Iowa vs Illinois State - GAME PREVIEW

now let's get to the functionality of the coaching staff and I don't expect and you will be able to fill me in much better but in reviewing the situation with the NCAA and of course Seth Wallace will be in charge as the interim coach and Kirk fence on the sidelines our buddy Jackson is letting us know that uh this is a trivia question that is circulating here Saturday will be the first game without Kirk fence or Hayden Fry on the sideline is head coach since November of 1978 against Michigan State can anybody guess who that coach was I can all right we don't know if anyone's answered that in the in the chat but just a little trivia for everyone because it's been a long long time no no other university can make that kind of claim putting two coaching ten years together to take us back from 2024 to 1978 that's that's 46 years so I'm gonna guess that Jackson is right on this because I I don't know that Hayden never missed a game I don't know that to be true I I mean Jackson's saying that I'm assuming he's right yeah but uh yeah Kirk hadn't missed a game hasn't missed a game to this point so it will be different but he was asked today about just the practicality of being on the sidelines and and what that means as a head coach and he kind of downplayed it as you would expect him to he thinks that the days leading up to game day are more consequential and frankly Mark I I think that's certainly true you know that's why these suspensions are not a one-size fits-all thing because if you got a head coach who's a play caller it it leaves a bigger impact but for a guy like Kirk ference it's probably not as big of a deal it is I believe when he says it's more important that a head coach is there you know he's talking about himself you know Monday through Friday night and he's going to be there through you know Friday night at 11:59 pm. he talked about during his press conference feeding the team a snack and then reading him a bedtime story so you know that's not going to be a whole lot that changes it will be weird you know if wouldn't you love to be a fly in the wall of Kirk ference's living room during that game and I can picture it I I mean you know it's going to be he's going to be very quiet I mean I just think it'd be it's like uh I don't want to know what to compare it to uh Brett belma remember during Co he was out and I think Fox during uh one of their games didn't they talk to him from his home that's right I remember that and I just that stands out to me because it's it was rare circumstances well this is something now that you have um to share that you have in common as a point of camaraderie with Michigan fans because they're they're used to this they're used to coaches being suspended left and right you know they they missed like six games hard I don't even know if we could credit that guy with the national championship he wasn't there for half the season he was sitting at home most of the time can I just bring this up for a second of course Kirk was asked today and he basically said not interested in addressing it I'm Gonna Leave It to the powers to be take the high road great Kirk's done a great job of that in recent time do we want to talk about Illinois State briefly Mark yeah so Iowa is a 23 and a half Point favorite the over under from Vegas is 41 and a half so I did the math here Iowa should win this game 33-9 33 to9 and how many yards how many total yards for Iowa you want to take a guess at that for Saturday take our shot at that I'm gonna say and again both quarterbacks should play if I'm running the show Seth Wallace I'm I'm playing both quarterbacks and ultimately I want to throw the ball about 30 times and so so I want to see Brenan Sullivan throw 15 times and Kate mamir a 15 now of course you can't control it to that degree but that's what I would like to see let's see if Iowa can get themselves to 375 yards of total offense on Saturday well they only average 235 a year ago I know 375 is not much yeah but that would be a I think that'd be a good start because that would be let's let's divvy that up a little bit the game's going to likely look a certain way if they're successful offensively it's probably going to be I would guess game now some of this is scouting and I I'm going to be coming out with a preview once I do a little bit more digging on Illinois State this evening I know quite a about bit about that team and the makeup and the senior they got a lot of experience back as well they're well coached Kirk talked about that today but I I do anticipate especially game one without Kirk on the sidelines you're going to see ideally 65 to 70% run maybe that's a little high but maybe 60 to 65 % run and if they do that and say you can get 200 yards on the ground I think they're fine with a buck 50 Buck 75 through the air you don't need to you don't need to throw very much Iowa had problems getting 100 yards through the year last year so you know I think it's okay to say 150 is a good goal for week one assuming you run the ball well and if they don't run the ball well they may get have a problem getting to 150 through the year if they're able to throw to open up the p uh pass to open up the Run Saturday I'll be shocked I don't think that's how the passing game gets going it's going to have to be predicated by a successful ground game and and I'll be surprised if they if they come out there against Illinois State who I get solid program good defense they're top 25 best conference in the FCS but if they come out Saturday and can't run the ball and look like they have in past like South Dakota State a couple years ago that'll be concerning because that's not where we're waiting for a an evolution I've said hey pump the brakes in the passing game at least until late September early October and I'm hoping by then they kind of get their feet under them what