Jeremy Hecklinski shines as Iowa’s QB competition takes shape

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa’s open quarterback competition might not be over, but there is a clear leader for the job.

In a scrimmage Saturday at Kinnick Stadium, Jeremy Hecklinski produced perhaps the most impressive Kids’ Day passing performance in Kirk Ferentz’s 28 seasons as head coach. The third-year quarterback completed 17 of 25 passes for 205 yards and five touchdowns while rotating against the Hawkeyes’ first- and second-team defenses. He easily outdueled co-No. 1 quarterback Hank Brown, who went 9-for-21 for 42 yards.

Ferentz downplayed the performances, noting that the scrimmage was just one of nine practices during fall camp, but the lone scrimmage in front of fans and media provided obvious separation.

“I won’t overplay it,” Ferentz said. “It’s like anything; what are the guys around them doing, too? It might have made a guy look better or worse, that type of deal. So, we’ll take a look at the film.”

Ferentz often chooses his words carefully when describing his quarterbacks, especially with his first training camp competition at the position since 2017. But in a practice usually dominated by Iowa’s defense, Hecklinski tilted the balance with his precision, accuracy and decision-making. Each of his touchdown passes came on a different route.

Six of his completions were considered explosive plays — 15 yards or more — which is a critical element for offensive coordinator Tim Lester.

Twice, Hecklinski connected with tight end D.J. Vonnahme for scores. One featured a wheel route in which Hecklinski perfectly led Vonnahme for a 23-yard touchdown. Two passes later, Hecklinski threw a 37-yard strike to Vonnahme on a seam route, just past linebacker Cam Buffington.

On his first drive, Hecklinski threw a perfectly placed 4-yard out pass to transfer wide receiver Evan James for a touchdown. On another drive, Hecklinski found Reece Vander Zee across the middle, and the receiver raced into the end zone for 19 yards. In his final series, Hecklinski completed 5 of 6 passes in a two-minute drill for 66 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown to James.

The best part of Hecklinski’s day, Ferentz said, was his decision-making. In the spring, the quarterback threw eight interceptions to Brown’s four. Saturday, Hecklinski never made a mistake. On his only incompletion during the two-minute drill, Hecklinski threw the ball into the turf when no one was open.

“That is going to be a factor in the decision, crowd or no crowd,” said Ferentz, who was the only person who spoke afterward. “I think he is improving there, and that’s part of the job description. You’ve got to be smart, and there are times when you take chances, but you need to know when those times are. And, as a rule, you don’t want to be taking risks that you don’t need to take, at least unless it’s the end of the half. But he’s doing good. He’s improving.”

“The goals have just been take care of the ball and play to your best ability and lead the team, and those goals will never change,” Hecklinski said at the Hawkeyes’ media day Friday. “Those are forever goals as a quarterback.”

Both quarterbacks are vying to replace Mark Gronowski as Iowa’s starter. Brown, a fourth-year player, started two games as a redshirt freshman at Auburn in 2024 before heading to Iowa in winter 2025. Hecklinski spent a year at Wake Forest before transferring to Iowa in June 2025. Brown began the 2025 season as Gronowski’s backup, but Hecklinski supplanted him midway through the season.

Lester avoided the transfer portal this winter and instead opted for an open competition between the two quarterbacks. The third-year offensive coordinator was excited to see how they competed against Iowa’s first-team defense in front of fans.

“I honestly think the major difference between who should be the starter and who should be the backup is probably going to be who can handle 70,000 people in Kinnick,” Lester told The Athletic, “and who can take a hit and get back up and keep playing without getting rattled.”

Whether it was nerves or simply a bad day, Brown struggled mightily. He missed receivers at every level. His longest completion went for 10 yards, and he had four passes knocked down. It was similar to how he performed against Indiana last season when he replaced an injured Gronowski. Brown, who stands 6 feet 4 inches, completed 5 of 13 passes for 48 yards with an interception against the Hoosiers.

Hecklinski’s height (5-10) is viewed as a detriment, but he altered arm angles when required.

“I don’t think I’ve grown since my junior year of high school,” Hecklinski said Friday. “I’ve played a lot of games at this height, and you just have to figure it out.”