Jeremy Hecklinski=short Leash; Hank Brown=no leash

Kceasthawk@77

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The majority opinion on here is that neither QB is P4 starter caliber. Again. Gronowski has been the only serviceable QB Iowa has had since 2019 and he played well about half of one season.
And I agree 100% with your post. Its the "Heck has shown he can have GREAT games". That's pure nonsense. He's done no such thing. He's had ONE good game influenced by our run game stomping Washington into a mud hole the first three Q's. That's it.
 

eyesofhawk

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What is the chance bessinger gets some run?
Oh, I'd absolutely go with him soon. If he's not the future at QB, there is none. Get him out there and get him reps so he'll be ready to roll next season. Neither Heck nor Hank is gonna take Iowa anywhere near the CFP.
Exactly - if Sullivan or Bessinger has shown any ability to be a good QB you start playing them now. No point in wasting 2 more years with either Heck or Hank

This season is done anyway. One of Hank or Heck will transfer next year too. Let those other guys get their feet wet and play for the future
What a joke
 

eyesofhawk

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Kirk wants Brown over Heck because Heck is risky with the ball and might turn it over. Meanwhile Brown has 3 TOs and it’s his spot until he gets hurt again. It’s ludicrous.
No. You are ludicrous. What are you even talking about?

KF "wants Brown over Heck"? Then why did Heck start today? And why was it an open competition into the season?

If Heck is too risky for KF, why did he recruit him?
 

DuddyB

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Grayhair1981

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And I agree 100% with your post. Its the "Heck has shown he can have GREAT games". That's pure nonsense. He's done no such thing. He's had ONE good game influenced by our run game stomping Washington into a mud hole the first three Q's. That's it.
You have made a lot of posts on here tonight that amount to what you always do: shilling for KF. You said in one of your posts that Iowa isn't getting a capable QB as long as the current free agency system exists.
1) how do dozens of equal or lesser programs manage to do so. Illinois has been playing a true freshman since their starter went down. CFU just beat BYU with a guy at QB that transferred from FIU. Threw for 293 and three TDs. That is ONE example.
2) how do you explain ONE Iowa QB being an NFL starter (and that only because of injury to starters) in KFs 27 years here prior to this year. Which QB on the current roster is going to change that?
 

Kceasthawk@77

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You have made a lot of posts on here tonight that amount to what you always do: shilling for KF. You said in one of your posts that Iowa isn't getting a capable QB as long as the current free agency system exists.
1) how do dozens of equal or lesser programs manage to do so. Illinois has been playing a true freshman since their starter went down. CFU just beat BYU with a guy at QB that transferred from FIU. Threw for 293 and three TDs. That is ONE example.
2) how do you explain ONE Iowa QB being an NFL starter (and that only because of injury to starters) in KFs 27 years here prior to this year. Which QB on the current roster is going to change that?
How does the post you responded too have anything to do with what I said? I said Heck hasn't had any great games. Has he? As to your post, maybe your right, and Iowa under Kirk doesn't put enough resources to getting THAT QB. Fair statement. Maybe he puts more emphasis throughout the roster, and that leads to us being a pretty good team that can't beat the OSU's of the world. So I guess here's the question. Lets say he does the opposite and spends the money on a QB, and worries less about other positions. Do we win more? You named a bunch of other teams who have brought in better QB's. Hell right in the B1G. How many are winning more on a regular basis. Illinois, you mentioned. Nebraska, Wisconsin, Purdue. Minnesota etc.. plus lesser schools you mentioned. Are they winning more games year to year?

To add, some of those funds go to retention of current players on both sides of the ball. Would we still have a solid defense most years if we had to over spend at one spot, and started losing some stars from other positions? Its just a question, not saying there's a right or wrong.
 
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LetsGoHawks83

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It's pretty obvious that a lot of you have planted your flag in either the Heck or Hank camp and won't view the play objectively.

Heck was given the opportunity to run with the starting job today and was not good. Hank came in and was the same or just marginally better.

Both missed throws so it's impossible to say "we would have won, if xxx played the whole game"

It was like watching the Keystone cops yesterday, EVERY player was falling over each other to outdo the the latest mistake. Complete cluster f*ck
 

BringBackBradBanks

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Hank looked better overall. The arm difference is apparent.

Hecklinski is like a PG who can't shoot 3's and is a liability on defense.

Brown is like a slow power forward who does everything average.

Take your pick...
There isn’t one thing Hank does at the average level of a an average big ten quarterback, besides his big arm and big size. He has zero pocket awareness, can’t run, panics under pressure, bad ball security, not accurate with his throws, deep ball is always a shot in the dark. If we had average qb play, we are in the playoffs.
 

RagnarLothbrok

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Heck got 5 drives. The first drive I’m not faulting him for. Second drive he looked good until the pick which was bad. Third drive not good, missed Diaz deep on 1st down. Fourth drive he was ok but missed Diaz again. Fifth drive I don’t fault him because of the penalties and all we tried to do was run.

