Legends & Listeners: Podolak steps down and spring ball takeaways

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proud find your flag at Heartland flags.com breaking down the big 10 from the channel seat Studios this is Iowa everywhere [Music] hey Hawkeye fans Big 10 fans and Iowans everywhere it is a Monday edition of Legends and listeners with episode 37 coming to you live from the channel seed studios here on the Iowa everywhere Network I am your host Chad litico of the Divine register joined by the Athletics Scott doerman as always scottt I've lived in Iowa 42 of my 50 years of life and I'm so sick of this wind I don't think I've ever had a windier year of life in this state or in my life period and I'm just about done with this wind my God there's a lot of hot air blowing I'd say and there has been for a long time but it's not hot this time around it's cold so it's it kind of sticks to your bones a little bit but uh yeah I agree with you on that and and Saturday certainly was a day for for the wind that's for sure yeah no kidding well Scott unless something changes in the next 45 50 minutes this is going to be a full hour of Hawkeye football we're doing episode 37 just 72 hours later than episode 36 which previewed the spring game but we wanted to get our listeners an episode as quickly as possible coming out of Saturday's open practice while also looking ahead to Thursday's first round of the NFL draft where where we expect some Hawkeye activity uh but now we also have some fresh news to discuss Scott so let's make that our appetizer today Eddie Pac not hanging it up but no longer the color analyst for Iowa football he'll still appear on the pregame show but not gonna be the in-game guy with Gary dolphin after 42 years with him and Zabo your thoughts you know it's another end of an era and I don't think there's a state that has as Rich a tradition when it comes to radio multiple radio personalities like Iowa when you start to talk about football and and and Iowa Sports and and hotac is certainly part of that I mean we instantly kind of go gravitate towards the the voices that we've known growing up Jim zabble and Bob Brooks and Ron Gand and frosty Mitchell and them uh but then when you look at the the commentators it really starts with Ed podac I mean he's been there have been others who were really good at it no question Mike Riley was and and uh you know Forest dfy before um before poac but but had pac's Institution four decades doing this and he's kind of the life of the party and always has been and um you know he's been able to survive when other people for indiscretions and other things that other people wouldn't but um you know over the years you know he slowed down a little bit but still had some really good ideas and thoughts and uh this is really you know a turning of the page and we're going to see that in a lot of different areas as we know here kind of started last year with Gary Barta hanging it up after 17 years uh Ed Pac we know that you know at some point Kirk ference will will step aside and you know we expect Fran mcaffrey to do the same so this is kind of um another step that life's changing and moving on and even though that's the those comfortable slippers that people get into during games it's uh it's time to change the pair yeah I mean even uh yeah as a kid growing up in Iowa City I remember very vividly uh being up next to the radio during that Ohio State game in 1987 when Chuck Hartley throws the the ball to Marv cook Marv cook um for the touchdown and potox in the background you know that was pac's what sixth season at the time and he's done 42 of them um so we I mean again like that game wasn't on live TV you had to wait for the tape delay at night with u uh got blanket now but Mike Riley was on there who was the play my play guy but oh yeah so uh anyway so you had to listen to the radio so like for even people like me who uh you know still have hopefully a few decades left Al life we listen to the radio growing up to to Hawkeye football so um and this is very you know so people got really close to zabble and Eddie and then by extension dolphin Eddie and yeah like you said uh uh when when Eddie shows up into a room you definitely know it and uh he's going to be missed on a lot of levels I know that but at the same time I mean the broadcasts have lost a little bit of luster over the years so it brings to the brings to mind Scott like who should be the success successor to the Great Edward poac that's a great question and I know everybody wants an answer today and but I think today's about debates and looking back it's not really about making answers and and everybody instantly wants to go okay who's who is a former player that can fit that role and it's really two-sided one is you've got to be able to inform people during the game of what's going on and analyze it in a in a direct way and to you know be entertaining and that entertainment spills way over past the game I mean you've got to be entertaining when you go to uh the you know the different functions you know and whether that's on the I Club Circuit or or fry you know fryfest and other things like that because it's more than just a radio gig and and so you know we we all have have heard the names and discussed the names you know to me number one on my list of guys that need to be discussed is Chad Greenway because Chad was fantastic in the Twin Cities all those years with the Vikings at his own radio show um you know really an easy guy to get along with knows the game at a really high level and can really discuss it at that level and plus you know he did play in Iowa and he's from South Dakota he lives in the Twin Cities it's not that far off he does have you know I'm sure that he would get a thumbs up from the women's basketball program if he's involved but um I I think that's where I would start uh Chad what do you think what what do you think is you've been around this program forever yeah I like your analysis there I mean I think Anthony Heron would be great I just don't know like that would be a big ask for him to go to kind of local programming when he's started sort of becoming a national guy obviously he's based in Chicago he does uh you know he has BTN stuff Bears stuff Big 10 uh Serius XM all that stuff and he's great I mean and he's on he's already on broadcasts on the TV so that might be you know might be a reach might be same thing with Chad Greenway I mean like you know these are guys that have well especially Greenway has made a lot of money playing in the NFL and like yeah you know does he