Hawkeye Report Podcast

It's another edition of the Hawkeye Report Podcast with Tom Kakert and Kyle Huesmann. We open this week with a look back at the loss to the Cyclones and one last group of takes on what went wrong in that game and how close the Hawkeyes were to winnning on the road.  Then we discuss the loss of Addison Ostrenga and the impact it will have at the tight end position. We also talk about what Kirk Ferentz and Mark Gronowski had to say this week on Tuesday to the media. What about Iowa taking more shots down the field? What did Kirk Ferentz say about the Hawkeyes throwing the ball more this week against UMass?  After that we preview the game against UMass, who is the opponent this week. We discuss the several injuries to the UMass roster, including at quarterback. Is this a game where Iowa really needs to score more than 40 points and can they do that? What about the Iowa defense? Are there concerns there with a low number of sacks and no interceptions so far this year? We then move on to talking about Iowa men's a

The Hawkeyes dropped a tough one on the road at Iowa State and the Chuck Long Podcast is back to get the thoughts on the former Iowa signal caller on the game.  We open looking back at the play of overall view of the game and then breakdown the key plays that decided the contest. We look at Iowa's defense first and thus far the lack of turnovers and sacks that they have been able to generate thus far in two games. Will there be any changes by Iowa? Then we dive into the offensive side of the ball. We look at the overall view of the passing game and what we think might be the biggest issue and that's not at quarterback, but another posiiton. What can be done to address it moving forward? Finally we discuss the Hawkeyes struggle against ranked opponents, dropping ten in a row and if that is concerning. Then we pick some games for the coming weekend.   

The Iowa football team fell short on Saturday afternoon in Ames. Iowa State scored on a 54 yard field goal for the second straight year in the final minutes to beat the Hawkeyes for the third time in four years. It was a disappointing defeat for Iowa as their offense continued to struggle in the air.  In a combined podcast with Matt Randazzo and his Off the Air Show and Tom Kakert from Hawkeye Report, we take an instant reaction view of the Hawkeyes 16-13 loss to the Cyclones. What did we think of the performance of quarterback Mark Gronowski? Was this loss as awful as some Iowa fans believe or was it actually not an awful loss given that Iowa State is highly ranked and at home and to play them to a field goal game was actually a solid effort in a loss? We discuss the ground game and who do we think should be the lead back next week against UMass, plus is it Gronowski or is it in part because the Iowa receivers struggle to get seperation in the passing game? Was the game plan this week just too conservative? 

It's Cy-Hawk week so we have our extensive preview of the huge game coming up on Saturday in Ames.  But, first, we have a potentially huge story to discuss on the podcast involving Iowa women's basketball recruiting. This week Kyle Huesmann and Tom Kakert put in soft projections for a five star 2026 forward to come to Iowa. Kyle and Tom are on the podcast to discuss the latest involving the recruitment of McKenna Woliczko following her visit to Iowa this past weekend. What are we hearing? Do the Hawkeyes have a legitimate shot? Then we dive into what will be a very busy fall of recruiting for the Iowa women's basketball team with several other Top 100 prospects scheduled to be in Iowa City this fall. Who are the top targets and what are the Hawkeyes chances? After that it's time to turn our full attention to Iowa football and the games against the Cyclones this weekend. First we have an extended conversation involving the play of Mark Gronowski. What do we make of his struggles in the opener and if he struggl

The first week of the Iowa football season is in the books and that means the return of the Chuck Long Podcast!  The legendary Iowa quarterback returns for another season of talking Hawkeye football with Tom Kakert from HawkeyeReport.com. We have plenty to discuss after week one of action, particularly when it comes to the quarterback position for Iowa.  We dive into the overall play of Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski. What did Long think of his performance? Was it nerves that will eventually fade away or is it real cause for concern for this season? What did Long see from his throws on Saturday? Were there better throws later in the game as he started to relax a bit more?  Long discusses what the difference between a passer and a thrower at quarterback and what he thought of the game plan from Tim Lester. We also talk about the really strong run game from the Hawkeyes and how well the offensive line performed.  Then we preview the Iowa vs. Iowa State game coming up this week and if it might be better for Gro

