Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / Hawkeye talk with David Eickholt, Frank Schwab on the NFL & Super Bowl 60 & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports

Transcript

Hawkeye talk with David Eickholt, Frank Schwab on the NFL & Super Bowl 60 & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

0:00
Our number 2 Miller and Con welcome back see Iowa Sports
0:03
Radio Network Trent Condon, Ken Miller with you until 2:00
0:08
coming up at that time off the bench, the runners up in the
0:10
head to head. Just rubbing it in.
0:14
Oh, Trent, I would have been so embarrassed if we didn't beat
0:16
those. Boys, we had a big lead.
0:17
We did and we were coughing it up.
0:19
We were gagging. The finish line couldn't get
0:21
here quick enough. Strides are shortening.
0:24
Need the wire. We just got there.
0:26
Let's get to a David I cold. He joins the program as we talk
0:29
some Hawks. Hello, David I cold Hawkeye
0:31
insider calm 24/7 sports. How are you?
0:35
Doing good, man. I'm ready to actually talk some.
0:37
I would say talk some. Football Schedule will be out a
0:40
little bit earlier, maybe leak a little bit early, but you know
0:44
what, I guess we'll have to wait till 4:30.
0:46
But it's definitely going to be a fun, fun year and I'm really
0:49
starting to get back into football mode, even though we've
0:51
only been out of it for, well, I guess not even a month now.
0:54
It's King football after all. Yeah, Trent and I were saying
0:56
the same thing as we were disappointed it didn't drop
0:58
before we got off the air. Some guys get all the luck and
1:01
all the fun. That's afternoon drive for you
1:03
and that's that's good for them. So yes, we will get that.
1:07
And had you heard, I mean, Trent yesterday, I don't know if it's
1:12
regurgitating passed on a rumor that he had heard apparently is
1:15
out there that the first three Big 10 games will be Michigan,
1:20
Ohio State and then off to Washington.
1:22
Are you hearing that? Yeah, I've been told that by a
1:26
handful of different people. I do know that the Big 10 did
1:29
meet yesterday to kind of finalize everything and go over
1:32
everything before the official announcement.
1:34
But, you know, it is interesting because I've been hearing that
1:37
going back to maybe a week to 10 days ago.
1:39
But you know, kind of rereading the conference.
1:42
Why the e-mail, guys? I don't know if I'm just
1:45
starting to over read everything or learn about everything, but
1:48
let me read you the official quote from the the press release
1:53
because they were trying to highlight some, you know, big
1:54
games and all that. And essentially it said that,
1:59
you know, on October 17th, highlights of conference play,
2:03
including being on October 17th between the last two national
2:06
champions as Indiana host Ohio State comma a matchup between
2:10
Oregon and USC from LA Memorial Coliseum and Iowa travelling to
2:14
take on Michigan in Ann Arbor. So the way I interpreted at
2:18
first was, is that really all going to be on October 17th?
2:22
And then I thought. There's no way they stack all
2:25
those matchups on the same weekend.
2:26
That just seems kind of foolish to me, to be quite honest with
2:30
you. So that that is a rumor that
2:32
I've been hearing time and time again.
2:33
I can't directly confirm it, but I mean, I I think Trent PEDs in
2:38
the right place and it's definitely circulated on our
2:40
message boards. And yeah, I think it's going to
2:42
be Jeremy Heklinski that starts next year.
2:44
And I'll tell you, we'll find out you darn quick if he's ready
2:47
to be a Big 10 quarterback. There's no doubt.
2:50
Going back to the transfer portal, you guys hear a lot of
2:53
rumblings, a lot of rumors, those kind of things there.
2:55
I know for a while on social media there was the potential
2:58
secret visitor that was out there.
3:00
Who knows the validity of all that crap, But that aside, was
3:03
there any at all kicking the tires, just maybe a phone call,
3:07
maybe calling a former coach and seeing at the quarterback
3:10
position? Or is it what we have heard?
3:12
They're digging in their heels. Tim Lester, he believes he's got
3:15
the two guys that are going to compete.
3:17
He's happy with what they are. What'd you hear at quarterback?
3:21
I mean, I'll tell you man, I know there were some rumblings,
3:23
but I there was nothing that really like really made-up some
3:27
sense for me. I mean, you know, a couple of
3:29
third hand, fourth hand sources that say their words good.
3:31
And you know, ultimately I'm not going to go report that rumor.
3:34
I I just did not see any reason why Iowa was going to enter
3:38
going to the portal. Now, if a certain former head
3:41
coaches son who's on the team at quarterback would have
3:44
transferred to his father's team, then I think they would
3:47
have dove a little bit into that.
3:49
But I mean, time and time again, Tyler Barnes, Kirk Ference and
3:52
Tim Lester said, look, we they like the guys in the room.
3:55
They believe in Jeremy Hecklinski, they believe in Hank
3:58
Brown and their ability to develop.
3:59
And I go back to this, this is Tim Lester's first real
4:03
opportunity to mold some of these quarterbacks because I
4:08
brought this up a couple weeks ago.
4:09
But I think it's worth, you know, you know, regurgitating a
4:12
little bit, this is the first spring that Tim Lester is going
4:16
to have his starting quarterback go through spring football since
4:19
he got to campus. Dave McNamara was his first
4:22
year. The second year Mark Gronowski
4:25
was recovering from shoulder surgery.
4:27
And they, you know, I think Deacon Hill took all the reps
4:29
and everybody under the sun knew he was never going to see
4:31
another snap in Iowa uniform, right?
4:35
So then now this is the first year where he doesn't have one,
4:37
but he has two guys that he can really mold together that have a
4:40
chance of being the starting quarterback again.
4:43
I think it's about 65% Jeremy Hecklinski, you know, maybe a
4:47
throw at the other 35 at Hank Brown.
