247Sports includes Cade McNamara among its QBs ‘poised to silence critics’
The Iowa Hawkeyes‘ offense has its fair share of doubters. That’s to be expected when an offense struggles the way the Hawkeyes’ offense has the past several seasons.
Iowa was last nationally in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total offense (234.6 yards per game) and second-to-last nationally in scoring offense (15.4 points per game) last season. The Hawkeyes ranked 130th in passing offense (118.6 yards per game) and 109th in rushing offense (115.9 rushing yards per game) in 2023.
Former offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz was not retained following the conclusion of the 2023 college football season. Iowa then embarked upon a lengthy offensive coordinator search that ended with the Hawkeyes hiring former Western Michigan head coach and former Green Bay Packers analyst Tim Lester.
Lester will receive his proper due nationally if he can turn around the Iowa offense. Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara has a chance to quiet some critics as well, though. 247Sports’ Carter Bahns included Iowa’s McNamara among his list of quarterbacks that are poised to silence critics during the 2024 college football season.
Iowa hit the quarterback transfer market heavily this spring, but the starting job still all but belongs to Cade McNamara. The newfound depth in the Hawkeyes’ room, though, should push the former Michigan starter over the coming months and help him regain the momentum he built early in his career.
Recovery from last season’s torn ACL disrupted his development — and he was not effective in the slightest even before the injury — but this is a new-look Iowa offense after a long-awaited coordinator change. If the Hawkeyes take a step forward on that side of the ball, it starts with the new scheme and McNamara’s talent. – Bahns, 247Sports.
If McNamara can be what Iowa thought it was getting out of the transfer portal, then the Hawkeyes could be in store for a special 2024 season given what they return they defensively.
McNamara was a prized portal addition for Iowa from Michigan ahead of the 2023 college football season. The 6-foot-1, 205 pound signal-caller was still working his way back from surgery on his right knee from an injury that he sustained with the Wolverines when he arrived in Iowa City.
The injury problems continued at Iowa. At Kids Day at Kinnick last August, McNamara exited with a non-contact quad injury. Throughout the start of last season, McNamara’s mobility was a concern as the quad injury seemed to linger.
Then, early in Iowa’s 26-16 win over Michigan State, McNamara’s 2023 season came to a close as he suffered a season-ending ACL injury to his left knee.
In five games last season, McNamara completed 51.1% of his passes for 505 yards with four passing touchdowns against three interceptions. Over the course of his career, McNamara has completed 61.0% of his passes and thrown for 3,686 yards and 25 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
McNamara has senior tight end Luke Lachey, junior wide receivers Kaleb Brown and Seth Anderson and junior running back Kaleb Johnson and senior running back Leshon Williams among his top skill players to work with. Iowa also returns six offensive linemen with starting experience.
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