QB Battle: Jeremy Hecklinski appears to have passed Hank Brown on the Depth Chart. QB was NOT a Transfer Portal Priority per KF on Dec 18

[IowaCityLit]

Who would you have liked to see them go after? I’m not saying there’s not better QBs out there, but with the stupid money some of these schools are throwing around, I don’t know that most of them are worth it/in the right price range

This mentality is exactly why Iowa can’t elevate.

Iowa is ranked in the top 25 with 2 guys at QB who likely wouldn’t start for almost any other p4 program.

Why on earth would you build a roster and develop a team that outside of QB can compete with almost anyone…yet never really invest in the one position that could elevate you to top
10 and CFP? It’s maddening. It’s KF being KF.

The”Iowa Way” is admirable in that it makes it seem like an Outback Bowl is an amazing accomplishment and KF doing it his way, old-school, blah blah blah. But it’s really kinda cowardly.

A real P4 QB on this team makes Iowa a true
Player. But that’s a little too hot for KF to handle

I do think last year was an attempt to elevate with MG. If he has been healthy from the start and adjusted to TLsystem quicker than Iowa beats ISU and maybe IU.

 

[eyesofhawk]

A competitive P5 team not having an experienced QB on the roster is being in the vast, vast minority. This is not going to change.

We'll see how well that works out this season, but if Iowa plans on developing their own QBs year-in and year-out, (either H.S. kids or guys from the portal with 3+ years of eligibility), they'd better be really darn good at it, because they will literally be doing it differently from everyone else.

In this day and age of the portal, bringing in a seasoned QB is the new norm. If Iowa has such a complicated offense that they are not able to get an excellent transfer QB to perform right away, then they are doing it wrong.

We'll see.

Could easily be said that teams without as good as a defense and special teams as Iowa are doing it wrong too

 

[85Bears]

This mentality is exactly why Iowa can’t elevate.

Iowa is ranked in the top 25 with 2 guys at QB who likely wouldn’t start for almost any other p4 program.

Why on earth would you build a roster and develop a team that outside of QB can compete with almost anyone…yet never really invest in the one position that could elevate you to top
10 and CFP? It’s maddening. It’s KF being KF.

The”Iowa Way” is admirable in that it makes it seem like an Outback Bowl is an amazing accomplishment and KF doing it his way, old-school, blah blah blah. But it’s really kinda cowardly.

A real P4 QB on this team makes Iowa a true
Player. But that’s a little too hot for KF to handle.

just another angle to bash KF, stale

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[IowaCityLit]

just another angle to bash KF, stale

I’m not a KF sycophant, for sure. Plenty of those on this board. Think I’m a fair observer.

He’s done a hell of a job keeping Iowa relevant. But he’s brainwashed a majority of the fan base to accept Iowas “definition” of a successful season as being in the Outback bowl. It’s enabled him to look like the constant overachiever. When in reality it’s been a self-imposed lower ceiling.

But back to the QB. The difference between Iowa and IU roster has been the QB these past couple of years. IU has gone all in even when it meant a rent a QB for 1 season or 2. Iowa should have that same approach. Dont build an excellent roster and think you can plug in a QB. Unless your definition of a successful season is different.

 

[83Hawk]

I’m not a KF sycophant, for sure. Plenty of those on this board. Think I’m a fair observer.

He’s done a hell of a job keeping Iowa relevant. But he’s brainwashed a majority of the fan base to accept Iowas “definition” of a successful season as being in the Outback bowl. It’s enabled him to look like the constant overachiever. When in reality it’s been a self-imposed lower ceiling.

But back to the QB. The difference between Iowa and IU roster has been the QB these past couple of years. IU has gone all in even when it meant a rent a QB for 1 season or 2. Iowa should have that same approach. Dont build an excellent roster and think you can plug in a QB. Unless your definition of a successful season is different.

A quarterback is the single most important position in football.

 

[85Bears]

I’m not a KF sycophant, for sure. Plenty of those on this board. Think I’m a fair observer.

He’s done a hell of a job keeping Iowa relevant. But he’s brainwashed a majority of the fan base to accept Iowas “definition” of a successful season as being in the Outback bowl. It’s enabled him to look like the constant overachiever. When in reality it’s been a self-imposed lower ceiling.