4:49
I do think if trade in Bessinger had been here early, I think he
4:54
could have sneaked his way into that third spot and by the end
4:56
of his freshman year compete for that two spot because I'm a big
4:59
believer in him. But no, I did not buy into the
5:02
rumors that they were heavily recruiting or looking at a
5:05
quarterback in the portal. I will had other then the not
5:10
including I guess better way to put it.
5:12
The Nebraska game had a Friday night in Rutgers last year.
5:15
Do you think that they'll be a Friday night game on the
5:17
schedule this year other than the Black Friday game?
5:21
I can't tell you. I sure hope not.
5:24
I can tell you the coaching staff, right, thinks the same
5:26
way. I haven't heard too much, many
5:28
rumblings there. I don't think based on the
5:30
current media rights contract, I don't think they're going to be
5:33
required to, especially since they are going to play that
5:36
Black Friday game. So, you know, I got to tell you
5:39
I need to dive in the language a little bit more, but I have not
5:42
heard too much about Iowa getting flexed out to another
5:44
Friday game this year. You wonder if it's a maybe
5:47
almost every other kind of year type of thing too.
5:49
We see that seemingly every couple years for the Hawkeyes,
5:52
having to play one of those and not going to happen at Kiddic
5:54
Stadium because of the hospital are very difficult to pull that
5:57
one off. David, as we look past the
6:00
portal and we just look at this football roster as a whole, it's
6:04
incredibly young. What, 11 seniors overall?
6:06
I think the number maybe 7 or 8 scholarship seniors on this
6:10
squad. I can't remember a year and I-40
6:13
years of watching this team and had this just sheer low volume
6:17
of seniors that are out there. Any concern because we know Kirk
6:20
Ference, he talks about leadership a lot.
6:22
Does that give you any slight pause with this team?
6:24
Just the lack of seniors? I mean, I think it does by also
6:29
think that the young players that have been there played a
6:32
lot of football, that played a lot of really good football and
6:34
they had a really good senior class to learn how to lead from,
6:38
right? Like I think first couple guys
6:39
that come to mind. I think Zach Lutmers could be
6:42
instrumental into the foundation of next year's team.
6:45
You know, I I look at another guy like Trevor Lau, Cade
6:47
Peeper. I mean, Cade Peeper is going to
6:49
be a first or second team pre season all American at center
6:52
and he's never snapped the ball and it came in Iowa uniform,
6:56
right. So I do think that they have
6:57
some leadership in the right areas.
6:59
But you know, the springtime it's going to be all about
7:02
finding their voice at the same time.
7:03
I'm also trying. I can't remember a senior class
7:06
this small, but you know, if you really want to put a positive
7:08
spin on it, not to look way too far ahead, but does this not
7:13
give you really high expectations for that 2027 year
7:16
after this upcoming year when you return the second year
7:19
starting quarterback? You know, in all likelihood,
7:21
just based on the way the portal and everything works out like
7:24
we'll see what the official schedule turns out to be layered
7:27
today. But I got to tell you upon first
7:29
glance, I mean, this is going to be a nine win team next season.
7:32
And I think if you take all that experience, they hold on to the
7:35
guys there, they develop some of the new guys in the transfer
7:38
portal that are going to be here.
7:40
I mean, you got to say this, man, I think there, I think Kirk
7:43
Ferris and his staff are really trying to wind this thing up to
7:47
make a playoff push in 2027. I think that's a big reason why
7:50
they emphasize multiple years of eligibility on some of these
7:53
high level SCS transfers or these low end, you know, D1
7:57
guys. I really do believe that they're
7:59
going to try to set the foundation next season and in 27
8:04
it's all hands in all hands on deck.
8:06
It's going all in on that. And I believe at that point, K
8:09
FS going to be 72 years old again, projecting a lot.
8:13
But that's kind of the big overall picture that I see that
8:16
with the portal cycle, with the young senior class and
8:19
everything else. It makes all the sense in the
8:21
world of Me A. Final act of the play, is that
8:23
what you're? Saying 2027 circled that one, by
8:27
the way, 2027 here's Iowa's road games that year.
8:30
They go to Iowa State. They go to for their rivalry
8:33
games, both Nebraska, Wisconsin, the other two at Oregon, at
8:38
Indiana. Oh, for God's sakes.
8:40
Oh, and on top of it, at home they get Michigan, USCUCLA,
8:44
Minnesota, they got Maryland in there coming in too, but that's
8:48
schedule. That rule is going to be the
8:49
coach there, Trent. 20 and Nebraska.
8:53
He'll be fired. Before then, He'll be fired.
8:55
Fired after this year. Ken thought they got that one
8:59
right. Well, yeah, I did.
9:01
He thinks they get it everyone right though.
9:03
I I thought they'd have to What? Was his name Mike Riley?
9:06
I thought he was. I thought that was the right
9:08
one. That's fascinating stuff.
9:10
You guys ready to switch to basketball?
9:12
Let's start with Emily Rodriguez.
9:14
Trent brought it up yesterday. And I, I wholeheartedly concur.
9:19
What's going on here? Seeming seemingly like a long
9:23
shot. She's going to see the floor.
9:24
Do you believe that, David? I think it would do a detriment
9:27
to everybody involved as she saw the four for the rest of the
9:30
season. And it's nothing against her as
9:32
a player. What she'd potentially be again,
9:34
assuming she sticks around next year because there was a lot of
9:37
long point guys. Remember, you know, a month ago
9:40
where a lot of us in the media did not think that she was going
9:43
to be part of this team going into this season.
9:45
I I certainly had heard that she wasn't going to be.
9:47
But, you know, whatever differences they had, they
9:49
resolved it. But she's only played six games.
9:52
And you look at the way I was flowing right now.
9:54
Yeah, the Taylor McCabe injuries big.
9:56
But why would they try to, you know, put Emily Rodriguez back
10:01
in, try to get hair in the flow of things because this is Iowa
10:04
team that has beaten three straight top 15 teams.
