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Iowa football has added a talented quarterback from the transfer portal. Since starting QB Cade McNamara announced his departure from the Hawkeyes, head coach Kirk Ferentz's team has had a void to fill at the sport's most important position. Former Auburn quarterback Hank Brown might be the solution to this issue going forward.
Now that the Big Ten no longer has divisions and has added several elite Pac-12 programs, vying for a conference championship spot is as tricky as ever. For decades under Kirk Ferentz, Iowa football has relied on a strong ground game while relying on game managers at the quarterback position. The program will need to shake up its approach under center going forward.
Hank Brown is a former three-star recruit who played in three games for Auburn in 2024. The redshirt freshman was a strong contender for the Tigers' starting QB job in 2025. He, however, has decided to take his talents to Iowa City. According to College Football reporter for On3, Griffin McVeigh, Hank Brown committed to the Hawkeyes on Friday.
Iowa football might be in for a bit of a rebuild in 2025
Iowa football has long been a consistent program in the Big Ten under Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes have hovered around the nine-to-ten-win mark annually and have qualified for bowl games in 22 out of the past 24 years. 2024 will be no different, as Iowa will play in the Music City Bowl against No. 19 Missouri on December 30th.
Nevertheless, 2025 could be a rebuilding year for the program. Kirk Ferentz will be losing Cade McNamara and star running back Kaleb Johnson. The junior tailback recently declared that he will skip the Music City Bowl and his senior season to put his name in the 2025 NFL draft. Johnson had a terrific junior year, rushing for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns. Those totals were enough to lead the Big Ten in both categories. By season's end, Johnson was named Big Ten Running Back of the Year and a First-team All-American.
Losing the best running back in the conference is a tough blow for a program that has relied on the ground game for years. The Hawkeyes also lost some future depth in the middle of the season at running back with Leshon Williams entering the transfer portal. Freshman Kamari Moulton will likely take over the starting spot in the backfield in 2025.
Hank Brown will be one of the favorites for the starter position in Iowa City next year. In 2024 with the Tigers, Brown threw for 406 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. The freshman's best game was against New Mexico, where he threw for 235 yards and four touchdowns.
Overall, the Iowa football program is in an interesting spot where it must be bold to contend for a Big Ten championship game spot in the future. When the divisions were intact, the Hawkeyes and the Wisconsin Badgers were consistent contenders to make it to Indianapolis. Now, Kirk Ferentz's team will compete with Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon for that privilege. While 2025 might be a step backward for the program, it could foreshadow a considerable leap forward.