But back to the QB. The difference between Iowa and IU roster has been the QB these past couple of years. IU has gone all in even when it meant a rent a QB for 1 season or 2. Iowa should have that same approach. Dont build an excellent roster and think you can plug in a QB. Unless your definition of a successful season is different.

 

[eyesofhawk]

A quarterback is the single most important position in football.

Not necessarily for some college programs.

Certainly hasn't been for Iowa in many seasons

 

[IowaCityLit]

View attachment 1408690

No one can refute my points so this is the natural KF sycophant reply.

But it should be an entertaining first game!

Go Hawks!

 

[IowaCityLit]

Not necessarily for some college programs.

Certainly hasn't been for Iowa in many seasons

That’s a KF philosophy. And part of the self-imposed limitation. He’s actually lowered Iowas ceiling as a head coach because of his view of the QB position and offense in general. Hopefully TL
can fix that.,

 

[eyesofhawk]

That’s a KF philosophy. And part of the self-imposed limitation. He’s actually lowered Iowas ceiling as a head coach because of his view of the QB position and offense in general. Hopefully TL
can fix that.,

Don't agree with a word you've said.

But TL is a KF hire, no?

 

[IowaCityLit]

Don't agree with a word you've said.

But TL is a KF hire, no?

Thats fine and cool. Okay to disagree. You have a different perspective and can articulate why I’m all ears.

TL is a KF hire because an exceptional AD fired his son from a position he was wholly unqualified for and for which he will NEVER have again anywhere. KF was unethical in his nepotism and put his family over Iowa. It’s just a fact. It was disgraceful.

So TL is a KF hire, yes. And let’s see how it works out.

 

[IowaCityLit]

just another angle to bash KF, stale

Brian?

 

[85Bears]

Brian?

 

[Jonesy5960]

I’m not a KF sycophant, for sure. Plenty of those on this board. Think I’m a fair observer.

He’s done a hell of a job keeping Iowa relevant. But he’s brainwashed a majority of the fan base to accept Iowas “definition” of a successful season as being in the Outback bowl. It’s enabled him to look like the constant overachiever. When in reality it’s been a self-imposed lower ceiling.

But back to the QB. The difference between Iowa and IU roster has been the QB these past couple of years. IU has gone all in even when it meant a rent a QB for 1 season or 2. Iowa should have that same approach. Dont build an excellent roster and think you can plug in a QB. Unless your definition of a successful season is different.

It was more than Qb. Indiana had a couple of outstanding wide receivers for him to throw to.

 

[IowaCityLit]

It was more than Qb. Indiana had a couple of outstanding wide receivers for him to throw to.

Without question. I was at the IU game. Iowa actually did an absolutely magnificent job for the most part against IUs offense.

Im talking top to bottom. Iowas roster was on par. But the early MG interception converted into a TD and the Hank Brown 5 yard pass into the dirt on a play that might have been a TD…well that was the difference.

 

[Heathen Raider]

Brian?

Yes?

 

[Kceasthawk@77]

I’m not a KF sycophant, for sure. Plenty of those on this board. Think I’m a fair observer.

He’s done a hell of a job keeping Iowa relevant. But he’s brainwashed a majority of the fan base to accept Iowas “definition” of a successful season as being in the Outback bowl. It’s enabled him to look like the constant overachiever. When in reality it’s been a self-imposed lower ceiling.

But back to the QB. The difference between Iowa and IU roster has been the QB these past couple of years. IU has gone all in even when it meant a rent a QB for 1 season or 2. Iowa should have that same approach. Dont build an excellent roster and think you can plug in a QB. Unless your definition of a successful season is different.

Maybe so. And in a couple of years we'll all (God willing), get to see if someone can do better at Iowa then win 9 games a year pretty much every year. Expectations are a funny thing. Fry basically had one year, 1985 where he really changed the expectation of what Iowa football could be. This after the Hawks wandering in the wilderness for 20 years. Kirk had 2002 where going into the last game we still had a shot at a title and as "average" as most would think of that 2015 team was, we were a play away from being13-0 and being in the final 4 playoff. Today everyone wants to use Indiana as the measuring stick, but in reality what they've done is an anomaly. If you look at the top teams on a yearly basis, we most definitely are NOT just one player away from that level of team on a roster wide basis.

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[Grayhair1981]

Thats fine and cool. Okay to disagree. You have a different perspective and can articulate why I’m all ears.

