Instant Iowa: Iowa THROTTLES Northern Illinois 40-0! Hank Brown, Tony Diaz & Kamari Moulton Shine

0:00Instant Iowa season three is live and season three begins with just me because AD took his family to the game I guess he wanted to lose 15 pounds and liquid or something like that. He's probably not gonna be able to join us Wi-Fi coverage situation there is terrible. We'll see if he's able to call in at all, but Look There's not a lot to complain about here But there's a lot to talk about and the quarterback situation Was not what I thought it was gonna be I I really did not see Hank Brown going out there and Being as calm cool collected poised as he was early in this game and then Jeremy Hecklinsky coming in and just kind of Seemed in a little herky jerky like like he was the one that was nervous in front of the 70,000 people Which is not what we saw at kids day but At this point, I mean give the advantage to Hank give Kirk Farron some credit as well because We would be killing him had this gone the other the other way like how in the world you we told you how could you possibly start Hank Brown

1:07No Hank Brown look good and we will get into that we will get into the boogie man Tony Diaz making his debut come over Emolton finally breaking free the defense Just pulverizing northern Illinois and just like an anaconda just just bear hug the entire game and A really good start to the 2026 season for your Iowa Hawkeyes. It's coming up right here on instant Iowa Who says that brats have to have skin literally everyone like since the beginning of time? No, but the fairway skinless brought has changed the game. Will you settle this for us? They I don't pick sides. I just sell them If Frank just steal our brats It's time for instant Iowa presented by fairway meeting grocery from the channel seed studios Here are your hosts Chris Passel and Andrew Downs It is just me this week. I've got aiden Wyatt at the controls after launching instant Iowa states for the very first show earlier today with Iowa state

2:22Getting an easy victory at home as well and a very very hot day back there in Iowa It was hotter in Iowa today than it was down here in South Florida where it was kind of Rany and in cloudy all day So I'm in the sweatshirt as we start instant Iowa. I'm Chris Hassel We are presented by fairway meet and grocery just saw one of the new commercials that Williams and I shot when I was back in Iowa in August for the live show Gonna be rolling out some more of those we did three or four of them might even be on TV as well We'll see but it was mostly the skinless brought Arguments between me and Williams, but we want to thank fairway sincerely especially heading into next week they will be Our very great partner as they always are for the Sihawk week Everything on Iowa everywhere is going to be sponsored by fairway as we head into what should be an interesting game Iowa state looked Pretty pretty capable today

3:23But Iowa looked dominant and I would guess that Those two teams are very similar Northern Illinois and SEMA. I would think that they would be Maybe play a pretty tight game if they played one another Iowa much more dominating at Kinnex stadium I'm start to finish and it was the offensive line opening things up early and in Camarine, Bolton just bolting for the end zone and Limiting some of what I was hoping would be maybe longer drives and more Passing from the quarterbacks. So I'm not really sure If Northern Illinois was good enough to give Iowa a test and to really see what's going on with these quarterbacks next week It's definitely going to be a step up in that direction, but Great to see those big plays from molten Busting free as we begin instant Iowa as the clock winds down we came on a little bit early as we like to do here on instant Iowa sometimes we're up even before the game ends. It's 40 to nothing with a couple of minutes to go

4:28Iowa has played three quarterbacks now which you mean Sullivan coming into the game late mostly in handoff duty As well, but that's obviously going to be where we have to start here in the Channel Seed Studios although Should probably at least acknowledge the The victory beer that a lot of people are going to be having in the Kinnex Stadium parking lots. I know Andrew Downs will be pop in one open I'm sure he had a few at the stadium, but after the game Big Grove brewery your place to go. I mean if you're still in the Iowa City area You can you can head over to their their place in Iowa City or or Solon also the great place in Des Moines that I've been to many times they have Omaha and Cedar Rapids locations Food is fantastic and maybe a little too hot for the patio during the day at night I think it cools off a little bit. That was just a little bit. I know AD will be having a Maybe an easy eddy to Celebrate this

