Iowa’s defense enters 2026 with the same familiar edge and the same familiar expectation: it should be nasty. With Phil Parker still running the show in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes once again look built to turn Saturdays into a grind, especially for the offenses that aren’t ready for a street fight.
That foundation means a handful of returners will be asked to carry the load while new faces and transfer additions settle in. The headliners are already clear.
Zach Lutmer looks like the centerpiece. Through 28 games, he has posted 85 total tackles, 1 sack, 4 interceptions, 7 pass deflections and 1 touchdown.
His value goes well beyond the numbers, though. Lutmer’s ability to play man coverage, sink into zone with good instincts, and come downhill against the run makes him a rare piece in the college game.
This feels like the year he breaks through on a national level.
The middle of the defense could also have a familiar Iowa feel. Linebacker has been a signature spot for the program in the 2020s, with Jack Campbell, Jay Higgins and Karson Sharar all leading the unit before moving on to the NFL.
Jayden Montgomery is next in line, and he is expected to start alongside Cam Buffington. If everything falls into place, Montgomery has a path to 100 tackles this season.
His career line so far sits at 34 games, 44 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss and 2 pass deflections.
Deshaun Lee is another veteran who should matter a lot. He has logged 35 games and collected 108 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions and 13 pass deflections.
In Phil Parker’s system, that kind of experience matters, and Lee is set to take on top wide receivers all season. If he can lock down one side of the field, it opens up even more for this defense.
Up front, Bryce Hawthorne has a real chance to become one of the key pieces. He has played 13 games at Iowa and has 15 total tackles with 3 tackles for loss.
With several new bodies joining the defensive line, Hawthorne’s role could be especially important in the less glamorous work - the kind that doesn’t always jump off the stat sheet but keeps the whole machine running. In a scheme built on gap responsibility, eating double teams is part of the job, and Hawthorne has the chance to do exactly that.
In Other News...
Former Hawkeye Kaden Wetjen Is Already Turning Heads In Pittsburgh
Kaden Wetjen wasted little time making his first NFL appearance count for the Pittsburgh Steelers, flashing the same versatility that made him an intriguing draft pick out of Iowa. In the preseason opener, the former Hawkeye was involved on offense and special teams, finishing with two catches for 79 yards and a touchdown while also handling kick and punt return duties.
Wetjens debut gave Steelers fans an early look at why Pittsburgh used a fourth-round pick on him in the 2026 NFL Draft. For Iowa followers, it was a familiar sight: a player whose value stretches beyond one role, and whose next step will be just as much about carving out a consistent place in the offense as it is about continuing to impact the game in the return game. [Read more 🡒]
Iowas Quarterback Battle May Be Starting To Break One Way
The quarterback competition at Iowa has been tight enough that every practice rep carries weight, but a recent scrimmage at Kinnick Stadium offered the clearest sign yet that Jeremy Hecklinski is making a move. The battle to replace Mark Gronowski has centered on two co-No. 1 quarterbacks, and in this one snapshot, Hecklinski put together the kind of day that forces a closer look.
He completed 17 of 25 passes for 205 yards and five touchdowns, while head coach Kirk Ferentz was careful to note it was still only one of several practices in the process. Even so, Ferentz pointed to Hecklinskis improved decision-making and accuracy, the sort of traits that tend to matter most once a competition starts narrowing down to one guy. [Read more 🡒]
Iowas Offense Suddenly Has A New Reason For Real Optimism
For a program that has spent plenty of recent seasons trying to squeeze more production out of the passing game, Iowa has at least one area that now looks far less uncertain. The Hawkeyes are expected to get a meaningful boost from a wide receiver room that brings back Reece Vander Zee, Dayton Howard and KJ Parker, while also adding transfers Evan James and Tony Diaz, giving the offense a deeper and more varied mix of options than it had a year ago.
Kirk Ferentz said Vander Zee and Howard have shown considerable growth during fall camp, a sign that the group may be ready to take a real step forward. Iowa still has decisions to make at quarterback, but the bigger picture is encouraging enough: the Hawkeyes appear to have multiple weapons at receiver, running back and tight end, which at least gives the next starter a better support system than this offense has often enjoyed. [Read more 🡒]