what it is and it's good. Yeah, it is.
28:32
And, and I think that's something he needs to be, you
28:35
know, but maybe they do need to, you know, trumpet it a little
28:38
bit more. And and of course, but but
28:40
again, part of that problem with with Kirk is, or with the Iowa's
28:45
program has been the offense. It was so dreadful that they
28:48
became a punching line, a punch line for a long time.
28:52
And and you've got to get past that.
28:54
I mean, you know, in today's world and, and whether it's
28:58
people I work with or whatever, if if you're bad on one side of
29:02
the ball, you better be bad on defense because offense, if
29:05
you're bad there, you really stick out.
29:06
And I think, you know, anytime Iowa would kind of beat its
29:09
chest and say, Hey, we've been this good, We've been this good.
29:11
It's like, yeah, but your offense has been so bad and you
29:15
employed your son as a offensive coordinator for so long, it
29:18
would kind of take away any of that Thunder.
29:21
And that's why I think this year is really kind of important for
29:23
Iowa from perception as much as anything, because if, if Tim
29:27
Lester, if Mark Gronowski, if this offense can average 34
29:31
points a game, you know, which last year was 27, it was a heck
29:34
of a jump, 12 point jump. But if you can get past 30
29:37
points a game, 34 points a game, and be very competitive and win
29:41
a couple of those games against 11 win programs, then I think
29:45
you're looking at a renewed view of him and his era.
29:50
And I think it just looks good for.
29:52
Him DACA. I have a question away from the
29:54
Hawkeyes. You done with Kirk, Ken?
29:56
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So over to are we getting to a
30:00
battle with the SEC in the Big 10 three weeks ago?
30:04
All right, we're going to have this model, 442211.
30:07
We're going to have that model. Well, maybe it's going to 511.
30:10
Is this setting up with yet another alliance falling apart,
30:13
The alliance that we saw back with the Big 10, the PAC 12 and
30:15
the ACC? Because boy, it feels like maybe
30:18
those the SEC and Big 10 factions aren't as close to the
30:22
College Football Playoff and what it's going to look like.
30:24
Then maybe, we thought just a few weeks back.
30:27
It's Trent. This is going to linger for a
30:29
long time. This isn't this whole system
30:31
isn't going to be figured out until next spring.
30:35
Let's just put it that way. I mean, you know, well, we could
30:37
talk about it as much as we want, but they're not going to
30:39
finalize. In fact, I, you know, I was
30:41
told, I, I talked to several people, you know, close to this
30:44
and on the Big 10 side and they were like, you know, this is,
30:48
you know, we just preferred this to happen behind the scenes as
30:52
opposed out in public. And, and, and that's kind of
30:55
their philosophy, which I don't consider it smart.
30:58
I think at some point you need to come out and swing in
31:00
because, you know, you're 5 and one in the postseason, you get
31:03
the SEC, but everybody thinks it's the other way around
31:05
because of the way the SEC is talking.
31:07
I do think that, you know, they're they're closer than it
31:11
appears. I just think that the SEC got a
31:13
little bit of bravado in it and it was in an an environment
31:18
where it could kind of express itself.
31:20
It what it comes down to is the Big 10's not going to budget
31:23
unless the SEC on its four-game or 14 playoffs, unless the SEC
31:29
goes to 9, you know, regular season game.
31:31
That's just non negotiable for the big 10 and it's between
31:34
those two. Those two have the will dictate
31:37
the the the future of that and everybody else has to get in
31:41
line. I mean, it's actually written
31:43
into the contract. So if they can't agreed on
31:46
anything, it'll just maintain what it is now.
31:48
I don't see that happening. I think they'll be 16 teams and
31:51
I think they're closer again than than what you may think.
31:54
And it actually would be to the big twelves benefit to get 2
31:57
teams in every year guaranteed, because it wouldn't have the
32:01
last couple of years. So I think that they'll
32:03
eventually get back together and talk it out, but this is just
32:06
the talking season. And it just, it kind of takes
32:09
that over everything. And but it does add a lot to
32:12
perception. And the Big 10 has a long way to
32:14
go because, and it deserves to be in a better spot than what
32:17
it's put itself. One more college football
32:19
question for you, Doc, and we'll get you out on this.