5:29Season opening victory for the Hawkeyes which you know, I was thinking going into this game When is the last time in And we probably have had one of these recently, but like the season opening game was just really damn good in almost every aspect It seems like there's always something you know the seven The seven three game with the two safeties Against South Dakota State or I mean last year was awful against Albany awful and this This was not and as I Give my opening argument which we are going to do here on Instant Iowa all season long courtesy of our friends at Schwabel gets and Seabun The personal injury powerhouse My opening argument is that Kirk Farrance was right He did have more of a grip on this quarterback situation than I think me and a lot of other fans

6:36Thought like in my mind Hank Brown was only getting the start because Farrance likes that he doesn't turn the ball over And Jeremy Hecklinski didn't get the start just because he takes more chances Even though his ceiling might be higher because he will do that. I didn't see that today I mean there was one pass from Hank Brown that Should have been intercepted, but for the most part He was in control and not forcing things Hecklinski on the other hand, I mean he had two passes that should have been touched down stitone Diaz Go in the same way one of the first half one of the second half and He just didn't hit him he didn't hit him in stride one of them It was over the wrong shoulder and Diaz had to turn around and he had Diaz probably should have caught it But you lead that guy straight down the sideline and it's a touchdown and it was the same way on the on the near side of the field

7:37Going from right to left on your on your TV as well in the third quarter and so It's crazy as it would sound Coming out of kids day when we all thought it was gonna be Hecklinski and we were gonna be throwing a fit if it was Hank Kirk parents has it right for now for now Like that's the thing Where do we go from here? That's the question my my opening argument is just that Maybe we should have cut Kirk parents a little bit of slack even though he didn't really earn it all for all these years of How he uses his quarterbacks but He I think managed it well and he allowed the quarterbacks to throw it I was also worried that he was going to and and I say he I mean the entire game plan because I know Tim Lester is calling the plays but Kirk parents has a hand in that as well and is also going to say hey We're not gonna do this. We're not gonna let him do that. It didn't happen

8:39I mean these guys were allowed to throw the ball down the field and and Take a few chances. How do you guys feel? I'm seeing some of the comments roll in and it seems as though Many of you are on the the Hank Brown side now. This could all change next week all of it and And just like it has in in Throughout the the spring and the summer and the fall I Think you have to start Hank Brown next week and I also wonder Do you maybe even give him more of the slice of the pie? His parents going to do that because obviously he had Hank as the number one. He started him this week and Hank outperformed him So will will he get maybe the first four series Will they go four series and then just one for for Hick Lensky to see how he does and maybe pull him Right away if he's if he's all kind of off like he was when he came into this game

9:41That's gonna be the talking point this week. I don't think it's gonna be a question of who's starting I think it's going to be a question of How much of that slice of the pie? Is Hank Brown going to get because this this game was it they came in and it was it was gonna be 50 50 for the most part and Some some plays early dictated brown ended up throwing it four more times in Hick Lensky Brown was 12 for 20 129 yards a touchdown no interceptions Hick Lensky 7 of 16 That good 44% 76 yards a touchdown and an interception and really he should have had a couple of more touchdowns there and Neither both of them had like a 15-yard run and and that was about it Didn't didn't get sacked that was good but hmm I think Hank is gonna get more playing time next week and

10:44Does does what he did today does that make you feel better about that? all right I always states not northern Illinois. I always states not a Top 25 team they might not even be a bowl team nor the Niel the noise Terrible this is one of the worst teams in all of college football and So you just wonder how much you could take out of it Iowa? Put in the finishing touches on what is going to be a shut out victory today 40 to nothing Over northern Illinois they covered the spread which was 30 and a half or so 31 and You know what how about credit to The defense that we were so worried about not the defense as a whole but the defensive line I mean they were they were getting all over the quarterback for northern Illinois It was not You know I kind of thought that they would struggle to get some pressure on it

11:46No, they were firing off they were getting pressure and it's their first season opening shut out since Illinois state two years ago That's the game that I forgot about that was an easy one for the most part That was like the high point of was it Was that the Kade McNamara high point? I can't remember but I think it was something similar 30 or 40 to nothing in that game as well but I I Think Hank just looked better today. He just he He always looks the part more than Hick Lensky does He looks like a quarterback. He's six four. He's put together. He's he's he's poised He's more polished in interviews when he was a starter at at Auburn a couple of years ago So he knows he knows what this is all about that was even more of a spotlight Jeremy Hick Lensky I Don't know I mean what a performance at kids day, but Maybe he didn't do much else in

