Why Recruits Choose Iowa Over Other College Football Programs

sick cars that they bring on the field during your official visit. Um, Lamborghinis on the field like helicopters. What in the Some crazy stuff goes on in these official visits. A lot of the love of the game of whatever [music] the sport is gets lost. This is your job. We pay you money.

Like you have to show up and perform. The fact that we can give them a sense of hope. They're probably getting through their weeks thinking about, hey, we get to wave on Saturday. And like that's just like the coolest thing ever. What do you [music] think the biggest misconception about playing college football is? From South Bend to Evansville and everywhere in between, this is Get In, the show focused on the Hooser State and the incredible stories happening here today.

I'm Nate Spangle, founder of Get Indiana, and I will be your host for today's conversation. Today, I'm joined by [music] two of Indiana's own who made their way to the Hawkeye State to continue their football careers. Leighton Jones is a Brownsburg High School graduate and the projected starting left guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes this fall. Trevor Lau is a Ron Ki High School graduate and he is Iowa's [music] returning starting left tackle. I'm really excited to dive into these guys journey from right here in central Indiana to the pinnacle for an offensive lineman, the University of Iowa. Gentlemen, I'm really excited to dive into your journey from the Hooser State to the Hawkeye State.

how uh how we won, how the Hawkeyes are going to be looking this season. And just for the kids out there, for young high school kids, for [music] anyone who might be wondering, what does it really take in the world of NIL, in the world of, you know, everyone thinks that they're they're going to be the the best athlete possible? What does it really take to get to the pinnacle of college sports? Gentlemen, welcome to the show. Thanks for having us. Hey, thanks for having us.

Let's go. Excited. Your guys' journey in football starts right here in central Indiana. What I want to know from each of you, where along the journey did someone besides your mom, your dad, someone like that, but like someone externally look at you and say, "Son, you might be able to play division one football." Decent feeling. I was going to be like somewhat solid.

You know, you do those like all-star teams in elementary and stuff like that and, you know, playing against a bunch of good athletes and stuff like that. So, you eventually kind of get to know kids and stuff and then your their parents like, "Oh, my older my oldest son, you know, plays at Purdue, plays at this, plays at that." and you know we feel like you could be like you could play you know at a good place like that and so one of your one of your friends parents there's a couple people I knew that their you know cousins older brothers you know played division one football and they're like you could be you know that same type of like you're in elementary school how big were you I don't even know I mean I was I was always bigger obviously but I I can't really like pinpoint like a height or weight but I mean I was pretty heavy though for sure I I have no idea like how many stripe three triple striper double striper I think I was a single a double No.

Wow. Trevor, what about you? I was always triple striper. Triple? He didn't play CIO, though. Oh, that's fair.

Yeah, you're a Westside. You're a public school guy. Did you guys have a weight limit for running the ball? It was Yeah, I was always like way heavier than that. But like double stripe double stripe was only line, right? I think for CYO triple was line only.

Only offensive line, right? Like you couldn't Yeah, you literally had to interior Dline. Oh, interior. Okay, I got you. You couldn't be a standup D. They didn't want to see you going off the edge.

Okay, triple striper. Where for you? Where was the first person that said again first person outside of like your grandma that was like you can play D1? Really? I'm trying to think of a specific moment and specific person but I can't really think of one you know. I mean I've always I always had confidence that I'd you know be able to play at the next level and stuff like that.

Never was like a single moment. I guess just kind of happened and you know I had a good family around me that supported me and stuff but I don't know. It never really was like a but like where's the make or break moment? Like, you know, again, a lot of kids grow up and are like, I want to be D1. Like, you know, kind of. But like, when did you know like, all right, like worst case scenario, the worst division one FBS school is going to take me.

Like, I'm going to have a spot. How old were you? So, like my wrestling coach, Chad Red. Yeah. I like grew up going to him and like training with him and he's like, "You're going to be in the NFL one day." And I was like, it's like, "You're kidding."

And then I just kept, you know, kind of getting more athletic and bigger, whatever. And then, you know, he still says that to this day. I walked in like a year and a half ago. He's like, "You're still going to go in the NFL." And I was like, "Oh, shoot." But uh but he like might be right, you know, like he called it.

Coach Red. Yeah. He he was kind of the first person like believe in me like like um like my story kind of that deal. The start of my sophomore year. Okay. We got a brand new football coach.

Coach Rodenberg was his name and he kind of was just talking to me and stuff. He had been at Cincinnati Mhler before. So he'd seen a lot of good athletes and stuff go through the, you know, his program. So he was a new he was a new coach that came in when you were a sophomore in high school. Yeah. His first year coaching Roni was my sophomore year.

Okay. Was that a big Cuz again, if you're looking at your projection, getting a new coach right before you're about to start your career, it's like how long is it going to take him to get his feet under him? Like new system, new this. No, like he was a seasoned vet. Like he'd won state championships in Ohio and Kentucky actually. Wow.

And so he'd he'd known what he's been doing and stuff like that. So, I'd say my first conversation with him, you know, he was like I was like he was like, "What position you want to play?" I said, "I want to play tight end." And he looked at me and said, "Do you want to play in college?" I'm like, "Yeah, I do." He goes, "Okay, you're going to play offensive line."

I'm like, "All right." And that was the end of that. And that was it. Were you Cuz when you were a freshman, did you play up or were you on the I was on the freshman team my freshman year. Were you grateful for that or you like, "Man, I probably could have played when I was a freshman." I mean, obviously I thought I could have played, but I also am grateful for the opportunity to play freshman with my boys and stuff like that and it was a really good time.

I wouldn't change it for the world. And then and then when you got to your sophomore year, you're like, "All right, now it's time to step up. I'm going to be a guy." Yeah. And the classic every lineman says, like, how old were you when you said, "I want to play tight end." I I played tight end in like middle school and stuff, so I honestly that's what I thought I was going to be.

Oh, he got it out of the system. It's like the lineman origin story like tight end. I don't know. Like how do you how do you get yourself like hyped up for that? Like you're you're an offensive lineman. You know that you're not going to score the touchdown.

Like you know, no offense, again, this is all with love cuz I love the story, but like you know, minimal people are buying your jerseys. Minimal people are like like there's not a lot of glory when it comes to offensive line, but like what do you tell yourself internally? And how do you get hyped up and and like go out there and put it out on the line? one just like the brotherhood, you know, just a part of the connection of just being on a football team is like I'd say 50% of the the fun stuff is just the brotherhood and the stuff behind the scenes. So that kind of motivates you to go out there and play for the guys next to you. Um but also just, you know, getting to go out there and, you know, kind of mess up a guy, you know what I mean?

Like Yeah. Yeah. Move him from point A to point B against his will. There's nothing better than, you know, he doesn't want you to uh move him and you want to move him and then see who's better. So, but like in this world we live in today, right? It's like how much NIL am I getting?

Like how many jersey sales am I going to what's my skill rating in NCAA 27? You know, like I feel like it's a dying art to be someone that is generous and caring and like willing to sacrifice it all for your brothers. Like do you have were there coaches in your life? Were there mentors? Were there people that just like hammered that home for you? Yeah, I would say so.

Like coaches more than anything as long as like your parents and stuff too like that also plays a big role in kind of like what you want to get done. So, I feel like at the end of the day, like none of that stuff really matters unless you play well. So, at the end of the day, like you just have to you have to play good to be able to, you know, get your jersey sold or, you know, get get a good rating on college football. I was going to say, wait, what was what was the rating? What was the rating last year on uh a high 60 or a low 70? Low 70.

That's disrespectful, dude. I know. It's crazy. What do we Oh, so we don't know yet. Have they Have they like shared the ratings for Oh, yeah. They came out.

Oh, pretty good. Not bad. I guess not. He says not bad. All right, I'll take that. It is one of the most selfless thing.

Like you think about being the center on on like a basketball team. You're still going to score. Like you're still going to get the ball. You maybe make a post move here or there. Like a goalie. You might have like a really good one-on-one save, but like for you guys it is every day you go out there and honestly like you don't really want that many people saying your name because it probably means like you're doing your job, you like if you're all over the news for uh for something, it's probably because you get like you got beat and the quarterback got messed up.