want to do that type of thing um but I like the you know I like the thumbs up from Lisa bler there yeah if Madden can uh come down Iowa City and Chad can see her on every week every Saturday or whatever so um anyway that's just a little side bonus but uh yeah I mean we've we've kind of banti banded about offline here a bit and I mean God I've probably seen 200 names in my timeline when I said who should be the successor so I'm probably gonna leave a million people out but I know Nate king's name has come up uh of course it should be a specialist right if it's going to be an Iowa broadcaster I do want Nate Nate is great with uh yeah you know just football in general even though he's quote unquote you know just a specialist he knows his football knows his Sports knows the Iowa City Community um I you know Dallas you know it's the year of the Clark right so um from Caitlyn to Dallas uh that could be an option I suppose as well um CC DC yeah there you go uh any other names that popped up that were kind of intriguing to you like in some of their replies I'll go through some of mine here and see if I can come up with some yeah I mean I've heard of you know Matt Bowen and you know is another one you know he's in the Chicago land area works for ESPN um you know Dan and Hughes but you know Dana and Anthony to me are you know if you're you know and and I know Anthony really well and I can always ask him about it but you you've got that platform you're now on NBC doing big 10 football you you do National games I you know it'd be tough to not just do local radio but it it would it would be a challenge to do that and you know somebody like Paul Burmeister might fit the same boat but you know um it's just a it's just a really interesting dynamic because radio when we were growing up Chad was a big deal they The Voice es were part of Iowa Sports and especially football in some ways because basketball games were always on TV football wasn't always the case and as as you said you know I do remember that Ohio State game you know to throw into harle to Clark and the last play of the game and um and score and and that's on radio um so uh but they are personalities as much as they are Radio broadcasters so who what who throw a name out there that everybody's gonna go oh no way or something like uh yeah good question um I'm scrolling through some here just to try to be a voice of the people um there's been some Marvin mcnut Marvin mcnut Chuck long I've heard those are a couple on here um Chuck would be you know he's a veteran obviously of the game I I mean I personally like if I was gonna try to pick like a a perfect choice I'd prefer to maybe just like someone who who's been out of the game the least amount of time you know to the game has changed so much you know and um Eddie by the way Eddie was great at that like that was for for so long he was so good about giving you Football Talk um when zabble you know that's not necessarily zabble and dolphin strengths right I mean especially zabble yeah there's some hyperbole with football with you know so uh yeah like you know Ed would yeah Ed was great at saying Ed was like Tony Romo before Tony Romo like he would say h they're gonna call the you know just watch the guard and that's the way the plays going you know he would have all that stuff and so I do miss like and that that part has faded a little bit I feel like from the broadcast in terms of preparation or whatnot not a criticism it's just I mean he's been doing it 42 years and the game's changed but I I would as a as a consumer I would like more of that from my Hawkeye analyst like the X's and O's like you know really keeping an eye on the flow of the game rather than what just happened on that play I don't know it's it seems like that can be done for sure and Beth gets is gonna be a part of this right I would think yeah according to the announcement not only does hawkey Sports properties which is the Lear Fields um local arm uh is in charge of this person but it's going to be in conjunction with UI Athletics which is what you know it should be because they should have an opportunity um if it was independent then they shouldn't but this is not an independent you know news Operation this is somebody promoting the University of Iowa so you know there there have been a ton of of players there's been some new ones there's been some that have you know retired you know I you know I think of even some really new guys that are way too young for this but who still playing you know somebody like a a George KD or Sam leaport would be you know two that you know in 15 years I wouldn't mind seeing in this chair but but uh greenway's the one to me because his career is is a lot like Ed's Ed was a nine-year NFL veteran decided afterwards he went into broadcasting a little bit with the NFL he started off with you know ESPN so you know I I think somebody like Chad would be a good pick yeah Chad nothing can't go wrong with a Chad I don't think no and of course you know you you yeah yeah uh Gary dolphin of course you know will I can't imagine is gonna they I I know talking to both of them they kind of wanted to go out together this was a story I did I think on their 25th year anniversary whatever year that was 21 and uh you know so they're not you know obviously Dolph is not gonna be doing this much longer you wouldn't think so yeah that's gonna be part of the whole decision as well you know maybe maybe you get this guy or gal on for transition year and then I don't know I'm not I don't know anything about dolphin's future but I know he was winding it down not too long ago so that's gonna be part it we're gonna have two new voices what I'm saying like very soon and here's the first one right I mean you know and Kirk has been very comfortable obviously they've been his Duo the entire time he's been there and so this is going to change so it's kind of like a you know having an uncle there with him and you know and then you know crazy cousin and Dolph you know but now it's uh you know he's got Dolph who he has supported through thick and thin and there have been some moments that have been kind of challenging for Dolph as well mostly on the basketball side of things so um I would expect you know Kirk to have a voice here too I mean not the sole voice but if he hates somebody then I think then you know you I wouldn't see a Wadley for instance getting a chance you know but you know I know but I I think there's going to be some there's gonna be some names bandied about a little bit that I think people go H really you know and it'll be it'll be twice as