TL is a KF hire because an exceptional AD fired his son from a position he was wholly unqualified for and for which he will NEVER have again anywhere. KF was unethical in his nepotism and put his family over Iowa. It’s just a fact. It was disgraceful.

So TL is a KF hire, yes. And let’s see how it works out.

I agree with everything you said in this thread. KF has been great for Iowa in most metrics. Hiring his son at OC then keeping him in that position when it was apparent he was in over his head is a dark stain on his legacy. Losing to ISU 12 times in 26 tries is another. And the "self-imposed" ceiling is spot-on. He was lucky to land in the one major-college job with no expectations for success.

 

[kmurpny]

I was hopeful about QB and, I guess, we still don’t know for sure. It does seem though that we are stuck with Wake forest and Auburn cast offs. I was hoping for more but factually it is far more likely Iowa will be near the bottom of the league in QB play.

 

[yrunvs]

I’m not a KF sycophant, for sure. Plenty of those on this board. Think I’m a fair observer.

He’s done a hell of a job keeping Iowa relevant. But he’s brainwashed a majority of the fan base to accept Iowas “definition” of a successful season as being in the Outback bowl. It’s enabled him to look like the constant overachiever. When in reality it’s been a self-imposed lower ceiling.

But back to the QB. The difference between Iowa and IU roster has been the QB these past couple of years. IU has gone all in even when it meant a rent a QB for 1 season or 2. Iowa should have that same approach. Dont build an excellent roster and think you can plug in a QB. Unless your definition of a successful season is different.

Your expertise opinion lost me at "Outback Bowl"? How can I take you seriously?
So, your definition of success is not playing in a non existent bowl game?

 

[Kceasthawk@77]

I agree with everything you said in this thread. KF has been great for Iowa in most metrics. Hiring his son at OC then keeping him in that position when it was apparent he was in over his head is a dark stain on his legacy. Losing to ISU 12 times in 26 tries is another. And the "self-imposed" ceiling is spot-on. He was lucky to land in the one major-college job with no expectations for success.

I get most of this, but cmon with the last sentence. You really think that He hasn't been successful enough to stay at any other major school. I assume your "major -college job" is just the top 15 schools or so. I'd be willing to bet there are dozens of P4 schools where he'd still be coaching with his consistency and quality of coaching. Its understandable that once we've won 8-10 games a year for so long that fans want more, but it also puts blinders on because that's NOT happening pretty much anywhere but the top 10 schools. Not to mention some coaches get fired for numerous other reasons besides wins and losses.

 

[Passing Is For COMMIES]

This mentality is exactly why Iowa can’t elevate.

Iowa Total AD Revenue: 19th (Per EADA)
Iowa AD Donations: 16th (Tracked by USA today and the Knight Commission from 2005 to 2022)
Iowa Football Team Budget: 22nd (Per EADA)
Iowa Football Facilities Ranking: 24th (This isn't something that's officially reported obviously, but if you google some articles Iowa is between 20-25 on all of them)

Being ranked at the end of the end of the season is not "maximizing Iowa as a program" as many people claim, either on here or in real life. It is simply meeting expectations. Or what should be the expectation anyways.

Kirk has gotten Iowa finished ranked in the top 25 of the final AP Poll 12 out of 27 years, or 44% of the time. Make of that what you will.

I'm pretty sick of the "little ol Iowa" mentality the fanbase has. It's quite simply not true.

 

[Oldman74]

A quarterback is the single most important position in football.

I would agree about the importance of the quarterback position. I do believe you can surround that position with enough pieces to let a player that isn't elite be successful. While the QB recruiting and development has been a big problem, there's also been a lack of other pieces (OL play several years ago; WR recruiting/development/play for many years) that could have propped those guys up a bit. They need to "hit" at the QB position to take the next step. (captain obvious over here)

 

[DuddyB]

This mentality is exactly why Iowa can’t elevate.

Iowa is ranked in the top 25 with 2 guys at QB who likely wouldn’t start for almost any other p4 program.

Why on earth would you build a roster and develop a team that outside of QB can compete with almost anyone…yet never really invest in the one position that could elevate you to top
10 and CFP? It’s maddening. It’s KF being KF.

The”Iowa Way” is admirable in that it makes it seem like an Outback Bowl is an amazing accomplishment and KF doing it his way, old-school, blah blah blah. But it’s really kinda cowardly.