12:46Camp And maybe Kirk Farron sends up being right all along that That Hank Brown is the guy it's the most yards that Iowa has gained in a game Since 2019 over five hundred yards for the Hawkeyes in this game 40 to nothing Iowa 1 and 0 Staying home Sci-Hawk trophy is gonna be coming down interstate 80 next week and The Hawkeyes appear primed To bring that trophy back and I don't think it's gonna matter who the quarterback is How long is it gonna take though to find the starter for the rest of the season Because you don't have much time you got Northern Iowa after that And then it's on man you're you're playing The ridiculous Stretch to start Big Ten play those three games in 14 days

13:50I came in wanting to see one quarterback outplay the other I didn't care who it was I thought it was gonna be Hick Lensky, but I didn't care who it was It was Hank, but how clear was it? I think it was pretty clear to most people pretty clear, but it's not Heck Lensky's not out of this by any means he's not out of this he had some bad breaks today There were a lot of drop balls I mean, Venomy dropped a pass Diaz and Diaz there were some plays he could have made as well but In the end like I I can't I can't go off on Kirk pharance I can't really be upset about anything They just shut out Northern Illinois 40 to nothing and you got to see both quarterbacks throw it 16 plus times It was 36 passes total and it was domination on each line There's things you can nitpick they weren't good on the goal line In the first half or the second half

14:53Goal line offense not good. They had a few pre-stab penalties In fact, I think they had three pre-snap penalties in the first 16 minutes of the game They averaged three penalties total For and for games last season throughout the entire year three penalties a game is all they averaged So there's some things there but shit You found a punt return I mean It was horrible in the first that what was Reese van der Zee doing back there Why was Reese van der Zee returning kicks and then not running up and making the catch on The ball at I don't know what it would have been 50 R line maybe the 45 of Northern Illinois He lets it bounce and it gets 20 yards if you're gonna have Reese van der Zee a possession guy You just tell him you catch everything you don't you don't let that bounce so then They make the switch great Evan James comes in book immediately right away good return and then

15:55Couple chances later gone How's is it Punt return you Cooper de Jean Kaden weogen and now Evan James 77 yard Punt return and Yes, I didn't forget about the field goal kicking there is a we knew that was gonna be an issue that reared its head early but Talk about that more in and just a little bit I thought that what we saw the rest of the way was was pretty good if you're just joining us it is just me Today and her downs will return next week He went to the game took these kids to the game he rarely gets to do that and so he is he is now probably going back to his car. He has terrible reception So I don't think he's gonna be able to join Aiden Wyatt is producing here on Instant Iowa presented by fairway for the Iowa State fans watching because I know we have a lot of them Hope you caught instant Iowa State today It

16:55It was the first of many good ones Ben bronze and Matt Van Winkle were on today and re-songer is gonna join that Beginning in about a month. So we're gonna have both sides Covered heading into to Sihock week and we have a lot to get to thanks for bearing with me. I never host anything solo I don't know that I've maybe Maybe one time I did a two guys solo But usually have you know more interjection from the producer, but I know Hawkeye fans don't want to hear Iowa State grad Aiden Wyatt on the program Great start to this game that opening drive Wow So brown goes four for five 39 yards in a touchdown three of those were to Tony Diaz For 32 yards Love that they went to DJV very first play of the game and

17:59Molten Has this big hole it opens up It looks like he's gonna break one finally and then another shoe string tackle and I think I see this is why I wanted Someone else to win the starting job this year like an LJ Phillips who unfortunately left with an injury will Hopefully get an update on that from Kirk Farens, but it didn't look great. He left and did not return early in that game and That's a guy that never doesn't get hurt. I mean he He plays I mean he played last year rush for what two thousand yards So I'm I'm I'm like oh here we go again Molten, you know, he he'll get you 90 yards, but he won't get you 100 He'll get you a 20 yard run, but he won't he won't get you a 50 yard run well That's going to be my player of the game today Are Wycoff heating and cooling piece of mine player of the game

