Iowa’s plans at quarterback took a hit Friday morning, with Hank Brown expected to sit out against Washington because of an upper-body injury.
ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel reported that Brown will not start Friday night and would only be available in an emergency. That leaves Iowa turning to Jeremy Hecklinski for a major Big Ten test.
Hecklinski has seen limited action this season, but his workload has climbed. He threw only two passes last year, then has attempted 32 this season, completing 18 for 208 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
He also helped Iowa find the end zone last week in the 31-14 loss to Ohio State. Even against the Buckeyes’ backups, Hecklinski directed the Hawkeyes’ only touchdown drive, and he looked comfortable in the pocket while giving himself some momentum heading into his first career start.
The timing is significant for Iowa, which is closing out a brutal three-game run against Michigan, Ohio State and Washington. That stretch is likely to shape the Hawkeyes’ path in the College Football Playoff race.
Iowa has already split the first two games in that stretch, and a win Friday would go a long way given what’s left on the schedule. The Hawkeyes do not have another game against a ranked opponent, so they’ll probably be favored the rest of the way.
Still, getting a win at Washington is no simple assignment. Iowa will need to find a way to battle through the injury setback and come out with a result that could matter a lot when the season is sorted out.
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