32:21
The lawsuit coming from Wisconsin against Miami, Xavier
32:25
Lucas under contract. I mean, there's so many layers.
32:30
We have to play lawyer sometimes on radio and I am not smart
32:32
enough to do it. Can you fill me in here?
32:34
Because I feel like every time I read more about this, I become
32:37
more and more confused. They're not employees, but it's
32:40
a kind just on and on. What can you tell us?
32:42
Because there's many people out there believe the way that this
32:45
case goes is going to dictate a big part of our future.
32:49
Well, you know, think of it as like a private contractor and we
32:52
all deal with those in these in these fields.
32:55
I know you guys certainly do in in radio.
32:57
That's, you know, not necessarily some aren't not
32:59
necessarily employees. And and that's kind of us.
33:03
Yeah, right. Yeah.
33:04
I mean, you're part of this, you're part of it kicks and oh,
33:06
but you're not, you know, you're more of a private contractor.
33:08
That's kind of the same thing here.
33:10
And I'll be trying to to to split that hair and you know,
33:15
where where it goes for, you know, who who knows?
33:17
I mean, that's, that's going to be challenging, but I think and
33:20
in this situation, Wisconsin did sign into a multi year contract
33:23
and you know, for his services and, and with a basically a non
33:29
compete clause. And instead he left anyway.
33:32
And for all this time when it's come to tampering and what have
33:37
you, everybody ultimately is either look the other way or
33:41
gotten over it just said it's what happens in today's world.
33:44
We'll move on. Wisconsin because it had it has
33:47
some teeth, it has a contract. So it's going to, I'm going to
33:50
go and fight this and you know, I think there's going to be a
33:53
lot of lawsuits. I think everybody's sick of
33:55
lawsuits, but I think it's healthy because I think it kind
33:57
of establishes the parameters of the system that, you know, if
34:00
you do sign a contract, a multi year contract and you're paid
34:04
then and then you are tied to that employee.
34:07
You know, that whether it's employment contract or special
34:10
services contract, you're tied to it.
34:13
And I think that's what's going to be established here or it
34:17
doesn't matter until they are employees.
34:19
I, I think it's, you know, again, we're all tired of
34:22
lawsuits when it comes to this and it but it's going to
34:24
continue. But some of them are, are
34:26
totally justified to see what the market is going to
34:29
determine. And I think in this case, it's
34:32
going to take, it's going to take a little while and it's
34:34
probably be settled out of court, you know?
34:36
All right. Sorry, we won't.
34:38
Do it again. But but, but I think it's good
34:40
for the for the game to get something established on the
34:42
books. Yeah, we're on the same page.
34:44
Scott Dockerman, the Athletic. Doc, great piece on Kirk
34:46
Ference. Well done as you normally do.
34:49
Good stuff, Doc. We'll talk to you next week.
34:51
Thank you, Scott Dockerman. All right.
34:53
Thanks for having me. Appreciate it.
34:54
Good to talk to you, Scott Dockerman as we check in there,
34:57
buddy from The Athletic. Trent's plays of the day are
35:00
next. Did you have a winning week?
35:03
I jumped on on Friday. Winning week.
35:05
That's another one, yes. Two and O start yesterday good
35:09
yeah took the free square with the with the Mariners that was I
35:15
I flipped to the game just in time back over as Cal rally hit
35:19
a home run in the. Like he does every night. 8 or
35:21
9. This is 32nd my daughter.
35:25
Yes, 32 home runs. Like just seemed like an
35:28
impossible number to her because this weekend two of our team
35:31
mates hit their first two home runs of our whole tournament
35:35
season, so she was quite enthralled by Cal Rally might be
35:38
her new favorite player with his 32 home runs.
35:40
Two home runs Twins are Sunday Night Baseball, Twins, Tigers,
35:44
SNB. They need to opt out of that.
35:47
Flex 145. You know what?
35:50
Today's Tuesday. You know what that means.
