Iowa’s first Week 1 depth chart of the 2026 season didn’t answer every question, but it did put a few big ones on the table as the Hawkeyes get ready to open against Northern Illinois at Kinnick Stadium.
The most watched spot, of course, was quarterback. Kirk Ferentz didn’t end the suspense there.
Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski were both listed with an “OR” next to their names, which tells you the competition is still alive heading into Saturday. Iowa is keeping that battle open, and both quarterbacks should see meaningful work in the opener.
The depth chart also gave a clear sign of where the Hawkeyes are leaning at receiver. Transfers Tony Diaz and Evan James were both slotted in as starters next to Reece Vander Zee, giving Iowa’s newest wideouts a big early-stage role.
Diaz has been one of the standouts of the offseason, and James climbed fast enough to beat out more experienced options for a starting spot. That group is going to draw plenty of attention right away.
Up front, the offensive line finally came into focus. Trevor Lauck, Leighton Jones, Cael Winter, Kade Pieper and Jack Dotzler are the five projected starters from left to right.
Winter’s rise is one of the better stories on the roster after he won the center job as a walk-on. With Lauck and Pieper anchoring the unit, Iowa has reason to believe this line can stay in the mix to repeat as Joe Moore Award winners.
On defense, Zach Lutmer’s role is taking shape. For Week 1, he is set to start at free safety while Tyler Brown continues to deal with an injury.
That puts Lutmer alongside Anthony Hawkins, with Jacob Wallace listed as the starter at CASH. Lutmer handled that spot well last season, and he still looks like the kind of player Phil Parker can move around as needed.
The biggest surprise may have come on special teams. After Drew Stevens moved on to the NFL, Iowa added North Dakota State transfer Eli Ozick, and plenty of people assumed he would take over kicking duties.
Instead, Ferentz went in a different direction and named second-year player Caden Buhr the starter for Week 1. Buhr redshirted last season and has not attempted a college field goal yet, but Iowa is trusting him as the best option at kicker.
The Bettendorf, Iowa, native now gets his shot.
In Other News...
Iowa Small-School Football Has Another Week 2 Problem
Another pair of Week 2 matchups has fallen off the Iowa high school football schedule, adding to an already uneasy start for several small-school programs across the state. West Central Community Schools and Don Bosco both announced on their official Facebook accounts that their game would not be played, and an eight-player matchup between Meskwaki Settlement and Gladbrook-Reinbeck was also canceled.
For Iowa football fans, the bigger concern is the pattern behind the cancellations, not just the empty slot on this weeks slate. Several programs around the state have chosen not to field varsity teams this season, a reminder of how fragile the small-school landscape can be and how quickly a normal Friday night can turn into another unexpected open date. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Freshman Marcello Vitti Just Forced His Way Onto The Radar
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Iowa Already Has An Opener Problem It Didn't Want
Iowas first official depth chart for 2026 arrived with a little less clarity than the Hawkeyes would have liked, and it already has the look of an opener week headache. The release showed two important transfer additions, safety Tyler Brown and offensive lineman Trent Wilson, listed out for the game against Northern Illinois because of injuries, forcing the staff to make an early-round shuffle before the season even gets rolling.
Zach Lutmer and Anthony Hawkins are now lined up to handle the safety spots, while Kade Pieper and Leighton Jones move into the starting offensive line mix. For a program that usually values stability as much as anything, the timing is less than ideal, especially with the opener providing the first real test of how quickly the new pieces can settle in. [Read more 🡒]