Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / Iowa women outlast Northwestern, Men vs. Minnesota preview, Transfer Portal news, Bill Bender on the College Football Playoff

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Iowa women outlast Northwestern, Men vs. Minnesota preview, Transfer Portal news, Bill Bender on the College Football Playoff · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

0:09
I'm Miller Condon, Welcome to the Iowa Sports Radio Network.
0:12
Trent Condon and Ken Miller for the next two hours are going to
0:15
talk sports with you. Thank you for starting your
0:18
afternoon here with us. Whether you're listening on the
0:20
flagship Des Moines sports station, One O 6.3, KXNO or
0:25
anywhere on the affiliates or on the iheart app, wherever,
0:28
whenever, we're grateful that you are spending some time here
0:32
with us. Here's what's coming up on our
0:34
program here today. We're going to start with our
0:36
buddy Bill Bender, who covers college football for the
0:39
Sporting News Bill Bender will join us at about 12:30.
0:42
We'll take a look at the the semifinals and then perhaps a
0:47
sneak peek ahead and some of the issues, comings and goings in
0:50
college football with our buddy Bill Bender at 12:30.
0:53
Elliot Cleff, who covers Iowa by the portal is I was starting to
0:57
dip in seemingly got a couple of needs filled.
1:01
We will see Elliott Clef on a lot on basketball with Elliott
1:05
as the men head north to Minnesota tonight.
1:08
It is a 7:00 tip Williams Arena. I would like to go there.
1:12
It's cool. I bet it is right.
1:14
Is it? Is it kind of like a barn?
1:16
I mean, it looks like it from the outside.
1:18
It looks like vets OK. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
1:21
Looks like Veterans Auditorium for people outside in Des Moines
1:24
has that look. It's an old big barn.
1:26
Yep. And can from wherever you see
1:28
it, can you tell that the players are below the core?
1:31
Absolutely can. That's.
1:32
Cool. Yeah.
1:33
And it's not quite as drastic as it once was, but there is still
1:36
that gap. I mean, back in the day, guys
1:38
would stand up on the bench and it'd be the floor would be at
1:40
their chest peak. Yes, that's that's the way that
1:43
you. Were on the bench you couldn't
1:45
see. Exactly.
1:46
Luckily yes, I was not at the sidelines for any of those ones.
1:49
But it it also has the obstructed viewing.
1:53
I had one that I was very close to not being able to see the
1:57
action. If I was like 3 seats over I'd
1:59
have been behind a pillar. Really.
2:01
Yeah. So you just have to you.
2:02
Know yeah what's going on well yeah, the guy over there he was
2:05
just leaning over the whole game That's I watched the game that
2:08
way and they have those ones there it is a a really fun
2:11
building on campus yes yeah right there in dinky town and
2:16
one time well this was 20 years ago probably Iowa was playing
2:21
you and I was playing in bracket Busters that day you remember
2:24
the bracket Busters absolutely do and it was one of their
2:26
bigger games and they who was it it was a big mid mate maybe
2:31
Bucknell that they're playing regardless so they're playing
2:34
that day so we get to the bars. I think I will play Minnesota
2:37
that day at like 4 or five to the bars yeah drive drive up in
2:41
the morning get there at 11 yeah bars gonna be open.
2:43
I think you and I may be played at 1:00.
2:45
There's game starting at 11. Here we go.
2:47
All the bars in Dinky Town are closed.
2:49
What? Nothing open till noon but we
2:51
finally knocked on the door. They let us in early so me and
2:54
my 2 buddies Lenny. Bellied up the rusted and made
2:57
it worth the bartenders while. Oh.
2:58
Boy, and by the time the end of the night came, they were
3:01
handing out Gopher masks that day.
3:02
Little plastic Gopher mask you can put over your face.
3:05
And we had a lot of fun with those throughout the evening.
3:07
That's awesome. A tremendous trip to the
3:09
Minneapolis. Love Minneapolis?
3:10
I do too so so help me out because I spent a lot of time
3:12
there. I've said this before, I used to
3:14
love the Metrodome because I drive 8 hours from Winnipeg and
3:16
I know I was going to see a base and I always stayed at Seven
3:20
Corners. There was a holiday in there.
3:22
Do you ever heard of the there was a restaurant bar called
3:24
Grandma's? Yes.
3:26
Oh, absolutely. Is that dinky town?
3:29
I crossed the street was Bullwinkles, I remember that.
3:32
Yes, I believe so. Seven corners is what they call
3:36
I think. Seven corners.
3:39
I think Seven Corners, I loved it there.
3:42
Yeah. So that had I had to be close
3:44
right to the I. Think, yeah, we're in the same
3:46
area. Yes, absolutely.
3:47
I remember grandma's been there before, right?
3:49
Trying to piece them all together though a little bit
3:51
more difficult. Oh, had some fun times, no doubt
3:53
about it. All right, I want obviously.
3:55
So that's Elliot Clough and then we're going to put a bow on the
3:57
Vikings season with our friend Dane Mazatani, who covers them
4:00
for the Saint Paul Pioneer Press.
4:02
He will join us at 1:30. So I had a I had a kind of a a
4:06
different night watching sports Nebraska basketball into into
4:11
the FCS game, which was great while flipping back and forth to
4:16
Big 10 Network to watch the Iowa women in Northwestern.
4:19
John, I got to tell you, I enjoyed the hell out of that
4:21
football game last night. What a phenomenal game.
4:24
What a great way to end the season.
4:27
I'm anxious to see on one hand, on one hand I feel bad.
4:31
On the other hand, I'm anxious to see just how deeply the raid
4:36
is because I have to assume that while we were watching the game
4:39
with just as fans, there was a whole bunch of teams watching
4:43
this. While this guy might be able to
4:45
help us because you know that those rosters are getting raided
4:48
today in a couple of and certainly in a couple of these
4:51
guys. Not knowing what their
4:53
eligibilities left Trenton, I thought the older state
4:56
offensive line could start in the Big 12 for a lot of schools.
4:59
Oh my God. Well, and remember, if we go
5:01
back to a year ago, the Zambrano kid was at Illinois State.