A real P4 QB on this team makes Iowa a true
Player. But that’s a little too hot for KF to handle

I do think last year was an attempt to elevate with MG. If he has been healthy from the start and adjusted to TLsystem quicker than Iowa beats ISU and maybe IU.

Counterpoint to this is they’ve invested heavily in QB’s the last 3 years and couldn’t break through with that strategy.

I actually like the strategy they employed to upgrade the skill positions around the QB this cycle. They likely aren’t getting Diaz, James and Phillips if they spent big on a marginally better QB.

I still am giving Lester the benefit of the doubt here that either Brown or Heck will end up being at least average. If not, it’s a failure on Lester, despite many of you still trying to say it’s not “his fault.”

 

[The Big Z]

Counterpoint to this is they’ve invested heavily in QB’s the last 3 years and couldn’t break through with that strategy.

I actually like the strategy they employed to upgrade the skill positions around the QB this cycle. They likely aren’t getting Diaz, James and Phillips if they spent big on a marginally better QB.

I still am giving Lester the benefit of the doubt here that either Brown or Heck will end up being at least average. If not, it’s a failure on Lester, despite many of you still trying to say it’s not “his fault.”

They’ve “invested” very poorly. McNamara was the biggest waste of money in the history of football. And then we did it all over again with a guy who needed pretty major shoulder surgery and never really looked good throwing the ball until the bowl game. It’s insane. You bring in a new QB and he misses all of Spring practice. We do so many things right as a program but the QB position is just a total head scratcher. I’m with @IowaCityLit on this one.

 

[Grayhair1981]

I get most of this, but cmon with the last sentence. You really think that He hasn't been successful enough to stay at any other major school. I assume your "major -college job" is just the top 15 schools or so. I'd be willing to bet there are dozens of P4 schools where he'd still be coaching with his consistency and quality of coaching. Its understandable that once we've won 8-10 games a year for so long that fans want more, but it also puts blinders on because that's NOT happening pretty much anywhere but the top 10 schools. Not to mention some coaches get fired for numerous other reasons besides wins and losses.

Yes. I am saying he would not have lasted 27 years at most other major college programs. 2012 alone would have gotten him fired at most places. I am not saying he SHOULD have been fired or that I want him to be fired (unless he loses to ******* ISU this year)

 

[Hawx224]

All the angst and we have no clue what the QB position will even look like this year. I think it will be a lot better than people think.

 

[squeezebox_1]

But back to the QB. The difference between Iowa and IU roster has been the QB these past couple of years. IU has gone all in even when it meant a rent a QB for 1 season or 2. Iowa should have that same approach. Dont build an excellent roster and think you can plug in a QB. Unless your definition of a successful season is different.

They have only had a qb for one season, it is a pure rental process under Cig. IU has a significant advantage when it comes to NIL funds, reports were they paid 2.3-2.6 million. They struck gold with O'Rourke, and it wasn't like he was a highly recruited transfer. We will all see how the Josh Hoover scenario plays out this year, but IMO he has a Juliyan Sayin type scenario, where his weapons will be immense.

 

[squeezebox_1]

Yes. I am saying he would not have lasted 27 years at most other major college programs. 2012 alone would have gotten him fired at most places. I am not saying he SHOULD have been fired or that I want him to be fired (unless he loses to ******* ISU this year)

It is a little bit of hindsight, honestly, and this is my ****** opinion, but if Ferentz was able to land the recruits many of the top their programs do, hell even Nebraska, I'd bet he'd have a natty under his belt by now. The Brian scenario will forever stain his legacy, but Ferentz at a program like PSU, NU, Michigan....I'd bet he'd have one.

 

[UIAlumFireFighter]

All the angst and we have no clue what the QB position will even look like this year. I think it will be a lot better than people think.

Would LOVE for this to be true. Let’s throw that football!

 

[rchawk]

Would LOVE for this to be true. Let’s throw that football!

With the Hawks O-Line and RBs I think we will run it pretty good. When the bad guys put eight up front to stop us is the time to throw. We need a quarterback who can do that.

 

[MeetTheFerentzes]

Iowa is ranked in the top 25 with 2 guys at QB who likely wouldn’t start for almost any other p4 program.

While I agree with a lot of what you say, this here is a stretch. One of those guys already has a history of starting at a rather prominent P4 program as a freshman. Obviously, Auburn chose to move on from Brown, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he's not P4 material. Heck transferred to follow a coach of his, not necessarily because he couldn't cut it at Wake.