So, I don't know. I I just find it really interesting to in a world that has made college football so self-centered to be like in the most selfless position if that makes sense. No, that definitely makes sense. I mean, there's really nothing like it across all their sports like you were naming. Like, it is super rare. Well, here's a question for you.

So, you go through this journey. You have a coach when you're a sophomore. He tells you, "I think you have the opportunity to play at the next level. You're going to be on the offensive line." Y then somewhere this prophecy starts to become reality. Like a coach, someone of of noticeable stature picks up the phone and gives you a buzz.

Like who who was on the other end of the first recruiting call you guys got? My first offer was Eastern Kentucky. Like on the one of the last few days of school, I think sophomore year. So sophomore year. Yeah. What were you getting offers by the time you were sophomore year?

My junior year. I think you were mine was right after my sophomore season. Yeah, I was junior then. Okay. So, sophomore season, who picks up who's on the other end of the of the phone? Yeah, it was the University of Kentucky.

It was Eric, his name was Eric Walford. He was their offensive line coach. And that was like the first ever recruiting call I've ever done. Like it was kind of random. Give me like a We're going to model this out a little bit. Like he he like what do you say?

Cuz you're a sophomore. It's like I don't know. Like Yeah. really. I was playing freshman football like a year ago and now I'm you know now you're on the phone with the offensive line coach from Kentucky. Yeah.

And like what like do they ask you questions or are you asking him questions? Do you even know what to say? No, I have no clue what to say honestly. But it's also it was early in the process. So there's like a rule a college coach can't text you until like halfway through your junior year. So they're not allowed to text me, but they can text my coaches.

So they they find loopholes and everything. So they text my co, someone at Kentucky texts my coach, hey, have Trevor call me at this number in an hour. And so my head coach texts me and he's like, "Call this number. It's a coach at Kentucky. Call him in an hour." And I'm like, "Have no clue what this is about to be.

This is my first ever call." You know? So, dude, are you like trying to hype yourself up before? Like you're like, "All right, come on." Like I was pacing back and forth in the house. Like are your is your mom is your mom and dad there?

Your parents or like a sister or brother or something? No, it was like right in the middle of COVID. So like it was like right after the school day ended. So, like I was doing class online and then no one else is at the house. So, I didn't even tell my parents. I don't think that I was about to get the call.

So, okay. Like, if you had to guess, stopwatch, start to stop. How long of a conversation are we talking? 5 to 15 minutes. Okay. Dude, that's actually like I don't know.

Sometimes when you talk to like a sophomore in high school, it's like pulling teeth. Like, it's really hard to have like a like an in-depth conversation cuz you're like like you're a grown-up and it's like I I was playing freshman football and I'm like playing Fortnite with my boys. Like I don't really you know so like but but like does he get right to the point like hey we'd love to offer you or like can you even do that when you're a sophomore? I don't even know. Yeah they can. It's all it's all what's it called?

Like verb verbal. Yeah. Ah verbal but hey we have we have a spot for you at Kentucky. Uh is this like preil or postNIL? Pre for sure. This is preNIL.

So it's like you're doing this for the love of the game and and a college education. Um so yeah it was pretty short to the point like we watch your film. We think you can be a really good player. Like I was like, "Okay." Like some schools they want to like build out relationships before they offer you, but they were pretty much straight to it. Like 5 minutes in the call.

Like what do you think about that from a player perspective? Like you know like would you want to you mean you get to know someone before you get into bed with them? You know like you know you have a couple convers. I like building relationships before like getting the offer. I felt like that made the offer like more meaningful. Yeah.

And they're I mean I I could see it both ways cuz they want to be like an early mover. were like, "Hey, we care about you." Yeah. Like we found you're our diamond in the rough. He did say that. He was like, "Once we offer you right now, like there's going to be tens of whatever other schools coming and offering you."

Just like remember that. Like we're the ones that started this thing. [laughter] So I'm like, "All right, whatever." Yeah. I mean, that's cool. I mean, Western Kentucky, how'd that go for you?

Eastern I think it was Eastern Kentucky. Yeah. They're like, "Other schools are going to offer you, of course, but you know, if you ever need a backup, like we're here." And I was like, "This is my only opportunity right now." I you know that's a wild lead in line. Not good.

It was kind of It was kind of crazy. But I feel like most coaches like when you go through those recruiting calls it's like all right what you doing this weekend? Like oh I'm like playing basketball. He's like all right then we're going to offer you. It's either that or like they're like like come to camp that type thing. But like they'll like ask you a weird question and then like then it'll just either offer you or it's probably awkward for them too like cuz they're like trying to build relationships with high school kids but also like not be weird, you know?

like that is is like a a a weird conundrum and it has to be across the phone and it's like oh gosh I don't know like what do kids do these days? Yeah. I mean was there a part of the process that you guys found super stressful where you're like bro like I again you're a sophomore and you're a junior. you still have another season of playing high school football, which again, I've never played division one Big 10 football, but there is an art of like going out with like the guys you grew up with and like Friday Night Lights still matters. And so it's like how do you not put the cart before the horse and like get so excited to leave that you forget to enjoy the time that you have. Honestly, like for me, like I I was kind of like a late kind of recruit kind of story.

So, I feel like the most stressful thing for me was just finding the right place like and finding the best opportunity, which is crazy because you also go like you probably could have also been a division one wrestler. Yeah, I had a few opportunities for wrestling. If people didn't know, Leighton was a heavyweight 2023 uh state champion. That was honestly like kind of a crazy part was like wrestling you get contacted like another like 3 months before like football. So like that wrestling day like my phone is going crazy. He was like, Purdue, Lehi, you know, IU, Purdue, like those.

And I was like, "Oh, shoot." Like, "I might I might wrestle, you know, I don't I don't really know." But um yeah, obviously when you can reach out for wrestling before you can reach out for football. At least that's what the old rules were. Wrestling was in the summer and football was like August 1st or something. Wow.

So like August 1st, did both of your Did your phone blow up at like midnight? Like when midnight like strikes, they can like start contacting you. So like So someone texts you at 12:01? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I went I put my phone I had to go to bed for school, you know? I wasn't staying up till midnight.

I knew people that stayed up till midnight, but like it was low-key like another like Christmas morning, you know? Like just setting my phone away like I want to check it so bad, but wake up to a bunch of texts and like people calling at midnight. Like obviously I didn't answer, but bro, you're calling at midnight is crazy. Calling at midnight a junior or whatever in high school calling him at midnight. like, "Bro, you know, like, you know, he's up trying to just like chitchat with his girlfriend. Like, coach, I'm not trying to talk right now."

Yeah, that's crazy. Okay, so August 1 the that starts rolling in like somewhere along the journey like you start to climb. Like again, no disrespect to Kentucky, no disrespect to Eastern Kentucky, but like again for an offensive lineman, there is no there's no better place to play than Iowa. Yeah. But like along the journey, how did that stairstep process work until you because that is kind of how it happens, right? It kind of like snowballs.

Like you get an offer and then that like triggers more people to start offering, more people to start offering and then eventually you get like into the the inner circle of of craziness for me. Like I was my first like visit which which he was on. He was on that visit. Oh, you guys So you guys know each other in high school? Like a surface level, I'd say. Yeah.

Yeah. Okay. We like knew of each other like same camps or something like you know. Yeah. we like see each other like Cincinnati and and Iowa and you know stuff like that but um for me I was my first visit and then you know I went to like official like they call you and say hey we'd like to invite you out here or you're like like I went on a visit but I booked it myself and like went through admissions um it wasn't like a student like admission visit it was like a junior day which is like they bring like 30 kids on campus and okay you know kind of show you like the like the way of the program and stuff like that. Yeah.

But uh no, I would say like that was my first visit and then it was my first game day visit too. So like right off the rip you know after that game day I was like you know this is the spot for sure like and once you post that thing on Twitter like I went to this game day here and then like you know like the IU is produced they'll call you or send you like a game day. So it's like that was that stuff was cool being but like they but Iowa invited you first. Yeah. Wow. Was it a similar story for you?