19:04I Boy, I hope you've got your your air conditioning tuned up right now with With the weather that you guys have been having this week and It not too long you're gonna need that heat as well for all your hitting and cooling needs Contact the locally family owned team at Wycoff our piece of mine player of the game is Camari Molten Because he set the tone and he finally broke some not just one Multiple huge runs from Molten in this game and he finishes 11 carries a buck 83 two touchdowns average 17 yards A carry so he finally he breaks one the 50 harder. I love that play They're right there on the tiger Hawk and it's just like a strip take the snap toss it straight back behind you And just let the running back run full steam at the line and that thing that was a gaper

20:10that offensive line opened up a gaper and Molten's always good at hitting them He's just never been able to break him He did on that one 50 yards and then boom right after that a 38 yarder and All the pressure's off. It's it's over. I mean Three Hank Brown drives three touchdowns for the Hawkeyes Camari Molten Maybe he's taking the step that Caleb Johnson did a Couple of years ago when you know he was good, but then he turned great Maybe this is the start of that for Camari Molten 11 carries I mean he He's he's gonna be fresh going into the side-hawk game. So that's our white off hitting and cooling Player of the game now after that first touchdown Miss PAT I mean That's concerning and I I am very concerned about the field goal kicking

21:13Kaden Burr walk on from the Bettendorf Misses the PAT and then They bring him out for a 53 yarder and Look I wasn't expecting him to make it, but that wasn't even close That was Ten yards right and I don't even know if it would have had the leg It was I know he's got the leg I've seen him kick a 55 yarder or so with plenty to spare in high school But I was really worried for him when they brought him back out Not long after that for a 45 yarder and I was wondering you know, do you bring in the transfer? You've seen a miss PAT and a badly missed 53 yarder He comes in and drills it and then does the same thing from 34 yards

22:20And I think that's huge for his mental Well-being moving forward because I'm sure he comes out there 70,000 fans. He's he's never experienced anything like that in his life he's shaken You know what he got over it And and hopefully it's it's At least serviceable field goal kicking from here on out I don't expect him to miss another PAT, but if it's a 35 yarder, you got to make it if it's a 45 yarder, you got to make 75% of those Not asking you to to to make a God, I just had Kyle Conradi pop into my head Not asking you to make a 54 yarder for the win next week. It's not you're not gonna need it. It's not gonna be close enough So I was thinking We have a segment From our friends at Akram and plumbing

23:20about Who handled pressure the best Because when the pressure isn't flowing right at your home You call up Akram and the professional team over there a complete Diagnosis for the right fix every time Akram and services the Iowa City area. I thought about Given this to to Kaden Burr because he did after that after the jitters handled the pressure Of going back out there and man if you miss that you're gonna get boot off the field you might lose your job That might be it you miss an extra point Badly miss a 53 yarder and then miss a 45 yarder that might be the only chance you ever get to be Starting feel goal kicker at Iowa nailed it but No one Was facing more pressure today than Hank Brown

24:21And there were people who thought he might get booed as he ran out there on the field Be just not because of him But because Kirk pharynx Made the decision to start him And he needed to go out there and perform well Because the two times we had seen him prior at Kinnex stadium. He was horrible He Was bad at kids day as bad as you can get in front of what 8,000 12,000 Last year, I know it was a difficult spot against Indiana, but it wasn't a difficult throw It was a screen pass it would have won the game and you dumped it at his feet So he maybe this was his last chance Three strikes in your out well he goes out there And he looked like a competent To good Big 10 quarterback

25:21I think he looked better than quite a bit better than Mark Grinowski looked at this time last year Mark Grinowski was horrible in that first game bad against Iowa state too He just he wasn't up to speed I hate Brown He looked the part today he did and I get it the competition I Is really really bad Find out a lot more Next week, but for those of you hoping that this quarterback quandary would be quashed today No I don't see Any chance of Kirk fairness and yeah, you know what I think we've got our winner I think they've seen too much back and forth from those guys To say you know today Hank Was so good That he is going to be the guy moving forward from us

26:22Heck I'm sorry you're out. No, don't think that's going to happen But Hank I think did earn the spot for next week We got to talk boogie man Thought about giving the player the game to Tony Diaz as well He was the most exciting player in the game and This is this is a big statement, but I I truly believe what what I'm about to say I haven't had as much fun watching a wide receiver at Iowa Then I did today Since Marvin McNutt and DJ K We're on the field at the same time And Tony Diaz is different than those guys. He's more explosive. I mean you can do you can do anything with this guy and they did Screen passes Jet sweeps and arounds Went deep several times and he was always open. What was the one thing that