Following Iowa's win on Saturday over Albany, there was plenty for Tom Kakert and Matt Randazzo. In a special combined episode late on Saturday evening of Hawkeye Report and Off the Air, which is Matt's show, we breakdown all the angle from the Hawkeyes win over Albany by the score of 34-7.  We start with the most challenging part of Saturday's win and that is assessing the quarterback play of Mark Gronowski. On one hand, he brought a ground game from that position that the Hawkeyes have been lacking. On the other hand, Gronowski only threw for 44 yards against a limited Albany defense. We also discuss the strong ground attack from the Hawkeyes and how Xavier Williams really shined when he got an opportunity, rushing for 122 yards. We also discuss the health of Kamari Moulton and play of Terrell Washington Jr, along with Jaziun Patterson coming off the bench to play well late.  Then we flip to the defense, were other than one drive in the second quarter, the Albany offense was held in check most of the evenin

The season opener for the Iowa football team is rapidly approaching and we have our one final look at the upcoming game between Iowa and Albany on Saturday afternoon at Kinnick Stadium. Tom Kakert and Matt Randazzo dive into all the latest news and the storylines that Hawkeye fans will need to follow this weekend.  We look at what the expectations are for quarterback Mark Gronowski in his first game as the starting quarterback for the Hawkeyes. We discuss the running back and wide receiver positons as well before moving over to the Hawkeye defense and why we think they should have a very good day on that side of the ball.  We also discuss the great news that was delivered this week to several former Iowa players, who made NFL rosters, some for hte first time. We focus in on the great story that Jay Higgins became by making the Ravens as an undrafted free agent.  Then we look at some of the top games on a loaded weekend of college football, including Texas vs. Ohio State kicking things off on Saturday from Col

The first two deeps of the Iowa football season are out and that means we have to do a podcast! Tom Kakert and Kyle Huesmann break down all the news from the day regarding the new two deeps.  We start with a look at the Iowa offense and the two deeps. What do we make of the four players being listed at running back? What about the wide receiver position? Did we find out there was a going to be a rotation at left tackle? Then we move to the defensive side of the ball where Koen Entringer is listed at three different positions and what that might mean for the defensive backfield to start the season? We look at a deep defensive line and also some thoughts on special teams.  From there, we preview the game against Albany and Huesmann breaks it all down from his research on the Great Danes team this year. Will this be a blowout win for the Hawkeyes?  Finally we preview women's hoops recruiting with a huge recruit on campus and get caught up on a strong start for the Iowa women's soccer team. 

(Apoligize for the audio getting a little choppy in the second half of the pod).  Great to have a very special guest on the show today. We are joined by Todd Brommelkamp, who work with Tom Kakert for several years in the early 2000's while he was the publisher of The Voice of the Hawkeyes Magazine and went on a very successful run as a sports radio host in Cedar Rapids.  We stroll back on memory lane to open the show talking about our memories of Iowa football and particularly Kirk Ferentz. We spend a lot of time reflecting on Ferentz and our memories of him at various points in his tenure. We also discuss several of the great games and players that we covered over the years, particularly the bowl games. Todd also talks about covering the Heisman Trophy ceremony in 2002.  Then we discuss this upcoming season of Iowa football. What does Todd think about the combo of Tim Lester and Mark Gronowski? Could this season be a very good one for Iowa football? Has Kirk Ferentz kind of taking his hands off the Iowa offe

Iowa football media day and the annual Kids Day open practice are in the books. That means we need to get back on the podcast because we have plenty to discuss. Tom Kakert and Matt Randazzo are back breaking it all down.  First we share some big news regarding Matt now being part of the Iowa football broadcast team starting this fall on their pregame show. Then we start by discussing media day on Friday and what we learned from the Hawkeyes players. Matt talks about his long discussion with starting quarterback Mark Gronowski and the confidence he carries with him in conversations.  Then we dive into Kids Day practice. We break down all the numbers and the performances, starting with the Iowa offense and the top three quarterbacks. How did Gronowski look? There appears to be a lot of love for Hank Brown on Saturday? What about the young gunslinger Jeremy Hecklinski? We also talk about the running backs and the receivers and who stood out. Is Seth Anderson poised for a breakout season? What about the Hawkeye o