I mean kind of I guess it was kind of more like a steady climb. I would say there was not one like moment that you know our school that like offered but just kind of steady like the biggest offer I got was probably Iowa around junior year and then like Ohio State going into my senior year. So like that was kind of shook things up and stuff. Did you do a uh did you do like a hat like where you had the hats and like pick one? No. No.

No. In front of the whole school? No. I didn't want to do anything like that. No. So then along this journey, I keep like kind of bringing us to this timeline like at some point you know that this is the right spot is to go to the Hawkeye State where was that for you and what I want to really share is what were the decisions you were weighing to know that it was right.

So, if there's a a high school prospect out there that's like, "Bro, I don't know how to weigh like I don't know how to, you know, decide what I want to do, who what questions do I ask, like what advice would you have and where was that turning point for you?" That junior day I learned, you know, Coach Ference has been there for, you know, 20 28 29 years. So, I was like, "All right, we got stability here and then we got offensive line development. Those are like my two first things." And then like the coaches aren't going to leave anytime soon. Dude, it literally is like NCAA 26.

Like all those little boxes where it's like what do you care about? Like those are like your your like non-negotiables, you know, like the little green check marks. Like that's for real. And then two coaches in literally 50 years, which is like coaches going to be there. Three starters from the 2025 offensive line were selected in the 2026 draft. Yep.

Yep. Like that's crazy. Like talk about getting to be around excellence. Yeah. And it's all five of the 2024. All five of those guys.

Okay. We're going to get to that when you walk on campus. Okay. This is So, yours was coach stability and talent development. Trevor, what about you? Yeah, mine was I mean obviously it's going to be really similar.

Uh like when we were getting recruited it was like NIL was like kind of starting but not really, you know what I mean? Uh so there was a lot of crazy stuff going on like coaches leaving and all this stuff. So yeah, stability was another like really big piece for me. like I didn't want to go somewhere and the coach leaves after one season or the offensive line coach leaves after one season. So, stability was huge. O line development and then culture too was super big.

Like the uh the culture I was like long lasting. It's been like that for a really really long time and it still stands true to this day even with the portal. Like uh at the end of last season we had eight players enter the portal and that's the lowest number out of any school in the country. So, no one wants like no one leaves Iowa, you know, once you're there, you're there. You know, you're going to get developed and stuff like that. So, eight players.

Yeah. Which is What's in the water? Like what what's the difference? I think eight's like the most players we've like probably ever had, too. Like, usually it's like two or three, but uh I don't know exactly what's in the water. It's just like everyone kind of feels like this is the spot for him and like the grass isn't going to be greener anywhere else.

Like plus these transfers come in and have like these crazy stories about, you know, what was going on at their school. So like you know just hearing that stuff and then and then along with you know having the culture that Iowa does I feel like just why would you leave? I would say it all really starts with like coach Fence honestly like just the kind of man he is and how he like treats people you know what I mean just like treats him like his own son. Um it you know kind of teaches us how to like be a man and how to treat others the right way. Like he's big on treating others the right way and treat others how you'd like to be treated. So yeah, we had the pleasure of going out there 2 years ago.

We did like a full tour of the stadium. We did a full tour of the wrestling room, like the facility. What I loved about it is you're so right. Again, we had a 20minut exchange with with coach and he looked everyone in and like cared like actually like ask genuine questions. It's like he could eas salesman. Yeah.

Like, oh, good to see you. Thanks for coming out the Iowa way. Run the ball. like you know like but like literally was asking questions about people he'll probably never see again and like genuinely cares and it's like oh wait you guys are interested in wrestling like you got to see this thing come into my office and I think that the little like the whoever the assistant was was like oh this is not schedule like and we go off script and it was just it was just special and you could definitely see that that what you guys are saying again this is my 20 minute exchange that's so sick so okay so we got a great coach stability we got player develop What I want to know, you set foot on campus, you're a freshman, coming into a room with a bunch of future NFL offensive linemen. Like, you go from being big dogs at Brownsburg, big dogs at Roni. Like, how do you start to find your way in a room with a lot of alphas?

I mean, I'll say like freshman year, you just kind of have to like learn like quickly. I'd say it's like find a routine. Just listen to all the coaches and all the other players and what you know can make you successful in this program. So I feel like um you just got to develop that routine and then kind of just you know put in your daily daily daily habits and um you know we say break the rock. So you just got to keep swinging at that rock and you know eventually you know hopefully your time will will come. So I feel like that's one thing I tried to really dive into.

You know we are on scout team and stuff like that. So you know you you have to you know do your to do your deeds for the program and then you know it'll pay off hopefully. So yeah, I mean say some obviously similar experience, but then I would say like learning just learn everything we could from the seniors. You know, we had really I like you said good guys, multiple NFL like guys. We've had five guys get drafted that we've played with on the O line. So it's like just taking in everything that they're doing, you know, just try and be what they are in the building, you know, see their habits, their everyday habits, just try and mock them and try and be as much as you can like them.

And they were also really good at like kind of taking us uh taking us under their wing which is like I don't know obviously I've never been at another school but I think we're fortunate to be at a school like that where you know they want to actually see us succeed you know like they don't see freshman coming in and find them intimidating like what we do at Iowa is we see a freshman come in we want to help them teach them help them grow as a player and a person so I think everyone preaches family you know like but you guys in the world of data and analytics you know like eight kids in the in the portal kind of says is that it really is a family. Yeah. Okay. So, Iowa had a program record seven players selected in the 2026 NFL draft, including three starters from Iowa's 2025 offensive line. Logan Jones. Second round of the Bears.

That's That ain't too bad. No. Jennings Dunker. What a Is that the guy that doesn't shower? Yeah. Is that him?

I think he showers just No. Like the guy he does the the hand soap in the locker room. He uses He doesn't shampoo. He's like a guaranteed media hit. Yeah. He actually like that.

One of a kind to say the least. We love that. And then Bo Stevens in the fifth round. Yeah. Like dude, for a lineman like this is this is sick. Like is the culture of hey from the day you step on like we're going to develop you and your future is going to be like you're striving to make it to the NFL.

Like is that conversations that you have again similar to when you're in high school and people are like you just knew that this was the path? Feel like more in like recruiting that's kind of like the deal. like if you come here and do everything right, like you'll you have a realistic opportunity to go to the NFL, but like like when we came in like and like obviously everyone wants to go to the NFL, but that wasn't even like a topic of conversation. It was just kind of like do your fundamentals and details right and then you know eventually like everyone started playing good and that's just kind of how it happened was just kind of like a weird like phenomenon but you know now let's the seniors left us with that standard so we just got to you know uphold that. Yeah. I mean, I don't think like right when you get there like the NFL is like even a thought in like my mind, you know, like like you said, we're on scout team.

Like giving the defense a look. So then that's my whole first year just trying to make the defense give them a look for a game. So like I'm not even thinking about playing in a game. Are you like kind of again when you're 18 no matter how big you are a 22 a fifth year like 22 23 year old like that's a man and you're like still a very big guy but are you still like are you getting your ass kicked in Big 10 football and scout team? There were some tough days. Yeah.

[laughter] I mean it's not like playing like I don't know. It's not like a real like I don't know massive mismatch but you're definitely losing more reps than you're winning 100%. Yeah. And there's [clears throat] some days when you're getting you're getting thrown around for sure. Yeah. The more the more stalemates and the more stalemates the better.

Like if as long as you're not getting like absolutely killed like Yeah. Like like they'll love you. So Okay. Yeah. And you but then it's like I always thought this was an interesting balance and I'm curious about the biggest level. It's like in sometimes in practice you have guys that that are the Hall of Famer on the scout team, you know?

They're like, and it's like, how do you balance like I want to go as hard as I can to make my teammate better, but you also don't want to piss off like the fifth year senior who's going to get drafted and like play edge for somebody? Like, how do you balance that? That is a good question. Like, there were some days where we got in some pretty big fights like, you know, we get our breath back, you know, cuz we're tired and stuff. We catch our breath after a long break or something and like we're like, "All right, let's let's try and mess them up here for a sec." And then you do and you go and you get them good and then they just he could probably tell some stories about people just throwing hands and stuff.