5:05
That was Texas Tech's right tackle this year and we talked
5:08
about him a lot because I was involved initially.
5:11
They saw the asking price, they said no thanks because they
5:15
looked at him as he was going to fight for Trevor Luke for that
5:18
left tackle job. But they at the two $3,000,000
5:20
price tag that came along with it for Halton Monteluk.
5:23
We're going to develop Luke. And Illinois State Brock Spec,
5:26
We remember him with Purdue. You know what I do?
5:29
And I was kind of was rooting for him last night, kind of was
5:33
just because, you know, it's been there's what, 17 years I
5:35
think they said. Was tremendous at Purdue.
5:38
People think about the basketball on grass, but those
5:40
defenses, they had some elite level defenses.
5:44
They played really, really well when he was the coach there.
5:46
A good guy. I know when I will open up the
5:48
season. Kirk just talked about their
5:49
relationship and he's a guy that easy to root for.
5:52
Wanted to see it on the other side.
5:55
Brent Vigren, he was a guy that I had on my list when I was
5:58
looking for an offensive coordinator a couple years ago
6:00
because he was the OC. Really, yes, with Craig Bull,
6:03
Dakota State and then at Wyoming before getting the job at
6:06
Montana State. He wondered how he was just, I
6:08
think in year maybe number one or two at Montana State before
6:11
these back-to-back championship appearances, if he would make a
6:14
move because we've seen that too.
6:15
Guys leave the FCS level to be a coordinator.
6:18
He was a guy I think that would have fit pretty good though
6:21
about Tim. Less yeah, I was going to say
6:22
they they did okay. It worked out pretty well in the
6:25
end, but what a hell of a football game.
6:27
Feel bad the way it ended. I mean, the kid misses an extra
6:29
point, missed a blocked a field goal late in that football game.
6:33
God, it was entertaining and I thought like watching the game
6:35
really. Oh my thought.
6:36
I thought the Montana states going to blow him out. 2014 I
6:40
was strictly over. I went.
6:42
To nip as. They were struggling.
6:44
They were, weren't they? We'll.
6:45
Get to that in a moment. But that, that was a great
6:48
showcase. A stand alone event.
6:50
Yep. Monday night, I think they got
6:52
the calendar right for the FCSI. Agree.
6:54
There's been times they've had it on Saturdays.
6:55
They've had it in different times.
6:57
That stand alone window. Yep.
6:58
Now, will it still be there? I.
7:00
Hope or is that going to be potentially this?
7:03
You might think it might be the national champion.
7:05
Could be the National. FPS.
7:07
Right now still doubtful. I think the semi finals on the
7:09
1st or whatever kind of new year falls on is the most likely and
7:14
then we're looking at, you know, how many 10 days removed to get.
7:18
To if that Monday is available, they should claim it because
7:21
we're programmed to watch football on Monday night.
7:24
We've been doing so since September.
7:26
Speaking of that, you and it took you a while, but you
7:29
finally got me off. March is the best sport month.
7:32
You're right. It's October.
7:33
Yeah, it is. October's the best these five
7:36
days. Now that we get in front of us,
7:39
are these the best concurrent days?
7:41
You know the 1st 2 days of the NCAA tournament are out on
7:45
that's the top for me, right? That nothing.
7:46
Saturday Sunday's good, but not as good as Thursday, Friday
7:49
were. Thursday, Friday are just,
7:51
they're so special, they're so great.
7:53
That's my top. I don't think anything's beaten
7:55
that. But starting Thursday through
7:58
Monday, wild card games, 2 semifinal games, it's going to
8:03
be hard to beat that. It's five days of football,
8:06
yeah. Elite level football, Elite
8:08
level football doesn't mean the games are going to be good, no.
8:10
And we could look back and we could come back on Tuesday and
8:12
say, bam, what a crap that. One.
8:13
Now, I don't think that'll be the case, but it could be.
8:15
It could happen, absolutely. That's football, that those
8:17
things kind of happen. But I think we're.
8:19
This number last night was it was double ditches.
8:21
I didn't think it was going to be a football game.
8:23
It was a hell of a game. Absolutely never know what
8:25
you're going to get on that front.
8:27
Mention Iowa women's basketball. Couple things.
8:30
Good to see Emily Rodriguez also traveling now with the team and
8:34
Jan Jensen called it. It's a chronic back issue.
8:36
Is that what she said? So the back issue appears to be
8:39
certainly more significant maybe than we thought initially.
8:42
But there was more. There, there was absolutely,
8:44
yeah, just to you can't just solve it away that it was just
8:47
an injury. There was more happening.
8:49
There was more happening behind the scenes, frustration, I'm
8:51
sure somebody getting injured, not playing, they can can you
8:55
fight through it, you know, those kind of things from both
8:57
sides, I'm sure. Definitely there is more to the
9:00
story than that. In a night where Chitchat Wright
9:03
was sick and yet they needed her.
9:06
You're playing without fear. Bach one of your veterans?
9:08
She's now out there. She's gonna be out for.
9:10
I don't know. I just saw the availability
9:12
report. I didn't see a report when they
9:14
anticipate she's going to be back and you have a couple of
9:18
components. Tremble didn't play well.
9:20
Yeah, Eddie Deal. I think for the first time
9:23
against a good opponent. Well, in Northwestern, not very
9:25
good. Let's let's not paint it that
9:26
way. They've lost eight in a row and
9:27
now nine in a row. But I thought they were going to
9:29
snap that streak. There was there was moments in
9:31
that one. Certainly in the first half.
9:33
Had a nice pull up jumper, had a big spin move in late in the
9:36
fourth quarter and she was in there instead of stem low who
9:39
just can be so careless with the ball.
9:40
She's really talented offensive player, but there are times
9:43
where I think somebody, I saw somebody equated to it's like
9:46
she plays like the defense isn't there.
9:47
She's just going to do her thing regardless and he kind of get
9:50
that from stuff. He's in the driveway.
9:51
Yes, and sometimes that works and other times it doesn't.
9:54
A lot of turnovers, again out of this squad, but with chitchat
9:57
2020 while sick, that I think says quite a bit.
10:02
Eva Haydn, you got to keep a start.
10:05
She's so good, so talented, but he has to stay out of foul
10:08
trouble. 1st 12 points of the game all there now.
10:10
Full disclosure, the football game is so good I forgot about
10:13
the fourth quarter. Oh really?
10:14
You didn't get over there. It didn't go back.
10:16
They in a game where you don't play well, you get the win.
10:20
One by almost double digits. And now you get what, the
10:24
longest break I believe that they will have this year because
10:27
they don't play again till Sunday really.
10:28
They go on the road to Indiana, not the Indiana team we've seen
10:31
the last 3-4 years. They've taken a step back.
10:33
They can still score, but not a an elite level Indiana team as
10:36
we've seen at different points. Overall, another winnable Rd.
10:39
game for them. And then you kind of look and
10:40
they're going to have a donking stretch coming up as we'll talk
10:43
about with the Iowa men. And that's why the Iowa men's
10:45
game tonight in the barn is so important.
10:48
Have to get it, Trent. Have to get it.
10:49
Because here comes Illinois and then you are back on the road to
10:53
Purdue and then Indiana, Indiana, Minnesota beat Indiana,
10:57
did they? At the barn, yes.
10:59
Early, that was one of the two December games it was correct.
11:01
What was their other one do you remember?
11:03
They beat Northwestern on the road this past weekend.
11:05
OK, but they're but Minnesota. But back in December they they
11:08
got blown out. But was it Purdue?
11:09
Let me look. Purdue, Yeah, they lost 8557 in
11:13
Mackey. Forward, but they split their
11:15
December pair of games too, I remember that.
11:18
Yeah, playing better, playing better.
11:19
And Kate Tyson, and he's the guy, right, that Iowa was
11:22
involved in coming out of North Carolina.
11:24
Iowa kicked the tires on that one.
11:26
Eventually knew he was going to get well, a lot more shots.
11:28
I'm going to anticipate at Minnesota because there isn't a
11:31
ton around him, but really talented score.
11:34
It would be interesting to see what they do against him
11:36
defensively. Kind of that squeeze, 676723,
11:40
probably more than three, more than three.
11:42
Yeah, that's their main lineup now.
11:44
They're not big by any means. One thing, go back to the UCLA
11:47
game. We didn't bring this up
11:48
yesterday. They didn't dominate the boards,
11:51
but they won on the boards. Go back to the Iowa State game.
11:54
They went on the. Board, they certainly competed.
11:56
Very hardly. That was one of the bigger
11:58
concerns with this squad is how they're going to rebound, and
12:00
it's not that they're elite level rebounding team, but
12:02
they're solid. No, the concern was because they
12:04
didn't have that quote, Big guy, right?
12:06
You don't have your traditional 611 behemoth in the middle and
12:10
they're competing on that end. That's going to be another big
12:12
one, I think in this one, rebounding the ball well against
12:15
this Minnesota squad that isn't very big.
12:17
Get some second chances, go that route here.
12:19
And that's a Big 10 network affair if you can't be in front
12:21
of your TV 1040 News Radio 1040 WHO?
12:25
They played awful at Michigan State, played well in Hidden
12:28
Hilton. Get this one because what's in
12:30
front of them After that? This three-game stretch,
12:33
starting with Illinois. Most likely one of those 3
12:35
Illinois at Purdue at Indiana would be in Bloomington.
12:39
I would still say it's since it's the home game.
12:41
You think Illinois? It'd be Illinois for me.
12:44
Sunday at 11. Yes, they're both in fact, at
12:47
Ken Palm one point games. Are they really?
12:48
Ken Palm has Iowa favorite by one against Illinois and one
12:51
point dog against Indiana. And what's a Purdue number?
12:55
99. Nine.
12:57
Well, I don't think Purdue's is. They're still really good, yes,
13:01
but. Our views also tainted because
13:04
we think. Michigan's so much better than
13:05
anybody else in the conference. Well, and also what we saw well.
13:08
From Iowa State, yeah. 'Cause they haven't lost outside
13:10
of that game and they beat some pretty good teams pretty handily
13:15
during the course of that one. I think that maybe taints our
13:17
our view of Purdue just a little bit overall.
13:19
But important stretch, important game tonight for Iowa, get to
13:22
2-3 and one in the Big 10 and then the three-game sojourn that
13:26
is after that. Going to be difficult but should
13:29
be. And if they get the crowd the
13:30
win here tonight, too, anticipate maybe a few more
13:33
people making their way to Carver on Sunday.
13:35
I hope so. I know the two people will,
13:37
courtesy of our buddy Doctor Stephen Fuller.
13:39
Don't call now. I think we're going to give
13:41
these tickets away tomorrow. He's given a season ticket to to
13:45
all of the men's games. He'd like to give it the season
13:47
ticket. The women's games can't get
13:48
them. Right, sold out.
13:50
It's unbelievable. Good for them.
13:52
Speaking of good for them. Let's take a minute.
13:54
Let's media applaud media. Did you see that some of the
13:57
these Sports Media Iowa winners have been what's the National
14:02
Sports Media Association and SMA?
14:05
Are you a member? I'm not but the.
14:08
You have to be a member. I don't know, but the
14:11
sportscaster of the year was a tie and I with this year, which
14:14
drives me nuts. Shannon Earhart does a great
14:18
job. Shelly.
14:19
Yes, she does. And Keith Murphy, who wins this
14:21
every other. Year.
14:22
Yes. Why don't they just rename the
14:24
trophy after Murph so he doesn't win it the Iowa award?
14:27
So just. Just the Keith.
14:28
Murphy Award, right? Because I'm sure he's getting
14:30
honestly, doesn't he have to say something?
14:32
Look enough's enough. Sick of Charlotte?
14:35
Well, that is it. Still in Charlotte?
14:36
And it's and and knowing him as I kind to do.
14:39
And you got to think like, I'm kind of embarrassed.
14:41
I win this all the time. Why don't we spread the love a
14:43
little bit here, right? Because he said he's a nice
14:45
person. Yes, he truly is.
14:46
He is a tremendous. Tremendous person.
14:49
Yes, absolutely is. I know he's no longer here, but
14:52
he's a great, he's a great person.
14:54
I got to believe that he's kind of a little embarrassed, right?
14:58
But anyway, so Congrats to both of those as the the awards this
15:02
year stay in central Iowa. And our good friend Tommy Birch
15:04
is the sports Writer of the year from the Des Moines Register.
15:07
And we're both big Birchy fans. I love how he covers baseball.
15:11
I love how he does all his job. But but I love his baseball mind
15:14
and like picking it from time to time when we do during the year.
15:17
But good, big congratulations to Shannon.
15:19
I see her at high school events all the time.
15:21
She. Hustles her, you know.
15:22
We met her at the Iowa Wild. A thing that we're doing that
15:24
was, that's right, four year, three years ago, I think she was
15:27
pretty new on this practice, yes.
15:30
And we were doing our show from down.
15:31
Yes, we were. That's right that we did meet
15:33
her. There, we met her there and then
15:34
I have seen her out and about, always hustling, doing a great
15:37
job on. The sidelines at football,
15:38
likewise at basketball. And now that Dubras moved on, I
15:43
mean, I'm sure that the reisters put a little bit more on her
15:46
plate. Yep, at least for the time
15:48
being. So well done, Shannon.
15:49
Well done, Keith. Well done, Tommy.
15:51
Those are the three Iowa award winners for 2025.
15:56
And they will, I think, head to North Carolina in June, right?
16:01
I think it's. June.
16:01
It's June. I think it is.
16:02
In fact, that's one of the first times I ever met.
16:04
Keith was on a plane. He was going to Charlotte.
16:06
I can't remember. No, I know why he was going.
16:08
Well, I and yes, I found out that's why he was going there,
16:11
but I want to go over to the portal with you and it's so
16:16
difficult to keep up. This is it's like I told you
16:19
yesterday, watching a tennis match.
16:21
And here's a mea culpa. Jimmy Rogers is very dry.
16:25
Not a ton of personal. Well, we think he's dry.
16:28
We don't know. Yet in public settings, that
16:30
opening press conference was boring.
16:33
Yeah. There wasn't a lot of highlight
16:35
moments. The Campbell's nut wasn't.
16:38
No, no. And absolutely right and thought
16:41
the same thing. And you don't have to be Mr.
16:43
Personality to be a good football coach.
16:44
Absolutely not. But I wondered what this quick
16:47
turn around and it's one thing at.
16:50
Wazoo. You mean the way Pollard did it,
16:51
or the way that he just got here so fast?
16:53
He got here so fast, but then you got to put together a roster
16:56
and not as an independent of Wazoo and you kind of look at
16:59
the offer list that I got. Those guys had weren't a whole
17:02
lot of other options. These kids that they're getting,
17:06
many of them have other options. They have other.
17:09
Options. He's closing, isn't he?
17:11
And he's getting these guys and maybe the component that I
17:14
didn't give enough credence to was the staff that he has built
17:18
and something mentioned yesterday, just guys from all
17:20
over the place and so many of them that the depth of it.
17:23
Do you think the hiring 3 special teams coaches, the press
17:27
release that had the three guys listed on top of it, the graphic
17:30
that they sent out, was that maybe a little something to the
17:34
guy that now gets his college and state, his male and State
17:37
College? Maybe, maybe a little bit.
17:38
I mean, obviously. Because their special team
17:40
sucked. They did.
17:41
I was going to say it wasn't high on Campbell's.
17:43
How many? Times did we come in here and
17:45
say and because they wouldn't hire every week, they wouldn't
17:48
hire a special teams coordinator.
17:49
We're going to do it with the group.
17:50
Everybody's got a spot, everybody does something there
17:52
and it didn't work. And we talked about it.
17:55
He finally did, finally relented and they got better.
17:57
They did. That helps when you have a guy
17:59
like the last couple of years. That also goes a long way in
18:02
helping the look of things. But I just, I don't know, maybe
18:07
it's reading too much into it, but then seeing that graphic,
18:09
then that one thing with the press release, OK, but then to
18:12
see the graphic that comes out of like maybe a little shade
18:14
there. Yeah, maybe, maybe a little big,
18:16
yes. Good for them, but it's it just
18:18
contains. It has to be this way.
18:20
I agree. You've got to build a rough
18:22
here's my here's my fear that that, and it has nothing to do
18:27
with him or his ability to coach football.
18:29
It's I wonder how long it's going to take before Cyclone
18:32
fans start to embrace this team. They don't know.
18:34
Them. They.
18:35
Have no idea they didn't play football in central Iowa or in
18:38
the state of Iowa. They're I think reading message
18:41
boards. They're a little bit scarred by
18:44
what happened to them with the with the last group that just
18:48
all of a sudden left. This is just forever true or
18:51
whatever it is. Yeah, No, you're not.
18:53
I mean, they bought into that, Cyclone fans did and and they
18:56
got, they broke up with them, the players did.
19:02
So I wonder how long it'll take them to embrace this group that
19:05
they really don't know too much about and how much pressure is
19:08
going to be on this guy in week number one this year to get off
19:11
on the right foot. This is not Earl Bruce leaving
19:14
for Ohio. No.
19:16
This is not. It's completely different
19:20
because of the environment that we're on, because then when you
19:23
see the graphic, you see Rocco, he's actually wearing Iowa State
19:27
stuff. It's just a picture from him in
19:28
Iowa State. He's got the, we will, he's
19:30
collect the bracelet on. Yeah, Yeah.
19:32
And you see that and there's a little more salt on the wound.
19:35
And it's not just the quarterback.
19:38
It is guy after guy after guy. It's 19 of them, I think.
19:41
And every time you open social media, see another one, and
19:44
every time you get a text, it's another one.
19:45
It's just on and on and on and you have that component on all
19:49
these guys that you loved, all these guys that you bought
19:51
jerseys for, all these guys that you were doing these things.
19:54
And these were because this was a team training 2026 was really
19:58
going to be the. I think it was.
