Jeremy Hecklinski proved he's a team-first guy with his latest admission

Iowa's 31-14 loss to Ohio State in week five had few bright spots, but one was backup quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski.

Hecklinski was in the mix for the starting quarterback spot with Hank Brown after Mark Gronowski graduated, with Brown ultimately winning the job after week three. Hecklinski admitted he's been itching for another opportunity, and he got one against the Buckeyes last weekend. He performed well in limited duty and made an interesting revelation about waiting his turn.

Hecklinski admits it's hard to wait his turn, but he only wants the team to win

Hecklinski lost a close battle to Brown for the starting job, but made the most of his opportunity when Brown injured his shoulder against the Buckeyes late in the third quarter. Hecklinski played the entire fourth quarter and led the offense's best drive of the game. He took the Hawkeyes 77 yards on eight plays and scored the team's only touchdown. Hecklinski finished with 67 passing yards on 5/5 passing, and looked good doing it. After Hecklinski finally got another opportunity, he admitted it's been hard to wait, but a win matters more.

Hecklinski admitted that "obviously" it's been hard to wait for his opportunity, but he only wants the team to win. When Brown threw the game-winning touchdown pass against Michigan in week four, Hecklinski claimed he was the happiest guy ever and that winning matters more than his playing time. Iowa's offense has struggled mightily over the past few weeks in its first two Big Ten Conference games, but Hecklinski showed the pieces are there to be successful. Ohio State is a very good team that paid a lot for its roster, and if Iowa had hit on a few missed opportunities, who knows what could have happened.

Brown isn't the only factor in the offense's struggles, as the offensive line and running game have been suspect as well. The schedule isn't getting easier, but luckily, the two hardest games are done. All Iowa can do is take these experiences and build on what they have learned, but if something doesn't change soon, more calls will come for Hecklinski to take over. After Hecklinski performed well in relief, multiple people were calling for him to be the guy moving forward, including some former players. Desmond King has been one of the loudest proponents of Hecklinski taking over, posting "Hecklinski moving forward" on his official "X" account after the loss.

King has since clarified his post, but he isn't the only one calling for a change at quarterback. Hecklinski is clearly a team-first guy, but if the Brown can't go against Washington in week six on a short week, or the offense struggles again with him under center, outside pressure will mount to make a switch. The most popular player on the team is always the backup quarterback, and while Kirk Ferentz and the coaching staff won't let outside noise influence their decisions, something must change if the offense doesn't improve.

Iowa should stick with Brown...but be ready to move to Hecklinski

Hecklinski provided a spark against Ohio State, though it was a little too late for the Hawkeyes to build on. Brown was ineffective in the passing attack, missing some open throws and holding onto the ball too long, which gave the defense time to collapse. The offense has been poor for two straight weeks, and excluding Brown's game-winning drive against Michigan in week four, he has been very inconsistent. It is tough to switch horses mid-race, but if the offensive struggles continue, Ferentz might have no other choice.

Brown won the job for a reason, so pulling him after one bad start isn't necessarily the move, but if he struggles against Washington in week six, Ferentz should consider giving Hecklinski some snaps. The Huskies have struggled through the first five weeks of the season, especially in Big Ten play, and Iowa should win this weekend. If Brown is out, Hecklinski will be the guy, but even if Brown plays, he should have a short leash. If Ferentz and the coaching staff move to Hecklinski, they have to be sure, and moving too early or too late could be even worse for a middling offense.

Getting the running game going will fix many of the problems plaguing the offense, but if it keeps struggling, Hecklinski is a good runner who can alleviate some of the pressure. The offense proved how effective it can be when it uses the quarterback run game, and although Hecklinski isn't nearly as good at running as Gronowski was, he does have that in his bag. We aren't calling for Brown's job yet, but his seat should get a lot hotter if he doesn't perform against Washington. If Brown's shoulder injury isn't 100 percent by the time Iowa leaves for Seattle, Ferentz should let him rest and start Hecklinski to see what he can do with a full game.

Iowa has a week-seven bye, and starting Hecklinski, regardless of Brown's shoulder, is a good way to give Brown extra rest and evaluate Hecklinski more.

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