27:23everybody inside the building Iowa media What would they say you know when Spencer Petrus would have a bad game. Deacon Hill would have a bad game. Well nobody's open nobody can separate There's no wide receivers out there who can get open nobody's there. Oh man Diaz is that dude Get him the ball as many times as you can in space Yeah Cody Yeah, he says Tony's the wide receiver. I always needed for 10 years. Amen, man And I don't know how the hell we got him how the hell that Iowa land this guy I mean we were hearing all these great things Throughout the offseason I mean Kirk pharynx like bringing him up in the in the same sentence as a Bob Sanders But we hadn't seen it This guy has it

28:25When he when he caught that ball in the flat on the screen And just juped that son of a bitch right out of his jock And I think he left a few out there too. I mean he he had some plays that I think he would tell you I should have made He should have probably been well over a hundred yards receiving He finishes with seven catches 84 yards and a touchdown. That was all in the first half But 60 of those yards 60 of those 84 came after the catch and If they can you know maybe when one of these guys wins the starting job And they start to get all the first team reps They'll have an even better rapport With Diaz and they'll be able to hook up on these deep plays because they're going to need to If you're gonna beat teams like Michigan and Washington on the road And you're gonna have a chance against Ohio State Excuse me

29:26I don't have my Big Grove victory beers just an old-fashioned for me tonight I always get all of my I was state fan perspective for you. Yeah Tony Diaz feels like the player that Caleb Brown was supposed to be And the only difference That's a good point like they put they put Caleb Brown in these situations where They try to spread him out throw him a screen pass and he would drop it or something stupid would happen And it's just totally wasted Tony Diaz is like You can put him in that spot and he's probably going to make the play He's on the watchman. Yeah, he's uh, I haven't seen an Iowa wide receiver like that It because he's not like mcnaught and DJK those guys weren't like super explosive They were just great Downfield receivers Possession receivers mcnaught was big you could go up and get it DJK could be explosive in space But Do you have to go back to up a timmed white at wide receiver for Iowa

30:29To be somebody that's that explosive that you just have to get the ball to That I can't think of anybody else. I know I'm getting way out ahead of my skis here, but Honestly like weed in a little bit at times. It was like let's just force you to the ball sure Yeah, weed you get him the ball kind of like Florida Iowa state, but he's not like a you know He's not a big guy that's gonna go up and get anything and traffic. He's not going to be able to take a big hit, you know God the boogie man holy smokes. I'm so excited to watch him the rest of the year Thank you to everybody for joining us here on our our live instant Iowa stream This is instant Iowa presented by fairway meat and grocery Looking forward to rolling out more of our Our the commercials that Williams and I filmed with fairway Throughout next week in our side-hawk coverage. How we feeling Hawkeye fans going into this side-hawk game There's no way you could feel any worse After watching this game, right? I mean, I think you feel better

31:31Not that you weren't feeling good anyway. I mean, I think most Iowa fans are feeling War feeling really really good about playing Iowa State this year. It's it's at Kinnick Iowa State has completely turned over I was gonna be about a two touchdown favorite Looked at the line down here and it was 13 and a half But what I'm looking forward to is just that it's gonna be an actual test. This was not a test today This was Hmm This was if this was one of the worst teams I was played In the non-con really it really is. I mean they lost everybody The coach coach left late in the offseason to take a running backs job in the NFL and so they have an interim coach They don't know what the hell they're doing at quarterback. They had three different guys I always got two they had three different guys listed as a starting quarterback And they just don't have it. I mean these and and boys he proved me wrong today

32:35Like I thought I thought Oregon was gonna destroy boys because I just feel like the separation now In from the haves and the have-nots is just getting to a point where It this is not like no other no other Illinois has been very very good at times Not anymore These these teams are having a much more difficult time Especially when you lose a coach when you have to start all over again And you lose it the way they did not good Have to keep our eye on on the injuries um I haven't heard yet if if Kirk Farens has taken the podium he probably hasn't quite yet But that's more for talk Throughout the rest of the week. This is if you're new to Insta Iowa. This is just Boom get reaction out right away Get up before any of the other shows go up the Iowa post game show all that get up before we hear a word from anybody Let it flow Let it flow