interesting when it comes to when Dolph shuts it down because I think that could be a combination of say somebody within the state that we don't know about very well you know that maybe has that kind of personality that can carry the eye Club Circuit and has done some broadcasting and and then maybe somebody who's got that broadcasting pedigree you know that really steps in too so that one is going to be really fascinating because I think that can go any direction you might have somebody like from you know say Southeast Iowa you know that's um you know because Dolph was kind of that way you know he was in debuk nobody really knew about him I mean he was kind of one of 18 million Radio broadcasters for all those years and then kind of got put up in that position and I think the next DOL could be that same way too exactly uh I want to jump in and add our own Legends and listeners News Bulletin which is thanking Harland flanks and gifts for helping us bring you our show every week Heartland flags and Gifts has you covered with nearly every sport every team and every flag and that's good to keep in mind if say Cooper deene goes to the Philadelphia Eagles at number 22 and you want to get an eagles flag uh Thursday so visit our friends online at Harland flags.com or get your hands on some gear in store at 3719 Southwest 9th Street in Deo scottl let's transition to on the field which is the Iowa spring practice uh as you and I both walk to the parking lot in the freezing cold weather on Saturday uh I want you to flash back to your mind and tell me what was your number one takeaway from what you saw during those two hours on Saturday um would probably go with what I saw from the offensive line blocking I actually thought they blocked pretty well and that is not an easy unit to block to face and I think whether that's that they've gotten better than they probably have or that the new offense has changed a little bit enough to where they can get their points a little bit quicker I I think that they're capable of that so I thought the running game and particular and the offensive line looked the part maybe for the first time I've seen a long time and and we're all kind of skeptical at this point as we should be you know we've been fooled a few times you know oh this is going to be better oh no it's not it's terrible this this time around I I'm taken it in peace meal I watched it I thought I like what I saw now can you build on that that's the next step what was your number one takeaway Mr L too um I let me get back to the offensive line because that's a good observation but uh but I thought that I just reinforc that the quarterback has to be addressed I feel the two guys we saw can be no higher than number three on the depth chart in my opinion that's no offense to either one of them who are both working really hard uh and I would put Marco Lina's number three after the portal guy comes whoever that is at number two hope if you're the hawkey because I think lionz showed enough for me he's still a true freshman you know he he was running the scout team early last season like he's uh he's still learning like you wouldn't expect him to be further along by now but I thought he showed enough with his legs and his accuracy was not bad I mean it was probably equal or better than Deacon Hills and uh you know it's just I I feel like we knew that was going to happen but I did feel like that that was sort of like okay these guys haven't progressed I mean because you had to and that's nothing against Marco but it was there just wasn't you didn't see like a big improvement from Deacon Hill for example so you just have to go get someone in the portal it's open till April 30th U I know we'll get more into that here as we go but let me back up to the offensive line because I do feel like that that is such a so important to this whole conversation I mean because of the scheme from Tim Lester's predecessor or what the predictability whatever you want to call it it just was every time you lined up it just felt like they had eight on your six and there was not much you could do about it because the quarterback wasn't gonna move with his legs and even if you went five for five up front you were still outnumbered and Caleb Johnson's gonna go down or you know lean lean Williams actually did a good job making stuff out of nothing last year at times uh it just felt like such a no in situation last year and so and two last two years and so your observation does match with what we heard this spring so we'll see if that materializes but how the motion keeps Defenders on their heels a little bit which is is so important when you're just you've just seen opponents crash the line of scrimmage also not respecting any kind of pass beyond five yards downfield tops I mean if you don't have to respect that you can risk that and not worry about it but it seems like Tim Lester Scott is that may be one of the biggest changes he makes is the Motions which he did hold back a little bit on motions it wasn't a ton like on Saturday as much as we had heard but that was design and also just the fact that he's willing to challenge people outside even if they don't hit he's throwing the ball down field so uh I think that's part of the old line thing as well and then we can I also want to get into the health of the Soul line because I do feel like they're G to be a much healthier group this year than they were last year yeah for sure and I one of the things that I noticed you know the reason why inside zone or counter worked last year somewhat effectively was because it was basically straight up you could go right up the middle it was mono imano but when you're stretching things then that's when the flow really got to them because that's when speed became an issue and that's they knew the play was going and everybody else everybody knew it you know in the stands and you know let alone you know on keyboards All Over America and and they were right and that's the worst part of it for Iowa is they were right um but this time around you the Motions keep people in place a little bit conflict their eyes change the way they look at things and just a fraction of a second delay means that somebody's can get one more step to get to that point and one more step can mean the difference between hitting somebody on their you know shoulder their playside shoulder versus their inside shoulder you know that that type of thing and I think that's what I noticed um I I was impressed with I'm with you on quarterback and that it was just it just isn't good let's just be honest it's um