Iowa Football: What To Make Of The Cloudy Starting Quarterback Race

A good quarterback competition has been, and continues to brew in Iowa City heading into the season opener on September 2nd.

Even a week into the official camp, the Hawkeyes are not definitively ‘tipping their hand’ in terms of who will be under center James Daniels when the games count. Not much has changed since Dear Old Gold speculated on who it would be two months ago.

From the media on hand, to the interviews with the parties involved, it clearly is what it is being advertised as, an ‘open race’.

Depth charts and public opinion would venture to say that it will be true sophomore Nathan Stanley. Stanley looks the part, and it spoke volumes that he overtook the #2 spot last year behind CJ Beathard, and ahead of Tyler Wiegers.

Some of the upperclassmen may in fact be privately behind Wiegers, who has ‘waited his turn’. and has been with the program for what will be his fourth year. It will be an interesting development to see the ripples it creates if he is, or isn’t selected as the starter. If he is, would it impact the growth of younger players Nathan Stanley and Peyton Mansell. If it is not, will Wiegers who has the talent, try to finish out his career somewhere else, a la Cody Sokol (Louisiana Tech) and Nik Shimonek (Texas Tech).

But, from all indications it most likely will be either Stanley or Wiegers. But, they also have some wild card factors in the equation.

True freshmen Peyton Mansell comes in with the high school pedigree and athleticism to compete right away. It would be quite an upset in this race if he came away the starter week one opposing one of the top quarterbacks in America in Josh Allen, but it is possible.

Fellow preferred walk-on Tommy Herion will be, in all likelihood be wearing the redshirt in 2017. But, could join the fray in 2018. Sophomore Ryan Boyle is moving back to quarterback this season, after a year at wide receiver. He is somewhat forgotten from the outsider perspective, as chornicled by Rob Howe of Hawkeye Nation. But, like the rest of the quarterbacks fighting it out this August, now is the time to show what they can do in practice, because a long term job as the Iowa quarterback is on the table.

Is it important for the Hawkeyes to make a decision soon?

The Hawkeyes aren’t going to go ‘air raid’ in 2017, but it is important to establish a passing game for new offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz. The Hawkeyes open the season against a Wyoming team that got more coaches votes than Iowa did. Finding some cohesion before the last game of the month against Penn State is paramount to avoiding a ‘rebuilding’ year in 2017.

Of course, there is another option that was talked about by Iowa running backs Akrum Wadley and James Butler. They could go run the Wildcat.