Iowa’s 40-0 win over Northern Illinois was the kind of season opener that leaves little doubt about who controlled the afternoon. The Hawkeyes rolled up 507 total yards, their most since 2019, and did it with new faces making real noise on both sides of the ball. A few days later, though, the game still pointed to two clear winners and one clear loser.
The biggest win belonged to Iowa’s offensive line.
That unit came into the season with some real questions attached to it, even with Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck back in the mix. Three veteran starters from last year’s Joe Moore Award-winning group - Beau Stephens, Gennings Dunker, and Logan Jones - are gone to the NFL, and replacing that kind of experience is never simple.
Lauck had said before the game that nobody can truly replace those players, but the group had enough veterans and enough people ready to grow into bigger roles. Against NIU, that confidence paid off.
The Hawkeyes’ front opened up huge running lanes and gave all three quarterbacks time to work. More than half of Iowa’s offense came on the ground, with 289 rushing yards led by Kamari Moulton’s 183.
The passing game was harder to judge because of the quarterback rotation, but the line still helped keep things moving. If Iowa can bring that same kind of push into week two, the Hawkeyes could make life miserable for Iowa State early at Kinnick Stadium.
The other big winner was Hank Brown.
Kirk Ferentz announced on Saturday morning that Brown would start against NIU, and Brown made the most of the opportunity. He had his best moments in the first quarter, and by halftime he looked like the better quarterback of the two getting the most work. He didn’t return in the second half, which only added to the sense that he had made a strong first impression in his first official start for Iowa.
Brown found a nice rhythm with Tony Diaz, getting the receiver involved early and often. He also showed he could create a little bit when the pocket broke down, using his legs for a scramble and a first down after escaping pressure.
Brown finished with 129 passing yards and a touchdown pass to Diaz, and he looked composed in the pocket, which is where he prefers to operate. The quarterback battle is still open, but Brown took the first meaningful step toward separating himself.
That left Jeremy Hecklinski as the week’s loser.
Hecklinski still had some bright moments, and he’s very much still in the fight for the starting job. He showed off the more aggressive, downfield style that makes him a different kind of quarterback than Brown, including a strong throw to Jarriett Buie while taking a hit from a NIU defender. But he also had the one throw he couldn’t afford, forcing a pass on fourth-and-goal from the two-yard line to Dayton Howard that was intercepted.
The circumstances didn’t help him much, either. Some poorly timed false starts pushed him into more third-down passing situations, and he finished 7 of 16 for 76 yards.
Those numbers aren’t strong, even against NIU, and while he did flash with a few promising throws and option reads, it wasn’t enough to match Brown’s day. In a game where Iowa had plenty to feel good about, Hecklinski was the one who came out with the least momentum in the quarterback race.
In Other News...
Iowa Just Sent A Telling Message Before The Cy-Hawk Game
Iowa heads into the Cy-Hawk game with a depth chart that says plenty about how the Hawkeyes are approaching Week 2. The most notable detail is the quarterback spot, where Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski are both listed with an OR designation, a sign the staff is keeping the door open to shared playing time as it sorts through the position. At running back, the backfield will be thinner than expected with L.J. Phillips Jr. out because of a high-ankle sprain, leaving Nathan McNeil and Xavier Williams as the main options behind him.
There was also a small wrinkle on special teams that stood out after Week 1. Evan James, who had the kind of punt return performance that usually earns a bigger role, is still listed behind Reece Vander Zee on the depth chart. For a rivalry game that often turns on field position and a few timely snaps, those decisions suggest Iowa is still calibrating key spots even as the rivalry week pressure ramps up. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Keeps One Big Week 2 Decision Alive Before Iowa State
Iowas official Week 2 depth chart keeps the most interesting quarterback question intact heading into the Iowa State game. Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski are still both listed as starters, which means the Hawkeyes are carrying the competition forward for at least another week while leaving the rest of the offense largely unchanged. Theres also continuity up front on both the offensive and defensive lines, a sign the staff is comfortable with the foundation even as one of the teams biggest decisions remains open.
Elsewhere on the chart, Kamari Moulton sits atop the running back spot with backups behind him, while L.J. Phillips Jr. is absent because of a lower-body injury. Tight end is listed with four players in starter or backup roles, giving Iowa some flexibility there, and Evan James shows up as the backup punt returner behind Reece Vander Zee. But all the attention still circles back to quarterback, where Iowa has made clear it is not ready to close the book before facing its in-state rival. [Read more 🡒]
Iowas Backfield Suddenly Faces Pressure Before A Huge Iowa State Test
Iowas win over Northern Illinois came with a cost that could shape the next week of preparation, especially in the backfield. Offensive linemen Cael Winter and Kade Pieper both dealt with heat-related issues during the game, and running back L.J. Phillips Jr. came away with a high-ankle sprain that is expected to keep him out against Iowa State.
The Hawkeyes have built enough depth at running back to absorb the loss, but the timing is still less than ideal with a rivalry test looming. Any reshuffling behind the line will only add to the challenge of getting the offense settled before a matchup that already carries plenty of pressure for both sides. [Read more 🡒]