Updated Iowa Football Position Battles

The Iowa football team is less than two weeks away from the start of the 2024 season. That means the Hawkeyes are getting close to ending their position battles with the close of fall camp.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is fond of saying that every position is up for grabs in fall camp, but honestly, there didn’t appear to be many starting jobs open heading into the 2024 season.

However, there are a few and with a short time before game week, let’s look at some of the remaining position battles for the Iowa football team.

CORNERBACK

If there was one position where starting jobs were up for grabs it was both cornerback positions. The depth chart was pretty clearly made up of four contenders. Obviously only two will start.

On one side it was John Nestor competing with T.J. Hall . On the other side it was Jermari Harris battling with Deshaun Lee .

First, let’s look at Nestor and Hall because that might be the tighter of the two races. Nestor played in ten games, mainly on special teams. When he arrived on campus, most thought he might end up at safety. Of course, most thought Cooper DeJean would end up at safety too. Not saying Nestor is the next DeJean. That would be foolish and unfair, but Nestor has impressed the coaches with his ball skills.

Hall really flashed in his freshman year and turned the heads of the coaches. He played in every game, primarily on special teams, but a bit at corner. Last year he dealt with an injury and missed the second half of the season. He’s had a very good camp and pushed Nestor for that starting job.

On the other side, it appears that Harris, who is back for his Covid year, has comfortably won the job. That shouldn’t surprise given his level of experience and success at cornerback. Lee has gained quite a bit of experience of his own, but Harris has separated himself from the battle.

WIDE RECEIVER

This one is an interesting battle for playing time.

We know that Kaleb Brown will suspended for the first game of the year.  That opens the door for someone else to step forward. There have been a few players who appears to be doing just that. Seth Anderson was off to a good start in fall camp before another leg injury. If he can get fully healthy before the start of the season, then he would be in the mix.

But, the players who have raised their stock the most this fall are Jacob Gill and Reese Vander Zee .  Let’s start with Gill. He’s a transfer from Northwestern who caught 17 passes for 185 yards last season. He’s proven to be a solid blocker and good route runner and elevated his stock right away.

Vander Zee might be one of the best stories from fall camp. Most expected that the true freshman from Central Lyon High School in northwest Iowa would redshirt. But, at 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds, he gives Iowa size, solid quickness, and he’s catching everything thrown his way. Basically, he’s come in and played like a veteran.

Two other players that will factor in right away are Jarriett Buie and Kaden Wetjen . Buie is a playmaker on offense and Wetjen gives Iowa speed and a good route runner in the short passing game.

QUARTERBACK

Ok, so we are going to go there. Honestly, there are no other real interesting first time type position battles, so let’s discuss the situation at quarterback. It’s really the topic that Iowa fans want to talk about. Will it be Cade McNamara or do they go with Brenden Sullivan ?

Having covered Kirk Ferentz for over twenty years, you can listen to the Iowa head coach and read between the lines of what he is really saying. When he spoke to the Big Ten Network on Friday.

“On Cade’s case, he’s missed two years, basically. He’s thrown 7-on-7, things like that but it’s still not real football. You have to get out there and you have to operate. You’ve got to be on the field with 11 people on your side and their side. So I think he’s really making progress right now. Every snap right now in my mind is important for him. I think he’s having a good week this week and hopefully, we just keep pushing that forward.”

Then with regard to Sullivan he had this to say.

“Brendan’s been a great addition,” Ferentz said. “Just a great young guy and he’s learning every day. It’s a little different for him — he got here in June so he’s playing catch-up that way. But I think he’s really a good prospect.”

Reading between the lines, barring something unforeseen, Ferentz is going to go with McNamara as his starting quarterback. He essentially said McNamara has had some struggles, which he expected and he’s getting better. Meanwhile he basically said Sullivan is a great backup right now and we like him.

Bottom line is I think Ferentz believes that there are things that McNamara brings to the table that Sullivan doesn’t and he’s going to give him the first chance to run this new offense.

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