Yeah. He would get in some headlocks a lot with uh the one guy that was married. But honestly like it was cool like married. [laughter] It was like um he's a beast. Like after like on Sundays be like you guys are better than like this O line. You guys are better than this O line.

And I'm like really like we don't really know anything about you know cuz that's the key, right? It's like even if you get a little bit chippy at the the end of the day, you got to like shake hands and be teammates. Oh yeah, they they loved it too. Like the fights are like it's totally just like a spur of the moment. Like you get to locker room like, "Hey bro, that was awesome." You know, like that type of thing.

Like there's never really any like crazy Yeah. Yeah. What would you if you could sit down and talk to people that were in your shoes? You know, again, it's a little bit different today with the NIL, you know, like how that's just such a priority. But for like future recruits out there that want to find their right place that are going through the process, like what do you wish someone would have told you or what was something that was really good that they that someone did tell you that you look back on like, thank goodness I had that advice? I'd say my high school coach was always like people always end up where they are supposed to.

So, like I' I'd just say that like like everyone has a spot for them and then as long as you like just compete and then put your best foot forward like the sky's is the limit for you know high school recruits especially now like it's just a different world. But um yeah, I'd say you know just have be unique and kind of do your own thing. I would say what I've been kind of telling some recruits that have been visiting through Iowa and stuff. I kind of just tell them like focus on the people, not the things. Um, the people make a place and it can be really easy to get caught up in recruiting and like the things like money or the uniforms or the sick cars that they bring on the field during your official visit and have you sit in Wait, what? [clears throat] Yeah, like Lamborghinis on the field and like helicopters and what in the some crazy stuff goes on in these official visits.

Um but yeah, so I would just say that focus on the people and the the genuine relationships because the people are what make the experience what it is. So people over things. What's it all worth? You know, you get a, you know, a decent chunk of money or whatever. You're going to get money wherever you're going if you're like at the top of Big 10, but it's like, okay, $40,000 or $50,000 more or whatever it is to be miserable somewhere where you don't vibe, where you're not actually going to enjoy your college experience. Like, I don't know.

I go back and forth. One on the rev revshare side of things. Like it totally makes sense. You guys are the product. Like you're putting your necks out there. You're like you're going out there and you're the thing that people are selling ads and sponsorship behind.

On the other side though, it's like a lot of the love of the game of whatever the sport is gets lost. Like it is full like it's a job, you know? Like when a when an organization signs you a check like you go from I mean truthfully being a kid Yeah. They're like, "Oh, it's just there's no drinking beers on Saturday night." Like, just the fellas to like, "No, dude. Like, this is your job.

We pay you money. Like, you have to show up and perform." Like, did you guys feel any sort of shift in mentality or pressure when the NIL just like prominence came on on the scene and it became a I mean, a lot about money. I wouldn't say a huge shift honestly, but your mindset like there are some days where you like just naturally think like, wow, like I'm getting paid to play a child's game, you know? Like football's a child's game. Like it's just fun.

Like I literally get paid to play a game. Like how lucky am I? So there are some days where that just hits me. I'm like I just become super like grateful and thankful for everything. But my mindset in the building never really changed. Like it's from the first day I got there to now.

Like it's all work that you got to put in. For sure. The work doesn't change. See, I think that's just a good perspective. I don't know. You guys seem to have good heads on your shoulders, but it's like I don't know.

Everyone has bad days. Everyone has like a day. It's just like like I just don't have it today, you know? And it's like on those days. I just hope that like with the shift in in it all being about money, it's like kids having a bad day and you're like, "Hey, suck it up, Buster. Like we pay your paycheck.

Like you got to go out there and dance." And it's like, hell, like, you know, when you were on a scholarship athlete and maybe you're getting like a meal stipen or whatever, it's like at the end of the day, people still know that these are kids that are out there. I just feel like that's just a tough part that I'm like morally dealing with on the inside of like the love of the game. And it's like I don't know, dude. Like I think that it's going to be interesting to see how it all shakes out. Would you guys say like you're I mean for you guys you're probably happier.

You're like, "Hey, our teammates our teammates for the most part stay together every year. We're getting paid now to play this game. Like I don't know. Pretty cool. It It honestly is kind of weird like like at the end of the day like we came here like to play football and then you know like we're not going to have any student debt obviously like like that was just you know being happy on my own kind of like when recruiting you're like oh shoot like I don't have to pay for college like that's going to be sweet and then you know suddenly like this happens. But at the end of the day, like it's opportunity.

Like Trev said, you got to work and then, you know, it is kind of weird seeing those stories like we're all in the hot tub chilling. It's like, oh shoot, like this kid like dropping out of workouts and just going home like people like sitting out like sitting out for games and stuff like that. Like until their contract gets settled and I'm like, "You're in college, bro. Chill out, bro." Yeah. Yeah.

Like also, I love the thought of just like the entire offensive line hanging out in a hot tub [laughter] like that. Like just the boys. Yeah, just the boys. Just a casual Tuesday, you know? We'll hang out in the pool after practice and workouts and stuff and just kind of chill. Okay, so take NIL out of the picture.

What is the coolest part of being a division one college football player? I'd honestly just say like the platform we have to like make people's like day or you know like make memories with them. Like like I don't go in the children's hospital a lot, but whenever we do like it's it's like such a big deal. And then, you know, just like meeting like cool fans out like the most random places. I feel like that's like kind of the coolest thing. Before we I want to talk about the wave like is the coolest tradition.

I think this it's actually not that old. Like 2017 the wave started. How did the wave start? And anyone that doesn't know it's after the first quarter, right? Yep. First quarter.

After the first quarter, everyone uh at home games at Kinnick Stadium, everyone turns and waves towards the children's hospital that kind of has a huge glass wind like all their windows are kind of facing in towards the field and you wave up at all the kids that are in the hospital. How does that make you feel? Because again, you're in the middle of a game. It's it's the end of the first quarter. You're like, "Shoot, blocking assignment, like scoop block here, like but then everyone stops and waves." Is it like it's kind of like obviously it's like the coolest tradition all of like college football but like I'm not gonna lie like mentally like it's kind of challenging for me because like you're you know you're in that mode you're like trying to mess up people you know like trying to hurt people and then they do the wave and like I'm like tearing up like getting goosebumps like tearing up watching these kids wave back at me like then I'm like my soft side's coming out again and then once it's over I'm like oh shoot I got to switch back to my my football ways and stuff.

So, it's tough, but it's so worth it. Obviously, I I feel like it's just again goes to kind of coach and being like a people version. Like it's it's gratitude. It's like, hey, wait, we might be out here knocking heads, but like there's people fighting there's people fighting way harder battles. Yeah. What we're doing on the field is nothing compared to what they're doing.

And like the fact that we can give them a sense of hope like as some something that they can look forward to like they're probably getting through their weeks thinking about hey we get to wave on Saturday and like that's just like the coolest thing ever. You know when you guys score like and it's or you win the game it's like that's their Super Bowl like that's their division one scholarship their Lamborghini on the field for their day. You know the Wave has an organic and uniquely 21st century origin story. In early 2017, the hospital opened its new nearly $300 million facility just to the west of the building it replaced. The move placed it directly across Hawkins Drive from Kinnick Stadium. With the hospital's 12-story design, it is tall enough to provide a view inside of the Hawkeye's 94year-old home venue.

In that May, Christa Young posted on Hawkeye Heaven, a Facebook group page for Iowa fans with with a suggestion. After seeing a photo of a child looking out of one of the hospital's windows at the stadium, Young thought of a way that a connection could be forged between the thousands gathered inside the stadium and the children bravely battling illnesses across the street. No way. And so the university officials saw it and ended up running with it. And it started with their home home opener against Wyoming. The moment of the wave arrived when the first quarter ended and the teams locked in a scoreless tie.

Everyone turns and waves at the end of the first quarter. I think that's pretty sick. Like that has to be like just a time. Like there's, you know, if I think about them, it's like I' I've been to the Iron Bowl before. Tons of cool traditions between Auburn and Alabama. Uh you talk about like Virginia Tech and the Hoke Stone.

Oh yeah. Stuff like that. But like for this not being that old of a tradition, you know, go it'll be a decade in 2027. Uh I think that's that's pretty special. Trevor, the question to you then was besides NIL, what part of being a division one college football player is the coolest perk? Kind of similar to what Leon said, like the platform is really cool.

just like it's probably bigger being at Iowa, you know, where there's nothing else there bes like there's no pro teams is what I'm trying to say. Like you are the pro team in Iowa. So just you know the everyday little interactions with like fans and stuff like oh my gosh like it doesn't happen a lot. We're O lineman. I'm not going to lie. But like if a little kid says, "Can I get a picture?"

And I'm just like that was literally me like you know not that long ago like wanting to get a picture with a college player. So just the the thought of how it's all like transition and stuff. It's just kind of cool like you don't think of yourself as a big time person. Was there a moment like after a specific game or an interview or something where you're like, "Oh, wait. People know who I am now." Not a specific moral stuff happens like when we're like together.

If there's like a little group of us and like Yeah. I mean, if you walk out 2,000 lbs of Iowa offensive linemen, like you guys are going to people are going to look like the little like grandmas, you know? They're like, "Can we get a picture next to you to see how small we look?" I'm like, "Sure, grandma. Let's go." Yeah, dude.

That's sick. Uh I do feel like there is just like a an innate special bond of uh of offensive linemen that they just roll out together and it's like, you know, but they always seem to drive the smallest car. Pre-NIL pre-NIL they always like five five offensive lineman and someone's like Chevy Impala and you're like bro someone's got to get a bigger car. Oh the mopeds. We rip some mopeds. Yeah.

Is the moped still a thing? Oh yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's falling off a little bit since people like get like nicer cars now, but I mean I I still drive mine every once in a while occasionally. Like, is that like a deal? Like every Iowa offensive lineman gets a moped.

We don't get deals on mopeds. What? It's just all all the athletes like have them, I guess. So, I think it's like kind of like a I don't know. It's kind of like a rumor that like they give us mopeds, but like you have to buy them. You still have to buy it.

It's just easier for parking and stuff mainly cuz we ain't walking, you know? We ain't walking. Our facility to the campus is like probably a mile and a half. So there's no shot we're walking that not doing after a hard practice, you know. Let's look ahead to this season. Trev, this will be your second year starting and Leon, you're like, you know, all eyes are pointing towards like this is going to be your first year starting hopefully.

Knock on wood. Come on. How do we feel? Like it's kind of like, you know, again, you went from that freshman football to you get some time to now it's like, hey, this is your guys' show. What uh how are we feeling for the Hawkeyes? And I mean obviously there's a lot of Purdue fans, a lot of Hooser fans listening to the show, but one thing I will say, we do a really good job of supporting Hoosiers that go on to do other stuff other places.

So it's like even if it's like IU Indiana, you may not root for but you you can root for your guys. Yeah, definitely. Talk to me about how we're feeling for the the 2026 2027 season. I'm super excited. Obviously, um last year we had a really successful year, I think. um you know ending with the bowl game down in Florida, beating Vanderbilt, beating Pavia, that was like super cool.

Um so that was just a good cap on the season and you know I think we got a lot of good momentum from that going into next season. Um we had 27 seniors last year so like it's obviously losing a lot of experience and stuff like that. So like we're already pretty much getting labeled this year as a young inexperienced team and stuff like that. So, like I think it's cool just kind of have like a kind of gives you like a chip on your shoulder type type of vibe, you know, like we got something to prove this year, like we want to prove people wrong and stuff like that and but yeah, there's there's no really thought of that in the like the unex like no experience like I don't know there's no real thought of that in the building like we all think we have what it takes. Leon, how are you feeling? I I feel really good, you know, finally get my hopefully my opportunity to uh see what I've been cooking up the past few years.

But uh but yeah, I'd say kind of the same thing as Trev. Like like we got a new team with a bunch of guys with like unknown like abilities and stuff. So I feel like it's going to be a really cool like Did you get any new guy? So eight guys left in the portal. Anyone new come in? Yeah, we probably got the most ever added the most ever guys from the portal just with those that many seniors like Yeah.

So we lost 35 guys. So like we and our freshman class isn't that big. So like you have to get some. Is that hard? Like when you bring new guys into the mix that like didn't come up the same way you guys came up and like how have how have you guys as teammates but also the staff and everyone worked on integrating everybody together to like mesh cuz I think there is a specific there's a specific flavor of Iowa football that requires a lot of uh teamwork and camaraderie and like you know just like the whole vibe and culture. I feel like that'll be the really interesting part of this season is, you know, these guys come in, we come to our lockers, we're like, we don't know like half these guys.

Like half these like half these guys don't even look like recognizable. But, uh, I feel like that's going to be the cool part. You know, these guys have adapted really well to kind of like what we do and how we go about our business. And, uh, plus they're really all talented, too. So, like I feel like that'll be like a really cool thing to kind of experience this season. Yeah.

I mean, I agree with him on everything. And then I was just going to say like it's not really hard for like us. I mean it was like kind of like new to like see that many people you don't really know but it only took like a week or two before you know we're boys teammates brothers already. So but yeah I think it's it was definitely a new thing to see. I mean it was only like 13 14 guys which compared to some schools it's maybe 30 or 40 but it seemed like 40 to us. I was going to say like imagine you go to like one of the school that turns over the roster every year and it's like you got to have like name tags for like the first like for the entire camp.

Yeah. One piece I was curious, obviously you guys are home this week, you get like 5 days off, but what does like the annual commitment of time and how often how much time do you have to spend away from home when you're a division one football player? Freshman year, it's probably the hardest to kind of realize that, you know, you're not going to be able to go home, get your laundry done by your mom, get your bed done, you know, meal meals and snacks whenever you want. You got to go out by yourself. And I think we matured a lot that way. Just Yeah.

you know, doing everything by ourselves, but cuz like they drop you off. When do you have to report as a freshman? It's like a month or les a couple weeks after you graduate high school. Okay. So, you're it's like June, let's say, let's say June 15th, roughly. You report June 15th.

When is the next time you get to come home? Probably the 4th of July break. Okay. So, you you do about a month. Yeah. And then you're like, "Okay, I get a couple days of freedom.

I had a couple days to come home." And like I'm sure actually I know for 100% certainty. Maybe it wasn't at Iowa. How many kids never come back from the Fourth of July? I think we had 100% come back after a month. Okay.

All right. That's good. It's usually the second summer is when you know Yeah. A year later than deeper deep pool. Yeah. Like right now I think of our freshman class maybe had like 25ish guys maybe.

I think it's like half are still there. Yeah. So So it's that year too. It's like I mean everyone it's fun. This is my first time playing D1 football. like got to make it to the my home my hometown's proud of me.

Everyone's proud and then after a year you're like, "Holy [ __ ] this is a ton of work." Then you come back after the 4th of July and are you in for the home stretch now? You might get a little break before fall camp starts, but pretty much that that might be another couple day break, but then you're there till January. Till Janu and then second semester probably starts at some point then. Yeah. So then our January break, three weeks off, two or three weeks and then second semester starts and then we're there till May.

Spring break. No, spring break. We get a spring break. Yeah. Oh, like a real spring break, like a college spring break or like Yeah. Oh, so like you and the like all the Lman like hit the hot tub somewhere like you guys get to go hang out in Florida or something.

We need to get something cooked up this year. I don't know where we want to go, but we need to do something before. I've never really gone anywhere crazy. Like the first couple years I'm like I haven't been home. like all I want to do is be home and sit on the couch. Like I don't want to go away from home.

You know what I mean? Yeah, that's fair. But then I just look back in college spring break. It's just like it's the greatest time. Like you know, like I just see like all you guys out like, you know, you go to Fort Lauderdale or something and it's just like again 2,000 lbs of just straight Iowa linemen. It's like this is a ton.

That's literally literally a ton. Um, okay. So, I want to talk about time commitments and just like understanding again so many people say, "I want to be a division one football player." Like, this is my PE like and and so many kids also like if it doesn't happen and it doesn't pan out for them, they think that their athletic career has been a failure. Like, talk to me about what the reality of division one football looks like. and maybe like some advice to, you know, up and cominging prospects of like, hey, know what you're signing up for here.