33:36That could be a segment for acumen plumbing Uh I thought I was going to be really pissed today When I heard Hank Brown was gonna start I thought it was going to be bad I didn't think he was going to throw a bunch of interceptions and it was going to be a close game. I just thought that They wouldn't the brown wouldn't look very good That They wouldn't let heck lensky throw the ball down the field And they would just lean on the running game Maybe give it to molten 10 more times instead of 11 carries he has 21 And just win that way no it was clear they wanted to they wanted to see what these guys could do You know what else I loved? I don't know if anybody picked up on this When northern Illinois got that penalty on the Iowa kickoff And then they moved it to midfield

34:38I can't stand it when teams get to kick off at midfield And they just kick it all the way through the end zone into the stands for a touchback Why you have an advantage here Do something I'm not saying onside kick it but Do something and they did They had A little swip kick designed From Ozick the transfer And I mean it I would damn near got down there and and got on that loose ball And they went and just blasted the guy before the 20 yard line I thought that was great that they had that in their in their back pocket. I don't I don't I don't know if Kirk parents would have done that Several years ago, but I thought that was a really interesting choice and one that I want to see more Stuff like that we are Nearing a milestone for YouTube subscribers For some reason and this is crazy Because I know a lot of you are subscribed to our Iowa everywhere YouTube page

35:40But the majority of people that watch and listen to us on YouTube are not Subscribed Just go ahead and check it. I mean if you're watching on YouTube or even if you're not Just check it to see it helps us out and it's free like it it makes it easier for you to you can even Put alerts on and be alerted every time we have a you know Instant Iowa goes live or instant Iowa state or two guys or mercenandi or overthinking We have a huge week coming up The Cihawk week the mercenandi gang obviously will be traveling for RBTV again, but doing shows. I think I think we've got a full slate on Monday. It's Labor Day And it's not a vacation for us. Not a holiday. We got laboring to do. We got labor. We will labor for you. Well, I'm gonna labor all day long Just don't go into labor So we'll have um our normal Sunday Bigger than 12

36:42And then we'll hit the ground on Monday with mercenandi and two guys is gonna be on Monday again. We were going because we're going to start doing our two guys show with Chris and Chris on Sunday nights at 630 But we're not gonna do it tomorrow because there's there's two really good college games that are kicking off right around then And we know you're all college football fans. You're probably gonna be watching those games And it's a holiday and all that you don't have to work most if you don't have to work on Monday. So we're gonna go live again Monday afternoon at three on two guys and Have more to say then we'll know more by then Know more about the Iowa injuries. I just I just didn't like what I What I saw from Phillips Walking off the field after four carries for five yards and he kept getting stuffed at the goal line um But hey All in all Hank Brown played well Kamari molten was great. Tony Diaz is that effing dude

37:48Burr finally got it figured out in the field goal game We have another punt returner We have another guy that is going To house it on punts It's not Cooper Dijin. It's not Kaden Weijen. No, no, it's Evan James baby. Evan James sounds like a whiskey Ship on a nice Evan James And the defense man the defense a shutout I mean, they didn't have a first down for what the first 35 minutes of this game Iowa had more First downs the northern Illinois had yards For much of this game They ended up giving up 120 total yards. That's it So all in all I give this performance an A- Not perfect

38:49Heck linsky wasn't great but maybe some Clouds starting to roll off Of this murky quarterback situation Maybe molten has taken that next step and yeah, we've got our We've got our wide receiver in Tony Diaz and oh yeah, DJV was Was pretty good to poor catches 42 yards He's gonna be open all year long All right, Aiden Wyatt. Thank you for stepping into to produce And looking forward to to getting Andrew downs back next week for some redemption on instant Iowa It was a year ago that we were at sweet carolines and we had to drown our tears and In easy eddies after Iowa State one for the second straight year Think the side hop trophy's gonna be staying in Iowa City come this time Next week. Oh, yeah, it is a night game So we'll see you then on instant Iowa. We'll see you much more on Iowa everywhere Throughout the week. Thanks for watching and listening to instant Iowa presented by fairway meat and grocery

39:59You