On3 fanned the flames of Iowa's ongoing starting QB battle with a bold prediction

We are 50 days away from the start of Iowa football for the 2026-2027 season, and we still aren't any closer to a starting quarterback decision.

The starting quarterback situation was one of the biggest questions coming out of spring ball, and the further we get into the summer, the more the question will resurface. Kirk Ferentz has kept the decision very close to the vest, as he often does, but no one seems to have any information beyond small snippets from him. The starting job is still much "50-50," and On3 Sports isn't going out on a limb for its projection.

On3 is giving a slight edge to Jeremy Hecklinski in Iowa's starting QB race

Both Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski served as backups to starter Mark Gronowski last season, with Brown starting the season as the backup and Hecklinski overtaking him later on. As we have progressed through the offseason, neither player has separated themselves, or Ferentz simply hasn't admitted they have made a choice; nonetheless, Rivals is giving Hecklinski the edge.

In their starting quarterback predictions for Big Ten programs, some were very easy, and others, like Iowa, were not. On3 went with the obvious choice, giving Hecklinski the nod because he overtook Brown as the backup late last season. On3 Sports' Pete Nakos revealed that Ferentz told them in the spring that he wouldn't be surprised if Iowa uses both quarterbacks, pushing the competition into the fall.

Both players reportedly received equal starting snaps during the spring, with both performing very well. On3 also admitted that Brown seemingly made up some ground in the competition, making it closer than it was before the spring started. Giving Hecklinski the nod over Brown proves On3 is in the same boat as all of us and has little to no idea which way Ferentz and the program are leaning heading into next season. As the old saying goes, "If you have two quarterbacks, you have none," and Iowa is trending in that direction. Hecklinski is the safe and easy pick, but Brown is doing his best to throw a wrench into the situation.

Both players bring something a little different to the table, and it will be interesting to see who capitalizes on summer workouts and practices. Hecklinski brings a pure gunslinger mentality who isn't afraid to push it downfield, while Brown is much more accurate of a passer with a stronger arm, but he prefers to stay in the pocket. Another reason why Hecklinski might have the edge is thanks to offensive coordinator Tim Lester.

While Hecklinski might be a safe choice, he also makes sense

Brown started last season because he had more time in the system, joining the program as an early transfer during bowl preparation. Hecklinski transferred to Iowa via the transfer portal after the season, giving Brown a slight edge in the backup QB race. Gronowski was an ironman for the squad last season, but when he suffered an injury late against Indiana, Brown was thrust into duty. He was very uninspiring and admitted postgame that he didn't play his best in the loss. His admission opened the door for Hecklinski to push for the backup role.

Hecklinski, not Brown, entered the game when Iowa was blowing out Wisconsin in Madison, completing his only pass for two yards in mop-up duty. Hecklinski also entered the blowout win over Minnesota in Kinnick Stadium and scored a rushing touchdown on a well-run option play. Brown has reportedly made a hard push to regain ground in the battle, but Lester's offensive system is more suited to Hecklinski's skill set. Iowa added multiple new wrinkles to its offense with Gronowski last season, including more option looks and quarterback-run plays, heavily relying on his running ability.

Hecklinski has proven he is a capable passer on the run, and even though Brown can run, he has been more effective in the pocket. Good coaches adjust their schemes to fit the personnel on the roster, but it would be hard to believe that Lester would scrap a solid chunk of the playbook to accommodate Brown's skills when Hecklinski can already do those things. It makes perfect sense to be absolutely sure who the starting quarterback is before announcing it, but not naming one could do more harm than good. If no one separates themselves, it should be Hecklinski's job to lose, based solely on a small sample size last season and Lester's offensive system.

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