4 critical takeaways from Iowa's depth chart against UNI that fans must pay attention to

Iowa ultimately earned a hard-fought win over Iowa State, but it wasn't without some bumps and bruises.

The Hawkeyes entered the game relatively healthy, but they lacked backup running back L.J. Phillips Jr. and starting safety Tyler Brown for the pivotal week two matchup. After the victory, Iowa is fully focused on Northern Iowa, but more key players could be missing this week as Iowa works to get healthy. Health, coupled with a lingering starting quarterback issue, definitely stood out from Iowa's week three depth chart.

Iowa STILL doesn't know who the starting quarterback is

In a frustrating development, the dreaded "OR" designation is still next to Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski. Kirk Ferentz and the coaching staff are stretching the starting QB competition into the third week of the season, and while that isn't unexpected, it is surprising after last weekend's game. Ferentz announced that Brown would start his second game for the Hawkeyes, and Hecklinski would enter at some point, but that didn't happen.

After splitting reps in week one, Brown started against Iowa State and never left the game, suggesting Ferentz had finally made his decision. Ferentz said postgame that he deviated from their initial quarterback strategy because of "game flow," and now we know where both quarterbacks stand heading into week three.

Despite Brown's solid performance against Iowa State (191 passing yards, one rushing TD), Ferentz did not name him the starter for week three as the staff continues assessing both quarterbacks. Brown clearly has the advantage over Hecklinski for the starting role, and it will be interesting to see who ultimately earns the job after the UNI game. If both play well, the competition could stretch into week four, which would be the worst-case scenario.

Kamari Moulton still listed as the starter after a late exit against ISU

The Iowa running game struggled mightily against Iowa State, with an uncharacteristically pedestrian performance from Kamai Moulton. A week after torching Northern Illinois for 183 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Moulton managed just 57 yards (3.7 yards per carry) and no touchdowns. The players and coaching staff chalked up the bad performance to Iowa State mixing up their schemes and pressures very well, and not being able to game plan for the multitude of new players. One of the biggest headlines was Moulton's late exit in the fourth quarter of the win, but he is still listed on the depth chart.

Kirk Ferentz later revealed that Moulton is "day-to-day," something that will be worth monitoring against UNI. If Moulton can't go, Xavier Williams, Nathan McNeil, Brevin Doll, and Braeden Jackson should carry the rushing load. Moulton will be needed for a critical road matchup against Michigan in week four, so if there is any doubt that he isn't 100 percent, the program should rest him so that he is close to fully healthy for the Michigan game.

Starting TE DJ Vonnahme is listed as the starter but is unlikely to play against Northern Iowa

Starting tight end DJ Vonnahme was also a casualty of the physical game against Iowa State, and his health is in question before week three. The official depth chart lists Vonnahme as the starter, but Ferentz said "there is a good chance" he'll be ready to go for the Michigan game. That doesn't inspire much confidence that Vonnahme will play against UNI, but his status is still unclear. If Vonnahme can't go, Addison Ostrenga, Zach Ortwerth, Thomas Meyer, and Eli Johnson will likely handle the bulk of the reps.

Vonnahme burst onto the scene last season and has established himself as Iowa's TE1, so if he isn't fully healthy, it makes more sense to rest him against UNI and have him back for the Michigan game. Iowa's TE room is deep, so even though Vonnahme is a crucial part of the offense, they shouldn't miss him against the Panthers.

UPDATE: Ferentz said thjat he "doubts" Vonnahme will be ready for Saturday's game against UNI. Ostrenga should get the start, with a combination of multiple others rounding out the reps.

Still no L.J. Phillips Jr. or Tyler Brown for week three

Iowa has been missing two important players since week one: backup RB L.J. Phillips Jr. and Tyler Brown, and we won't see them for at least another week. Brown has been sidelined since the spring with a hamstring injury and is still absent from the week three depth chart. Brown, a transfer portal addition from James Madison, was a projected starter at one of the safety spots, but hasn't been able to suit up so far this season. He is projected to return soon and, hopefully, will be available for the Michigan game. Without Brown in the lineup, Zach Lutmer and transfer Anthony Hawkins have been starting at safety, with Jacob Wallace at CASH.

Phillips Jr. went out early in week one against Northern Illinois and is still dealing with a lingering issue. While his injury hasn't been revealed, he will miss at least one more week. Ferentz said that he is "making good progress," but his future status is still unknown. Without Phillips and potentially Moulton this weekend, the Hawkeyes' depth will be greatly tested against UNI.

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