When the Nebraska football team takes on Iowa at the end of the year, will Hank Brown or Jeremy Hecklinksi be under center? It appears that not even head coach Kirk Ferentz knows that just yet.
It was one thing when Ferentz had no idea who would be the starting quarterback for his team during Big Ten Media Days. After all, no one had started training camp yet. However, with less than a week to go until Ferentz's crew opens the season against Northern Illinois, who will be QB1 is still a mystery in Iowa City.
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports was the first to report that Iowa's quarterback battle will continue into the regular season. "The starting QB competition at Iowa between Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown remains unsettled and is currently expected to continue through the team’s season opener vs. Northern Illinois this week," Zenitz wrote on Twitter before adding that it's not even clear who will get the first snap against the Huskies.
While Nebraska knew (even if it wasn't telling anyone outright) that Anthony Colandrea would be the Huskers' starting quarterback the day he transferred to Lincoln from UNLV, the battle between third-year quarterback Hecklinski and fourth-year signal-caller Brown has remained close throughout fall camp. Ferentz indicated that a decision will need to be made during game week about which quarterback receives the majority of first-team repetitions.
Iowa quarterbacks lack Big Ten starting experience before Nebraska football showdown
Perhaps the biggest surprise about Iowa's reticence about naming a starting quarterback yet is that Hecklinski generated plenty praise during the Hawkeyes' Kids Day practice on Aug. 15, when he threw four touchdown passes in approximately 45 minutes and clearly outperformed Brown.
In Ferentz's defense, he cautioned against placing too much emphasis on a single practice, stressing that the staff must evaluate the entire body of work from camp. Apparently, Hecklinski hasn't been nearly as dominant in the QB race when fans and media aren't around to see who is doing what.
Offensive coordinator Tim Lester, entering his third season with Iowa, has also said the competition could continue into the season. Ferentz acknowledged that determining the starter could ultimately involve his personal judgment. In other words, he's cautioning Hawkeyes fans that there's a chance neither candidate will separate himself based on performance alone.
Part of the issue is that neither candidate has started a Big Ten game. Brown is the only Iowa quarterback currently on the roster with prior college starts, having made two for Auburn in 2024. He also appeared in three games for the Hawkeyes last season and completed 5 of 13 passes for 48 yards with one interception after taking over late against eventual national champion Indiana in a 20-15 loss.
Hecklinski played in two games for Iowa last season and previously took three snaps for Wake Forest as a true freshman. The only quarterback who seems to be completely out of the race is third-teamer Jimmy Sullivan, who has received limited work during camp.
With the Black Friday game between Nebraska and Iowa still months away, it's possible the Hawkeyes will have their quarterback situation figured out in plenty of time. However, the Huskers have to be hoping the mystery continues all season long.
Add us as a preferred source on Google