and I and I don't want to diss Deacon we've we've heard way too much about that and um but you've got to be better you're the Iowa Hawkeyes you're a team that if you have a decent quarterback play and decent offense you've got an opportunity to go to the playoff I think they're that good defensively and I think they're capable of being in that position with their offensive pieces and the schedule lays out that way but you cannot be in that position based on the quarterbacks the way they played the other day and I think Marco's just too young and experienced and needs to grow and I think Deacon is just not the part so that leaves him with the portal the portal is going to be very impactful and there's a couple of names that once either of them or any of them hit the portal I will be on them very very quickly and then the the big question though Chad is okay let's say Kate's healthy by June which is the expectation and said portal quarterback comes in I think you let him compete if kade's the guy fine but if the other guy's the guy and you've got Tim Lester and he says look I think this guy's better at running the offense you let that go too there's just no reason no sacred elephants here you go forward with this uh unit and because I think players know who's the best and and they'll determine that I will say this uh good analysis that was really strong that should be that should be one of those clips that uh Aiden clips and they s out on Twitter um is that the Tim Lester offense as we've seen it had it explained it was great we got to actually talk to Tim for just a little bit before the game before the scrimmage and he was great by the way like I I felt energized having talked to him and I feel like I feel like the Tim ler part piece of this is he looks to be the right hire to me he looks to be the right higher and like what he's done bringing the Shanahan offense to Iowa City because we talked about it way before they hired an offensive coordinator and this is a broken record I know but just watch how the 49ers play football Iowa can replicate that you don't have George KD you don't have Christian mcaffrey but you did have George K want yeah you do have a quarterback that I would say Scott Kade Mamer has a similar skill set to Brock pie like I'm not saying like these is good but it's like ontime throws quick decisions in the pocket needs to be accurate we'll see it seems like his history is pretty accurate when he's healthy like I feel like that this system is designed for a quarterback like that so I think that's good I don't think this the system is designed for quarterbacks like Deacon Hill or Marco lonz uh so but do think a Marco package of plays is still a good idea so they need so I think the offense can be okay with Kade Mamer I think based on what we've learned what we've seen but you can't count on him to be hey through 13 14 15 games uh if everything goes well um you just can't have no health insurance on it's it' be like going without health insurance you know and you're and you're a canc risk like it's just it's not smart um so yeah they have to go to the portal I think they will we we know they will well they're gonna try uh but I don't know I felt like I feel like Cade still is is a good fit for what Tim Lester wants to do which is get the ball to Playmakers in space we saw him throw to you know throw a lot outside you know th and he said he was calling plays as if Cade was back there right so I don't know do you how do you feel about those comparisons I like I like the idea of a healthy Cade as the quarterback um you know one element that isn't really the main focus in an RPO is quarterback run so you kind of want to have that option opportunity just uh you know pull it down oh there's somebody over there um and I don't know that Cade brings that as much I don't think he's slow I I just don't know that that's what he needs to be doing especially it seems like an I think both of his major injuries last year you know the the torn pulled quad in in August and then the ACL in September and the other knee were non- contct you know so you know you start to wonder you know what can he do as far as running goes and and everything but um I think he's capable more than capable of running this I think he's accurate uh there's going to be more inside Slants on an RPO than there will be in a traditional drop back and I think that's good for Iowa and it's good for him um you know I think Marco's capable of running that if he can be accurate off the snap and that that one remains to be seen um long term but um Deacon is not built for that type of a game because you know with RPL you do have to have a threat of running if nothing else and I don't see him having that um but I think it changes the dynamic of what Iowa does when it comes to recruiting quarter backs in the future that there will need to be quickness and the ability to to run when warranted is going to be part of that um situation because frankly Chad we've looked at this quarterback room for a while and you know it's it's not been very good you know the the players that they've recruited you know let's go back you know to I mean Spencer you know still has his story to continue writing he's at Utah State but but since then you know Alex Padilla Duce Hogan um you know Joey laus and you know although he had a horrific spring game at uh Central Michigan will be interested to see how he performs but um Carson Mayon May yeah yeah it's like pton Manzel pton Manzel you know in 17 so you know after a while you're like what are you guys identifying here because it's not the right thing well You' hope that Lester Lester's gonna get his own guys here at some point um I don't I think this James rear guy I'm not gonna like he's not gonna be the number two quarterback in August unless something crazy happens but uh he seems to fit the bill he can run we know he can run uh so that's something uh but yeah actually I mean petus won the job at Utah State like is it is it totally that they had bad players or just a coach that didn't know how to coach them you know like and get the most out of them we'll see we'll see what Spencer does at USA State I mean he the guy that Iowa faced last year is transferring because Spencer beat him out so yeah um and then like you said Joe lais like not to rewrite history but where was he last year yeah you know oh you're right like and you Deacon Hill played the last 10 games basically and Joe laas just what he throw like six touchdown passes I don't know something like that yeah maybe I'm exaggerating but it was a no he ran he