10:08
I think they're going to go in and I think they're going to
10:09
beat USC. And then I think they'll compete
10:11
against UCLA. And right now also with Emily,
10:15
it's no cost to her. She can work on her back.
10:17
She can get healthy and apply for a medical waiver because
10:21
she's only played in six games this season.
10:23
So if you throw her back in, you throw her a year of eligibility
10:26
out the window. And again, I think Iowa's
10:29
players are going to have to relearn how to play with her.
10:32
Is it feel like it's just there's a wink and a nod.
10:35
You're going to red shirt this year.
10:36
You'll depart, you'll go on, you'll do and and what it makes
10:39
sense if that is the case for GM Jessa just to come out and see
10:42
that. I mean, that's that's kind of
10:45
the angle that we talked about yesterday, David is if that's
10:47
the case, that's fine. Nobody's going to lose their
10:49
mind. Just say it.
10:51
Just say she's going to take a medical red shirt this year.
10:53
The back injuries too much and move on with it because it's
10:56
going to linger. And if another injury happens to
10:58
this team, the questions going to come up once again.
11:00
We know McCabe's lost for the year.
11:02
It just it feels like it that there's a little extra in the
11:04
back that doesn't need to be there if she isn't going to
11:07
play. Yes and no, because I do think
11:10
Jan doesn't want to come out and say it right away if she doesn't
11:14
have to. Because again, think about it,
11:15
if Iowa, another Iowa guard gets her or somebody within that two
11:19
to three kind of role, which Emily fits in right, she may as
11:22
well keep the other team guessing if Emily is going to go
11:24
in there and play. Because even with her playing
11:26
style, it's different. It provides a different look and
11:29
skill set that opposing defenses are going to have to prepare
11:32
for. Because you got to think about
11:34
this also, if somebody in that room goes down, you know, who
11:39
gets elevated? Do you throw in a Tegan
11:41
Mullaney, who played a little cameo appearance against Ohio
11:45
State? Do you, you know, make teams try
11:47
to prepare for Emily Rodriguez? And I do think they are one
11:49
injury away from like, OK, is chit chat right?
11:52
And how do you deal? Or they're going to have to play
11:53
38 minutes of pop and then Kylie maybe play 35 minutes.
11:58
All of a sudden it gets a little bit scarier there.
12:01
I just think they're they're protecting themselves on the
12:03
scouting report. And again, I'm really not going
12:06
to blame them just based on how freakish that Taylor McCabe
12:08
injury was in the 1st place non contact.
12:11
It looked like her knee just sort of gave out on her more
12:14
than anything else. Switching to the mend?
12:17
Have you guys had a chance to talk to McCullum this week?
12:20
We just spoke with him this morning.
12:22
So what did he say about the the time off?
12:24
Obviously they'd won two straight games.
12:26
Sage was really coming on. What did he say about the time
12:30
off? Did he like it?
12:31
And what did they do? How did they approach it?
12:34
I mean, they they practice hard and he was pretty optimistic
12:37
about all viral full garris and the strides he's made from a
12:40
screening perspective, from a defensive perspective.
12:42
And he thinks that he has a chance to really kind of break
12:45
out over these last 11 games. But when we asked him kind of
12:48
how we approached the week and if he felt like it was a
12:50
success, he was just pretty candid.
12:52
He said we're going to find out tomorrow night.
12:55
Right. Because this is the USC team
12:57
that is really talented. They have a guy who's probably
13:00
as old as me, a shooting guard and Chad Baker, Missouri, You
13:04
know, he could be, he could literally rent a car and not
13:06
pay, you know, a young driver's fee.
13:08
Like, it's absurd, kind of where we're at with that.
13:11
But at least he didn't play in the G League for three years and
13:13
then come back to college basketball.
13:15
So I think McCollum feels pretty good about it.
13:18
He thinks that starts got some really good rest.
13:20
I do think also that, you know, he kind of admit that Tate Sage
13:25
was a little bit better than he thought he would be, right when
13:28
he got to campus. He said he kind of had a
13:30
different skill set than they thought.
13:31
Because you think about guys, where are you comfortable
13:34
playing Tate Sage right now? I think I would thought that
13:37
he'd be more of a three or four. I think you could run him at the
13:40
two guards. Quite frankly, his ball
13:42
handling, his passing has been good enough this season.
13:45
Could probably put him at at one in certain spots and maybe give
13:48
another guy like Ben Sturtz put him off the ball as well.
13:52
So again, I think Tate Sage, from a foundational standpoint,
13:56
it's could be a big part of this team, but I think he really
13:59
wants to see Iowa's offense pop because he was not happy at all
14:02
with what they did against Rutgers.
14:04
And I think everybody would agree with that.
14:06
That was a little too close for comfort.
14:08
It's probably a good time to get the break.
14:09
No doubt about it. By the way, the boys, Shawn and
14:12
Lucas have Ben McCollum at 4:00 today on off the bench. 4:00 Ben
14:16
McCollum joins the. Boys, that will be good.
14:19
With that, let's jump over to the offensive side that went
14:22
stagnant again against Rutgers the last time out.
14:24
We've seen this a bunch of this year.
14:26
I saw the quote from McCollum. He mentioned that passing down
14:31
those good shots that are there, is it just at times that this
14:34
group and the teamwork that they build and all the chemistry
14:37
things that they do that maybe at times they're just a little
14:39
bit too unselfish shots there? Even if there's 11 on the shot
14:43
clock, you got to take the shot. What did McCollum have to say
14:45
about that? Yeah, I mean, I think you're
14:48
exactly right. It's one of those get a good
14:50
shot, turn into a great shot. But if you already have a really
14:52
good shot, take the shot, right? Because you got to think about
14:56
some of the players that they have, like Alvaro Fogaris cannot
14:59
turn down open 3 pointers. He's too good of a shooter.
15:02
He has to shoot it. And especially against Rutgers,
15:04
I think he turned down to to three shots.
