Iowa’s QB situation tumbles Hawkeyes in CBS Sports’ Big Ten power rankings
The Iowa Hawkeyes are once again doing the same song and dance that they have done for the last handful of seasons. What sort of offensive output and quarterback play are they going to get?
Hawkeye fans know the current situation doesn’t exactly provide a ton of confidence. Cade McNamara is still rehabbing a torn ACL, Deacon Hill left via the transfer portal, and Marco Lainez, with minimal game experience, is the sole healthy quarterback at this moment.
That question mark at the most important position in football has the Hawkeyes tumbling a bit in CBS Sports’ post-spring Big Ten power rankings. Iowa is slotted down at No. 8 in the conference.
Most years, I look at Iowa questioning nearly everything about the roster and offensive philosophy before deciding it doesn’t matter because the Hawkeyes will figure out a way to win at least eight games anyway. Ironically, I’m not nearly as confident now that Iowa has replaced offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz with Tim Lester.
This is not because of Lester, rather it’s because last year’s third-string quarterback, Marco Lainez, is the only healthy quarterback on the roster right now. There’s hope Iowa can land a transfer soon, but for the most part, the QBs remaining in the portal come May are there for a reason. Oh, and superstar punter extraordinaire Tory Taylor is gone. – Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports.
There is some hope coming for Iowa in the sense of quarterback depth. Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan committed to the Hawkeyes. He brings a tie to Tim Lester from his recruitment during high school and can provide depth if anything.
Iowa does have a win total of 7.5 wins per FanDuel that would be their lowest in nearly a decade if they failed to surpass it. Reaching that mark is dependent upon the quarterback play and if this offense can find a pulse to do their part paired with Iowa’s always top-tier defense.
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