The bottom line is that QB is a large unknown at this point. We can only hope that TL's and KF's strategy pays off. TL has 2 guys (4, actually) that he has been developing for well over a year. These top 2 guys he recruited himself from the portal. I would expect that a coach with his reputation of developing QB's would have ONE of these guys ready to play at a high level. But, as I've posted before, Iowa chose to have two of last season's backups compete for QB1 this season, which is an extremely rare thing nowadays, so poor QB play this season would certainly call into question that strategy, as well as TL's ability to develop a QB to fit what is certainly now HIS offense, which is very solid at every other position.

Let's give 'em a chance to impress us.

 

[Ozzie89]

All the angst and we have no clue what the QB position will even look like this year. I think it will be a lot better than people think.

Agreed. Whoever is back there will be fine. Good oline, good backs, good TEs is a nice start for an inexperienced QB to step into. Just dont lose the game.

 

[Max Rebo]

At the media availability yesterday, Ferentz said the quarterback competition remains wide open, but indicated that one of the two will take the majority of the reps next week as the designated No. 1.

If Kirk is being honest that the competition is truly even, I have to wonder whether it’s a mistake not to let the battle continue through the Northern Illinois game. That would give the coaches one more meaningful metric -- how each guy performs in live competition -- before making the decision.

I understand the desire to get your eventual starter as many reps as possible. But the moment you start giving one quarterback significantly more reps than the other, you make it increasingly difficult for the second guy to prove he deserves the job. And that’s particularly relevant with a coach like Kirk Ferentz, who has historically been reluctant to make changes at quarterback once he settles on a guy.

If these two quarterbacks truly are neck-and-neck, I think you do both players -- and the team -- a service by giving them an equal opportunity to win the job in actual game conditions.

If the opener were against a significantly better opponent than Northern Illinois, I might feel differently. But given the opponent, and given what Ferentz is saying about the competition, I’d let both guys have a legitimate chance to make their case through the first game.

Then make the decision.

 

[MeetTheFerentzes]

Your expertise opinion lost me at "Outback Bowl"? How can I take you seriously?
So, your definition of success is not playing in a non existent bowl game?

You gave up on any football opinion he has because he hasn't quite kept up with the bowl sponsorship carousel?
I'll bet a vast majority of football "experts" out there couldn't name the bowl game in Tampa off the top of their head.

 

[yrunvs]

You gave up on any football opinion he has because he hasn't quite kept up with the bowl sponsorship carousel?
I'll bet a vast majority of football "experts" out there couldn't name the bowl game in Tampa off the top of their head.

No, I gave up on him when it became obvious that he couldn't get the easy stuff right.

 

[r_desihawk]

At the media availability yesterday, Ferentz said the quarterback competition remains wide open, but indicated that one of the two will take the majority of the reps next week as the designated No. 1.

If Kirk is being honest that the competition is truly even, I have to wonder whether it’s a mistake not to let the battle continue through the Northern Illinois game. That would give the coaches one more meaningful metric -- how each guy performs in live competition -- before making the decision.

I understand the desire to get your eventual starter as many reps as possible. But the moment you start giving one quarterback significantly more reps than the other, you make it increasingly difficult for the second guy to prove he deserves the job. And that’s particularly relevant with a coach like Kirk Ferentz, who has historically been reluctant to make changes at quarterback once he settles on a guy.

If these two quarterbacks truly are neck-and-neck, I think you do both players -- and the team -- a service by giving them an equal opportunity to win the job in actual game conditions.

If the opener were against a significantly better opponent than Northern Illinois, I might feel differently. But given the opponent, and given what Ferentz is saying about the competition, I’d let both guys have a legitimate chance to make their case through the first game.

Then make the decision.

i couldn’t agree more. if it’s still neck and nexk play them both in a live game. if hecklinski beats the pants off brown again it’s a very meaningful datapoint in that maybe brown isn’t a under the bright lights guy. otherwise play whoever going forward from there

 

[HawksRule73]

For me, this feels like a year that you don't really want a "gunslinger" type under center. We've got a boatload of TEs, RBs, WRs, and a really good oline. This seems like the year for a "game manager" type who won't turn it over and can get it to the right players, on time, and allow them to make plays. If that's Heck, great. If it's Hank, great. Just don't go out and throw 3 picks in the first half and put us behind the 8 ball.