15:06
And you think about the individual guys who have really
15:08
started making an aim for themselves and taking strides
15:11
offensively, you would think it run a little bit more efficient.
15:14
Like guys, Kale Combs is shooting the ball well from
15:16
three-point. He passed up a couple good ones.
15:19
Tate Sage hit 4 threes the other night.
15:22
He looks like he could be a sub 40% three-point shooter.
15:25
There are components. Pavion Banks is hitting threes
15:28
and you kind of have confidence in him when he pulls up.
15:30
Like there are different players are taking steps forward
15:33
individually, but from a collective standpoint it just
15:36
seems like there's still a tad passive at times.
15:39
And I do think it's not Bennett Sturtz's fault, but I also think
15:43
they're trying so hard to make sure Ben Search stays involved
15:46
with the offense that sometimes you're getting too late in the
15:48
shot clock, they'll pass up a good shot, then they'll throw it
15:51
back to Ben Search with five seconds left and to try to make
15:54
something happen. So I do think that that's been a
15:56
point of emphasis this season and over the last week.
15:59
And I think we're going to see maybe a little bit of a
16:01
different minded approach against the USC.
16:04
You just have to, otherwise you're not going to beat these
16:06
big, good teams. You mentioned confidence.
16:09
Where's Cooper Cox's confidence right now?
16:12
Well, I'll quote them the column if you have confidence this, you
16:15
shouldn't be playing in the Big 10.
16:20
He's a young player, but everybody in the, I think all
16:23
Iowa fans or least the majority of Iowa fans are going to get a
16:27
ton more frustrated. Cooper Koch, if he is not
16:30
passed, if he passes up the shots he's getting because quite
16:32
frankly, man, I think he's taking really high quality shot.
16:36
They're just not falling. And I'll go back to what Jordan
16:38
Johann said in his career. It's either going to progress or
16:41
regress to the mean and what's Cooper touches mean.
16:44
It's pretty darn high and probably one of the best
16:47
shooters in the Big 10. Yeah, he's high 30% three-point
16:50
shooter. You can just see what the
16:51
stroke, it's a good looking stroke.
16:52
They're going to start to fall and and if that happens
16:55
certainly going to often open up offense a little bit more.
16:58
David, not sure if you saw this, but earlier today as the field
17:02
of 68, our friends over there have been released, releasing
17:04
their best jobs ranked across different conferences.
17:07
And in the Big 10, Iowa, the 14th best job out of the 18
17:12
teams were men's basketball. Your take away from that and
17:17
what I take away from it, something that I've screamed
17:19
from the rooftops, this job is not nearly as easy as people
17:22
believe. Fray McCaffrey did a good job
17:25
and Ben McCullum, he's got a lot of work in front of them.
17:27
Your thoughts on those rankings? So who are The Who are below
17:30
them? Penn State had to be Rutgers.
17:34
Let me pull it back up here at the bottom.
17:35
Minnesota was below them. Minnesota 15 Northwestern,
17:39
Rutgers, Penn State. I mean, I thought the order was
17:42
pretty accurate. I did think Rutgers would be a
17:44
little bit higher, quite frankly, just because there's a
17:46
ton of home area talent that they just keep them there.
17:49
I do think in the in the where they play, it's really loud.
17:52
But I got to tell you guys, I think Trent can attest this.
17:55
I've been saying for years that I was a pot on 4 bottom five job
17:59
in the Big 10. I know people don't want to hear
18:02
it like the historical components there, but from a
18:05
facility standpoint, from a difficulty in recruiting
18:07
standpoint, from a bunch of different factors, Iowa just did
18:11
not measure up to the top programs, even middle programs,
18:14
the Big 10. Now, I do think the job is
18:16
better now because I think they're starting.
18:19
I think Beth Guess is really starting to invest in that
18:21
program. I think we're seeing strides.
18:23
People's butts are being put in seats.
18:25
And I'll tell you a job that I think is grossly undervalued
18:28
there as well. I think Nebraska, Nebraska's
18:30
right above Iowa. But I got to tell you, I think
18:32
Nebraska is the top half the Big 10 jobs, they had no historical
18:36
success. Their facilities in your top in
18:38
the in the Big 10, you know, they have a huge recruiting
18:41
budget. Fred Hoiberg is obviously a
18:43
great coach. They just have no history, but
18:45
they're top about it in everything else in the Big 10.
18:47
But Ben McCollum is a lot of works turn into a great job.
18:51
I think Fran, outside of making a Sweet 16, had maximized what
18:55
he could do at Iowa based on certain circumstances.
18:59
And I'm not making an excuse for Fran because we all know and
19:01
I've said guys, he should have made a Sweet 16.
19:04
But to get those three star guys into the NBA playing Iowa's a
19:07
name brand program and everything else, Fran is, you
19:10
know, basically brought Iowa back from the 17th or 18th
19:13
ranking, quite frankly, when he took over the job.
19:16
So it's a hard job. But again, I think Iowa fans
19:19
should be very happy that Ben McCollum grew up a Hawkeye
19:21
because it's a big job, a lot of potential is off to a good
19:26
start, but it's the difficulty in what he kind of had to take
19:29
over. It can't really be expressed
19:32
enough. Yeah, Carver being where it is
19:35
doesn't help, right? Then I'm guessing a lot of those
19:37
schools ranked above them. We don't have that problem in
19:40
front of them. David Eichel, 24/7 Sports,
19:43
hawkeyeinsider.com, Great stuff, David, I'll look forward to your
19:46
piece on the schedule that gets released here later on this
19:49
afternoon. Appreciate you coming on and
19:50
talk to you. Take care bro.
19:51
Thanks guys. Appreciate you.
19:53
Take care. Bye bye.
19:53
David Eichel as we check in on Iowa.
19:56
Good stuff. So with that, do you Did you see
20:00
this list? I saw that it was on and never
20:02
clicked on it. Did you see, So you didn't see
20:05
the Big 12 when I seen my last week.
