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CHICAGO – To the surprise of absolutely no one, Kirk Ferentz doesn't know who his starting quarterback is going to be on the first day of August. 

His comments at Big Ten Media Days earlier this week drew jokes from rival fans on social media, but there's still plenty of time for Ferentz and Co. to make their important decision – five weeks to be exact (and maybe more if the battle extends into the season). 

There's nothing wrong with taking as much time as possible to make personnel decisions, but once the decision gets made, there's something very important to keep in mind here. 

All of you have probably thought of this statement for months, but since I have the ability to voice my opinions on this great platform, I'm going to say it anyway: Iowa's next starting quarterback doesn't need to be elite at all, he just needs to avoid mistakes and manage the football game. 

That's easier said then done, but considering the offensive weapons the Hawkeyes have at their disposal, it makes perfect sense for the 2026 squad. Wide receivers Reece Vander Zee, Tony Diaz, and tight end DJ Vonnahme are just a few of the targets Hank Brown or Jeremy Hecklinski will have to throw to, and don't forget about the dynamic running back duo of Kamari Moulton and L.J. Phillips, either. 

Third-year offensive coordinator Tim Lester easily has the best offense he's ever had on paper, but the missing ingredient is obviously the quarterback position. Running Lester's complicated West Coast offense won't be an easy task, but again, when you have the weapons to make it happen, you're going to have a chance to be very successful. 

This isn't meant to be a slight at Brown or Hecklinski, though.

Both bring tremendous upside to this already high-potential offense. Brown is your typical pocket passer, but he's got the arm strength and SEC pedigree to make it happen in Iowa City. Hecklinski is the gunslinger of the bunch and likes to make plays outside the pocket – through the air and with his legs. 

Quarterback battles are very common in college football these days due to the transfer portal, but the Hawkeyes are just one of two Power Four programs (Alabama) to have a competition between two returning backups. 

That previous experience could pay huge dividends for the winner of this contest and very well turn them into an elite quarterback anyway (Lester's got a great reputation for doing that), but I'm going to use the NFL as the perfect example for this. 

Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Patrick Mahomes are three of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. Each of them have unique traits that have taken them to championship glory: Rodgers is known for extending plays and using the free play to his advantage, Brady could place the football in the smallest of windows, and Mahomes makes plays that no quarterback has made before – underhand flips and jump throws. 

Not only are these quarterbacks renowned for their playmaking skills, they were the primary reason why their teams won Super Bowl championships. 

Hecklinski or Brown could very well be that guy and lead Iowa to its first College Football Playoff, but they don't need to be Brady – they just need to be 2000 playoffs Trent Dilfer  or Alex Smith. 

Little to no mistakes equals winning football in Iowa City, and if Hecklinski or Brown can play efficient, mistake-free football, the Hawkeyes could achieve great success in 2026. 

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HawkeyeRoundtable is giving away TWO tickets to Iowa's season opener against Northern Illinois on Sept. 5! 

This is easily the biggest giveaway we've ever done on this site, and it's a great opportunity for two lucky fans to experience the joy of attending a Hawkeye football game at Kinnick Stadium. 

Click here to automatically become a member to enter the contest! Additional contest details can be found in our community section, too! 

HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at bradschultz@roundtable.io

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