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As Week 1 approaches, Iowa football is still figuring out its team after head coach Kirk Ferentz was suspended for a recruiting violation. Yet, Ferentz still has a good idea of who will start at quarterback.
Ferentz is giving senior signal-caller Cade McNamara the nod as of Thursday, via CBS Sports' David Eickholt.
“Kirk Ferentz: If we’re playing tomorrow, Cade (McNamara) is the one (at quarterback),” Eickholt reported.
Ferentz also has a rough idea of the depth chart, via the Des Moines Register's Tyler Tachman.
“Kirk Ferentz didn’t definitively name a starter but said if the game was tomorrow, Iowa’s QB depth chart would be:
1) Cade McNamara
2) Brendan Sullivan
3) Marco Lainez,” Tachman tweeted.
McNamara is going into his second season with Iowa. The former Michigan Wolverine tossed 505 yards with four touchdowns and three picks before tearing his ACL last year.
McNamara's lone season as the full-time starter at Michigan was in 2021 when he led the squad to a Big Ten title and won third-team All-Big Ten honors. The Nevada native tossed 2,470 yards with 15 scores and four picks on a 64.6 completion percentage that year, guiding the team to a 12-2 record and a College Football Playoff berth.
Meanwhile, Sullivan is a junior transfer from Northwestern. The former Wildcat has a less extensive body of work, with 1,303 passing yards and 10 touchdowns through his first two campaigns.
Lastly, Lainez is a freshman out of New Jersey. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder was a three-star recruit.
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Ferentz will hope McNamara pays off, as he made sacrifices to get him.
Kirk Ferentz will not coach Iowa football's first game
Ferentz and wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr will be suspended for the Hawkeyes' opening game against Illinois State on August 31 due to recruitment violations related to McNamara, via CBS Sports' David Cobb.
“I frequently tell our players to abide by the rules, and in this instance, I did not,” Ferentz said. “In 26 years as a head coach at Iowa — and more than four decades as a coach — this is my first potential Level II NCAA infraction. I made a mistake and would like to apologize to our players, university leadership, and our Hawkeye football fans. I know Coach Budmayr echoes those sentiments.”
Iowa athletic director Beth Goetz assured that the school will move on from the incident smoothly.
“Coach Ferentz and I made the decision to self-impose the penalties, allowing the program to move forward without distraction,” Goetz said. “I appreciate the accountability demonstrated and we will continue to fully cooperate with the NCAA through this process. I have confidence in Coach Ferentz and his leadership, and we look forward to turning our focus to the opening game and exciting season that lies ahead.”
The Hawkeyes shouldn't have trouble handling the Redbirds, but Ferentz and company will need to be on the same page by the Iowa State game in Week 2.