19:59
I think it's. So tell me, Tell me this the the
20:02
kid that opened the Bramer jersey on Christmas Eve?
20:05
Yeah. Is that what they call it?
20:07
Staged? No.
20:08
What's the word IAIAI? Artificial.
20:12
What is it? Is it AIAI?
20:14
God, I'm old. But was that true or was that
20:17
real? Or I think it was real.
20:19
I don't know if it was a it looked big for him.
20:22
Yeah, for sure. I wonder if it was dance and
20:24
he's like, yeah, let's stage a picture here.
20:26
That's what that's more than what I wonder.
20:27
But yeah, I think it was real at his face.
20:30
Oh my God, felt. Too, If it was staged, that kid
20:34
hit him in acting classes because he nailed that.
20:36
He absolutely nailed it. He crushed it.
20:38
So, and I said this last week and and I want to say it again
20:40
because I truly believe that Iowa State should do this a
20:43
because it's completely different the way Campbell did
20:45
business. Open up a practice, open up your
20:50
fan base has no idea who these guys are.
20:53
Give them a little taste of what this team is going to look like.
20:56
You don't have to play a game necessarily, just give them a
21:00
practice. Open up Jack Tri Stadium like
21:03
you used to and it didn't do any harm.
21:06
Then no. Maybe it digs.
21:07
You're winning 2 football games, but you needed to.
21:10
So give the give Cyclone Nation an opportunity to come out
21:14
before you have to write that check for your season tickets in
21:18
May or whenever it's going to be due.
21:20
Show this team show. Show the team to the fan base by
21:26
means of an open practice. It hasn't hurt Iowa, no.
21:29
And they do it every single freaking year.
21:31
And it's not a it's not a game like it used to be, you know,
21:34
but it's still an open practice. Go out there and there's ten
21:38
maybe 15,000 on a night, spring day out that are out there.
21:41
But it's also the other component.
21:43
And this I think is also going to be important for Rodgers is
21:46
we always hear about that big final practice they have before
21:48
their last one. That Saturday practice has been.
21:51
Gridiron Club gets to go to. Invite Alec Bussey, invite some
21:55
people on the beat because it's not that Alex is going to be
21:59
trading secrets, right? He's not going to be saying, you
22:01
know, this is the formation they ran on 3rd and three.
22:04
No, that's not what it's going to be.
22:06
But a guy pops, a guy looks really good.
22:08
A guy maybe doesn't look as good.
22:09
That's OK. Well, guess what?
22:11
The guys can't transfer, right? So they're stuck at that point,
22:14
right? At that point they're going to
22:15
be there. You're not going to lose
22:16
anything. And even if you say no video, no
22:19
video of that, right? But we're going to invite a
22:21
handful of media members in there.
22:23
Alec Bussey's got 15 hours to kill every every every week
22:27
after spring ball until you get to fall practice.
22:31
Look what? What?
22:32
TJ Otzelberger has done for us, and I say us collectively as
22:36
sports talk. He gives us fodder for segments.
22:40
Yes, when we're starving to talk about Iowa and Iowa State
22:44
topics. During the summertime, even
22:45
during the late spring, after we get through March Madness, we
22:48
are looking for local content, right?
22:50
And the local content that matters most.
22:52
And it's not even close. It's not following your bus to
22:54
around the state of Iowa. Can we eat that up?
22:56
Yeah, absolutely, because that's the only nugget we get.
22:58
You get a little morsel, we'll take it.
23:01
But take it a step further and I think you bring up the most
23:04
pertinent Cyclone fans don't know this team.
23:06
They don't. They don't know these guys.
23:09
And this is an opportunity to get in the newspaper, to get on
23:12
the websites, to get on social media, and you're here for 20
23:16
minutes. Invite them into practice before
23:18
practice, do a couple of interviews, boom, go to
23:20
practice, whatever it is, open that up.
23:22
Give the opportunity, even the end of practice.
23:23
And then you do some press conference afterwards and you do
23:25
some player interviews. Do something like that.
23:27
Do that even three times during your 15 practices.
23:31
It's going to go a long way. A.
23:32
Long way and the final one, open up the east side of Jack Trice
23:35
like you used to do, and let people come in and they're
23:38
they'll be hundreds, they'll be thousands.
23:39
That'll show up. Especially if it's a nice day on
23:41
a Saturday afternoon just to watch an hour practice.
23:44
It'll go a long, long Don't have to do it every year.
23:46
You should, but this year in particular 1225 Bill Bender is
23:50
next. We will preview the semi finals
23:53
with Bill Bender. College football topics as well.
23:56
Look forward to that with Bill our number 2 Elliot Clef on the
23:58
Hawks and Dane Mazatani will put a bow on the Viking season.
24:03
What are they going to do? They're going to running back
24:06
with JJ, but they're going to bring in a veteran.
24:10
Should they be looking to trade for a veteran?
24:13
Is there one in the AFC East that wants out?
24:17
And how good would Joe Burrow look in a Vikings uniform?
24:19
But at what cost? Right, you're mortgaging your.
24:23
Future. Yeah, yeah.
24:25
And you have the GM that you feel comfortable in making that
24:28
move I don't know about. That.
24:30
Questions for Dean. That's coming up at about an
24:32
hour from now. Miller and Condon underway on a
24:34
Tuesday. Glad you're with us.
24:36
Talking sports with you on the Iowa Sports Radio Network.
24:43
I'm Hillary Condon, welcome back.
24:45
Just past 12:30 on a Tuesday. Let's get to our friend Bill
24:48
Bender. He covers college football for
24:51
The Sporting News. He'll be in Miami for the natty.
24:54
Coming up a week from Monday night, Bill Bender joins us.
24:57
Bill Trenton, Ken, appreciate you coming on on as always.
25:01
I think we're right on the cusp. Happy new year to you.
25:03
I think with the last day we can say it.
25:05
But before we get into the semifinals, Bill, maybe it's
25:09
because maybe I'm more snobs or I won't speak for everybody, but
25:13
this with a football championship game last night,
25:16
FCS game last night, this was phenomenal television.
