Spring practice has been over for a little while now, and everyone is immediately jumping to next season.
If spring practices showed us anything, it's that Iowa has two groups that will lead the way, and one big question mark before the first game against Northern Illinois on September 5.
The starting quarterback situation is the biggest headline coming out of spring ball, with Kirk Ferentz giving no inclination on who will be QB1 this fall. That decision is not likely to be made until closer to the start of the season.
Regardless of the question marks on offense, the Hawkeyes are projected to start the season ranked.
Even with question marks on offense, USA Today has Iowa in their early top 25
A 9-4 overall finish and a victory in the ReliaQuest Bowl last December were a solid way to close out the season, but expectations have been ramped up ahead of next season.
According to USA Today's "way-too-early" top 25, the Hawkeyes snuck in at No. 21, with multiple things working in their favor.
The biggest caveat is who the starting quarterback is and whether or not the offense can put up around 30 points per game. The running back group is talented and very deep, but breaking in a new signal-caller is never easy.
USA Today is also not worried about the Iowa defense, even after losing multiple key contributors from last season, stating that the secondary could easily be the best unit on Phil Parker's defense.
It is still WAY too early to project how the Hawkeyes will do next season, but with a solid running game and a stout defense, Iowa could be on the way to making its first College Football Playoff.
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