Yeah, I'd say to hit on time commitment, like long-term wise, like the only holiday we get with our family is the 4th of July. Like that's the only holiday we'll get with our family. Like Thanksgiving, we're in season. Christmas, we're always in a bowl game, so we're preparing for the bowl game. Um Easter, we have spring football. Um trying to think there's Halloween.

This year you don't even get the fourth of July cuz you had to go back for a wedding. Yeah, this week this year I don't get the fourth. So I get zero holidays with my family this year. But the wedding will be fun. I'm excited for it. But longterm, yeah, you don't really get holidays with your family.

So that's kind of um stinks. But then like on a day-to-day basis in season is probably the most demanding time wise. You know, we'll get up around 6:30 in the morning, meetings, lift, practice, get done with all that by 11:00. school from 11 to 3 or 4, come back in to the facility for meetings, afternoon meetings from 4 4:35 to 6:30ish and then but you're getting up at 6:30 in the morning. So like when you get back, all you want to do is go to bed cuz you haven't slept all day. So you get maybe two hours of free time, but then if you have homework, got to get that done.

So you really only get a couple hours of free time every day and then by the end of the day, you just want to go to bed. That's in season. So, I mean that starts in August to January. Basically, that's your life. So, it's a lot. Wow.

Offseason it's like offseason's chill. You know, you do your like 2-hour workout and then What does a workout look like? Like, are you pushing the sled or are you flipping tires or like what are you doing? Oh, everything you can think of. You [laughter] know, sleds are, you know, a big part of what we do. And then, uh, you do your speed workout.

Usually that's uh like 30 45 minutes warm up. Yeah. The warm up. But it's like speed workout and warm up is basically conditioning. That's a nice way to say it. [laughter] Yeah.

Yeah, for sure. And then uh uh lifting, you know, you do your heavy squat, explosive movement, some sort of clean snatch, squat or bench, and then you'll do like accessory movements, hamstrings, and then when that's all done, put the cleats back on. We're going to the field and we're running or pushing sleds or doing some type of conditioning. Is this programmed for you or are you guys like, "Okay, we're coming up with this what we're supposed to do." I got it all on a piece of paper. Everything's programmed and it's been the same for probably 30 years or as long as Coach France has been there.

So, dude, hey, broke, go fix it. And fall camp is like when you see that schedule, it's like 7 to 7. Like you're you're at the facility from 7:00, you get to leave at 7:30. What do you think the biggest misconception about playing college football is? Probably the classes. You know, I hate to say the classes, but like you got to be so busy.

Like you got to have so much homework in class, but like if you just show up and like do your homework in the class, like you probably won't have that much to do unless it's like finals week, you get bombarded with like papers and projects. But even still, you're probably doing like group projects, but you're still doing it. Like I think the misconception could also be like, oh, if you play division one football, like we're not getting our homework done. The homework fairy just shows up and all a sudden like you still got to show up to class and do work. Yeah. Yeah.

um miscon if you're but if you're like older I'd say from like the break from 11 to 4 during the season like usually you're either watching film if you're not doing class you're watching film in the recovery tubs or in the training room you know like recovering and stuff would you say misconceptions I don't know the time commitment that we just talked about is like so demanding it's like kind of challenging I feel like people I don't know like the average dun I feel like thinks we just like show up you know a couple weeks before the first game practice three or four times, go play games. I don't know. There's just so much behind the scenes stuff that happens that honestly the off season you guys practicing. I'm like, "Yeah, it's spring ball [laughter] three times a week." It's just crazy. Like we're in the facility probably close to 300 days of the year, but then we're only playing 12.

So like the the time put in to the game time is like there's no sport like it. It's kind What do they That's like the There has to be a Ference quote about like if you had to chop down a tree sharpening your axe or something, you know, like what is that Abraham Lincoln quote? Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. That's that is college football right there. 100%. Is there like a specific like right of passage or like a like for us at DEPA again this is division three but there was like the conditioning test like when you like you would leave for the summer and we would get like a paper of like hey do this progressive workout so that when you come back on campus in August you can pass this conditioning test and on the first day back you could tell who sat on their ass all summer and who actually worked out.

Like do you guys have stuff like that? like a a test or like a do they make you run the stairs of Carver Hawkeye Arena? No, thankfully not. But we they do send us a package of like stuff you need to be doing in the summer before. Um but I mean our conditioning is like super super intense. So, like like you said, it's pretty easy to see like even like when we're on our May summer breaks now, they give us pack like packages or packs packets, sorry, to uh tell us what to do.

And it's easy like you said, day one, you'll know who is getting getting some work in and who is, you know, fishing and drinking. Yeah. Our string says, uh, summer's the price of admission for the fall. But like, yeah, there's like a there's like a conditioning test. Summer's the price of admission. Yeah.

And it's tough, but like I mean if you do all the right things they say to do, then you're you're not going to pass out on the field. Here's what I want to talk briefly about. Uh we're going to get into a part where we're talking all things uh more rapid fire, more fun style. The one thing we have to address is you both grew up in the state of Indiana and you elected to leave the state of Indiana to go pursue football dreams in the state of Iowa. Yep. And then you watched one of the hometown teams, the home state teams win a national title during your process.

Was Indiana ever calling? And like was that something that you were like, "Oh, maybe I should hear him out." Obviously, you know, call a spade a spade. This year is kind of an anomaly in the history of Indiana University football. Yeah, definitely. uh like Iowa especially for offensive lineman, but like was there a part of you guys watching this Big 10 team take down Ohio State and like go on to, you know, win a national title, you were like, "What the hell am I watching here?

Like how is this happening?" Yeah, we had a really good game against Indiana. Um some things didn't go our way there at the end, but if things one or two things flipped the other way, like we definitely could have beat them. Yeah. 20 to 15. It was tied 13-13 with 2 minutes to go.

We were kicking a field goal to take the lead with two minutes to go. Unfortunately missed and they went down and scored. So dude, tough. But like was that just something like wild where it's like I'm I'm honestly I could probably say with 100% certainty when you guys were coming through recruiting that you were never like probably not. Oh my gosh, Indiana called today. I'm so pumped up to go play football at Indiana.

Yeah, it was definitely surreal kind of seeing that all unfold this year. Do you have any buddies that played on that team? I wouldn't say buddies, but like I played a decent amount of people that either walked on there or just, you know, found their way to because they [clears throat] would be like kind of the opposite of you all. Like if they if you guys have lost eight guys to the portal, gained, you know, a couple whatever the number is, like their team is built around the portal. Yeah. Which is really interesting about like, you know, culture building and excellence.

Uh two different approaches to it. Yeah. Obviously one is battle tested for you know the last 20 30 years 29 years I believe and you know one's battle tested for two three years in in a national championship like it's crazy tough to tough to see that but um it is just interesting seeing of like Indiana now being I mean what do you guys what do you think what do people around the the Big 10 think like does Indiana a wellrespected state not even just the university just as a state when it comes to football? Yeah, I'd say so. We always have a, you know, a lot of really good guys coming out of high school and then, you know, there's always a few that pop in the the drafts and stuff like that, especially around the the metro area, I'd say. I mean, obviously, everyone in Iowa thinks Iowa's the greatest uh whatever sport, high school place ever.

So, we have a lot of like battles like, "No, Indiana high school is better." And like it's just kind of like just fun arguments and stuff. Yeah. Um, but yeah, they definitely gained a lot of respect this year from the Big 10 and everywhere in the country. So, I mean, yeah, it was what it was. Obviously, it was kind of surreal to see my little brother was there.

He's a freshman at Indiana, so he was kind of living through it all and like sending me text messages like, "Did you see that?" I'm like, "Yeah, I saw it. I don't really care. I don't want to watch." Yeah. Uh but yeah, I mean, they had a really good season and stuff.

I mean, obviously 16 and0, but um it was surreal to see because like when we're coming out of high school, like, you know, we both got recruited by you, I think. Did you? I um I didn't really get recruited by IU football, but IU wrestling was one of the the programs. Again, this is no disrespect to IU. No disrespect to Purdue at the time. Yeah.