ran for like two and threw for four and you know I I mean we'll we'll keep our eye on maxtion this year and if Joe has a decent year not even a good year just a decent year then I think that that is the biggest indictment of the Brian ference era than anything worse it could not be worse than than even the the the 30 ranked 133rd in offense if you had a quarterback on your roster that was capable of playing better than what you had and you didn't play him because he didn't like him then then that's the worst indictment I think of the whole era my my opinion because they could have used anybody and been better I know I mean we saw Marco LZ getting the two reps up at Wrigley Field remember that like in warm-ups like oh wow that's interesting maybe they're getting him ready to play like soon and of course course they weren't until that fourth quarter of the Tennessee game right so yeah laas didn't even take a snap last year I don't think no he played in the bll game he wasn't he wasn't great he wasn't horrible he threw a touchdown he wasn't bad he wasn't bad it's like 14 to 24 with a touchdown pass and it was like turnovers yeah it was like you know that but that was a better performance we saw all year last year even when Cade was in there right exactly all right what so we we hit quarterback we hit o line so on the o line Health thing Logan Jones uh sat out with uh shoulder surgery yeah and then of course he had the ankle he was dealing with in November throughout November and then just never got right it was high ankle I believe yeah and uh so he was not healthy last year Mason Richmond was definitely not healthy last year so it felt like a get well spring for both Mason Richmond Logan Jones uh Jennings dunker sat out on Saturday and has lost some weight so yeah um I don't know I just feel like they're due for Better Health and you gotta put that experience to you Scott at some point because they're all gonna be gone after next year right I mean the only one I think that can use a covid year I believe is Jones I think Richmond's out of Eligibility after next year Ellsbury is because he played in 21 um a dunker can come back and Stevens can come back but I'm saying Colby Richmond Ellsbury D young obviously can't so you're gonna have a bunch of new lineman in 25 so you gotta get the most out of them now yeah and I think they will that's the thing I like what I saw when you have that kind of depth it's not you don't have a Caden Proctor out there that's fine you know you have but if they can somehow stay healthier and you know they picked up a a newbie this weekend a really fascinating pickup to me and this is kind of the tip your cap to the to the collective for being able to make this happen you know and what was it kale Bo rude Cade Bo PA yeah uh from Southeast pulk um you know so they go from one Southeast pulk transfer to another but yeah but uh you know when when you're looking at a new center for next year and you know you've got you know Mike my was kind of supposed to be that guy but he hasn't been healthy ever I wonder if he medically retires what do you think I mean because they got to get under yeah he's he's to me he's in that situation that discussion I think there's about 10 guys that I looked at that are um you know you just you look at the position you don't necessarily say they need to push this guy out but you know like like running back for instance when you see a Kamari Molton running with the first team along along with um I want to say Larry John I know I always want to say Larry Johnson Larry reminds him of him and then you know lesea Williams will be there too yeah and then it's like jazz Patterson you he's a pretty good player but you know is it just you know one of them's probably not GNA be there and you know and there are several players like that you know that have either been injured or they're approaching their junior year and their third team at best and it's like you know do you want to play or not I I counted up about eight or nine guys that I thought were in that position and uh you know they've got four spots and then they're you know kind of in other territory so but I thought this was a really good Bo rude was a really good pickup for them because maybe he's challenging for a rotational spot this year and then he steps in um you know as a two or twoe starter at center right and I think the bonus with Bo rude is not to get into this preferred walkon as a big acquisition but yeah um he does maybe become your center of the future he was an FCS All-American at North Dakota and it does Kirk has always to his credit I think really valued the backup center position and like treasured because you can't lose both you know so now maybe you could move Tyler Ellsbury around with more Comfort because he hasn't been able to use Tyler out they've just kept him at Center mostly because they need you know they needed him for Logan Jones like last year you couldn't have anything else happen to him you know so um because then they'd really be screwed so maybe that flexes him out to somewhere he was going to be the left tackle that one game that Mason Richmond we didn't think was gonna play but they did play and then got the backwards pass yeah right um so maybe he could kick outside to guard or whatever Scott um but but yeah like you said they're four over on the scholarships and I just wonder Kirk said you asked him at the end of the press press conference like what he was GNA do and he said it'll work itself out so uh you know could you make a you know give the collective Kyler Fischer's instate tuition give the collective Nick Dong's instate tuition something like that where it's not super costly um and then you can kind of go over the limit that's those are kind of the work itself out Solutions I was thinking about yeah there's those are the ones where you know in case of emergency Brak glass type of thing and and because you may need that when you have you know a wide receiver uh situation or a quarterback may come on then you're you're not at four you're really at six that you need to get down to so but I think that that's all doable and it makes perfect sense especially when you're talking about an instate tuition Guy versus an out ofate tuition guy because as we know the cost of it is double you know out State and and it makes perfect sense to do that so so you know and then then there are other players that you just you look on the depth chart they're either in their red shirt so sophomore or going into their junior year and they just they're third team and there's people behind