Nerves? What nerves? Hank Brown is 'fired up' to take on Michigan in the Big House

The Hawkeyes' surprising offensive explosion to start the season faces a much tougher test against Michigan in week four.

Iowa's offense has been propelled by a stellar rushing attack that has averaged 268 yards per game, and the total offense would look much better if it didn't have a revolving door at quarterback. Through the first three games of the season, the Iowa offense has averaged 477 yards per game, far ahead of last season. The squad looks drastically different since the two programs matched up in the 2023 Big Ten Championship, and new starting QB Hank Brown is excited for the challenge.

Hank Brown is "fired up" to battle Michigan in the Big Ten opener

Newly crowned starting quarterback Hank Brown has been a big surprise for the Iowa offense after most people wrote him off. He started as Mark Gronowski's primary backup last season and struggled in his first appearance against Indiana. Jeremy Hecklinski eventually supplanted him as the primary backup, raising questions about his future in Iowa City. Credit Brown, he stuck with it and played well enough in the offseason to be in the mix for the starting quarterback vacancy.

As early as last month, fans and the media fell in love with Hecklinski after his Kids Day performance, and it looked like that was it for Brown. Kirk Ferentz shocked most people by naming Brown the week-one starter, and Brown has been the starter ever since. With three career starts under his belt and a massive confidence surge after winning the job, Brown is excited to battle Michigan.

With three words, Brown summed up how he feels heading into the Michigan game. When asked about any nerves ahead of the game, Brown said, "Man, I'm fired up." Brown probably has some underlying nerves before the biggest start of his college career, but he is doing his best not to show it. Brown knows that playing Michigan on the road won't be easy, and while the fans will try to dictate the game, the offense will try its best not to let the outside noise affect them.

Brown has played very well through the first three games of the season, and although he hasn't been heavily relied upon, he has made the most of his opportunity. Brown capped off the non-conference schedule with a perfect game against Northern Iowa, throwing for 153 yards and two touchdowns on a perfect 12/12. That is a rare feat, especially for an Iowa quarterback, and his performance silenced any doubts.

Iowa hasn't faced a team anywhere near Michigan's caliber, but they have taken care of business, beating the teams they should beat. Excluding the tight game against Iowa State, two of the first three games haven't been close, and although he has shared snaps with Hecklinski, Brown has been extremely efficient and effective under center. This weekend will be Brown's first true test, and if the offensive line can keep the heat off him, the offense can keep thriving. It won't be easy to crack the Michigan defense, but Iowa has the weapons and is more well-rounded than it's ever been on offense, giving them a solid chance to knock off the Wolverines at home.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow