Tech readies for physical Iowa

Tennessee Tech Coach Watson Brown wanted to set a physical tone in camp this fall because he knew physical was coming week 1.

Tech (0-0) travels to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes (0-0), whose reputation apparently proceeds itself.

"We knew we had to have a physical preseason when you open with Iowa," Brown said. "Iowa is a very physical team. Everything they do starts with their physicality in my opinion. I didn't want our players surprised right out of the gate. It's been a physical preseason, but we are excited and ready to go."

And then, last Saturday during a two-hour break, Brown turned on ESPN.

"College GameDay was on and there's Kirk Herbstreit picking them to win the division and play in the first Big Ten title game," Brown said. "That was nice to hear."

Brown praised Iowa's discipline and coaching.

"You have to beat Iowa; Iowa does not beat itself," Brown said. "Usually high in least amount of penalties. They just don't give up big plays. They're just a sound, solid bunch that does it the way you're supposed to win, in my opinion.

"It's great for our kids to see because the things I see Iowa do are exactly the same kinds of things we're trying to teach our Tennessee Tech players to do."

This is a "payday" game for Tennessee Tech, which means the school will net somewhere between $450,000 and $800,000. Brown was asked Tuesday how this paycheck measures up to ones received from Arkansas and TCU last season.

"They're all good," Brown said.

He talked about an elite weightroom the school has built and how far the program facilities have come in his four seasons as coach.

"It's putting some pieces together to give us a true shot around here," Brown said. "The new weightroom and indoor facilities that we have there's not a better one on our level in the country let alone this league. It's special. . . . We had no video equipment when we got here. We had to buy all new stuff. Headsets were outdated.

"We have now caught up with the Joneses a little bit to where we now have a true shot here. None of that, none of that, would've been done without these games. We have to take the money we get from these games to do all the things we've done. When you come to Tech now, you see a different place. That leads to good players and that leads to winning more games."