IOWA CITY, Iowa – This column always comes with a disclaimer – Kids Day is just one of more than 20 Iowa Football preseason practices. Context is very important when evaluating what we see. 

Beyond that, there’s nuance. Guys on both sides of the ball are out with injuries. Sometimes the No. 1 offense is facing the No. 1 defense. Other times it’s not. 

It makes taking a great deal out of the annual open practice difficult. That’s the case with what we witnessed Saturday in Kinnick Stadium. 

The problem was perception. Everyone that walked into that historic venue sought salvation from the evils of Brian Ferentz’s offense. Instead, they saw ghosts. 

There was motion and other wrinkles from new coordinator Tim Lester. A few plays popped. Overall, the Hawkeyes remained stuck in the muck trying to move the ball. 

It wasn’t all bad, however. Iowa ran the ball pretty well. You know it’s an impressive stable of backs when it looks that good without injured starter Leshon Williams.

Also credit the interior of the O-Line as a lot of the rushing yardage came inside the tackles. The yardage raised questions about the team’s depth at defensive tackle, but that would have been picking nits with how that unit looked Saturday. 

Beyond that, the offense was as inept as it was under Lester’s predecessor. Inaccurate passes, dropped passes, pass-protection breakdowns, unforced errors – the fans at Kinnick received the full experience. 

Honestly though, are you surprised? Cade McNamara wasn’t cleared to physically work in the new offense until camp kicked off less than two weeks ago.

It’s going to take time. Growing pains will be experienced. McNamara throwing 7-on-7 with teammates all summer isn’t the same as having Deontae Craig or Yahya Black in your face. 

That’s not to dismiss QB1’s dreadful day. He missed easy throws, botched a shotgun snap and appeared rusty in general. 

Time will tell if McNamara can knock said rust off. Not that we needed a reminder, but everyone knows the Hawkeyes can’t achieve their loftiest goals with what we witnessed Saturday. Complementary football works best when all three phases, you know, complement each other. 

Perhaps the Kids Day display wouldn’t have been quite as alarming had backup quarterbacks Brendan Sullivan and Marco Lainez lit it up. They did not. 

In fairness to the trio, top tight end Luke Lachey, and receivers Seth Anderson, Dayton Howard and Alec Wick were either limited or out of practice. It’s also possible the coaches limited what they showed in an open practice knowing footage would be available to opponents. 

By the way, you may have heard, Iowa’s defense is dominant and filled with sixth-year seniors patrolling the back seven. And if you’ve ever attended a practice, you know guys on that side of the ball love stuffing any offense, including their own. They didn’t give an inch Saturday. 

Maybe nothing in the two previous paragraphs held significant meaning. Perhaps the offense won’t improve much and replacing Brian Ferentz wasn’t the solution. It’s a depressing possibility but a possibility none the less. 

More likely, it won’t be nearly as bad. Early-season growing pains are normal considering the circumstances. 

How much growth can be made and how long it takes will determine 2024’s result. Can the Hawkeyes grow through wins instead of losses against Iowa State and/or at Minnesota in September? Then, can the offense continue growing into October, making Iowa a College Football Playoff contender? 

The blueprint here calls for development, individually and collectively. It’s happening on defense and special teams. The offense needs to follow that path. 

The staff’s personnel decisions and play calling will be critical. The student-athletes must avoid being discouraged by failure in the moment, continuing to push forward. 

That didn’t change Saturday. The players and coaches understood that. It was just confirmed for everyone else that watched. 

Two people were killed in a shooting outside of a concert in western Iowa on Saturday night.

Marcus L. Johnson, 28, and Charles A. Williams Jr., 27, both from Omaha, Nebraska, died in the shooting outside of the I-29 Speedway in Pacific Junction. It happened at about 9 p.m. in the parking lot just before an outdoor concert was about to begin, according to a news release from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, which is helping with the investigation.