35:52
Scuba's pitching today. You know when his next start
35:54
will be? 5 days later would be Sunday
35:56
night. Buckle up, Miller and Condon and
35:59
I was Sports Radio Network. All right, final couple of
36:04
minutes here on a Tuesday. Tomorrow, Tommy Burch will join
36:07
us. Cappy will be here.
36:09
Boy, he was fired up yesterday after the Cardinals put it to
36:13
the Cubs. Cappy will join us in his normal
36:16
spot at 1:00 tomorrow. Well, we've got a full slate of
36:19
baseball tonight. We've got a couple of WNBA games
36:24
tonight. What triggers you as far as
36:27
betting on these games? So we got 4 plays tonight, 3IN
36:31
baseball, one in the WNBA. I'm going to go with my Seattle
36:34
theory. Much like her former team,
36:36
Caitlin Clark and the Fever regroup in Seattle together.
36:41
I'll grab the 3 1/2 that is out there in the market.
36:44
Fever Plus 3 1/2 with the first pick. 9:00 tonight with a tip
36:48
off did. You happen to look at her props
36:50
is what her totals were. Tonight I did not, but I'm well,
36:54
she didn't hit many of them on Sunday.
36:57
No, that's for sure. And if you were looking for a
36:59
bounce back, that certainly didn't happen.
37:01
Let's see what we got for props here. 19 1/2 are over under in
37:03
terms of points. You like the over?
37:09
She's got to be Caitlin Clark again one of these nights. 9 1/2
37:12
the number in terms of assists. Boy, she passes the ball.
37:15
I mean, it's, it's, I think that's her best skill and this,
37:18
I mean, she shoots like nobody's business, but just the way she
37:21
sees the floor points. Rebounds and assists 34 1/2
37:25
Nineteen. And nine put it on.
37:28
Oh, it's tough. I might take the under if I take
37:31
the under. Fair enough.
37:32
All right. So no props for me, just the
37:35
fever and the points. Baseball.
37:37
I'm playing your Blue Jays with crafty, crafty lefty Eric Lauer.
37:42
Where are the oh, Cleveland in Cleveland against Alan, who is?
37:45
I mean, Cleveland as a whole is usually I like this Lauer.
37:49
Now, as I said, crafty lefty. Have you ever heard of a crafty
37:52
righty? Can you be right?
37:54
Can you be crafty? And righty, you have to be a
37:55
lefty you. Have to be left-handed, Yeah, in
37:58
order to be crafty. I think Frank Tanana probably
38:01
started the crafty lefty because he used to throw 100 miles an
38:04
hour and then he had Tommy John and then he became a pitcher and
38:07
threw in the 80s. Frank.
38:08
Tanana not getting lefty, not getting that many shows, not
38:11
getting frank thing at a call out.
38:13
No right. Give me the Mariners tonight.
38:15
The free square against the God awful Minnesota Twins.
38:17
That team stinks. The pitches today.
38:21
Time to fire Rocco. You know, he they just came out
38:24
yesterday, he said he's good and his whole staff is coming back.
38:27
Yeah, that was odd. And the time I thought was odd,
38:31
Castillo for the Mariners against Chris Paddock for it
38:33
didn't. Paddock have a good start.
38:35
Maybe it was. Two, he's had a couple of them
38:36
yeah, he's he's been pitching well recently, but.
38:38
You're taking the free square. His arm will fall off OK and
38:40
give me Taillon and the Cubbies tonight against Mcgreevy and the
38:44
Cardinals. I will leave the -110 that you
38:46
can get at Circa. All right, good stuff.
38:49
Yeah, that's a 6:45 first pitch on that one.
38:52
I checked the weather forecast yesterday because I thought we
38:55
were going to get some weather. I thought Saint Louis must be as
38:57
well, but they're not. At least that's what I saw
39:00
yesterday. We'll see how many people make
39:02
it to Bush tonight. Yeah, and last night was kind of
39:04
alarming, and that will do it for us.
39:06
The drive is coming up next. Lucas and Sean take you until
39:10
5:00, where Miller and Condon, Trent and I talk sports with you
39:13
every Monday through Friday from noon until 2 on the Iowa Sports
39:17
Radio Network.