We have a new podcast with a great guest leading into the start of fall camp for the Iowa football team. Joining the show this week is the radio analyst for the Iowa football radio broadcast, Pat Angerer.  We are fired up to talk some football, but first, we have to review the Hawkeye Report Top 27 games of the Kirk Ferentz era at Iowa to honor the start of his 27th season and his 70th birthday coming up on August 1st.  Angerer and I look back at the numerous games that made that list from his era, including the 2008 and 2009 season and we reflect back on stories from those contests. We also discuss the four most important figures of the Ferentz era and a suprising name for that fourth spot that many people might not consider.  Then we start talking Iowa football for the upcoming 2025 season. Practice gets started this week and we break down some of the most significant players to watch and the position groups to monitor this month. We have some real names that could have breakout seasons as well that are sha

The Big Ten will be gathering in Las Vegas this week for the conference media days. With that in mind, we bring on our good friend Scott Dochterman from The Athletic to talk about the Big Ten Conference and the main storylines that we will be covering this week. Scott and Tom Kakert open the discussion by talking about Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and why this week is extremely important for him in terms of establishing his leadership moving forward with regard to the college football playoff and beyond.  Then we move on to a discussion of the College Football Playoff in general and if the Big Ten will go to a playoff weekend once the playoff ends up expanding and what that will look like. We then move on to talking about how the House settlement is working so far and if having a hard cap situation for spending will actually work? Also, are they essentially trying to kill off collectives? What will the end game be eventually for colleges and athletics? Then we engage in a little discussion about Kirk Fer

The college football season is inching closer and that means it's time for our annual over/under podcast. We specifically focus on the Big Ten and Tom Kakert and Matt Randazzo are joined by Chad Leistikow from the Des Moines Register to give our thoughts on the over/under win totals for the entire conference.  We start with Illinois and wrap up with the Hawkeyes and give our thoughts on each team and their schedule. Which teams are going to be going over their betting win total? Who will struggle to reach their victory betting mark? Did the guys have an agreements on the Big Ten teams and how they would do? Who do they think will win the Big Ten title this year?  We also look at Iowa football this season. What are our predictions for the Hawkeyes? Who are some of the players that will emerge this year and what areas are question marks? 

Happy 4th of July to everyone. Please enjoy the day with family and friends! One of the silly traditions that we started over two decades ago was picking Iowa football games for the season on July 4th.  So, here we are once again and with a podcast, we decided to also discuss it here. Not fully, but we give you the nuts and bolts of what was predicted. What record will the Hawkeyes have in 2025? Will there be any surprises along the way. both good and bad? What bowl game is being predicted? Also as a companion, we give some names to watch this season. Players on the Iowa roster who are on the rise and should make significant contributions on the field this season. Then we also have our "bold" predictions for the 2025 Iowa football season. Individual players and what they will do this season. Crazy stats that the Hawkeyes haven't hit in over five years that I think they will achieve this season.  But, before we get to football today, there is big news brewing on the men's basketball recruiting front. 2026 forw

It's what we like to call a housekeeping edition of the Hawkeye Report Podcast. Since we have been interview heavy most of this month we haven't caught up on a lot of news that been popping up for Iowa athletics.  Tom Kakert, Kyle Huesmann, and Tanner Lafever are on the podcast talking all things Hawkeyes. But, we open talking about the change that's coming to On3, the home for our site, once we officially bring our old home of Rivals on board on Tuesday.  After that we have a great discussion with Tanner about the state of Iowa wrestling and the Hawkeyes having their top recruit, Beau Bassett de-commit. It was a significant blow to Iowa wrestling and potentially to the future of the program. We dive into the possible/rumored reasons for Bassett moving on why Tom and Terry Brands are likely not going anywhere.  Then we talk with Kyle about women's hoops. We were at practice last week and give our first thoughts on the new additions of Addie Deal and Emely Rodriguez, along with all the returning players and we