25:19
I thought at least at the top of the FCS, there's some real
25:23
talent on the field as there was last night.
25:25
I'm not sure what your you know, what your schedule was like last
25:28
night. Did you have an opportunity to
25:30
do so? And if you didn't, you missed a
25:32
hell of a football game, brother.
25:34
Oh yeah, Obviously these games have been great.
25:36
I didn't see as much. I had a couple of other
25:39
engagements I had to get to last night, but won't speak too much
25:42
on it. But yeah, I mean, a lot of these
25:44
SCS guys are moving up to the portal and getting into the FBS
25:48
and that trickles down too. You know, the Division Three and
25:51
Division Two guys go up to the FCS.
25:53
So it's good football all the way around.
25:55
It sets up what should be best football weekend of the year in
26:00
some ways, when you think we have Thursday, Friday through
26:02
Monday, college, the NFL this weekend.
26:05
Before we get into the matchups coming up Thursday, Friday with
26:08
Miami, Ole Miss in Oregon, Indiana, you're an Ohio guy grew
26:12
up in in in Ohio. You grew up obviously looking at
26:16
Ohio State against Indiana in the Big 10 championship.
26:19
And then what happens in the first round of the playoffs, a
26:21
loss to Miami. How are Buckeye fans handling
26:23
this? I'm going to guess not very
26:25
well. And as the Heat back on Ryan
26:27
Day, one year removed from a national championship, I.
26:30
Think most of it's not like Defcon.
26:33
I don't know what grades of Defcon are like.
26:35
It's not like that here. It's, you know, there was some
26:38
shock value to it. I think obviously the the big
26:42
criticism was the play calling that, you know, Ryan Day took
26:45
over his play caller and Brian Hartline was still on staff.
26:48
So there was some confusion there.
26:50
But in terms of, you know, a program and where they're at, I
26:55
you know, I don't think there's a lot of panic there.
26:57
They'll hire a new offense coordinator.
26:58
They'll get into, I don't know if you've peaked at Ohio State
27:01
schedule next year, but it is not easy.
27:03
Iowa, Texas, Indiana, USC, Oregon, Michigan.
27:06
I mean, so they won't there won't be any questions about
27:09
their strength of schedule next season.
27:11
That's more of a credit to Miami too, right?
27:13
Hurricane played brilliant in that game.
27:14
Ruben Baynes. Absolutely ridiculous.
27:16
Yeah, no, he really is. And there's a reason that he's
27:19
going to go probably. Well, I'd be shocked if he falls
27:22
out of the top ten once we get to April, but we we shall see.
27:26
Before we look at them. Let's go back and and and I want
27:28
to take a look at the Ole Miss, the Sugar Bowl Ole Miss in
27:32
Georgia, because I was stunned a how much Lacy means to Ole Miss
27:35
and how much shambles has improved from the first time we
27:39
saw him in the field and how he didn't win this job out of out
27:42
of fall camp is another question, right.
27:45
But boy this Ole Miss team AI love slash hate the story, but
27:50
what a story it is Bill. And here they are still alive.
27:53
Well, I love it for the kids. You know, I'm not going to get
27:56
it. We want but he did want to stay
28:00
there through the playoff run. That's something that I mean he
28:03
did and they didn't want him to. And now, you know, everything
28:07
that's going on now there is what it is with the coaches, the
28:10
players on the fields. Great story that you, Lacey
28:12
sophomore just relentless between the tackles, 77 yard
28:17
carry between the right guard and from the center to the right
28:19
tackle. So they'll be trying to hammer
28:21
that against Miami. Chambliss went into the mode
28:24
that, you know, game breaking quarterbacks do and he did that
28:28
against Shorty. He got on fire.
28:29
That was something to see. That's probably the best story
28:32
out of the quarterfinal round was below the trim of that.
28:34
Chambliss played in that game. And you know what I can I think
28:36
he's going to do it again against Miami, feeling that Ole
28:39
Miss is going to win that football game and the circus
28:41
will go on all the way to Miami. It was one thing to play an
28:46
opponent you knew in Georgia, somebody that you had success
28:49
for at least three quarters earlier this season.
28:53
Miami with what they have up front with Bain and Messidor and
28:56
what they can do to I think contain a little bit more of
28:59
Chambliss. I think I'm going to be on the
29:01
opposite side of you on this one.
29:02
But more than anything, it comes down from the Miami perspective,
29:06
a Beck and what he's going to look like because I don't think
29:08
he's going to be able to get away with what he did.
29:10
These first two make a couple of plays I can say, and I'm a
29:12
couple of plays against Ohio State.
29:14
In order for Miami to win, do they have to score?
29:16
I mean, is this one where in order for the Hurricanes to get
29:20
the victory, they got to score 27 plus?
29:23
I didn't realize when it well, 26 would be the magic number.
29:26
They haven't given up more than 26 in the game this year.
29:29
So, you know, that was that SMU overtime game.
29:31
So this is a nasty defense and back, you know, he played smart
29:36
against Ohio State, didn't make mistakes.
29:38
There was a couple times, Trent, where I said my wife and that's
29:42
who was sitting next to me and you know, he did the smart
29:45
thing. I don't know that she cared, but
29:46
I said, you know, he did the smart thing.
29:48
They're not throwing an interception and taking the sack
29:50
and those kind of things and push ball down the field in the
29:54
right spots on 3rd down played well.
29:57
So, you know, Kimberly's analysis notwithstanding, I do
30:01
think Carson Beck had a hell of a game.
30:03
And you know, if he plays well and doesn't make mistakes
30:07
against Old Miss, they're going to play for a national title.
30:10
He's probably laughing to himself that Georgia isn't
30:11
there. Yeah, Fairpoint, let's go with
30:14
the Rose Bowl. Bill, obviously.
30:16
What did Indiana pound? Alabama or is this Alabama?
30:21
Boy, there's something wrong there.
30:22
Or maybe it's both. Your your thoughts on what you
30:25
saw in the Rose Bowl. Both the shocking part was and
30:29
there's all these years I've talked to you guys is like
30:32
Alabama didn't look like they belonged on that field, not with
30:36
Indiana and Indiana to their credit.
