To say the Iowa Hawkeyes have been quieter in the Transfer Portal than last year would be quite the understatement. The 2024 roster has seen many more exits than additions through the spring, but time remains for the program to strengthen its biggest weaknesses.
None is bigger than the quarterback position. Thankfully, head coach Kirk Ferentz isn't ignoring the problem.
Ferentz indicated that while using the portal isn't a top priority this off-season, they will look into potential additions where necessary. With spring practice wrapped up, Ferentz and his staff can do just that.
Two quarterbacks have emerged as potential gets for the Hawkeyes.
The first is the most likely, former Northwestern Wildcat Brendan Sullivan. He was recruited by Tim Lester to Western Michigan out of high school and has solid playing experience. He's played in 13 games over two seasons with 1,303 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Outside of a CBS report connecting the dots with Sullivan and Lester, Sullivan's stay in the Transfer Portal since late April has largely been a quiet affair. Still, connections hold value in this process. He'll have two years of eligibility, so backing up McNamara this season and potentially starting next season makes sense.
The only kink in the idea is that Sullivan likely would have been the starter for Northwestern this season had he opted to stay with the program. Though he entered the portal a tad late, it would make sense that he'd potentially want to be a starter in 2024.
Arguably the more exciting option is Oklahoma's General Booty. It was announced that he entered the portal on Thursday.
According to On3's Pete Nekos, Booty has already been in contact with Tulsa, Samford, UTSA, Louisiana-Monroe and Iowa. He's been the backup in Oklahoma for the past two seasons after a 3,115-yard, 25-touchdown season at Tyler Junior College in Texas. Those other options could mean faster playing time at the expense of notoriety.
Booty's unique name carries weight, as his father Abram was an LSU wide receiver and his uncles, Josh and John David were quarterbacks at LSU and USC respectively. Standing 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, he's an excellent option to complete the quarterback room at Iowa and ease the worry of Hawkeye fans.
While it's reassuring that Iowa has contacted a prominant name in Booty and has strong ties to Sullivan, there's no guarantee Iowa lands either of them. As much as both player make perfect sense for Iowa, both may see their preferred opportunities elsewhere.
Still, it's comforting that Iowa isn't scraping the bottom of the barrell of the portal or taking the quarterback situation lightly.
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