Everyone has talked at length about Iowa's starting quarterback situation, but after week three, those conversations should be all but over.
All offseason, Kirk Ferentz and the program consistently said Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski were neck and neck in the starting quarterback competition, and that they would keep evaluating them into the start of the regular season. We are now three weeks into the 2026 season, and Ferentz has kept his word. Although Brown earned three consecutive starts, Hecklinski still got a chance, but after week three, it is clear who should earn the job.
Why Hank Brown should be Iowa's starting quarterback
Brown earned his first career start with the Hawkeyes in week one against Northern Illinois, and while his performance was hard to grade, he played better than Hecklinski. Ferentz used a "pitch count" strategy against Northern Illinois, giving both quarterbacks nearly equal snaps in the first half. Brown finished his day with 129 passing yards and a touchdown in split duty, and didn't play in the second half. Brown followed that up with 191 passing yards, 22 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown in week two against Iowa State, but still wasn't named the starter.
Instead, Ferentz said Brown would "probably" start against Northern Iowa, and he ultimately earned his third consecutive start. Brown had his best performance in an Iowa uniform and put any lingering concerns to rest. He finished with 153 passing yards and two touchdowns on a perfect 12/12 passing, and didn't play in the second half. If he had played longer, he could have put up even bigger numbers against a clearly overmatched UNI defense. Hecklinski played the entire second half, finishing with 65 passing yards on 6/11. Although Hecklinski didn't play that poorly, he didn't do enough against a weaker opponent to win the job, and Brown should have the starting job moving forward.
Ferentz didn't officially name Brown as the starter, but the recent depth chart doesn't have an "OR" designation for the quarterbacks. Brown has shown why he should be the guy moving forward, and we can no longer question why it took Ferentz so long to decide. After week three, we have seen enough of both quarterbacks to decide, and it's time Ferentz does the same. Continuing to dangle the starting job in front of both quarterbacks isn't helping anyone, and Brown has shown that it is his job to lose. Hecklinski competed extremely hard for the job, but it's time to move on with Brown as the starter.
If Brown earns the job and falters, the conversation will start back up, but for now, he's done enough to earn the job, and it wouldn't be surprising if he is under center against Michigan.
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