Not a snap has been played, but there’s already plenty to keep an eye on with Iowa heading into 2026. The quarterback question gets most of the attention, sure, but that’s only one piece of a roster that’s undergoing some real turnover as the Hawkeyes move toward opening day on September 5.
The biggest red flag is the amount of experience Iowa has to replace. By the numbers compiled by CBS Sports and ESPN’s Bill Connelly, the Hawkeyes are near the bottom nationally in returning production and lowest in the Big Ten.
Iowa is bringing back 33 percent of its defensive snaps, which ranks 95th in the FBS, 46 percent of its offensive snaps, which ranks 51st, and 39 percent overall, good for 74th. Kirk Ferentz said at Big Ten Football Media Days that the defensive line is his biggest concern after Iowa lost seven of its top eight players there.
And on top of that, the Hawkeyes are set to break in a new starting quarterback to replace Mark Gronowski, no matter who wins the job between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski.
That said, the health picture looks a lot better than it did a year ago. Iowa spent much of 2025 trying to climb out from under injuries that hit key pieces early.
Gronowski had shoulder surgery after transferring in and missed all of spring practice. Reece Vander Zee broke his foot days before the season began.
Addison Ostrenga went down against Iowa State in Week 2 and was lost for the year. It took time for the offense to settle, but later in the season Gronowski found his rhythm, Vander Zee returned, and freshman tight end DJ Vonnahme started to emerge.
Ferentz said at Media Days that two players were already out and could miss a big chunk of the season, maybe all of it: defensive back Kyler Gerardy and wide receiver Lance Beeghley, the SMU portal transfer. Beyond that, though, anyone battling for a starting role appears to be healthy heading into opening day.
Iowa also attacked the roster hard after a busy offseason. The Hawkeyes brought in 27 new players in January, a record, mixing freshmen and portal additions to cover the departures. The question now is whether that wave of newcomers, combined with a cleaner bill of health, can offset the lack of returning production.
Another subplot is the new voice coaching the quarterbacks. Iowa promoted Billy VandeMerkt to quarterbacks coach this offseason, and the connection to Tim Lester is an obvious one.
VandeMerkt worked under Lester when Lester was head coach at Western Michigan, spending time around quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. Before coming to Iowa, he spent four seasons with the Jets from 2021-24 as an offensive assistant and worked primarily with the quarterbacks in 2024, when New York’s scheme was similar to Iowa’s.
He also played quarterback in college.
There are also a few familiar family ties on the roster this season. Drew Campbell, who has been showing he can be a strong defensive end, is the younger brother of Jack Campbell.
Iose Epenesa is following a family line that already includes brothers A.J. and Eric Epenesa, both former Hawkeyes, along with their father, Eppy Epenesa, who played defensive tackle at Iowa from 1996-1998. And wide receiver Isaiah Oliver is the son of former basketball standout Dean Oliver, who played from 1998-2001.
Oliver even caught a 34-year TD pass from Jimmy Sullivan during this year’s Kids’ Day.
And for one lighter note, Cael Winter has already picked up a title that apparently carries serious Hawkeye upside. Iowa’s offensive lineman won the 2026 Solon Beef Days Hay Bale Toss champion after clearing 13 feet, 6 inches. He joins Tyler Linderbaum, Tristan Wirfs, and Gennings Dunker on the list of recent Iowa linemen to win the event, which at least gives the whole thing a little legend of its own.
For anyone still looking for one more item on the calendar, BTN will air Iowa’s B1G Football Camp on Monday, August 25 at 5:00 PM CST. The network has already rolled out its segments for the other 17 Big Ten schools, and Iowa is up last.
The format is the same one BTN uses across the league: highlights and season storylines, then an interview with the head coach, followed by several players and a handful of coordinators and assistants. After that, the segment will rerun at random times in the days that follow.
In Other News...
Former Hawkeyes Made Their Mark Across The NFL Saturday
Saturday brought a strong reminder of how much Iowa football has spread across the NFL. Several former Hawkeyes turned in notable performances, with Tyler Goodson breaking loose for a 49-yard touchdown for the Atlanta Falcons, Drew Stevens handling kicking duties for the Washington Commanders, and Tory Taylor staying busy for the Chicago Bears with six punts that pinned down field position all afternoon.
Anthony Nelson also made his presence felt for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 1.5 sacks and four tackles, while TJ Hall added six tackles and a pass defended for the New Orleans Saints. For Iowa fans, it was the kind of snapshot that keeps showing up on pro weekends, with former Hawkeyes making plays in different ways and in different uniforms, even as their biggest next chapter remains to be written. [Read more 🡒]
Big Ten Just Changed A Roster Rule Iowa Fans Needed To Notice
The Big Ten is on the verge of making a roster tweak that could matter more than it first appears for Iowa and the rest of the league. Under the expected rule, players who declare for the NFL Draft and then either appear on an NFL roster or sign a pro contract would no longer be allowed to return and play college football for a Big Ten school.
For Iowa, the change is another reminder of how the league is drawing a harder line between college and pro football at a time when roster management is already complicated enough. The rule would only apply inside the Big Ten, so schools in the SEC, Big 12 and ACC would not be bound by it, but it could still shape how teams around Iowa evaluate players weighing a draft move against one last season in college. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Butt Thinks Iowa Could Be Better Than Fans Realize
A training camp visit from former Michigan tight end Jake Butt turned into an unexpectedly glowing scouting report on Iowa football. Butt came away impressed with how the program is run, pointing to its professional organization, player development, offensive line and defense as signs of a team built to compete in the Big Ten, even if the national chatter has not always treated it that way.
The one area Butt left open was the quarterback situation, which is the natural place for skepticism to linger before the season settles in. Still, his overall view was that Iowa looks well-prepared and has the kind of structure that can let it outperform preseason expectations, a familiar theme for a program that has often been more difficult to measure from the outside than the rankings suggest. [Read more 🡒]