The I-29 Speedway is a World Drag Racing Alliance 1/8th mile drag strip, according to its Facebook page. There was no statement about the shooting posted on its page as of Sunday morning but the Speedway did cancel an event planned during the day.

According to the calendar, the Speedway hosted a Pull Up Car Show during the day and with Lil Boosie, Rob49 and Rich the Factor scheduled to perform.

KMALand reported the Omaha Police helicopter was called in to help search for at least three suspects, reportedly in a black Mercedes sedan.

Law enforcement is asking anyone who has information about the shooting to contact the Mills County Sheriff’s Office at 712-527-4871. 

Six minutes is all Kennedy Blades has left to get wrestling’s ultimate prize.

The future Hawkeye, who committed to the Iowa program a month ago, cut her way through the bracket Saturday to reach Sunday’s Olympic gold medal match and secure at least a silver medal. With Spencer Lee securing silver on Friday, this is the first time since 2000 (Terry Brands and Lincoln Mcllravy) that more than one Hawkeye wrestler has medaled in the same cycle.

“It was really nice because I had the whole Iowa Hawkeyes behind my back going into the Olympics, me and Spencer Lee,” Blades said. “It was pretty great to just have two athletes in different genders.”

At 20 years old, Blades is looking to join Amit Elor and Sarah Hilebrandt as gold medalists for Team USA.

“(There’s) so many hours I’ve been putting into training, I want it to be worth it,” Blades said. “I don’t want to just go back home with a silver. I want gold because that was my mentality the whole time. I’m just going to go out there and have fun and just let it fly. No matter what happens, I’m still young, this is my first Olympics, so I don’t even put any pressure (on myself).”

For the sport’s biggest honor, Blades will have to defeat Japan’s Yuka Kagami, 22, the reigning World champion at 76 kilograms.

Blades’ gold-medal match will be in the one and only session of Day 7 of wrestling at the Olympics, the 4 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. window (CT). Keep it here for updates on when she is set to wrestle and how Team USA does as they wrap up a long week of wrestling.

Who is Kennedy Blades?

Kennedy Blades committed to the Hawkeyes in July following a stint with the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club out of high school and attending Arizona State University. She qualified for the Olympics in April by defeating Adeline Gray, a six-time World champion and a 2020 Olympic silver medalist. While Blades lost to Gray at the 2020 Olympic Trials, then at the age of 17, she got her redemption by beating one of the United States’ all-time best wrestlers.

Blades, 20, is one of the premier talents of the sport as a Junior World champion in 2021, but had never made a senior-level team until making the Olympic team.

“This was honestly my goal since I was seven. 2024 was definitely my goal,” Blades said. “I’ve never even made a Senior World team, so it’s just amazing to think I made an Olympic team.”

Before she even becomes a Hawkeye, she has won at least a silver medal at the Olympics. She’s the 12th Hawkeye wrestler to medal at the Olympics and with the exception of Iowa women’s wrestling coaches Clarissa Chun and Tonya Verbeek, she’s the first women’s wrestler for Iowa to medal at the Olympics.

Who is Zain Retherford?

The former Penn State star, who won three NCAA championships, is hoping to remain on top of the world.

He is the reigning World champion at 70 kilograms, but he’s the Team USA representative at 65 kilograms in Paris. He won a World silver in 2022 as well.

After losing in round one to Iran’s Rahman Mousa Amouzadkhalili, Retherford has been pulled back into the repechage and will have to win two matches to take bronze.

Who is Kyle Snyder?

We’ve had Michigan Wolverines compete, now it’s time for a Buckeye. The former Ohio State star, who won three NCAA titles, is Team USA’s representative at 97 kilograms. He has won three World Championships, an Olympic gold in 2016 and an Olympic silver in 2020.

He reached the semifinals, but fell short to Iran phenom Iran’s Bahrain’s Akhmed Tazhudinov and will need to win one match to secure bronze for the USA.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.