breaks are we pumping for a rushing attack that's got a bunch of experience back and an offensive line that's got basically fifth and sixth year guys everywhere there you know besides just well you know the the pre- snap motion and stuff they've had all spring all fall to work on that it's a new offense yes there'd be some different blocking schemes and obviously few different plays in there but they should be able to run the ball effectively right away that's what I'd be looking for if I'm an Iowa fan forget the passing game yes it'd be nice to see some signs of Life there but look for the passing game Saturday if they can run the the ball for 200 yards on the ground against a good Illinois State FCS program check mark move on to week two against Iowa State and game plan for another really good defense and an even better secondary you provided a nice counter point to my quarterback approach that I presented last week what I would do if I was at the time Kirk fence but Seth Wallace and I'm sure of course he's going to be guided by Kirk in terms of how to handle this quarterback situation of course going into the game and you backed me off on it by stating this isn't just any other team look at the lack of success the last couple seasons and what this team needs to establish they need if they get into a rhythm if they're producing points if they're productive on offense they need to stay with it and build upon that and I totally got that point and I thought it was a fair point and an excellent point and I certainly backed off to a certain extent but at the same time I'm driving hard with playing two quarterbacks because I just think that they're so comparable and they're so even that I want to see them in a competition that is a different pressure than what Illinois state provides or or the 75,000 at kenck or the national TV audience or any of that provides it's the pressure of competing against the guy that you just watched take the team 68 yards for a touchdown and you gota go in there now and you got to do it and I want to Define what I said here for a second I agree with you I want to see him play two Don Patterson wants to see him play three and that doesn't mean you're going to give Marco equal snaps but hey bring him in for a player or two that you have ready and give Iowa State one more thing to see on tape don't let Marco have his first snap of the Season against the Clones but give them something to to keep them up at night during shawk prep the other thing is this they can be really efficient on the ground and kind of be vanilla through the air while still playing multiple quarterbacks and then what you're looking at is okay we've been Kade and this is their own doing they've had Kade taking most of the snaps against the ones through fall camp but now we have an an even situation we're not just putting Brenan Sullivan in during garbage time but a an even situation here um on Saturday against Illinois State and even if one guy is you know five of six through the air five of seven through the other guy's eight of 11 we're going to go break down that tape and and look through it with a fine comb and determine okay did we take something Away by playing multiple guys and regardless of if we did or if we didn't which guy played better in the snaps that he got and I I do think you can still do that with a ground focused attack it doesn't mean Iowa shouldn't run some of what Tim wants to run to his receivers Etc Saturday they should absolutely but I still think you've got to get the round game going and that's a you know Kirk deferred to Tim today when asked about you know how things will be different without him if you have questions about the offense they should go to Tim we're going to by way get um assistant coach availability by zoom on Wednesdays starting next week so regardless of what happens with the I don't know if Tim will be first last year Brian ference faced the media first I think it was last year was that the year before I get the two mixed up but um we'll get the assistant coaches on Wednesday mornings but it will obviously be interesting because here's the deal you w to establish a ground game but the other reason you don't want to just throw 100% vanilla through the passing game is again you have a much more difficult assignment in the secondary the following week against Iowa state that is a really good group of defensive backs between Jeremiah Cooper and um Bo freeler and um Malik Verdon they're really experienced and really good might be the best DB room in the Big 12 so you know be happy that you're not starting with that but you know keep that keep those DBS honest right show against Iowa state that you're going to have to play up on us to stop our running backs and don't let them don't let them just sit back and you know Iowa was just it all starts with the Run game I sound like a broken record I sound like Kirk but that really is the the truth of the matter and it always will be under Kirk and that's okay you can still be Innovative offensively and want to be ground focused while having a good passing attack with better play calling yeah identity uh good offenses good defenses have an identity and that's Iowa's identity that doesn't mean that you are poor at the other aspect of the game running or passing that just means that you lead with your strength absolutely appreciate all being in here at the voice of college football Cory and I get together every Tuesday at 4:30 Central so we do this every Tuesday and uh we hope you'll make it on back next week because of course that's going to be a big one as we preview Iowa State catch Corey and Don Patterson after the game immediately after the game on from the Hawkeye of the storm you may run into it here as well but uh we would uh want you to get on over to the Hawkeye of the storm because from the Hawkeye of the storm is where you