Tim Lester, the offensive coordinator for Iowa football, is already focused on the quarterback position as the team gets ready to finish the 2025 season in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Lester has always been an expert at quarterbacks, and this offseason offers a well-known but significant challenge: after the bowl trip to Tampa concludes on New Year’s Eve, Iowa will need to find a new starting quarterback for the 2026 campaign. Mark Gronowski, a graduate quarterback who was always seen as a one-year solution, will conclude a brief but significant career with the Hawkeyes’ game against No. 14 Vanderbilt.
Although it was never intended, Lester joked that he wouldn’t have minded keeping Gronowski around for a little while longer. Rather, Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown, two quarterbacks who have been quietly gaining momentum during December practices, are Iowa’s two quarterbacks waiting for their chance as the team enters the postseason.
The month before Iowa’s flight to Tampa has been hectic, competitive, and physically demanding. Lester claims that December has evolved into a crucial time for program development, and this year’s bowl preparation has been no different.
“That’s a huge part of our program, the growth and development in December,” Lester said. “There’s been a lot of real, live team tackling, and honestly, it’s been a lot of fun.”
Along with Iowa’s regular starters, Gronowski is still anticipated to start against Vanderbilt, but the coaching staff has made a conscious effort to give Hecklinski and Brown significant playing time. The two backups have been working with various units and rotating through progressions, gaining experience in real-world scenarios that they don’t frequently encounter on Saturdays.
The competition behind Gronowski hasn’t decreased while he manages the bowl game. Lester stressed that both quarterbacks will have equal opportunities to work with the first-team offense during spring practices, which will serve as a true testing ground.
Lester remarked, “There was competition in December as well.” For both of them, spring will present a significant opportunity. We’ll give each group an equal number of reps, and we’ll see who performs better. They’re both really competent, in my opinion.
That strategy fits head coach Kirk Ferentz’s bowl preparation philosophy, which emphasizes the difficulty of striking a balance between present objectives and future growth. This year, the most crucial position on the field just so happens to be at the center of that balance.
At a press conference on December 16, Ferentz stated, “We’ve been able to work all the guys.” Both Jeremy and Hank are progressing and getting better. It’s encouraging that we’re making progress. The idea is to avoid having to look outside as we sit here.
Since National Signing Day earlier this month, Iowa has stuck to that message. Unless something changes during the two-week window from January 2 to January 16, the Hawkeyes do not intend to pursue a quarterback through the transfer portal.
In 2026, Iowa’s quarterback room is anticipated to be four-deep despite Gronowski graduating and Jackson Stratton joining the portal. For Lester, boosting confidence is the top priority right now. December has been all about repetition, rhythm, and exposure because neither Hecklinski nor Brown have a lot of game experience.
Lester remarked, “They’ve been doing good.” None of them have played many game snaps, and they’re seeing looks they haven’t always seen. We’re giving them a lot of reps as a result. To help them establish a rhythm, I sort of front-loaded them all.
This season, neither quarterback has made many appearances. Hecklinski finished games against Wisconsin and Nebraska, while Brown played while filling in for Gronowski in Iowa’s defeat to now-No. 1 Indiana. Even though those fleeting moments were brief, they provided insights into their disparate styles.
Lester used quite different words to describe the two quarterbacks. He claimed that Hecklinski is still somewhat of a “interesting bird,” a term that captures both his intrigue and unpredictable nature, while Brown has been learning how to play effectively at his stated height of 5-foot-11.
Despite these distinctions, both players have a big advantage going into the offseason: they’ll be using Lester’s offense in Year Two. That familiarity is important.
“It’s exciting to have someone in Year Two of the offense,” Lester said. “It makes a big difference.”
The selection of a starter is not urgent. The bowl game is a natural checkpoint in what is beginning to look like a real quarterback competition, but Iowa won’t need answers until spring ball and beyond. But for the time being, the emphasis is still on one last game. There has been no drama or distraction during Vanderbilt preparation just football.
But for the time being, the emphasis is still on one last game. There has been no drama or distraction during Vanderbilt preparation just football.
Lester remarked, “It’s football.” This is how it should be. I doubt that anyone even considered it. We’re all heading outside to play together. And Iowa’s next quarterback chapter will formally begin when the final whistle blows in Tampa.
