The Big Ten may be chasing another national title, but a few teams still have the kind of summer uncertainty that can shape everything once the season kicks off. At quarterback, several jobs are settled.
A few others look as if they already have a favorite. But there are also real battles still being sorted out, and those are the ones worth watching.
Iowa is one of the places where the conversation starts. Even in seasons when the Hawkeyes are in the thick of the Big Ten race, quarterback can feel like the position that gets treated like a footnote.
This time, they’re trying to replace Mark Gronowski, and the race sits between Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown. Hecklinski is entering his third college season and second at Iowa, though his game experience is extremely limited - he has thrown just two passes in games.
Brown is in his fourth season and has seen more action in the past, while Hecklinski started two games at Auburn in 2024.
Nebraska’s situation is one of the more dramatic ones in the conference after Dylan Raiola departed through the transfer portal. That left Matt Rhule with a major hole to fill, but also a chance to find a new spark.
UNLV transfer Anthony Colandrea is the favorite heading into the battle, but he’s not running away with it. Last season’s backup, TJ Lateef, is pushing hard for the full-time job and brings some real game experience of his own.
He started four games and passed for 904 yards and five touchdowns while adding four rushing scores. Daniel Kaelin, an under-the-radar transfer, is another name that could get into the mix.
Rutgers is also sorting out a fresh start under center after missing a bowl game in 2025. Greg Schiano needs a replacement for Athan Kaliakmanis, and he’s made it clear he’d prefer to settle the spot sooner rather than later.
AJ Surace is the first name to watch. He’s now in his third season and saw action in three games last year, completing two touchdown passes on nine attempts.
Dylan Lonergan brings a different résumé to the competition, with stops at Alabama and Boston College, where he was the starter and threw for 2,025 yards and 12 touchdowns in 10 games.
Wisconsin rounds out the list, and the pressure there is obvious. Luke Fickell still hasn’t gotten the results he needs since taking over, and the quarterback situation has been a big part of why. The Badgers still haven’t found the right player to drive the offense, and that remains a central problem as the season approaches.
In Other News...
Joe Brunner Is Becoming A Frustrating What-If For Wisconsin
Joe Brunners move from Wisconsin to Indiana this offseason is the kind of transfer that lingers with a fan base, especially after a down year for the Badgers. A player once expected to be part of the lines foundation is now lining up somewhere else in the Big Ten, and the early signs in Bloomington suggest he is finding a different kind of fit.
At Indiana, Brunner has stepped into a more vocal leadership role on the offensive line, something he did not fully embrace in Madison. Curt Cignetti has made a point of pushing older transfers into those kinds of responsibilities, and Brunner appears to be responding to that approach in a way Wisconsin never quite saw. For the Badgers, it only adds to the frustration of wondering what might have been if that version of him had surfaced earlier. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Offense Just Faced Its Toughest Camp Test Yet
Bad weather pushed Wisconsins fifth fall camp practice indoors, but the setting did little to soften the edge of the day. Offensive line coach Eric Mateos kept the pace and urgency high, and the defense made the most of the cramped space, especially up front, where the front seven controlled much of the session. The offense did find some rhythm with jet sweeps and pre-snap motion, but it was clear this was one of those camp days when every inch had to be earned.
One of the brighter offensive moments came from JUCO transfer tailback Juju Pope, who broke loose for a long touchdown with the second-team offense. Even so, the defense had the louder answers overall, with Posa coming through on one of the most disruptive plays of the day by knifing into the backfield on a jet-motion look and blowing it up before it could get started. For an offense still sorting itself out, it was a useful reminder that camp progress often looks more like resistance than comfort. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Fall Camp Is Setting Up Some Big Starting Job Fights
Fall camp is underway in Madison, and the early days have already put Wisconsins roster in a familiar spot for August, with competition everywhere and no shortage of jobs to sort out before the opener against Notre Dame. Wide receiver, cornerback, tight end and guard are all in play, and the Badgers are leaning on a mix of transfers and returning players as they begin to piece together the depth chart for a season that will demand answers quickly.
The most interesting part of camp is not just who is practicing, but which players are starting to separate themselves as the staff evaluates the first units and the key contributors behind them. There is a real sense that several of these battles could shape how the offense and defense look once the games count, and a few spots already have the feel of decisions that may not be settled until camp is deep into its final stretch. [Read more 🡒]