30:38
Fernando played great running game, relentless.
30:40
That game ended to me after like the two timeouts on the punt and
30:44
then Alabama goes forward, Indiana stops it.
30:46
That's ball game. Hoosiers were and Insignetti is
30:49
just phenomenal. What he's done with this group
30:52
and his offensive line is bad. Alabama played very poorly the
30:57
final month of the season after in the middle of the guts of the
31:00
season, they looked good. So, you know, they're 20 and
31:03
eight under Kellen De Boer. And the concern there, if you're
31:06
Alabama, of those teams that lost, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio
31:08
State, most concern for Alabama, knowing that that record is
31:12
right around the same as Missouri and Tennessee.
31:15
That's not the elite neighborhood they're used to
31:17
living in. So Oregon gets ready for this
31:20
one after traveling to Miami, then back home, I guess for a
31:23
couple of days now back to Atlanta.
31:25
If they win this one, they'll have to travel back to Miami
31:28
again, again from Eugene, OR. But that aside, Oregon, Indiana,
31:32
we saw this game earlier this year, really the only mistake in
31:35
the second-half was the pick 6. But outside of that, Oregon can
31:37
do anything. Another rematch here we saw a
31:40
rematch with Ole Miss Georgia. Does that give a slight
31:43
advantage against this behemoth that is Indiana to Oregon second
31:46
time around and and second time knowing just how good the shoes
31:49
Hoosier team is? Yeah, I I do think it's coin
31:52
flip game. Tough one to pick.
31:54
I'm going to pick Indiana, but if Oregon wins, I'm not going to
31:57
sit there. And how did I miss this?
31:59
I mean, Dan Lanning, obviously that was a fourth quarter game
32:01
last time Mendoza made the plays in the fourth quarter.
32:04
Dante Moore will have to make them in this game.
32:06
The defence was brilliant against.
32:08
I was a little shocked, not shocked, surprised at how
32:12
ordinary Texas Tech's offense looked.
32:14
But Oregon had something to do with that. 4 turnovers, by the
32:18
way, Dan Lanning went for it on 4th down times and they were
32:22
three of fourteen the first game against Indiana on 3rd down.
32:25
So it's my way of telling you, Trent, there'll be 5 or 6 fourth
32:29
downs the Dan landing goes for it on that could really flip
32:32
this game. Dan Landing Dan Can will cut
32:35
from the same cloth seemingly. Bill, I want to go do an
32:39
article. I think it came out of either
32:41
Friday or Saturday this weekend and for a couple of things.
32:45
I'm totally with you on two of your points.
32:47
Arch Manning really opened my eyes.
32:49
He he looks like maybe the Arch Manning everybody thought was
32:53
they were going to see from from the jump right when they were in
32:55
Columbus to start the season. I thought finally he he looked
32:59
like Arch Manning that we all thought we were going to see.
33:01
I can't imagine the pressure that this kid was under, and
33:04
hopefully he takes that forward as a great offseason and then
33:06
excels next year. But my main point, and I'm so
33:09
glad you put this in there because to me, of all the bowl
33:11
games I watched, I enjoyed the hell out of the Hawaii Bowl on
33:14
Christmas Eve. It was phenomenal.
33:17
And I hope that that bowl game stays and it's better when
33:19
Hawaii is in. And I get that you know the
33:21
quote at home team, but boy oh boy, that was a hell of a game.
33:26
Fun. Yeah, it's the it's they should
33:28
rename it like the the last minute present bowl.
33:30
You know what I mean? Like that because you know when
33:34
you're flipping through your television and you know the Die
33:37
Hard or Christmas story's on or whatever's on and I'm like, I'd
33:41
rather watch this. And it was a fun match up.
33:44
It went right down to the wire the last two halves and it's a
33:48
it's a nice thing you mentioned Arch.
33:50
The hype's going to be back on him.
33:52
He did play he played awesome against Michigan.
33:54
I think they need to to make this offense a little bit, have
33:58
those designed runs for him because he showed he can beat
34:01
you with his legs. This isn't Peyton and Eli, It's
34:03
a little. He might not even be Archie,
34:05
man. He's back on the football field.
34:08
No, no doubt. Portal continues.
34:10
And on the local front, we got our own things here.
34:13
But the Brendan Sorsby thing, maybe it's just too much
34:16
memories of what happened in Game one against Nebraska, or he
34:20
couldn't throw the ball through an interception late.
34:22
And I know he improved immensely throughout the course of the
34:24
year. And we got to see him against
34:25
Iowa State and he played well in that game.
34:27
Still $5 billion for Brendan Sorsby.
34:29
That's what we're doing. And I wish my market, I wish my
34:33
heart field to go have a value go like this, you know, and I'm
34:37
not saying that in a snide way. I don't know that the market, I
34:41
think it's ridiculous, honestly, that we're paying that much for
34:44
quarterbacks. But this is what the market
34:46
dictates. And Brendan Sorsby, you're
34:48
right, he had a good year. Good.
34:49
He'll be good for that offense. He should help.
34:51
But I mean, when you're making that much money burst and I
34:55
don't have it in front of me, whatever the rookie quarterbacks
34:57
are making in the NFL, it just doesn't seem normal to me.
35:01
And at certain point, there'll be a tipping point.
35:03
There are a ton of quarterbacks in the portal we're writing
35:05
about this week, and I didn't look at any one of them and say,
35:09
man, that's the guy. But in fairness, I probably said
35:12
the same thing last year about Mendoza, and he turned out to be
35:15
that guy. Yeah.
35:16
Indeed he did. Yeah, I saw that.
35:18
He's going to make more money at Texas Tech than Shador Sanders
35:22
did in his rookie contract with Cleveland.
35:26
Hey, last thing, Bill. And I guess it's just a matter
35:28
of time. I mean, Kenny Minch, she's going
35:30
to be the guy we remember, right?
35:31
He commits to Nebraska one day, decommits the next day, and off
35:34
to Kentucky. Why should we expect anything
35:36
different? It's the Wild West after all.