Even I'm trying to think about how Purdue would have been. Purdue was were they better? They're better than IU, but they were like low-key like kind of falling off. I think that after was that right after Braum left. Braum was at I got recruited by coach Braum, but then 2022 he left. He left.

Yeah. as soon as whoever the first like you know bigger school than the home state ones call you're kind of like hey respect like I appreciate it but like I always call it you know it's alignment I feel like everyone like naturally like wants to stay in state you know and like play for your hometown team like that's the cool thing to do but like it just wasn't the case like there wasn't a a program I don't know how you guys I don't know if your guys how your GPA were I don't know if Notre Dame was picking up the phone and call n I probably wasn't smart enough yeah I don't know I feel like Purdue just offered me cuz no hate to Purdue at all. I mean, I know they're a great school and a lot of my buddies go there, but uh like they saw for me cuz Iowa did. So, I mean, I committed like right after my Iowa offer, so I I really didn't even I would say that might be the only school whose offensive linemen are like in the same like if the pinnacle is Iowa offensive linement or Notre Dame.

Like those two spots, it's like uh I mean, I've got to spend some time like be in the the same room as Quinton Nelson and like that dude is just a beast, you know? Uh, and then obviously the Martin brothers coming out of Chitaard, ended up in Notre Dame. Like also sick, you know, both uh the pinnacles of of all things. Uh, yeah, 100%. Okay, here's the question for you. We have a Brownsburg High school, we have a Ronali High School high school.

Had your teams met and played each other, who would have won? I think we're both going to say our own team. Yeah, but why? Like I need I need like you have to argue the defense for like why? I mean Brownsburg is bigger. What?

You guys are 6A, right? 6A. We got a lot more athletes, a lot more speed, and uh you know, they had size, but I feel like we had speed and depth. So, I was going to say, how many how many college football players were on each of your rosters? Like, were there a decent chunk on both schools? Our O line had three division one linemen.

How many you How many did you guys have? Uh we had one FCS, two FPS, but like also we like year to year around eight guys go division one or let's say six. But so we're I mean my my big thing is like three FPS division one. Was it tackle, tackle, guard or left tackle, left guard, center? Oh. Oh, dude.

But then our like it's not like our right guard and right our right guard and right tack or right tackle went and played college ball, too. Yeah. Um but it's like you got you line up there and you got three division one FBS guys, you know, going out kicking out to the left. I'm there. Yeah. And like, you know, being offensive lineman, we think linemen like can really help a team win games.

You know, for gets the job done. [laughter] I think our running back led the state in rushing, too. Yeah, I was going to say league. He's a freaking like super beast. Like just a menace. Great wrestler, great athlete.

He went and played at Dayton, too. He's still there. It's like another division one school, dude. Guy I think he's getting is he a starter? He's getting a lot of carries. I feel like I see him I I see a little like clip pop up every now and again.

You're always tracking our Indiana guys. Okay. Respect on Kylie by like three. Three by a field goal. Where has been the craziest environment you've played in? Like where the the crowd was just the loudest.

It was just like stressful and you're like how we got to we got to get the job done. I feel like the start of the Nebraska game last year, the end it was empty besides Iowa fans, but uh the start of it was pretty crazy. They were pretty loud. I will give it to them. Is that your guys's big rival? Is it Iowa State?

One of them. One of them. Iowa State, too. Iowa State. Wisconsin's a big one. Minnesota's a big one.

We have like a lot. Are there a lot of rivalry trophies or like how many? We got four. Four rivalry trophies. That's like one of the most got to be like one of the most in the country. So like the Big 10 Iowa State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and each one has a trophy.

Yeah. So like the Big 10 when they realigned with the teams out west, they had like uh like staple games. Like that game is going to be a game every year no matter what. and Iowa had the most. Like we play we're going to play Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Minnesota every year. So no other school has like three teams that they're going to play every year no matter what.

Pl Well, plus Iowa State, right? Plus Iowa State. Yeah. So we have four teams that will play every year. A third of our schedule is set every year. Well, it kind of helps that like uh that Wisconsin's been down.

Yeah. So it's like cuz imagine like not like got the heyday of all those like Jonathan Taylor you're just like signing yourself up for a really like a challenging schedule in a time where again you you look at like certain programs are like hey we don't we don't need to play ranked teams every week we just need to win. Yeah. You know and it's like no we have four four like dog fights relatively like blueb blood program. I mean, Iowa State is, you know, in there every now and again, but uh like three like legitimate like blueb blood programs that you have to go up against. And if when they're at their max capacity, that's a that's a lot.

Okay. So, Nebraska, Iowa State was really loud. It was surprisingly pretty loud. Those sirens too are kind of crazy. They have sirens. The tornado like sirens.

It's like every like 3 minutes. It felt like two years ago, too. Minnesota like Minnesota was a sleeper. Minnesota was like lowkey a sleeper, but like driving into the stadium, we're like in downtown Minneapolis, so it's like kind of like looking around like, "What the heck's going on?" And then they had like a homeless guy like spit a lugie. Do you remember that?

Yeah. Spit a lugie on our bus while we're driving into the game. I'm like, "What the heck's going on?" Yeah. Have you ever heard any crazy like has a fan ever yelled anything crazy at you? Like any obscinities?

Michigan State got some hate for some reason. He was yelling back at him. But uh we get the classic like calling us fat like okay we get it bro like we're it's like just two Chads though like just sitting like right right around our bench of course just yapping and they just like pick you out. They're like yeah you mean they're like you'll be working a 9 to5 in four years and we're like what the heck dude like what does he do? Like what does he do? Like you paid to get here you paid to get in the game and stuff like that.

Yeah. It's like, bro, like it's like the classic, you know, like why am I catching rays out here? [laughter] Uh, okay. Now, I want to know Indiana verse Iowa. Who's got the best sweet corn? Kind of biased.

My grandma's sweet corn up in Rochester is really good. Oh. All right. But Iowa's Iowa corn is good, too. I'd say I'm going Iowa corn. Whoa.

All right. What about pork tenderloins? I haven't really had Indiana. I got to go Indiana. All right. Hey, one and one B and K.

BNK in Rochester. Yep. That's a dude. This guy knows ball. He knows ball. I respect.

I respect. We come out and see a game in Iowa City. Yep. What's the go-to spot? Like, where do I have to try? Whether if some fan out there is listening and is like, I want the Iowa experience.

What does my weekend in Iowa City look like? You got to hit downtown, of course. You know, the airliner, the DC's is pretty cool. The New Field House is sick. So, I think you got to hit those three places. You know, it doesn't matter what time if you're going towards a game.

Maybe Mickey's or something like that. Mickey's is like a Oh, what's Mickey's? Sounds fun. Restaurant, bar type place. I like their food. If there's like one food, I mean, you guys, one food, call, call a spade a spade.

You guys know food when you're out there and you're like, "Hey, you know, it's a Sunday after a game and I just need to feel alive." Where where are you going? Cost is out the window. I got three spots in mind, I guess. Okay. All right, we can do three.

Big Grove Brewery. Big Grove. Yeah, Big Grove Brewery. Outdoor seating. Um, sometimes some music there. Bunch of TVs.

That's where you take your parents. Yeah, there's you play bag cornhole out there. Just a lot of fun stuff. Good catch. Good catch. It's called Cornhole.

They're trying to tell me it's bags at Iowa. No, bro. We play cornhole. Yeah, we play cornhole. All right, we got that. What were the other two?

Uh, and then I like the athletic club in Corville. Ooh, the athletic club. Y fancy. Not fancy. Not fancy. They got good wings, smash burgers, pizza.

I knew I actually knew when I asked the question that these guys would know where to find a good chicken wing. Yeah, I love wings. And uh Pops Barbecue downtown. Oh, it's a really solid spot, too. Okay, Leon. Pops is one of my favorite spots.

Um you know, whenever I need to get gain some weight on the scales and, you know, go there, grab a full round. Are they telling you that? They're telling you you got to gain weight. Sometimes you just run low like like But like they're monitoring that like you have to be Oh, yeah. Do you have like a window? Yeah, we weigh in every day.

