Don't look now, but the Hawkeyes have found a more consistent offense under Tim Lester.
Lester was hired before the 2024 season after the program fired Brian Ferentz. The offense was so bad under Brian Ferentz that Iowa still hasn't dug out of the hole he created, but Lester is doing his best to do so. In his first season in charge of the offense, Iowa averaged 27.7 points per game, nearly two touchdowns more than the 15.4 points per game in 2023. As Lester continues to settle in and bring in players who fit his system, Iowa has reaped the benefits and has started scoring big in games more frequently
A wild stat proves the offense has taken great strides under Tim Lester
Iowa has had some offensive explosions this season, putting up 40 points against Northern Illinois in week one, 55 against Northern Iowa in week three, and 41 against Washington in week six. It's becoming a trend that we can't ignore. The offense is currently averaging 31.0 points per game and 403.2 total yards per game, which has turned a lot of heads. Aside from three average offensive performances, the Iowa offense has been solid, and it's no coincidence it keeps putting up big point totals.
The Hawkeyes have scored 38 or more points 12 times (out of a possible 32 games) since Tim Lester became Iowa’s offensive coordinator.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) October 16, 2026
In the three years before Lester, they had two games of 38 or more points.
After a 41-point outburst against Washington, the offense has now scored 38-plus points in 12 of 32 games under Lester. In the three years before Lester, Iowa only had two such games. While scoring a lot of points doesn't necessarily lead to success, it is a good sign for the Iowa offense that had been very bad under Brian Ferentz. All the pieces are falling into place, and the offense is giving the program more balance than it's ever had. In the past, Iowa relied heavily on defense and special teams to win games, but now the offense is doing its part, too.
Much of the credit goes to Lester for reshaping the offense and making it into something the program can be proud of. Iowa still hasn't completely shaken the offense's poor reputation, but it has improved. Iowa is still better defensively than offensively, but when the defense has struggled this season, the offense has picked up the slack. Michigan's offense torched Iowa's defense, but Hank Brown and the Iowa offense drove 81 yards downfield for a game-winning touchdown. Plenty of kinks remain, but everything is trending in the right direction.
Beyond the stats, the Iowa offense has shown a swagger we haven't seen before, and it's extremely refreshing.
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