just might as well find your Iowa football coverage every day uh and then Corey's going to make it on back do we know what time on Sunday with your uh part two TBD but it'll be evening we typically do an evening show and I believe that's there's no NFL starts not this weekend but the following weekend correct correct so we'll try to take advantage of that because you know you hate to interfere with Sunday Night Football a lot of the people who are watching the show and love Hawkeye football love watching um the NBC broadcast on Sunday night so we'll we'll be sure to do it Sunday night myself and Coach Patterson but we will have postgame coverage on Saturday as well I won't even attempt to try to convey our schedule here at the voice of college football now that we're in season I I think I'm going to be recording a programming update and we'll post that on the national Channel just too much to tell you about here I will make emphasis of one thing we've got a 24-hour live stream starting at 5:00 A.M eastern time on Thursday and week one kicks off on Thursday night number of big 10 teams in play including Minnesota taking on North Carolina so you'll see me at 5:00 am eastern time on Thursday morning we'll take you on through the day and are we going to get our appearance from our favorite gopher on Thursday morning with you we might gopher Guru yeah um that'll be a fun one who won that game last year North Carolina 31-13 okay that was in that was at Chapel Hill yes now you get a game back in Minnesota so go goers I I would I haven't made my picks yet that's something I got to do but uh I will probably take North Carolina again but um yeah it's it's just fun to have it back and Hawkeye Howard in the chat he says if Levi comes on next week we have to rip on him that's rip away Hawkeye Howard rip away well that that is what we are intending for next week great can't shawk preview who does Iowa State play this week you know I don't know um I Midwest Valley Tech Community College it's it's one of their they lost to Ohio last year they did and that game was later in the year um it's not you and I because you and I gets Nebraska they're playing North Dakota and that's I mean again that's a their Missouri Valley right they're not Missouri Valley I don't remember you you need to study up on your uh no no I way too much to deal with again looking at North Dakota that's a team that held Iowa to that seven to3 game right no are you kidding me did you seriously just ask that question are you serious who was that North Dakota State South Dakota State who won the national who's two time reigning national champions are you regardless you don't beat anyone in the FCS 7 to3 what do you what do you think what are you trying to be cute now I'm not trying to be cute I just didn't know who they I I thought that was the same team I didn't know who Iowa beat for sure I knew they played in one of the dtas North Dakota is in the Missouri Valley for people that are wondering here's a quick lesson for you mark Missouri Valley Northern Iowa um South Dakota State North Dakota North Dakota State Youngstown State where B Pini went to coach is he still at Youngstown do you know I don't know you don't know uh Missouri State Southern Illinois Indiana State Illinois State best conference I say Western Illinois uh did they leave the conference again you don't know but best conference in the FCS hands down Illinois state was picked sixth in the Missouri Valley Mark they are top 25 preseason that shows you the strength of the Missouri Valley Conference we talk about the FCS that much on my show somebody asked me the other day Mark do you know every Power conference quarterback starting quarterback and I said absolutely I do that's what I know that's what I know well let me just say this North Dakota was actually picked one spot above Illinois state in the Miss uh Missouri Valley they were picked fifth so Iowa and Iowa State have very similar assignments week one yeah what if they go into their rivalry game both 0 and one what a what a beautiful thing that would be wouldn't it let's hope that doesn't happen for the S I don't want Iowa State to lose I I want that to be a good win on the schedule I want that game to be big it's good for both teams I do not want to see them lose to North Dakota and I think that'd make them hungrier for a week to I agree all right folks appreciate you being here at the voice of college football again Saturday with Corey after the game coach Don patteron of course as well oh and by the way real quick I'm sorry to interrupt you the comment by King Davis I have to address he says LOL the FCS is horrible okay the FCS is horrible then High School football is horrible Little League Baseball's horrible um your Madden skills are horrible so basically everything I'll say college football's horrible if this was an NFL show I'd say college football's horrible what a again please understand what you're saying before you say it go ahead Mark because you understand when I disregard facts and statistics and situations in FCS it's not because because I think FCS is horrible I'm not disrespecting the level of play I'm just saying I don't have time to keep up with it and you're not interested in it I do think FCS at the voice of college football is an excellent idea but she'll never pursue it it's not that I'm not interested uh if you told me Mark this is what you need to do you need to sit down and watch this FCS game I wouldn't be tortured by it I would enjoy it tortured yes you'd be tortured by it no some sporting events that you've brought up that I've said yeah that that would be near torture I'm not have you watched a women's basketball game ever since the Caitlyn Clark stuff have you sat down and watched one I have not watched a women's basketball game since I was paid to watch a women's basketball I wanted to know because you've