It wasn't as many as in week one, but we saw two different quarterbacks enter the game against Northern Iowa.
Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski both took snaps against the Panthers, with Brown earning his third straight start. The starting quarterback role is still up in the air, with Kirk Ferentz and the coaching staff staying tight-lipped about the decision. After the UNI game, a clear front-runner emerged for the job, and we graded both quarterbacks after an offensive explosion in week three.
Hank Brown grade: A+
Brown quickly gained ground on Hecklinski after everyone was sure that Hecklinski should earn the job after the Kids Day open practice in the offseason. Hecklinski torched the defense, and most people (including us) thought he was a sure thing to earn the job. It was slightly surprising when Ferentz named Brown the week-one starter, but he has improved in every game since then. The starting quarterback competition has taken many twists and turns, but after another stellar performance in week three, Brown has all but locked up the role.
Brown started the game and showed everyone why he earned the starting job. Brown threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns on a perfect 12/12 passing day in the first half, and didn't play in the second half. Although Brown's perfect day came against a much weaker opponent, it wasn't easy, and he deserves credit. The Hawkeyes' offense put up 640 total yards, which included 218 passing yards. Brown accounted for 70 percent of them. He also completed all of his passes, something Iowa fans rarely see.
After a perfect day, Brown earns a perfect score.
Final grade: A+
Jeremy Hecklinski grade: D
Multiple people question Ferentz's decision not to play Hecklinski against the Cyclones in week two. Before the game, Ferentz said he planned on playing both quarterbacks, but it didn't work out that way. Ferentz's main reason for deviating from their initial strategy was "game flow," and he didn't want to take Brown out. Against UNI in week three, Hecklinski was finally back under center, but didn't do enough to earn a high grade, let alone win the starting job.
Hecklinski played the entire second half as the game was well in hand, but he was less than impressive against an overmatched Panthers defense. Although he showed a willingness to throw the ball deep, he wasn't very efficient, finishing with 65 passing yards on 6/11. He also didn't throw or rush for a touchdown pass. He did play with most backups in the second half, but he didn't do enough to push Brown for the starting role.
Hecklinski finished with 65 passing yards, -11 rushing yards, and no touchdowns against the Panthers, giving Brown a clear edge. His final stat line also gave him a 9.0 quarterback rating (QBR), far below Brown's 96.7. He fought hard, but it wouldn't be surprising if Brown is the guy moving forward, and Hecklinski is relegated to his primary backup. Hecklinski's hopes of starting recently ended after the week-four depth chart listed Hank Brown as starter
Final grade: D
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