Top 25 passing seasons in Iowa Hawkeyes football history
While elite quarterback play and the University of Iowa might not be completely synonymous, the Hawkeyes have boasted some terrific signal-callers over their program history.
Chuck Long finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1985. Brad Banks did, too, back in 2002. Before those two, Randy Duncan had his own second-place Heisman Trophy finish in 1958 and Kenny Ploen earned the ninth-most votes in 1956.
During Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz’s tenure, Iowa’s quarterbacks haven’t always been asked or tasked to roll up big numbers in order to position the Hawkeyes for victories. Instead, the hallmark of great Hawkeye quarterback play under Ferentz has been ball security.
With that in mind, it doesn’t mean that some of the best performances under center still haven’t come over the last quarter century. In fact, some of the best quarterback seasons statistically have come during the Ferentz era.
What about Iowa’s entire history, though? Which quarterbacks have authored the best passing seasons in program history? Here’s a look at each of the top 25 Iowa single-season passing totals.
Paul Burmeister, 1993
Mandatory credit: Earl Richardson
Passing yards: 2,152
Passing touchdowns: 10
Completions-passes attempted: 184-of-309
Completion percentage: 59.6%
Iowa’s record: 6-6 (3-5 Big Ten)
Matt Rodgers, 1989
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
Passing yards: 2,222
Passing touchdowns: 12
Completions-passes attempted: 178-of-312
Completion percentage: 57.1%
Iowa’s record: 5-6 (3-5 Big Ten)
Matt Rodgers, 1990
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 2,228
Passing touchdowns: 15
Completions-passes attempted: 187-of-310
Completion percentage: 60.3%
Iowa’s record: 8-4 (6-2)
James Vandenberg, 2012
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 2,249
Passing touchdowns: 7
Completions-passes attempted: 223-of-389
Completion percentage: 57.3%
Iowa’s record: 4-8 (2-6 Big Ten)
Jake Christensen, 2007
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 2,269
Passing touchdowns: 17
Completions-passes attempted: 198-of-370
Completion percentage: 53.5%
Iowa’s record: 6-6 (4-4 Big Ten)
Matt Rodgers, 1991
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen
Passing yards: 2,275
Passing touchdowns: 14
Completions-passes attempted: 185-of-283
Completion percentage: 65.4%
Iowa’s record: 10-1-1 (7-1 Big Ten)
Jake Rudock, 2013
Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 2,383
Passing touchdowns: 18
Completions-passes attempted: 204-of-346
Completion percentage: 59%
Iowa’s record: 8-5 (5-3 Big Ten)
Ricky Stanzi, 2009
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 2,417
Passing touchdowns: 17
Completions-passes attempted: 171-of-304
Completion percentage: 56.2%
Iowa’s record: 11-2 (6-2 Big Ten)
Jake Rudock, 2014
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 2,436
Passing touchdowns: 16
Completions-passes attempted: 213-of-345
Completion percentage: 61.7%
Iowa’s record: 7-6 (4-4 Big Ten)
Nate Stanley, 2017
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 2,437
Passing touchdowns: 26
Completions-passes attempted: 196-of-351
Completion percentage: 55.8%
Iowa’s record: 8-5 (4-5 Big Ten)
Matt Sherman, 1995
Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
Passing yards: 2,546
Passing touchdowns: 14
Completions-passes attempted: 170-of-295
Completion percentage: 57.6%
Iowa’s record: 8-4 (4-4 Big Ten)
Brad Banks, 2002
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Passing yards: 2,573
Passing touchdowns: 26
Completions-passes attempted: 170-of-294
Completion percentage: 57.8%
Iowa’s record: 11-2 (8-0 Big Ten)
Chuck Long, 1983
Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule Jr
Passing yards: 2,601
Passing touchdowns: 14
Completions-passes attempted: 157-of-265
Completion percentage: 59.2%
Iowa’s record: 9-3 (7-2 Big Ten)
Drew Tate, 2006
Byron Hetzler-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 2,623
Passing touchdowns: 18
Completions-passes attempted: 207-of-352
Completion percentage: 58.8%
Iowa’s record: 6-7 (2-6 Big Ten)
Drew Tate, 2004
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Passing yards: 2,786
Passing touchdowns: 20
Completions-passes attempted: 233-of-375
Completion percentage: 62.1%
Iowa’s record: 10-2 (7-1 Big Ten)
C.J. Beathard, 2015
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images
Passing yards: 2,809
Passing touchdowns: 17
Completions-passes attempted: 223-of-362
Completion percentage: 61.6%
Iowa’s record: 12-2 (8-0 Big Ten)
Drew Tate, 2005
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images
Passing yards: 2,828
Passing touchdowns: 22
Completions-passes attempted: 219-of-352
Completion percentage: 62.2%
Iowa’s record: 7-5 (5-3 Big Ten)
Nate Stanley, 2018
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen
Passing yards: 2,852
Passing touchdowns: 26
Completions-passes attempted: 235-of-396
Completion percentage: 59.3%
Iowa’s record: 9-4 (5-4 Big Ten)
Chuck Long, 1984
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 2,871
Passing touchdowns: 22
Completions-passes attempted: 216-of-322
Completion percentage: 67.1%
Iowa’s record: 8-4-1 (5-3-1 Big Ten)
Nate Stanley, 2019
Bryon Houlgrave, The Des Moines Register
Passing yards: 2,951
Passing touchdowns: 16
Completions-passes attempted: 237-of-399
Completion percentage: 59.4%
Iowa’s record: 10-3 (6-3 Big Ten)
Ricky Stanzi, 2010
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 3,004
Passing touchdowns: 25
Completions-passes attempted: 221-of-345
Completion percentage: 64.1%
Iowa’s record: 8-5 (4-4 Big Ten)
James Vandenberg, 2011
Sandra Dukes-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 3,022
Passing touchdowns: 25
Completions-passes attempted: 232-of-404
Completion percentage: 57.4%
Iowa’s record: 7-6 (4-4 Big Ten)
Chuck Hartlieb, 1987
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 3,092
Passing touchdowns: 19
Completions-passes attempted: 217-of-334
Completion percentage: 65%
Iowa’s record: 10-3 (6-2 Big Ten)
Chuck Long, 1985
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 3,297
Passing touchdowns: 27
Completions-passes attempted: 260-of-388
Completion percentage: 67%
Iowa’s record: 10-2 (7-1 Big Ten)
Chuck Hartlieb, 1988
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Passing yards: 3,738
Passing touchdowns: 17
Completions-passes attempted: 217-of-334
Completion percentage: 62.6%
Iowa’s record: 6-4-3 (4-1-3 Big Ten)
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