Quarterback play has been a sore spot for Iowa through most of the 2020s, with the Hawkeyes cycling through options, dealing with injuries, and never quite finding steady answers under center. Then Mark Gronowski arrived last year from South Dakota State and gave the offense the jolt it had been missing, showing Iowa fans what real quarterback production can look like.
As Iowa heads into the 2026 season with another quarterback battle on its hands, the decade’s signal-callers can be sorted from the barely seen to the ones who actually left a mark.
Deuce Hogan never got much of a chance. A highly regarded recruit, he spent two seasons in the program before transferring to Kentucky, and his Iowa résumé was tiny: 1-for-1 passing for two yards.
Marco Lainez also barely got on the field. His lone notable appearance came in 2023 garbage time against Tennessee in the Cheez-It Bowl, when he went 2-for-7 for four yards and added 51 rushing yards before moving on from the Hawkeyes.
Hank Brown has a chance to climb this list in a hurry. He played in three games last year and finished 11-for-21 for 107 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. With 2026 approaching, he’s in the mix to win the starting job.
The same goes for Jeremy Hecklinski, who could make a leap if he wins the battle. He was used sparingly, finishing 2-for-2 for eight yards through the air and adding six rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Joey Labas only started once for Iowa, but that one start mattered. He delivered in the Music City Bowl, going 14-for-24 for 139 yards and a touchdown to help Iowa win. After transferring to Central Michigan, he put together a strong year there, throwing for 1,854 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Alex Padilla was the backup plenty of Iowa fans wanted to see more of, which made him a tough player to place. In 13 appearances, he completed 77 of 157 passes for 821 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions. He left after three years for SMU, where he saw limited action.
Jackson Stratton might be the most memorable feel-good story on the list. Forced into duty as the fourth-string quarterback, he went 21-for-35 for 219 yards and a touchdown and helped Iowa go 2-1. He has since transferred, but he absolutely earned the applause.
Cade McNamara is the classic what-if. Injuries kept getting in the way during his two years at Iowa, and the offense never really took off the way people expected. He played in 13 games, threw for 1,522 yards and 10 touchdowns, and still left behind a sense of unfinished business.
Brendan Sullivan gave Iowa something different in 2024. He appeared in 10 games, completed 38 of 53 passes for 475 yards and three touchdowns, and won over fans with what he could do as a red-zone runner. He reminded Iowa what a quarterback with legs can add.
Deacon Hill also deserves more credit than he gets. His completion rate was just 48.6%, but he brought stability, toughness, and a presence his teammates clearly responded to. He started 10 games in 2023, and Iowa went 6-3 with him in command.
Spencer Petras remains one of the most unfairly treated athletes in Iowa history. He dealt with a difficult situation tied to the Brian Ferentz saga at offensive coordinator, but he still threw for 5,199 yards and 24 touchdowns during his Iowa career, and the Hawkeyes went 21-11 with him.
At the top, though, it has to be Gronowski. He threw for 1,741 yards and 10 touchdowns, but the real separator was what he did on the ground: 545 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.
Iowa got only one year out of him, and that’s the part that stings. Imagine another season of Mark Gronowski?
That’s the kind of thought that keeps Iowa fans up at night.
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