20:06
So last week the Big 12 rankings came out.
20:09
No surprise, Kansas the top job. Right. #2. #2 is well, Texas
20:17
Tech's got a lot of money. They do.
20:18
They're third. #2 is Houston. #5 Arizona number 2 are they?
20:28
They invest a lot. In basketball, yeah.
20:30
Invest a lot in basketball. Tech 3, BYU 4.
20:34
Speaking of investing, Houston 5.
20:36
And there's Iowa State and #6 fair.
20:41
Yeah, I think so. They spent a basketball.
20:42
I certainly I I can't put them any higher.
20:45
No, above those other teams if we're.
20:47
Going to put them in, elevate them.
20:48
Who are we going to knock out? Right of that group in front of
20:50
them, I don't see one when he put it all together, very
20:53
difficult. And outside of Baylor, who's won
20:55
a national championship, there's not many teams that I put
20:58
certainly above Iowa State either.
20:59
I I think that was a fair one. They also did the Missouri
21:01
Valley. This was the biggest shock to
21:03
me. OK.
21:04
So based on population bases. It's it's everything.
21:11
It's facility. No, but I'm, I'm, I'm elevating
21:14
that aspect of it. I would have to say Drake's high
21:18
on the list. Drake's number one now Murray
21:22
State got more first place votes from the different coaches that
21:24
were for this one. Drake #1 Murray State 2.
21:27
Belmont #3 You and I, number four.
21:30
I was surprised by that. Bradley 5, Illinois State 6.
21:34
Both those programs should be better.
21:35
You've heard me like I've just baffled how those programs are
21:39
not and certainly Illinois State.
21:40
Well, the the the McCloud center they put north of 4000 in this
21:44
weekend, which is good to see because the team not been
21:46
playing well. But it's half full.
21:48
No, I know. Illinois State in the state of
21:51
Illinois, a huge state school. I believe Illinois State's
21:55
undergrad enrollment is larger than both Iowa and Iowa State.
21:58
Yeah, it's a big school. I know it's downstate.
22:01
It's down in Orville. I get that.
22:03
But still Illinois State, how they are not every year at least
22:07
at minimum OK and be a lot. How many tournaments has
22:11
Illinois State made in the last 30 years 2.
22:13
Not very. You'd think there'd be more.
22:15
Oh God, who was that? Remember that?
22:17
Is it Eldridge? Osiris Eldridge.
22:19
Oh yeah, Cardi was a player. He was such a stud.
22:22
Oh my God, he was fun, that. Back and forth game in the NBC
22:25
Championship game. Hell of a game.
22:27
Absolutely one of the tops Illinois State.
22:29
I'm clicking on their profile here.
22:31
Let's see, Ken Palm goes back to 1997, made the tournament
22:37
back-to-back years with Kevin Stallings as their coach,
22:39
rumored for a long time, as you remember to be the replacement
22:42
for Doctor Tom. That was the hot name at that
22:45
time. Since Stallings departed,
22:48
Illinois State has made zero NCAA tournaments.
22:53
Could God they've had some names.
22:56
Porter Moser was there. Tim Jankovich, Dan Muller, now
23:00
Peden. I don't get it.
23:03
I don't get it. Let's give you a chance to win
23:04
$1000. Head to KX and o.com.
23:06
This nationwide contest is open right now.
23:09
The one O clock keyword is it's friend.
23:12
Friend at KX and o.com. Your chance to win $1000.
23:16
Maybe treat your friends friend at KX and o.com, Frank Schwab in
23:20
the NFL next, Miller and Condon on the Iowa Sports Radio
23:23
Network. I'm Hillary Congon, welcome
23:25
back. Iowa Sports Radio Network.
23:27
Trenton Cong with you until 2. Trenton, Ken, with you until 2.
23:31
Let's get to Frank Schwab, yahoosports.com.
23:33
He covers the NFL and he joins us.
23:36
Frank Trenton, Ken, thanks for coming on as always.
23:39
Good to speak with you. I know you were at at the Denver
23:43
New England game and watching it on TV.
23:45
Romo said it's worse in person than it looks like on TV.
23:49
Tracy Wolfson said the same thing.
23:51
How bad was of course the cameras got a much more powerful
23:53
lens than you, the human eye. Was it that bad, Frank?
23:56
Second-half. Yeah, it was, it was, it was, it
24:00
wasn't even football you guys watched.
24:02
I mean, it was, it was miserable out there.
24:06
And the wind, the cold, the snow just kind of all coming at once
24:10
to like, you know, the first half was beautiful.
24:13
It was great. It was nothing wrong at all.
24:15
So, yeah, like, you know, we all get poetic about bad weather
24:19
games, snow games and all that. And there's some classics.
24:22
There's some great, great games we've seen in bad weather, but
24:25
most of bad weather games look like that where it's just
24:27
unplayable, like there's nothing.
24:29
There was nothing really exciting or interesting about
24:31
that game. Like at some point I turned to
24:33
Jory Upstart, my Co worker, and said it was about late third
24:36
quarter. I said this game's heading up 10
24:37
seven. Neither he seems could even
24:39
function on offense. So yeah, it wasn't wasn't the
24:42
prettiest of AFC Championship games.
24:44
No, not going to be one that I think we're going to be
24:46
remembering for a long time. It's one that'll.
24:48
Oh yeah, that one. Drake May has to play better
24:52
than certainly what we've seen these first two playoff games of
24:54
his career to Pete Seattle coming up here in just a week
24:59
and a half. But Drake May, when you look at
25:01
him, his ability to run the football and what we've seen
25:04
here, any takeaways from you any any glaring concerns 2 games
25:08
into his playoff career? No, not really.
25:11
They got to protect him better that that's where it starts, I
25:14
think. But they've also faced, I think
25:17
of the defenses they faced Chargers, Texans, Broncos, and
25:21
now they get the Seahawks. So it's hard to come up with a,
25:23
a tougher 4 game stretch of defenses that a quarterback will
25:27
play. I I don't think he's been great
25:29
by any means, but we know he's a really, really good player.