35:39
And we need, you know, I always make a comparison.
35:42
I'd be like if Christian Watson, if NFL free agency opened today
35:46
and Christian Watson said I'm not going to play for the
35:49
Packers on Saturday, I would be very sad personally.
35:52
I'm going to have to try to get through this Bears game
35:54
Saturday. But yeah, I just, I, we need to
35:58
fix the calendar. And then you're hearing that
36:00
over and over again. That would be the underlying
36:01
thing I would take away from what has been a very
36:04
entertaining bull season. I'm going to enjoy the games
36:06
this week, but we got to fix this calendar, guys.
36:09
Bill Bender, Sporting News Bill, thank you.
36:12
Hey, have a good one guys. Thanks so much for having.
36:13
Me good to talk to you Bill Bender from the Sporting News we
36:15
check in with our buddy on what's this so he'll be at the
36:18
championship game. He'll be in Miami in Miami good
36:21
stuff for bill. We'll take time out come back
36:24
finish the hour. We'll talk Hawks to kick off
36:26
hour number two. They've got a big one tonight.
36:28
The men do up in Minnesota. We'll do that we'll put a bow on
36:31
the Viking season as well. Miller and Condon talking sports
36:35
on Des Moines sports station one O 6.3 K XNR no All
36:51
right, final couple of minutes hour number one of our two hour
36:54
program coming up. We'll talk to Elliot Clough on
36:56
all things Hawkeyes with Elliot and then Dane Mosutani St.
37:00
Paul Pioneer Press. We'll put a bow on the Vikings
37:04
season as they head in to the offseason along with what's 18
37:09
other teams? Is that the math?
37:11
14 make it. 18 don't 20 don't 14 don't 14 make the playoff. 18
37:17
don't make the playoff. There's 32 they're. 32 Thank
37:19
you. There you go, a Canadian math
37:21
pay it off. Using all the fingers and toes
37:23
over there available. Yeah, indeed I am.
37:26
What do you expect to see tonight up from at Williams
37:30
Arena? I think this is a game that is
37:32
concerning. I think in what respect what
37:35
worries you? Let down, look ahead.
37:37
Kind of that sandwich spot. Big win at UCLA.
37:41
Here comes Illinois on Sunday. Minnesota playing better, yeah.
37:44
I think that's a component also that you have to look at that.
37:46
But do they have anybody other than Tyson?
37:49
Not really. I mean, nobody that offensively
37:52
wow is you by any means, but Tyson can beat himself and.
37:56
But Mccollum's team plays defense, and they get used to
37:58
that. Absolutely.
38:00
I mean, watch in Iowa. But there's also a team that
38:02
went over 9 from three in the second-half until.
38:05
Boy, that was a stroke. That drought, wasn't it?
38:08
I saw you tweeting. And they just, they couldn't.
38:12
When things aren't going well. We've seen this multiple times
38:15
already this year. They get bogged down really,
38:18
really bad. You know, like it gets really,
38:20
really. You surprised McCollum, I guess,
38:23
acquiesced to his staff because he wanted to leave Sturtz in and
38:26
got talked out of that apparently.
38:27
If you believe McCollum, then why would he?
38:29
You know, fib. I I'm not, and it's just because
38:32
of what he said when he first when he built this staff, guys
38:36
that he trust. He didn't go out and get an ace
38:39
recruiter. He didn't go out there and get
38:41
well, you got to have. He's got his guys.
38:43
He's got his guys and when you have your guys, then you need to
38:46
believe in your guys and he absolutely does.
38:48
And just the way that he builds things, the way that he does
38:50
things, listening to him now these last two years, that's the
38:53
way he does things. So it didn't come as a surprise
38:55
to me because that's the way he was.
38:57
It was also interesting when he just didn't even go to the
39:00
huddle during one of those runs ahead of time out and we see
39:05
that from Fran, but it's just because he was freaking out or
39:09
something like that right and he got in there late.
39:10
This is not just an Iowa thing. Coaches all over the place.
39:13
I mean you see this at Iowa State all the time or T JS not
39:15
in the huddle a lot of times somebody else drawing up the
39:17
next player doing those kind of things.
39:19
That's but I think it was just a different kind of look where
39:22
wasn't that he was ranting and Raven he was upset, but the way
39:25
that he also explained it is he didn't want to say something
39:28
that he regretted to some of his young players.
39:30
I thought that was really interesting because I'm sure he
39:33
was Stephen Hut. Not sure I would hope.
39:35
He was absolutely pissed off at the way his team was playing,
39:39
but he knew he could say that to Bennett Sturt, so he said as
39:41
much. And he can say that to Tavion
39:43
Banks. Not sure how all the right
39:45
buttons to push with the Cooper catch with Alvaro Fugaris.
39:49
The new guys, the new ones, right?
39:50
He's still trying to learn that. And instead of saying something,
39:53
maybe that you regret, you step away.
39:55
You know, Speaking of TJ, dude, dude looking ahead, do you have
40:00
any idea with the Baylor? I have a state number of be
40:02
tomorrow. I can find what it will be.
40:05
Let's see here Iowa State, they. Are favored by how many?
40:09
6 on the road. So basically same point spread
40:12
that we're seeing with Iowa. Minnesota more likely to fall
40:15
Iowa tonight against Minnesota or Iowa State tomorrow at
40:18
Baylor. Is there AC none of the above?
40:21
No, there's no. You got to.
40:22
Pick one. You got to pick one.
40:24
Put you on the spot. I think Iowa State's so damn
40:27
good. Yeah, I guess Iowa if the.
40:31
I don't think either of them will.
40:33
Baylor's three losses are to TCU, who's mid, Memphis, who for
40:38
their standards is bad, and St. John's, who might be the biggest
40:42
disappointment. Couldn't agree with you college.
40:44
Basketball. I bought in.
40:45
Pitino's team. Is broke.
40:47
They are, absolutely are. Blow a 16 point lead at MSG to
40:51
Providence and MSG Yuck. Our 2 coming up next builder in
40:56
Conan. Elliott Clough kicks it off.
40:58
It's the Iowa Sports Radio Network.