Brown got 8 drives. First drive was ok, horrible attempt to Buie to end it. Second drive was the atrocious pick, not good. Third drive not good, he did have the 13yd run though. Fourth drive not good, did get the PI on third on the poorly thrown ball to extend drive. Fifth drive not good, fumble recovered by Phillips, BJ fumble ended drive. Sixth drive not good, RVZ bobble to pick, not Brown fault. Seventh drive pretty good, huge thanks to Diaz. Eighth drive not good, missed wide open DJV.

Heck had 2 bad drives and got yanked. Brown opened with 5 consecutive bad drives and nothing to see here in Kirk’s eyes.
Ryan Gosling Clap GIF
 

RagnarLothbrok

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"its splitting hairs"? Now go back and read your first post. Said this after the Washington game when everyone was hyped up on Heck. We punished them in the run game and Heck had all day to throw to wide open receivers. What did it look like today? For the life of me I don't see the evidence that he's any better then Brown under pressure. In this game Brown gets credited with 2 interceptions. The first was actually a sack and the ball was knocked out of his hand and into the arms of a defender. The 2nd was a good pass to RVZ across the middle and he alligator armed it and bounced into the arms of a gopher player.
My OP brings to question why Heck’s leash is so much shorter than Brown’s.
 
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BringBackBradBanks

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I would certainly hope this is an overreaction.

Hoping a HOF career ends sooner than later. 🤣 You can't make this **** up
Brian. Why are you not concentrating on ending Fresno State’s two game losing streak on your bye week than coming on here and digging up memories of the glory days of Deacon Hill and Spencer Petras? The Bulldogs are counting on you!
 

RagnarLothbrok

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Hanks first Int was a sack basically where he was hit from behind and the ball fell forward. The 2nd was a really good pass across the middle to RVZ who dropped the ball right in both hands. Yes, all the fumbles just can't happen. Even one less, and we probably win a game we had no business winning.
And Heck had a good drive going until (IIRC) a linebacker laid out and made a great play on the ball that would have likely been 6 if not for a fantastic individual effort by the Minnesota linebacker who picked off the pass near the goal line. Brown also had some terrible misses throughout the game, which included the last drive where DJV was wide open on a simple post route. Ball wasn’t even close, and there’s no excuse for that when you’ve had seven drives under your belt prior to that one. And it’s not like Brown had pressure in his face. He just flat out missed DJV by a country mile.

So, yes, we can go back and forth on this. IMO, Heck sucked slightly less yesterday but was never given a real opportunity to settle into the game. That’s, again, the question in the OP. Why? IMO, and I emphasize IMO, Heck has slightly more upside than Brown. If not for a fantastic individual effort by Tony Diaz on an impressive YAC and easy pitch and catch to RVZ on the one and only Iowa scoring drive, Brown was otherwise awful. If it wasn’t a dump off pass to the tight end, many of his throws weren’t close.

So, again, I ask: Why is Brown’s leash so long?
 
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RagnarLothbrok

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You've seen Heck play ONE full game against a team we dominated who could not stop a run game, so the play action game was WIDE open the whole game. Based off that alone we're convinced he's the best option, and the coaches have no idea what they're doing. Okay then....
Read better.
 

Kceasthawk@77

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And Heck had a good drive going until (IIRC) a linebacker laid out and made a great play on the ball that would have likely been 6 if not for a fantastic individual effort by the Minnesota linebacker who picked off the pass near the goal line. Brown also had some terrible misses throughout the game, which included the last drive where DJV was wide open on a simple post route. Ball wasn’t even close, and there’s no excuse for that when you’ve had seven drives under your belt prior to that one. And it’s not like Brown had pressure in his face. He just flat out missed DJV by a country mile.

So, yes, we can go back and forth on this. IMO, Heck sucked slightly less yesterday but was never given a real opportunity to settle into the game. That’s, again, the question in the OP. Why? IMO, and I emphasize IMO, Heck has slightly more upside than Brown. If not for a fantastic individual effort by Tony Diaz on an impressive YAC and easy pitch and catch to RVZ on the one and only Iowa scoring drive, Brown was otherwise awful. If it wasn’t a dump off pass to the tight end, many of his throws weren’t close.

So, again, I ask: Why is Brown’s leash so long?
And Heck had a good drive going until (IIRC) a linebacker laid out and made a great play on the ball that would have likely been 6 if not for a fantastic individual effort by the Minnesota linebacker who picked off the pass near the goal line. Brown also had some terrible misses throughout the game, which included the last drive where DJV was wide open on a simple post route. Ball wasn’t even close, and there’s no excuse for that when you’ve had seven drives under your belt prior to that one. And it’s not like Brown had pressure in his face. He just flat out missed DJV by a country mile.

So, yes, we can go back and forth on this. IMO, Heck sucked slightly less yesterday but was never given a real opportunity to settle into the game. That’s, again, the question in the OP. Why? IMO, and I emphasize IMO, Heck has slightly more upside than Brown. If not for a fantastic individual effort by Tony Diaz on an impressive YAC and easy pitch and catch to RVZ on the one and only Iowa scoring drive, Brown was otherwise awful. If it wasn’t a dump off pass to the tight end, many of his throws weren’t close.