25:32
I don't really worry about him. I just think that they've had
25:34
tough matchups that does happen and it could be another tough
25:37
match up at the Super Bowl. But I I think he's gonna play 5.
25:39
I think he's gonna be good like you said, he could.
25:42
He still has the ability to beach with his legs.
25:44
They but the one big that really has to happen is that offensive
25:47
line has to play better. They they need to protect him
25:50
better. Certainly didn't against Denver.
25:53
If you can find a way to slow down Seattle's pass rush, I
25:55
think that would help tremendously to a young
25:57
quarterback. I was surprised Trevon Henderson
26:00
only carried 3 times in that football game.
26:03
Stevenson's had a nice year, don't get me wrong, but
26:05
Henderson seemingly was getting more involved.
26:07
And I know Stevenson had some injuries late in the year, but
26:09
Henderson I thought should have been a bigger part of the AFC
26:12
Championship. Will we see more of him in the
26:14
Super Bowl as we look ahead to props?
26:17
Tough to say honestly, I, they just trust Stevenson more right
26:20
now and don't don't, you know, don't fix what's not broke.
26:23
I guess they they keep winning games.
26:26
I agree with you. I think Henderson's a really
26:27
special talent. But probably, you know, the
26:30
little things that they just worry about, you know, pass
26:32
protection and and whatnot. I think they probably do just
26:36
trust trust from Andre Stevenson a little bit more right now.
26:39
He's he's clearly they're the foundation really of the running
26:42
in the backfield and I think he's going to be the guy.
26:45
I think it's I think you're going to see a lot of the same
26:47
in the Super Bowl. Treviano mix in maybe a little
26:49
more than last time. I think they did want a rookie
26:52
out there necessarily in those conditions, one of the veteran.
26:55
But I I don't think you're going to see Trevian get a significant
26:59
amount of the carries. I think he's going to have to
27:01
have to do well with the 8 to 10 touches he does get.
27:04
We go to the NFC Championship game and up and down the field
27:07
both these teams were moving. Yet the Rams seem to be about
27:10
the only team that can do that against the Seattle Seahawks
27:13
defense. There's some historic numbers
27:15
that are going around about this team really both ways.
27:18
Patriots, maybe one of the worst teams to ever make a Super Bowl,
27:21
even doing it as a two seed. And then you go the other way
27:23
and maybe one of the best teams that we've seen here in Seattle.
27:27
Do you do you consider Seattle? And certainly if they finish it
27:30
off, are you willing to put them up there?
27:32
One of the better teams we've seen the last 1520 years as the
27:34
metrics say that they are. I don't know, I, I, I, I'm
27:40
hesitant on that. I think a really, really good
27:43
and you know, they they've only lost three games by combined 9
27:45
points. They're really close to, you
27:48
know, like some, you know, 16 and one type of regular season
27:51
type of team. I just don't know.
27:54
I just would this team beat some of that those, you know, great
27:59
Patriots teams of their dynasty or the peak of the chiefs.
28:04
I don't really think so. Like I could really good.
28:07
I'm not trying to take anything away from them.
28:08
I just I don't know if I put it in that tier.
28:11
I think they're just a little bit below that tier.
28:13
But the Super Bowl changes our opinion on many, many things.
28:17
I mean, we they go out there and they beat the Patriots 42 to 3
28:20
or whatever. It's going to be like, I think
28:22
that would change our opinion. I don't look, and I'm also going
28:25
to sit here and say everything ever.
28:28
I think everybody's writing off the Patriots.
28:29
I really do. I haven't heard anybody be like,
28:31
wow, yeah, Patriots going to win this game.
28:33
Why not? I get that metrically they're
28:35
not great, but a lot of that happened early in the season,
28:38
played really, really well late. They won I think 16 in our last
28:42
17 games is accounting playoffs. You don't do like everybody all
28:47
of a sudden wants strength, the schedule to be the biggest
28:49
talking point in the NFL, never has been before, by the way.
28:53
But I don't care. This is not college football.
28:55
You don't play the back. You're playing NFL competition.
28:58
And if you go, you know, again, 17 and three I think is a record
29:02
right now heading into the Super Bowl.
29:03
I don't really care who you played.
29:05
You're a really good football team.
29:06
So, you know, I I mean, to answer all the questions, I
29:09
think that if the Seahawks do win, win convincingly, yeah,
29:12
we're got to have that conversation where they rank.
29:14
I think they would rank probably, dear, you know, what
29:15
the Eagles did last year. They're really, really good team
29:17
too. But as far as like, oh wow, this
29:20
is one of the 15 best teams I've ever seen.
29:22
Probably not. Probably not that high.
29:24
Sam Darnold, we just keep waiting.
29:26
We certainly waited for it to happen during the the Rams game.
29:28
It didn't that one mistake or then it gets compounds and makes
29:32
things worse. Darnold was really good.
29:34
Didn't have to do much against the Niners, admittedly, but look
29:37
really good against the Rams. Does he not have another, you
29:39
know, maybe not perfect, but certainly good enough game to to
29:43
take this team to the Super Bowl?
29:44
Are you waiting for Darnold to implode?
29:47
No, I'm not. I everyone else is.
29:50
And I think it's unfair, really, really unfair to him because he
29:54
has played 37 games over the past two seasons, 33 or 34 of
29:58
them have been excellent. Yeah, he had two 3-4 bad games.
30:01
So what most quarterbacks do, like most quarterbacks are not
30:05
going to be perfect. And we hold this.
30:07
I I think it's just because people don't want to admit
30:09
they're wrong. To be honest.
30:10
I I think it's just, it is absolutely positively that they
30:13
called Arnold the bust. They made fun of him.
