The highly-anticipated starting QB decision is still very much up in the air

It is still early in the spring, but one position battle will remain at the forefront of everyone's mind until an official decision is announced.

After senior starting quarterback Mark Gronowski exhausted his college eligibility following the season, Iowa has an impending quarterback battle with two players projected to be at the top of the list.

Two backups from last season, Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown, are the projected top two options next season, and the battle between the two has already been dubbed as one of the top battles to watch this offseason.

As the battle rages on through the spring and summer, both Hecklinski and Brown are getting QB1 reps.

Brown and Hecklinski are splitting starting reps early in the spring

Brown started last season as the backup before giving way to Hecklinski later in the season, but both players are firmly in the race for the starting quarterback position.

Kirk Ferentz won't give an update until they are absolutely 100 percent sure who the guy is, and until then, both players are taking QB1 reps.

Brown was pictured taking QB1 snaps recently and throwing a pass to Kamari Moulton in the flat, a small sample size from what has happened early in spring.

Brown got some reps last season, including replacing Gronowski during Iowa's close loss to eventual national champion Indiana. His performance was unconvincing, and Hecklinski eventually took over the backup job from him.

Hecklinski also got some game reps, including adding a rushing TD in Iowa's blowout win over Minnesota in the battle for the Floyd of Rosedale.

It is an even playing field right now, and it will be interesting to see who pushes themselves to the front and wins the starting job.