them that have passed them up and it's time you know and and I know I a few people have kind of told me you know that we're having some tough conversations you know and it's because you got to be realistic with them I mean that's one of the things Iowa does really well is they don't sugarcoat it they tell you exactly what you what you are and if and if you're a linebacker and and you're borderline at best second team right now but more like third team and you know what's coming behind you I mean like a Ben keer or what's coming up this you know coming fall those guys are all going to play at some point you're G to get pasted up and then then what you know then it's you know I hope you got a great degree you know but you're not be playing football so I think that those are the decisions that people got to make because you only got two years left it's time to time to make that decision to play or hey I just want to get a quality education absolutely and the the Missouri State transfer that's coming on campus Tuesday uh raayan sharp he announced on on X that he'll be in Iowa City on Tuesday he's you know a guy that caught 73 balls for uh Missouri State right year old year old stomping grounds sort of right about four hours south of there yeah okay all right well maybe not your stomping grounds but still yeah um I mean to me I'm not at this point I'm not expecting you know a big ex receiver with a bunch of experience to walk through those doors although I did see Antonio Gates Jr just went in the portal no right yeah from Michigan State okay U but it seems like Tim Lester is gonna kind of make do with what he's got and he's so far his top two receivers seem to be Caleb Brown and Kaden wein that was one of the other takeaways I had from this spring and then after that we'll see I actually was impressed with Dayton Howard I thought he did he showed some stuff and he's a longer guy 64 195 Jared Buie looks the part we know he's gotten a lot of action Seth Anderson you kind of forget about him because he's hurt so often but uh if he could stay healthy you know add him and you know if they get this guy from Missouri State I I'm I'm excited about Reese vandery and we know like true freshman can start it or not start but well they can start but they can play at wide receivers so I'm not totally discounting like a ree vandery even not being in the mix at this point I don't know I I feel okay about receiver I don't feel like it's a horrible room right now am I wrong no you're right I I think one of the things that gives me a little more conf confidence is that everything's changed you know because it seemed like wide receivers everywhere else were getting in at Young ages and in Iowa it's like oh you're not good enough yet and it's like have you seen this offense you're good enough but no you're not good enough and and it's just kind of like you gotta get guys out there I mean it's just catching freaking football you know and now you know are they polished no I mean are they G to they got to do different things in different ways but it just they made it so hard everything offens L looked so much harder than it did for everybody else we've ever seen in play football and and I think that this offense gives us a little bit more confidence that they could put a good athlete on the field and let him do good athlete things and the ball might come his way he might actually catch it and that to me is where the predecessor wasn't quite there and as we know Chad with they had they have such a horrible um past when it comes to attrition at that position I mean nine out of 10 scholarship guys from 18 to 22 gone then your transfer guys were Charlie Jones and Oliver Martin gone and it's like you got you can't do this and try to survive and and so I think you know they're gonna have to make do for a little while at that position which means the guys that they have great maybe they could sneak in one guy and then then they have to show the world okay we can actually throw the ball catch it too and then then maybe a receiver gu go you know that's not so bad let's try that that that might be a year or two away yeah I think that's the formula and I think that's what you've got a hope if you're Tim Lester and John budm is you put something on the a product on the field that is exciting for people to want to come play wide receivers so um I thought Luke Lee looked great just it was just nice to see him just moving he just looked like he was moving right didn't care what he did on the scrimmage I think he had one catch uh Addison EST strango was out but that's position you feel great about I feel great about running back uh defense my only concern Scott is dline come out of spring I feel good about John Nester for sure and maybe TJ Hall SL Desa Lee if Jamari Harris can't go but I mean they're loaded back there they're loaded at safety um it's dline for me that and that's nothing against the the Brain Trust there who are great coaches but uh you're G I think Logan Lee's absence will be felt because he played a ton of snaps last year and was very very durable and so you're at this point Scott you're counting on Aaron Graves and ya black to play a lot of snaps next year unless something changes yeah um jeremia Pitman you're kind of wanting to see more be be a little bit better um I think on the outside they're pretty they're decent you know they they got room to grow but I like their starters I like Craig and you know and Ethan herit for sure and and I think Max lellan is is coming the right direction and Brian Allen I think has a lot of potential and um you you can make do with seven and then just a couple of innings eaters you know the the Walk-Ons right now that are kind of taking some stamps you know will Hubert Luke Gaffney and um you could make do with that you would like what you what Iowa would like and what I really need is for one of that young group that red shirt freshman seconde guys to make that push to to end up saying I'm good enough to play 10 to 15 snaps a game you know just to say it take two series a game one in the first half one in the second half and eat eat up some snaps and make sure that ya black and Aaron Graves can go to the sideline and and relax but I will say this that I'm I'm higher on the depth in the secondary now than I was before and I mean deshun Lee was seemed to be an ascending player last year they've said a lot of good things about Nester and they're all true I really like the way he performed both um as a Blitzer um causing an interception and then you know tackling um you know he's he's all about the