30:16
They laughed at him. They said, oh, Seattle, what
30:18
are, what are you doing? And they just don't want to
30:20
admit they're wrong. So and when Darnold throws an
30:23
interception in the Super Bowl, if he does, the immediate
30:26
reaction is going to be seat there Sam Arnold stakes
30:29
terrible. I told you told you so forget
30:31
that he was been good for 33 or 34 of his last 37 games the past
30:35
two seasons. It's a weird phenomenon.
30:38
And I don't even, I don't know how people are going to react if
30:41
he wins the Super Bowl, because the people who do stuff like
30:43
that are also the same people who really, really overrate
30:45
Super Bowls and who won them and stuff.
30:47
So that's a conundrum. Are they going to give?
30:50
Are they going to say, yeah, I was wrong?
30:51
Sam Arnold, he's great. Now, I don't know.
30:53
But I do know that nobody wants to give Sam Darnold credit.
30:56
It's just it's a weird, weird thing where what does this guy
30:59
have to do? Yeah, he hasn't played perfect
31:02
football for two straight seasons.
31:03
I get that. But he's been really, really
31:06
good. There's a reason he's in the
31:07
Super Bowl. Speaking of weird situations,
31:09
didn't have to look very far in Buffalo to find the replacement
31:13
for Sean McDermott. Under their nose the whole time
31:15
trend. Apparently.
31:17
Why does this strike strike me as just incredibly odd?
31:20
You fire a head coach, you bring in the oats.
31:22
Yeah, I I'm struggling with this one.
31:24
Help. Help me out, Frank.
31:26
Yeah, it's it's the same thing Cowboys did last year.
31:28
I mean, but you know, Mike McCarthy wasn't technically
31:30
fired. He just didn't have his contract
31:32
renewed. But it is weird because I really
31:35
do think that the Bills just had no plan.
31:38
And this was just they were bad at McDermott for losing.
31:40
They were bad about losing a game.
31:42
Easiest thing they can do is fire McDermott.
31:44
And then they woke up the next day and said, OK, now what do we
31:46
do? And I just feel Brady might turn
31:49
out to be a good coach. Like he's been one of those hot
31:51
names for for a while now, ever since had a great season, you
31:55
know, coordinating LSU's pass. Mcgurrough was there.
31:58
Yeah. And so he's got hot name.
31:59
And I don't necessarily hate the hire itself.
32:02
If if it the Arizona Cardinals and hired Joe Brady.
32:06
Oh, OK, That I I get that that's, that's good to give him
32:08
a shot. That's fine.
32:09
But the bills just kind of firing their coach and and just
32:12
promoting from within. I'm like, I guess like there's a
32:16
continuity there. Maybe that helps.
32:18
But yeah, I thought it was a weird hire.
32:19
I did. I'm not sitting here jumping up
32:21
and down saying it's great. I, I think it's possible it
32:23
turns out well, But as I sit here now, I'm like, did the
32:27
Bills have any plan going into this or that they just, it is
32:30
obviously their paths at this point.
32:32
Any coincidence that the three jobs that still have an opening,
32:36
the Browns, the Cardinals and the Raiders, you know, the
32:38
bottom feeders, are they just going to take what's left?
32:43
Yeah, no, no surprise to me, I'll tell you that.
32:46
I I had no, I'd like the Raiders at least have like, hey, it's
32:50
Fernando Mendoza. I guess like I don't know how
32:52
far that gets you. I don't, I don't think coaches,
32:55
I don't think coaches get as excited about stuff like that as
32:58
we do with the media. Like they're going to look at
33:00
that Raiders franchise and be like, this is a terrible,
33:03
terrible team, awful franchise. They're going to look at the
33:06
Browns and say there's a mess here and you know, Jim Schwartz
33:10
a whole like we're we're keeping on Jim Schwartz, our defensive
33:11
coordinator, no matter who we hire.
33:13
Like, well, OK, you're not going to end up with the heck coach
33:16
you like that because that that's not how that works.
33:18
And in Arizona is just maybe both dead end of all of them.
33:21
What what do you sell if you're the Arizona Cardinals ownership
33:24
like you, you never win. You don't have a good roster,
33:26
you don't have a quarterback. So, yeah, not a big surprise
33:29
here that that that Arizona, you know, Las Vegas and Cleveland
33:32
are are the ones still searching.
33:34
But the good news for them is I still think there's a lot of
33:36
good coaching candidates out there.
33:38
But I mean, Chris Shula, the Rams got offensive guys and
33:42
Kubiak, I think he's you know, people are just kind of waiting
33:45
for Super Bowl to be done there. So I still think there's some
33:48
hope that they hire somebody good because it was a pretty
33:50
deep and the feed a pretty deep classic candidates.
33:53
But yeah, these that you know, when you when you fire a coach,
33:58
that's great. Fine, going to go ahead.
34:00
But there was no guarantee that like Cleveland especially, was
34:02
going to hire somebody better. Kevin Stefanski.
34:05
I know it was recently that the Chargers just had Hard Knocks.
34:08
I know we saw McDaniel recently with the Dolphins, but I just 90
34:12
to see two incredibly weird odd ducks.
34:15
Mike McDaniel, now the offensive coordinator with Harbaugh. 2 of
34:19
the weirdest people in the NFL together.
34:22
Oh man, I I can't wait for the dynamics in this one.
34:25
That's going to be great, isn't it?
34:26
And I, I, I, I do think it works though.
34:29
I, I think that they, they're both weird in their own ways,
34:32
eccentric, whatever you want to call them, But I, I think
34:34
they're both great football coaches and their roles.
34:36
I don't know, Mike Mcdaniel's a great head coach.
34:38
We'll see. He'll get a shot at some point
34:40
later. But I do think he's a good
34:42
coordinator. I do think he's a smart
34:43
offensive line. I, I know Jim Harbaugh's a
34:45
really, really good coach. So yeah, I like that higher.
34:47
I do, I, I if they had held on to Jesse Minter, who went to the
34:51
Ravens, our new head coach, I think the Chargers could have
34:54
been like the team everybody's picking to win the Super Bowl
34:56
next year like that was. They have a really good coaching
34:59
staff, a ton of talent. They're off of the lines, going
35:01
to get healthy. Yeah.
35:02
I'm really looking forward to see how that works too.
35:04
I bet them for the last 7 or 8 years to win the Super Bowl.
35:07
I can't quit the Chargers and I'm a Broncos fan.
35:10
Hey in 30 seconds Denver needs to do what?
35:13
Obviously upgrade their weapons of wide receiver.
35:15
I would think maybe get Dobbins back in the full because I don't
35:18
think they're far away other than the schedule.
35:20
The water gets a whole lot deeper with the first place
35:22
schedule that that they're going to have to navigate next year.
35:26
Where are you on Denver? What do they need to do this
35:28
offseason? It to me, I think you hit on it,
35:31
it's skill positions and running back to like JK Dobbins is fine,
35:34
but whatever you're not carrying your offense.
35:37
You get a real running back in there, get a real receive a #1
35:40
receiver in there, you know, stock quote and something more
35:42
as a number two guy, I would really like that.
35:44
The beauty is Russell Wilson comes off the gun.
35:48
He cost $32 million against her cap this year.
35:51
He was the highest paid player on the roster in the AFC.
35:54
Champions. Each of the last two years?
35:56
Yes. Yeah, each of the last two
35:57
years. Crazy.
35:58
So you get that money back and you know, Sean Payton loves to
36:01
spend money in free agency. All of his teams have.
36:03
So I think the Broncos going to be very aggressive this
36:05
offseason. Who's winning the Super Bowl?
36:06
Last thing, what are you going to pick next year?
36:08
Next week I'll pick Seattle, but I don't know, I by the end of
36:11
next week I might pick the Patriots.
36:13
I I just feel like they're being so disrespected that it's one of
36:16
those like nobody's picking the Patriots, so that's who's going
36:19
to end up winning. But we'll see.
36:20
Right now I say Seattle. Frank Schwab yahoosports.com
36:23
Read all his coverages. We get closer and closer to
36:26
Super Bowl Sunday. Yahoosports.com for Frank.
36:28
Frank, thanks for jumping on joy.
36:29
San Francisco, Santa Clara, We'll talk to you down the road.
36:31
Thanks pal. Absolutely appreciate it.
36:34
Yep. Good to talk to you, Frank
36:34
Schwab, yahoosports.com I didn't realize the Ravens didn't pick
36:39
up Linderbaum's fifth year option.
36:41
I didn't. I missed that.
36:43
I did too. He's a free agent.
36:45
He's. Going to get.
36:46
Paid. I got to think so.
36:47
Oh, absolutely, the Ravens said no thanks.
36:49
It was like $23 million and they turn and they said no,
36:54
apparently run block elite, it's the pass pro.
36:57
Apparently it struggles that that's the knock on, according
37:00
to the scouts. Not to me, But yes, I believe
37:03
he's going to get paid. Trenton will try and help you
37:07
make some money on the other side of this.
37:08
Circus sports sponsors, Trent's plays of the day, Miller and
37:11
Condon on the Iowa Sports Radio Network.
37:13
Hi, Miller and Condon, welcome back.
37:14
Iowa Sports Radio Network. Final couple of minutes here.
37:18
Trent's plays of the day, circus sports sponsors.
37:21
Just a little nugget that just passed was passed out.
37:23
NBC has hired Caitlin Clark to be a part, not every Sunday
37:27
night, but she will be for their first NBA Sunday night.
37:31
It's taking the place of Sunday Night Football.
37:33
Sunday night NBA Caitlin Clark will be a part of the in studio.
37:39
Interesting. Yeah.
37:40
Good idea I. Think so, right?
37:42
Yeah, she is the Pied Piper who brings certainly a number of
37:45
eyeballs to the televisions and it can't hurt.
37:48
Anyways, what are your plays of the day?
37:50
We've got the Nebraska, Michigan game.
37:53
That number's come down a tick. It's come down a point since we
37:55
got on the airs, 11 1/2 now 10 1/2.
37:57
I'm sure that's it's, you know, depends where you shop.
38:00
What have you got? I did not play that game, but I
38:03
do have a Big 10 game. Well, not even a game.
38:06
I got a little ankle here. We saw Rutgers last Wednesday.
38:10
They stink. Yeah, they're not very good.
38:12
They can't score and what Michigan State is doing
38:14
defensively to teams, they lock you up.
38:16
Team total under Rutgers. What is it?
38:19
60 1/2 We're going under with Sparty's D tonight.
38:22
That's new for you? In the rack, if we're going to
38:24
play that angle for this one. Two other plays tonight, we go
38:27
to the MEC. No, not with undefeated Miami of
38:30
Ohio. We're going to go with Toledo.
38:31
Give me the rackets. They're getting 12 1/2 in Akron
38:35
with pick #2 and pick number 33, just like we had yesterday.
38:39
Well, it's a team I said could make a Final Four slow.
38:42
Saint Louis University -8 1/2 against GW tonight.
38:46
Pretty decent GW team. I should be a decent one there.
38:49
Unfortunately just an ESPN plus. Was hoping that you get those
38:52
random 810 games. Everyone was well, like USA
38:54
Networks got a 810 game. What the Hell's going on here?
38:58
And then of course I watch for 5 minutes and find a better game
39:00
after that. But 3 plays tonight.
39:02
Saint Louis, Toledo, Rutgers under 60 1/2.
39:05
All right, good stuff. Cappy will join us tomorrow in
39:08
his regular spot. David Kaplan's ensuring Stone
39:11
sponsors Cappy. That's going to do it for us off
39:14
the bench. Coming up next, Ben McCollum
39:15
joins the boys at 4:00. We're Miller and Condon.
39:18
We talk sports with you Monday through Friday from noon until 2
39:22
on the Iowa Sports Radio Network.