3-2-1: Iowa Swarm expands
The Iowa Swarm looks to be taking their efforts as a collective to another level this week and it appears to be collaborative effort with interim athletic director Beth Goetz. We discuss that news item this week, along with the toughest stretches for Iowa men’s and women’s hoops, the career of Christian Kirksey, and we discuss some hoops recruiting in this week’s edition of 3-2-1.
THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
BETH GOETZ IT
Since the retirement of Gary Barta in August, the approach of the Iowa athletic department towards the Iowa Swarm Collective has made a 180 degree change. That is largely due to the leadership of interim athletic director Beth Goetz and the work and vision of Iowa Swarm CEO Brad Heinrichs.
On Thursday, the Iowa Swarm announced that they would be expanding their name, image, and likeness efforts to include all 22 sports offered at the University of Iowa. Since the Swarm Collective was founded in the summer of 2022, they have been working with Iowa football and men’s and women’s basketball.
Now it will include all Iowa athletic programs having access to NIL offers and opportunities. This is certainly something that the athletic department will be pleased to see happening. It should also open the door to further opportunities where the Iowa Swarm and the athletic department can be collaborative in their work.
THE HOOPS SCHEDULES ARE OUT
It’s been somewhat odd to be how long it takes for the Big Ten to release a basketball schedules. We are just a few weeks away from Iowa basketball media days and we finally got a schedule of when the conference games will be played.
First, let’s look at the men’s schedule and some interesting parts of it. The first thing that jumps out is that brutal week in early December. It starts on December 4th when Iowa travels to Purdue to face Zach Edey and the Boilermakers, who will be a Top Ten team this season. Then the Hawkeyes have to head to Ames to face the Cyclones on Thursday night, December 7th. They wrap up the week, thankfully at home, when they host Michigan on Sunday.
Then we have the final month or so of the season where Iowa will play 7 of 12 games on the road. Those include games at Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, and Maryland. The Hawkeyes might need to finish the regular season strong and that path makes it difficult.
On the Iowa women’s side of the equation, they have a tough stretch in February into March. That includes trips to Nebraska, Indiana, and Minnesota, along with hosting Ohio State, Michigan, and Indiana.
CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY RETIRES
After a terrific nine year career in the NFL, Christian Kirksey retired on Thursday. Kirksey has been on the practice squad for the Buffalo Bills after he was cut by the Houston Texans at the end of preseason.
What a great career the St. Louis native had. He wasn’t the biggest name on his own high school team that arrived in Iowa City. That honor went to Don Shumpert. But, Kirksey worked his way into the starting lineup and had a fantastic Hawkeye career.
He played as a true freshman and started three straight years at linebacker. He finished his Iowa career with 315 tackles, which is 17th on the all-time Hawkeye list. He ended up a third round pick of the Cleveland Browns and spent 2014-19 there. Then he spent a year with the Green Bay Packers before landing with the Houston Texans for two seasons.
More impressive, he was a four time team captain, two time nominee for the Walter Payton man of the year award, and he always did everything with class on and off the field. Congrats on a great career!
TWO QUESTIONS
WHAT DO WE MAKE OF 2024 BASKETBALL RECRUITING?
Very few things get more varied opinions on the message boards than Fran McCaffery and recruiting. That’s certainly the case with the 2024 hoops recruiting. Iowa has one commit in this class and it’s Cooper Koch, a top 100 prospect and son of former Hawkeye J.R. Koch.
In the last week the Hawkeyes missed out on landing Isaiah Johnson-Arigu, a 6-foot-7 wing forward from Minnesota who ended up committing to Miami (FL). They also hosted 2024 power forward Chris Tadjo, who is in the NBA Latin American Academy. The 6-foot-8 forward is hearing from Iowa and Akron the most, but also interest from Xavier and TCU.
Iowa will also be hosting Pharaoh Compton, a 6-foot-7 forward from Las Vegas, who canceled visits to Tennessee and LSU recently, but is still planning to visit Iowa City.
The best guess is that Iowa will end up with one of those two players and then move on in the class and wait to see what is available in the transfer portal.
WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS FOR MEN’S BASKETBALL THIS SEASON?
I think we already know the expectations that will be set for the Iowa women’s basketball team. They played for a national title last year and with All American Caitlin Clark returning, the expectations are sky high.
What about the Iowa men’s team? What are the expectations for this year?
Fran McCaffery’s squad had made the NCAA Tournament in the last four years that it took place. It would have been five if the tournament was played in 2020. So, they are on a very good and frankly underappreciated run, probably because they have not made it to the Sweet 16 since Dr. Tom Davis final season.
At least right now, no one appears to be a sure fire star player on the roster. Iowa has had a star the last four years in Luka Garza, Keegan Murray, and last year Kris Murray. This year it could be Tony Perkins, Payton Sandfort, or maybe even Patrick McCaffery leading the way.
My feels is how far this team goes will depend on the impact that the six new faces have on the roster. Graduate transfer Ben Krikke has to be solid. He’s really important because they lack post size and experience.
My feeling is this is a bubble team heading into late February and early March.
ONE PREDICTION
Start paying closer attention to the Iowa field hockey team because they are headed for a trip to the Final Four this season.
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