the Riley Moss card I like that a lot and um you know and somebody has asked me today well you didn't say much about Lineback I'm like why should I everybody's back you got the best one of the best units in the country just no need to really talk about it well and uh Kyler Fischer was out uh Saturday and Carson Shire was the first guy that got those four3 reps and basically picked off Hill I think on one of the first two snaps of the scrimmage um shy looked good shy there you go we said something about linebacker uh you know the D on D tackle Scott maybe it's uh you know Maddox bort Borcherding Johnson you know maybe somebody like that a 622 88 guy that can plug in there for some snaps thought he popped a little bit I thought I thought Jeff buy uh looked okay yeah um so there there's some options there but you just gotta see it you got to get it going here because ya has been hurt quite a bit in his career thus far he's he's awesome yeah plays uh but you know I just I would like to go if I'm a coach would like to go into the season with not counting and him to play 70 snaps per game just for the sake of not wearing down so yeah that's about it and special teams I feel fine about Soh anything else on Spring football before we move on no Chad I think the same concerns we've had on offense are the same concerns we'll have on offense and we'll be addressing them on Kids Day in the fall and and we'll Rew writing about them um you know on shawk week so it it's really going to be how do they you know this next week is going to be really impactful for them in the portal who leaves who enters the portal that's going to be where this The Story begins because a lot of people that were complaining about Deacon Hill last week I'm like there's really nothing they could do about it they couldn't get anybody back in January before winter semester classes started because uh they didn't have an offensive coordinator and you could blame Kirk for all that but we're blaming too many things here let's let's just let's just talk about what we can can't do I mean somebody's not going to say well I'm GNA it's not like High School you can move in the middle of a semester you know get your classes caught up so anyway I I think you're they're okay for where they are let's see what happens over the course of the next week portal wise and then from there um we'll really know if they've improved a lot or um or they got some real concerns come fall absolutely now the spring football is over Scott I hope you're able to take some time off and enjoy a rich poor of steeple Ridge bourbon steeple Ridge a high there you go delivers a high quality delicious wow Scott that was impressive must must have been good high quality delicious drinking awardwinning craft bouron if you don't find steeple Ridge at your favorite retailer ask for it by name steeple Ridge is distilled aged and bottled in Iowa by Lonely Oak Distillery of course I'm kidding Scott because I know the NFL draft week for you at the athletic super busy so maybe after this week you get a little time off we'll see but uh it is time for for us to talk about the NFL draft you had about 10 minutes left um it's it's busy for you it's going to be busy for me too because Cooper deene is expected to be taken in Thursday's first round do you see any scenario Scott in which Cooper Dee is not a first round pick on Thursday night yes but it's it's like a 10% chance it really kind of depends on excuse me you know something happening where a a team at the back end that likes him trades up for somebody else because somebody else slips through like you know two teams I'm watching at the back end of the draft that I think like him a lot Buffalo and Detroit and let's say buffalo decides you know what one of those receivers the top three receivers slips through and they're at like 14 and then there's romad dun still there and B Buffalo's like we're going to give up next year's one two and we're going to jump up there and get him and then same thing with Detroit maybe um latu or or somebody like that gets through to 20 and they're like this is our guy we need to go up and get him and then all a sudden in the back every pushes everybody else down and then all a sudden you're look who what happened here you know that'll happen undoubtedly to one or two players it always does that said I just don't see it happening at Cooper because I think you know like there's just too many teams that need some somebody like that and they know it and all the smarty pants in the world you know that some of them which I work with but you know that that say you know oh yeah no there's there are enough smart teams in the league that look at Cooper deine and say Plug and Play I don't care if he's a safety I don't care he's a nickel I don't care he's a quarterback we'll play him and he'll play well and that'll be it yeah I mean I I've seen projections that that have Cooper going as high as like 16 Maybe um and uh his over under is 22 and a half currently in the betting Market uh Packers are at 25 they need a corner like as you said the Lions it's interesting the draft is in Detroit this year Scott so you have to think the lions are gonna make some kind of Splash uh they're certainly gonna make a pick I would think I don't think they're gonna host the draft in Detroit and then not give their fans a pick I think that would be kind of a I don't think you want to H we're just going to trade back to 34 you know these people have been drinking since noon or whatever in Detroit 11 pm we're gonna trade can you imagine the booze it'd be louder than the Roger Goodell booze if that happens but Detroit certainly I mean it feels like a fit there um the eagles need Corner help and they're at 22 and that's why his number is set at 22 and a half and which is why I mention the Eagles in my heart Flags promos so uh yeah I'm writing a column about this but it's crazy Scott Cooper would be the first defensive back under Phil Parker to be a first-rounder which is hard to believe and so I'm kind of rooting for it for Phil it'd be like the year of Phil you know like win the boals and get your first first round pick even though you could argue Micah Hyde and so many others have been worthy of Bob Sanders obviously second rounder um Mike Hyde was a sixth rounder right fifth or sixth fifth yeah yeah hooker was fourth Belton fourth Josh Jackson we thought was gonna be first he ends up a second Desmond was a fifth yeah yeah that that was a surprise FL all to me umia and Moss both third though I mean yeah I don't know just it just hasn't gotten the first