The Iowa Hawkeyes are expected to send Hank Brown out as its starting quarterback when the Hawkeyes open the season Saturday against Northern Illinois, according to information obtained by the Des Moines Register.
On3 first reported the expected lineup decision earlier Saturday.
The choice comes after a long spring and fall camp competition that Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz repeatedly described as even. Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski have both been in the mix for the job, and Ferentz has said little has separated them.
Brown arrived at Iowa for the 2025 season after transferring from Auburn. Last year he appeared in three games off the bench: a 47-7 win over UMass, a 34-7 win against Albany and a 20-15 loss to Indiana, last season’s national champion.
In those appearances, Brown completed 11 of 21 passes for 107 yards. He threw one touchdown and one interception in his Iowa career to date.
Hecklinski also entered the program as a transfer, coming from Wake Forest. He played in two games last season.
He scored on a six-yard run in a 41-3 victory over Minnesota. He also completed a two-yard pass in a 37-0 shutout of Wisconsin.
Hecklinski made a stronger impression in August at Iowa’s Kids Day, when he threw five touchdown passes. Ferentz said Brown had the lead before that performance. After Kids Day, the coach said the race swung back and forth.
The two quarterbacks have been competing with each other since last season, when they traded the No. 2 job behind Mark Gronowski. Ferentz has said that history “is irrelevant” when it comes to deciding the 2026 starter.
Ferentz has also said both players are likely to see significant snaps against Northern Illinois. He has framed Saturday as another step in gathering information rather than a final verdict.
“I think we probably need more evidence, and the next step is see how guys play in ball games,” Ferentz said. “We’ve been in that situation before, so we’ll let that play out as it goes. Hard to predict how it’s going to go. But we’ll wait and see.”
That approach matches how Iowa has handled close quarterback battles in the past. Ferentz has often waited to see how candidates handle live action before settling on a lasting plan.
Brown’s limited but real game experience last season gives him a modest edge on paper. He has already taken snaps in three different settings, including a loss to a championship-level opponent.
Hecklinski’s Kids Day showing and his brief scoring plays last year keep him firmly in the conversation. Ferentz has not suggested the backup role is settled, either.
The Hawkeyes open at home against Northern Illinois with the quarterback picture still fluid. Saturday’s snaps, Ferentz has indicated, will matter more than spring practices or last year’s depth chart.
How Brown starts — and how quickly Hecklinski enters — will be one of the first storylines of Iowa’s 2026 season. For now, the expected plan is Brown under center to begin the opener.