commented on Caitlyn Clark and acknowledge that she's terrific but I'm just curious if you've ever just been like hey I got nothing else to do this evening I'm gonna sit down watch a fever or a Hawkeye game I don't know hey I'm not in the home of Mark Rogers on a day-to-day basis I don't know what what's going on have not done that I have stuck up for Caitlyn Clark because I think she's being mistreated out there on social media and can you admit that she's a superstar of course she is okay yes well there was a time it was Hey listen there was a time like a year and a half ago you're like I've never heard of I don't know who that is I I was just being truthful I had never heard of her you were I said I can't imagine people not knowing who she is and you're like well I've never heard of her but now you can't claim that I mean it's no of course I can't so we were probably a month to six weeks out before the NCAA tournament last year 2023 that was probably the time in which you made some kind of comment and I was like who's that I don't know who she is that's that's when I learned who Caitlyn Clark was I can thank you I'm sure I would have found out within a week otherwise because obviously she's everywhere one more response King Davis this comment is a better comment when he says no FCS team should be able to keep up with a Now power for team there's a huge size difference speed strength Etc hey that's a better argument all right we can have that discussion however the data would also say that the best teams in the FCS regularly challenge you know some the non power the the non top tier power five teams like Iowa State struggled against FCS Iowa has struggled Kansas state has struggled some of those teams have lost so I'm just saying that and we you know I know he said power four but we just saw an FCS team a really good program in Montana State knock off an FBS program this past weekend in New Mexico I know they're not power five but I mean I'm just saying there is crossover there to level yeah it's not just it's not like one through 130 and then you know like North Dakota State and South Dakota state are 131 132 and you just go on down there's there is crossover it is somewhat similar to The Crossover between the power four and the group of five absolutely yeah exactly um I don't know who the best who's the best team who do you are you projecting the playoff who do you have G5 that's in the playf I've got two lane two lane so I mean if if two lane were playing this weekend against Indiana I bet you're picking to Lane on a neutral field right probably yeah yeah so yeah there there's a 10 or 12 team over maybe not quite that many some somewhere in that range this will make King Davis 7374 happy I'll say it if Iowa or Iowa State lose to either one of those teams there are major problems if either struggle it's inexcusable and there are major problems and I'll be the first to come on here and say that next week I think you know I don't think you can just play margin of Victory and compare you know with style of play it's just hard to do that Iowa you know if Iowa wins by 17 to 24 I'll be like okay but again it's all about how we get there right so I've seen Iowa below teams it's been a while but I've seen Iowa put up 50 on teams like Eastern Illinois but that didn't mean a whole lot at the time but um if you're GNA play an FCS program I would rather play a team like Illinois State and and to me playing anybody other than a Missouri Valley Conference Team makes no sense because you gain Nothing by playing a team in the Patriot League or in one of these other Leagues play a Missouri Valley Conference team but don't play for Pete's sake don't play South Dakota state or North Dakota State because or even you and I frankly because those teams are just so good every year don't play Montana don't play Montana State don't play Incarnate Word right now don't play James Madison don't play Eastern Washington like there are teams just like in the FBS that are good every single year to me that's foolish to play them I'll show you my knowledge of the FCS James Madison is now in the FBS well you're right I'm sorry I knew that I don't know why I I was thinking Eastern Washington yeah in fact uh Indiana their head coach was it James last year correct I'm gonna as soon as we're done here I am going to go online and I'm going to read through all the FCS divisions and conferences and reacquaint myself wonderful what I'm gonna do I cannot wait and make sure you include Utah Tech formerly known as Dixie State because I told you about that game big game they got coming up against abalan Christian the battle of the former Iowa quarterbacks it's a big one all right no pun intended no pun intended big one big one based on who's quarterbacking go ahead Mark it's it's Mammoth yes college football is even more exciting with some action on the line and the games are even better when you're cashing in and the voice of college football is the place to be to get the greatest value let's start with my picks 7 5% against the money line 58% against the spread I've got a 40-year track record in fact in 2023 at $100 played per game you would have netted over $9,300 and guess what I'm just the warm-up act Steve Merrill our Ace in the Hole show stopper from wager talk six years with the voice of college football over 30 years in the industry Steve gives us analysis on all the big games but you can't miss Steve's weekly under the radar pick which went 21 and5 against the spread the last two seasons I repeat 21 and5 against the spread you also get picks from some of our top analysts here at the voice of college football including Steve da and Matt zck become a YouTube channel member or patreon member for just $99 per month go to the main Channel on YouTube click join and select the betting tier do the same thing on patreon make 2024 a winner now oh