right and and I thought Josh Jackson was going to be that guy I mean after the year but you know he kind of slipped through and that that's happens from time to time and um but yeah he'd only be the number three DB to go first round in Iowa history Craig Clemens in 71 and Tom Knight in 97 you know that's that's some crazy company for for Cooper and um and as you mentioned all those other you know very good defensive backs they've had a ton they just haven't really been in the first round and uh but Cooper is capable of going in so many different places I mean you know I could see Indianapolis getting him at 15 I think that might be a really good fit for him I think they would really like him too um Philadelphia it's it's weird if if they draft at 22 yeah I think he could end up there and um and play well I could see Detroit trading up and uh to get ahead of Green Bay Packers to get him I think he'd be great at Green Bay too for that matter um so there's just a you know and even this is why good teams are really good and you look at the back end of the first first round even past Detroit you look at Baltimore San Francisco and Kansas City three teams that maximize their draft picks every single year and uh and then so what what do they do they pick the best player available well Cooper you know you you can pretty much if he makes it that far one of those three are going to get him unless somebody like the Raiders decide well we want to trade up so we can get Michael penck or something like that all right so um we could talk about Tory Taylor Eric Logan Lee Etc but since this is a big 10 show also Scott I'm gonna throw a curveball at you that we didn't talk about how many Big 10 guys go in the first round all right uh we know I'll start you off okay with Marvin Harrison Jr will probably be the first Big 10 player yeah off the board we're not counting USC by the way um not yet not yet uh I think the over under was six and a half Scott I believe Okay so what do you think I mean Harrison for sure Harrison for sure I think we're gonna go with um JJ McCarthy okay so there's two um let's see uh Penn State left tackle yeah Olu fashu yeah we go three uh chop Robinson's kind of in the Borderlands but I'll call him four Johnny Newton also on the border yeah he's more border with you know I'll probably push him off for a minute uh Cooper deine five um you think all those for sure go yeah okay first okay all right yeah and I'm trying to think here any Ohio State guys besides Harrison I don't have my paper here man all the things I know I threw you off you know I'm like trying to sit here count all the the guys and I have like a gigantic folder of all this stuff and I don't have in front of me um I don't know sounds like about right I mean it sounds like about six yeah see Michigan Chris Jenkins is probably a solid two Sandra still they've talked about is I don't think going the first but yeah probably more of a two there no way from Michigan State no way from Nebraska um Minnesota uh Tyler nuban probably a two um he's really good though I you know I think Newton under this Newton probably is a one um and then Tory Taylor there you go yeah yeah you know and TJ Tampa I think from Iowa State might be a real borderline guy too yeah so Iowa obviously had two first rounders last year uh we think they'll probably get one this year yeah could Luke Lee continue the streak next year is he kind of a well see we're 12 months away but he would be the the highest Prospect probably for that next year right yeah he's going to be that if he's if he's healthy he'll be that for sure he'll be a first rounder oh yeah for sure I I have no doubt in my mind that he's he's the best Prospect out of the bunch honestly you know and I'm not saying he's gonna be the best player because KD has kind of set the bar pretty high on that but so was leaport but but he is a first round Talent he has the size he has the speed he has the hands he has the ability the side every everything he want he's in that description and it's funny I tweeted it out or exed it out if you want to call it that um last week that after Caitlyn Clark was selected I said there's only two teams in the country that have had first round selections in the most recent NBA WNBA and NFL draft and it's Ohio State and Iowa and that you know because Jay U JC Sheldon went too for you know went like number five overall for for Ohio State so you know I I was been blessed to have you know some really good players there and I think had 27 first rounders in history I think Cooper's 28 I might be off by one but he'll he'll definitely be one for sure well uh Taylor I'm gonna tune in late Friday night because just in case he goes late in the third round but I'm seeing more fifth round for him but yeah you said fourth last week so I'm gonna stick with Scott do and go fourth yeah New Orleans Saints baby okay New Orleans Saints although uh Although our guy Kevin fishbane picked uh Tory Taylor the fourth round of the Chicago Bears oh that would be so cool that' be awesome we need a better punter yeah in Chicago that's for sure you have other needs too you know Eric all will be interesting just because he's kind of a red shirt guy um so it's like put him on the pup list see how healthy he gets Maybe by midseason he'll be healthy enough and then and Logan Le is exactly what you get you know what you're going to get plug and play tough dude he's going to eat up some snaps I don't think he's going to the Pro Bowl but you know he you want a awesome guy in your locker room yeah who can is tough he's that and then and then I think there's going to be you know a couple of uh you know undrafted free agents I I have something coming out tomorrow on Noah Shannon and the whole him and the story of the whole gambling situ a and that was was pretty deep and then go alongside that with Joe Evans he'll make a team and it'll make a team better just by being there so the rest of them I you know Nico you hope he gets a chance hard to say Rusty same thing yeah all right well uh Thursday's the draft Saturday's uh rounds four through seven an undrafted free agents we'll uh Scott will have you covered at the athletic Tyler's gonna cover it for us uh the register so stay tuned oh after the first round yeah yeah it's not a bit next year is going be a bigger year for the Hawks this year first round and then a couple other guys but yeah anyway all right all right for Scott Doan this is Chad litico thank you for joining us on Legends as listeners from the channel C Studios talk to you next week here on the Iowa everywhere Network