Iowa’s quarterback race is still wide open, and Hank Brown isn’t hiding what he thinks gives him a real shot to win it.
With the Hawkeyes less than two months away from opening the 2026 season at Kinnick Stadium, the competition remains between Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski. Brown brings the classic pocket-passer profile and the big arm to match it.
Hecklinski offers a dual-threat package with an arm that doesn’t get enough credit. Different styles, same goal: take the first snap.
At Iowa’s recent media availability, Brown laid out where he feels he’s made the biggest jump this offseason. The biggest factor, he said, has been time in the system and more work with offensive coordinator Tim Lester.
"I've loved getting to spend time with Coach (Tim) Lester, continuing to learn the offense," Brown said. "I feel like I'm in a lot better spot this year after having a year under my belt with the system.
I know what we're going to do going into camp, the different concepts, formations, all the stuff we're trying to achieve. Just put our playmakers in the best situation possible."
For Brown, this offseason has been about sharpening the details, not just learning the playbook. He said the work with Lester has included film study, mental growth and mechanical cleanup.
"Football's an expanding game, it's always expanding, you can never know enough. Just continue to watch film with coach, grow mentally, and also working physically.
The mechanics that Coach Lester has me focusing on, staying over the top, staying low to my base. I'm continuing to just create that habit," Brown said.
Brown also has something Hecklinski doesn’t: Division I starting experience. He started a game for Auburn in the 2024 season, and he said that alone has helped him handle this battle with a different kind of confidence.
"Just the experience itself was something I got to experience and feel what that felt like. That just prepares me and makes me feel ready to go when the opportunity comes," Brown said.
Lester’s offense asks a lot of the quarterback, and Brown believes his skill set fits the system. He pointed to the structure of the scheme as a natural match for what he does best.
"This is a Shanahan-style offense, it's a pro-style offense, and I'm a pro-style quarterback. To be able to go under center, our play action game that comes out of our run game, adding a drop-back game. I think all of those things flow with a pro-style quarterback and that's what I am," Brown said.
Brown’s snaps last season came with a conservative approach from the play-calling side, but he said he wants to bring more aggression and more big-play potential this time around. He described himself as a gunslinger who plans to keep pushing the ball when the opportunity is there.
"I feel like my whole career, I've been a gunslinger. I'm gonna continue to bring that to what we have here.
I'm gonna make the right reads, listen to what Coach Lester has my eyes on each play. I'm going to be as aggressive as possible and give our guys a shot.
We've got some studs that are going to be able to help our explosive pass game. There's nothing I love more than giving them a chance," Brown said.
As for how he plans to win the job, Brown kept the answer simple. No gimmicks, no big speech - just steady progress and consistency.
"I'm focused on today and continuing to just build each and every day. I'm not going to do anything special.
I'm going to continue to be who I am. I think that will seperate myself."
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