Iowa Football Reloads Through the Portal, Eyes Growth Under Center in 2026
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The Hawkeyes didn’t just dip into the transfer portal this offseason - they dove in with purpose. Iowa brought in 16 new players, many of whom arrive with multiple years of eligibility and the kind of upside that could make a real difference this fall. Head coach Kirk Ferentz and his staff clearly had a plan: target high-impact players from smaller programs who can grow into Big Ten contributors, and do it without sacrificing the program’s identity.
That identity - tough, disciplined, and consistent - is exactly why Iowa landed at No. 8 in CBS Sports’ post-transfer portal Big Ten power rankings. The Hawkeyes sit behind Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, USC, Washington, and Penn State. But as we’ve seen in recent years, rankings in February don’t always tell the full story of what a team will become by November.
CBS Sports noted Iowa’s trademark steadiness, pointing out that the Hawkeyes are almost a lock for eight wins every season, with the potential to push for more. They were one of the few teams to give Indiana a real challenge last year, and while the offense made strides with Mark Gronowski under center, his departure leaves a big question mark at quarterback.
This time around, Iowa didn’t go shopping in the portal for a new signal-caller. Instead, the battle for the starting job will likely come down to Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown - a pair of young quarterbacks with just 75 combined career pass attempts. It’s a gamble, but it’s also a chance for the Hawkeyes to develop talent from within, something they’ve historically done well.
There’s a silver lining here for new offensive coordinator Tim Lester: for the first time since taking the job, he’ll have his starting quarterback healthy and available for spring football. Last spring, Cade McNamara was recovering from a torn ACL.
Then Gronowski was sidelined with a shoulder injury. This year, Lester gets a full offseason to work hands-on with his quarterbacks - a crucial window for development.
Hecklinski, in particular, has caught Lester’s eye.
“He’s got a great feel for defenses, and he knows how to move them with his eyes,” Lester said before Iowa’s season-ending win over Vanderbilt. “He’s still learning the nuances - like taking snaps under center.
I don’t think he’d ever done that before he got here. But he’s settling in, and when he’s in the gun, he’s more athletic than people realize.
I’m excited about where he’s headed.”
Whoever wins the job will have some intriguing weapons to work with. Iowa added wide receivers Tony Diaz and Evan James to help stretch the field, and they’ll return DJ Vonnahme - a tight end who came on strong late last season and looks poised for a breakout year. In the backfield, Kamari Moulton is back after racking up 878 rushing yards in 2025, and he’ll be joined by FCS All-American LJ Phillips, a transfer with a nose for the end zone and a physical running style that fits Iowa’s DNA.
The early schedule won’t do the new-look offense any favors. Iowa opens the 2026 season with three straight home games, but then things get real in a hurry: a road trip to Michigan, a home clash with a top-five Ohio State team, and then a cross-country flight to face Washington. That’s as brutal an early-season stretch as Iowa has faced in recent memory - and it’ll be a serious test for a team trying to find its rhythm.
But here’s the thing about Iowa football: they tend to grow into the season. This is a program that leans on player development, physicality, and patience. So while the quarterback situation is still shaking out, and while the offense is still finding its identity, there’s reason to believe the Hawkeyes could be a much more dangerous team by the time the leaves start to turn in the fall.
Spring football will be the first look at what this next chapter could be. There’s no official word yet on whether there will be a spring showcase, but regardless of format, the next few months will be crucial in shaping the 2026 Hawkeyes - a team with questions, yes, but also a lot of intriguing answers waiting to emerge.