Iowa’s Week 9 depth chart didn’t bring much movement, but the little it did reveal only sharpened the spotlight on the quarterback room.
The Hawkeyes listed Hank Brown OR Jeremy Hecklinski again at the top of the depth chart for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin in the Battle of the Heartland rivalry, continuing a pattern that has defined the position this season. After last week’s performance from both quarterbacks, the uncertainty around the job is only growing. Hecklinski was pulled quickly in Iowa’s most recent outing, and the biggest question hanging over the week is whether Brown gets the call next.
That same sense of instability is what makes the old John Madden line so fitting here: “If you have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks.” Iowa has two, and the situation is only getting louder.
The backfield is changing, too. Kamari Moulton is not on the depth chart after leaving the Minnesota game with what appeared to be a shoulder or arm injury.
Xavier Williams has moved into the top spot, and he has already shown he can produce against Wisconsin. Last year, Williams carried seven times for 55 yards and scored twice against the Badgers.
Behind him, Nathan McNeil OR Braeden Jackson are listed as the next option.
That raises another obvious question: where is L.J. Phillips Jr.?
Against Minnesota and Washington, he was Iowa’s second-leading rusher in carries in both games. For now, it looks like another wrinkle in a rotating running back group rather than a clear shift in role.
Elsewhere, the depth chart stays unchanged on defense and special teams, which is a positive sign for a team that has managed to avoid injuries on that side of the ball. Still, there are spots where some movement would make sense. Joseph Anderson has flashed as a pass rusher and could warrant a bigger presence on the chart, while the punt return job deserves scrutiny after Evan James has fumbled twice in two games.
In Other News...
Iowa Suddenly Has A Backfield Question Heading Into Homecoming
Homecoming week brought an unexpected wrinkle for Iowas offense, as the athletic departments Week 9 depth chart showed Kamari Moulton out after the injury he sustained against Minnesota. In his place, Xavier Williams is listed as the starter in the backfield as the Hawkeyes get ready for their home game at Kinnick Stadium and a matchup with Northwestern on Nov. 7.
The updated chart also includes changes at quarterback, left guard and on the defensive side, adding another layer of intrigue to a week that was already going to draw plenty of attention in Iowa City. With multiple spots shifting and the backfield now in flux, the Hawkeyes will spend the next stretch sorting out how their lineup looks as they head into a key home date. [Read more 🡒]
Reece Vander Zee Sends Clear Message As Iowa Tries To Reset
Reece Vander Zee has become one of the steadier offensive pieces for Iowa this season, a notable turn for a receiver whose earlier years were slowed by injuries. He has already surpassed his previous seasons receiving totals, giving the Hawkeyes a reliable option as they try to find more consistency on offense and put the latest loss to Minnesota behind them.
Now Iowa heads into a matchup with Wisconsin with Vander Zee pointing the focus back toward response and resilience. His message was straightforward: keep fighting, lean on the leadership in the room and use the setback as a chance to improve, which is the kind of tone the Hawkeyes need as they try to reset. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Gets Another Big Spotlight As Pressure Builds For Wisconsin
Iowa City is about to get another national stage, with Foxs Big Noon Kickoff set to broadcast from town during Week 9 for the Iowa-Wisconsin game. It comes on the heels of a busy weekend that already brought College GameDay and The Pat McAfee Show through Iowa City before the Hawkeyes took on Ohio State, further underscoring how much attention this program is drawing in a pivotal stretch.
The timing only adds to the pressure on Wisconsin, which heads into Kinnick Stadium for a matchup that carries weight in the rankings and in the rivalry picture. For Iowa, the spotlight is about more than the TV window. It is another chance to strengthen its College Football Playoff case in front of a national audience, with the kind of setting that can turn a regular Big Ten game into one of the seasons defining moments. [Read more 🡒]