So, again, I ask: Why is Brown’s leash so long?
I would say that the staff had decided he's the best option, and by staff I mean Lester, the QB coach and Kirk. Right or wrong, but I don't see that much difference in either guy. I've said from the start of the season that by the end of the 2nd game they needed to pick ONE guy and go with it. What were seeing right now is not good for either guy, and I think it shows in the lack of consistency from both guys. After yesterday, where do they go now? Neither played well, and neither believes it his job, and we're in game 8 of the season. I also said last week I thought Heck had earned the start against Minny. They probably should have left him go at least the first half, but here we are.
 

RagnarLothbrok

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Michigan with Mccarthy
McCarthy threw for 2,991 yards completing 72% of his passes for 22 TDs to 4 INTs that year. Not exactly Heisman numbers, but not bad when your team rushes for over 2,500 yards and puts up 40 TDs on the ground.

Last year, Gronowski threw for 1, 741 yards, completing 63% while putting up 10 TDs to 7 INTs.

I will take McCarthy’s non excellence at Iowa every f#cking year.
 

Hawkeye54545

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Maybe throw on 2nd and 10 once in a while. He put them in a terrible position at 3rd and longs all day. Kept running it into a brick wall. He was predictable today which made it easy for Minnesota.
We made a drinking game out of it at the bar I was watching. If we threw an incompletion on first down we had to drink on second down if we ran it for minimal gain.

It helps cope
 
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RagnarLothbrok

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My apologies. I imagine I'm responding to multiple posts as the forum is turning into a cesspool as it usually does after a loss.
I’m still waiting for a response from anyone that addresses why Brown’s leash seems so much longer. We all have opinions, but none of those opinions address why Heck can supposedly take over the starting job and not even get one full half of football to try to settle into the starting role.
 

DuddyB

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And Heck had a good drive going until (IIRC) a linebacker laid out and made a great play on the ball that would have likely been 6 if not for a fantastic individual effort by the Minnesota linebacker who picked off the pass near the goal line. Brown also had some terrible misses throughout the game, which included the last drive where DJV was wide open on a simple post route. Ball wasn’t even close, and there’s no excuse for that when you’ve had seven drives under your belt prior to that one. And it’s not like Brown had pressure in his face. He just flat out missed DJV by a country mile.

So, yes, we can go back and forth on this. IMO, Heck sucked slightly less yesterday but was never given a real opportunity to settle into the game. That’s, again, the question in the OP. Why? IMO, and I emphasize IMO, Heck has slightly more upside than Brown. If not for a fantastic individual effort by Tony Diaz on an impressive YAC and easy pitch and catch to RVZ on the one and only Iowa scoring drive, Brown was otherwise awful. If it wasn’t a dump off pass to the tight end, many of his throws weren’t close.

So, again, I ask: Why is Brown’s leash so long?
I think to answer your question. They mostly feel like Hank is the safer play but also has the bigger arm and bigger size. Heck is the boom or bust qb equivalent to a streak shooter in basketball. Probably the same rational used as to why Alvaro played so little against Illinois.
 
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eyesofhawk

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Because quarterback play is nominally important. Excellent point. 🙄

Let’s just have Iowa run a wishbone or wing-T. RUN THE FOOTBALL!
If qb play at Iowa isn't very good, then there must be other ways to win games.

Because 90% of the programs across the country would kill to be Iowa
 

MeetTheFerentzes

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They both suck. More evidence of how terrible KF is at evaluating QB talent.

Supposedly Lester signed off on all 5 QB's currently on the roster......

I'm going to give KF and TL a break as far as having HB and JH on the roster, as they really had to scramble in the portal after having 4 QB's transfer after the '24 season. HB was brought in in Dec just to make sure we had a warm body. Gronowski was TL's hand-picked guy to come in as QB1 in Jan, Then JH was basically taken off the scrap pile in May.

What I DO blame them for is having these two as the top options for this season. If they genuinely thought that one of these two was going to develop into a B1G QB by this season, then they are pretty poor judges of QB talent and/or Lester way overestimates his ability to develop a QB.

If the narrative is true that Iowa just didn't have NIL $ to bring in a B1G QB because of the amount spent on Diaz, then I'd say they did a poor job of allocating NIL $. Diaz doesn't do us a lot of good with no one to get him the ball; he's likely gone after this season. I think our offense would be in better shape having a solid QB throwing to RVZ, B. Jackson and our TEs.

I've been a fan of TL since he arrived, and he's given life to the offense for the most part, but that BF/Petras/Deacon flashback yesterday was nauseating. The jury is still out on TL. He's got Bess sitting in the wings, and it's basically gotten to the point that all his eggs are in that basket. Pressure will be in the stratosphere for Bess to be the next Drew Tate, and for this offense to start looking more like '02-'04, or at least '08-'10, and a lot less like '21-'23 and what we saw today.
 
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RagnarLothbrok

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I think to answer your question. They mostly feel like Hank is the safer play but also has the bigger arm and bigger size. Heck is the boom or bust qb equivalent to a streak shooter in basketball. Probably the same rational used as to why Alvaro played so little against Illinois.
Finally! Great post.
 
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