Um, and then we got like a 4 lb up, four lbs down window. So, we got to be between eight certain pounds. See, this is your first time dealing with weight management. I bet. Like back in the day, everyone else would be cutting weight and you're like, uh, not me, buddy. It's been a while.

Girlfriend's like, "We got to get some ice cream and dairy Queen." I'm like, "I don't know. I can't really do that right now." You know, I want to get some water and stuff in the morning. But, but yeah, restaurants. I'd say Mickey's is probably one of my favorite spots to go.

The view is really cool if you want like a upper kind of dining experience. And then uh said make Pops. Pops is a good spot too. I don't go there like a ton just cuz you know barbecue gets kind of heavy but uh but I love going there too. Wig and Penn's probably the best pizza. Wig and pen.

Wig and pen. It's right next to the vine. Oh pizzas are fire. Yeah. Yeah. All right.

Okay. We have just a few questions left as we wrap this thing up. So we actually Leighton met him. Uh Shane and I coach wrestling here at Chitaard. We have a future division one football player. He's a lineman on our team.

He's our heavyweight. He's going right now. He's committed to NIOU. But if you were talking to him, but also broadly to high school athletes right now that are getting ready to make that, shout out to our boy Maddox. If you were talking to high school athletes out there and you had the opportunity to just give them some advice, what advice would you have for high school athletes with division one potential and aspirations? Uh our coach says a lot.

just be a kid. So, first I'd say just be a kid. You know, don't don't stress too much about it. And then, you know, you got to have something that separates you, I think. So, whether that's, you know, wrestling, basketball, track or shot or shot put in, track is the same thing. But, you know, but our old line room is filled with, you know, wrestlers, shot put, basketball, like these guys are dunking, you know, probably got a few rebounds a game.

And we got we got some guys hooper. Yep. Hooper. People forget. People forget already. That's great.

Be a kid. Yeah. just be a kid and then have something else that separates you from just a lineman that you know works on his footwork all year round. So, and this isn't coming from like gomo like this is the pinnacle of offensive linement. Again, we're talking about this is Iowa three three drafted in last year's draft, you know, more prospects coming through. That's sick.

And I think that in a world where everyone's telling you specialize, like only do lineman training seven days a week, 12 hours a day, like give up everything and just do this. It's cool to hear the advice to be a kid. Yeah. I would say something similar like don't let the college like the aspirations of wanting to be a college athlete like overshadow what's the currently happening in your life of being a high school, you know, student athlete. like those are some of the best years and moments of your life and you're going to, you know, kind of I don't want you to like regret those missing out on some of those moments if you're focusing on the future more than the present. So, I'd say just be where your feet are, you know, take in all those moments, all the, you know, whatever games, restaurant eats, you know, just late night combos with the boys or whatnot.

Just take in all those little moments and just don't look be always looking for the future, you know, just be where your feet are. Um, listen to your coaches. do that. And yeah, specialize. Don't specialize. And and trust your gut, too.

Trust your gut. Your gut is always right. The gut is always right except for when it's not. But no, I I totally agree. Um when you got a 16 on blackjack and you got to hit it. My gut's telling me to, but then you get a 10 double.

Leon, you were a state champion wrestler. You didn't do anything in the spring though. Like you just did freestyle wrestling. I did a I did very little freestyle kind of. Did you do track or No, no, I did. I did some freestyle.

Um, you know, co I, you know, I was like, I want to go wrestle in college. I'm going to go Fargo. I was planning on going to Fargo. You know, probably placing pretty high um in that tournament, but then CO happened. So, I was like, shoot, you know, I'm going to have to, you know, do good on the state scale. And then, yeah, ended up not doing as well as I wanted to, but, you know, good enough to kind of gain some attention, I guess.

And Trevor, you were a three sport athlete. Yep. You got Do you you still hold the Ron Kali school record for shot put? No, I got broke. No, it's all good though. X record holder for the shot.

Well, you did. I'm second now. I think I threw like You did get third though in the state your senior year. Yep. Third. Wow.

Not bad, I guess. I mean, third for two years. Yeah. You just Yeah, I did it on the side. You just come out there just a little on the side. Come on.

Uh, okay. This question is uh your opportunity to shed some light on a part of the Hooser State that more people need to be talking about. So, we just talked about all the stuff to visit when we're in Iowa. Now, I want you to think about back home and you're like, "Man, I can't wait to get home to get to this place, whether it's a restaurant, a park, could be anything. A part of Indiana that feels like home. What is a hidden gem in Indiana?"

I know for me, like driving home, I always see that the Shelton fireworks and the the beef house kind of in in not Crawford'sville, but it's around there. Coington, the beef house. As far as places I always go to, man, I always go to El Toro in Brownsburg or, you know, Harmony Steakhouse in Weisstown. You know, we we went there the other night. It's really good, too. So, those are the spots.

Um, I'd say I always want to go to Veto's Italian restaurant. Veto. Vito. It's like a must. I go there if I'm in town. It's like right by uh Parameidian High School.

This is Vetos Provolone. Veto Pro or Veto Pro. Great name. Veto Proolone. It's like in a little southsider. Wow.

Southside. It's like in like a strip old strip mall like right next to like a authentic. Offering simple Italian cuisine brilliantly prepared for 30 years. Veto provolones. That's a Southside special. Southside special.

Oh, I love their bread. Their bread's amazing. I love it, gentlemen. Well, uh, we've we've come to the end of the show. It's been awesome getting to hang out with you guys. I will say it's so cool to see Indiana guys go on to do big things and I am excited to see uh I'm gonna have to play with Iowa when uh the new when the NCAA 27 comes out.

I'm going to check the ratings. Um, but I do say like like the way you guys carry yourselves, the way you guys talk and the culture that that is so apparent that you've bought into is different than the world of the next Instagram post, the next NIL check, the ne like it is unique cuz I do think that all you see on social media, all you see I mean all over the place is more for me, bigger checks, you know, the next offer, the next school, I'm leaving here, I'm going somewhere different. And I don't know, like I hope you guys know, and if you don't, like one day it'll all click where it's like you're in a special ecosystem at a very special time. Uh because you are going like it's against the grain. It's a little bit different than what everyone's doing. And I think that that creates good things.

So, we'll be watching for you guys this fall. I'm excited to watch the Hawkeyes and uh I mean I mean have a great time while you're home here. And if people want to follow you, if they want to learn more and they want to, you know, follow Iowa football, I need I need social media and I need numbers. Yeah. Hopefully you just got all you got to do is look on the left side of Iowa offensive line. I'm number 64 59 and uh yeah, my Instagram is just Leighton Jones with two N's.

Uh you can probably just look up my name or like Tal 1020. There you go. Probably switch that. Make it a little more. No, dude. I love it.

1020. Come on now. 1020. Is there like a Heisman for an offensive lineman? Like is is that what this is? Yeah, this is like that was not that's not just like an starting five.

Oh, like the starting five win the award. Oh, not starting five, like whoever played that year. Like Wow. So you guys won the award for best offensive line. Yeah. Oh, I thought I was reading I thought it meant for the for the University of Iowa.

The Heisman for the O line. Yeah, you were part of the best offensive line in 2025. Yep. I freaking skipped that part, dude. I buried the lead on that. That's sick.

Okay, so we're going back to back. Yeah, that's the goal. Absolutely. It's a big traveling trophy. So traveling ones. You hold the Joe You hold the Jill Moore right now.

Yep. That's sick. Big trophy about 800 lb. So massive. Massive. Yeah, that's that just like checks out.

All right, gentlemen. I appreciate y'all making the time for us. Uh safe travels back to Iowa City and and we'll talk to you soon. Sweet. Thank you. Thank you.

This show is made possible by our friends up at Sweetwater. Whether you're looking to start a podcast or take your content to the next level, click the link in the description to see all my gear recommendations at [music] Sweetwater. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at everything we're doing across the state, make sure you follow me on Instagram and Tik Tok, Nate Spangle. Thank you [music] so much for listening and being a part of what makes the Hooer State great. We'll see you next time here on Get