It's a special edition of the Hawkeye Report Podcast. We are joined by Iowa men's basketball head coach Ben McCollum for pod talking all things Hawkeye basketball.  Of course we open the pod talking about the viral video clips from last week when Cooper DeJean played pickup ball with McCollum and his staff. It's a fun story about how the head coach might have stacked the deck that day on his team.  Then we start talking Iowa hoops and building a roster from the ground up for the second staight year. What was that like this time and did McCollum find it more challenging due to the inflated price tags on prospects? We discuss a couple of the new faces on the roster who were not with him at Drake and what he has seen from them and the weight room workouts that his plays do all the time and how and why he runs things that way in that area, including having his staff in the there offering encouragement.  We discuss the plan ahead from Iowa on how they hope to get students back and more involved in Hawkeye men's ba

We continue our coaches series this week with a fantastic new podcast interview with Tyler Barnes. These days Barnes is the General Manager and Chief of Staff for Iowa Football, which means he overseas not only the recruiting operation for the Hawkeyes, along with managing the NIL operation as far as making player payment decisions.  We open the pod talking about how a dead period doesn't actually mean dead period for someone in Barnes position. Then we dive into the new era of college football that begins on July 1st with schools paying players. He discusses how he came up with his payment formula based on NFL teams that were successful.  Then we dive into quite a few recruiting topics. Is a prospect asking about money out of the gate a red flag for Iowa football? What's negative recruiting look like today against the Hawkeyes? Will we see more high school players enroll early in January.  What does Barnes think about some of the NCAA proposals regarding recruiting, including being able to sign in August bef

Our huge week of podcasts continues. Next up is special guest, Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett. We go in-depth about his job and the players that he works with on a daily basis. The conversation starts with how he and the linemen had to adjust starting last year in the new offense being installed by Tim Lester. What was that process like? Then we move on to the veteran trio that will anchor this year's offensive line for the Hawkeyes. We start with a discussion of the value and leadership coming from the center position and Logan Jones. How important is he to what Iowa does up front? Then we discuss the development last year of Beau Stephens and the incredibly interesting and strong play from Gennings Dunker. We talk about Dunker turning down potentially opting for the NFL Draft and not taping his hands in games, which started last year.  We then look at the left tackle position and what Barnett sees as his options there. At the open guard position, what about the athletic freak that is Kade Pieper a

In this edition of the Hawkeye Report Podcast we are joined by our regular football podcast partner, Chuck Long, as we spent more than an hour talking Iowa football with second year offensive coordinator Tim Lester. Both Long and Lester were raised in Wheaton, IL, so we open the show discussing growing up there and how the community has changed, plus which high school was really the blue collar school. Then we dive into the Iowa offense and start with a look at the quarterback position. We get Lester's thoughts on Mark Gronowski and how he has progressed since the spring. We also get his thoughts on what he has seen from Hank Brown and the rest of the quarterback room, including the freshmen. Lester gives his thoughts on the wide receiver room, which is much deeper and more talented than it was a year ago. He has a few players that seem to be on the rise heading into the summer months. We also talk about the entire running back room and Lester has some interesting comments about a couple of younger backs at I

A semi emergency podcast on a Monday night. Tom Kakert and Matt Randazzo hop on the pod to discuss the de-commitment of Iowa's three star quarterback commitment in the Class of 2026. On Monday afternoon, Cash Herrera announced that he was no longer committed to Iowa. What's the real story behind the scenes?  We discuss what really happened here and how this whole commitment and eventually parting of the ways was probably always going to happen due to different levels of confusion. What was the final straw in this relationship from Iowa's perspective? Then we look at the big recruiting weekend coming up for the Hawkeyes. All of their current commitments in the Class of 2026 will be in town along with several uncommitted prospects. Which player will be the most wanted this weekend for the Hawkeyes? Which position group do they need to hit with on the big visit weekend?  Then we flip over to basketball recruiting with three prospects on campus this week, including a pair from the Class of 2026. Also, where does