Both quarterbacks will likely share snaps on Saturday.
The first Tuesday of the 2026 Iowa football season has arrived.
That means absolutely nothing for Hawkeye fans, but for the local media, it’s a chance to chat with head coach Kirk Ferentz and his team about Saturday's season opener against Northern Illinois.
The Hawkeyes certainly had a lot to say about their new season, so here are some of the top things they talked about on Tuesday.
Quarterback Race Remains Tight
All eyes are on the highly-anticipated quarterback decision. Either Hank Brown or Jeremy Hecklinski will take the first snap on Saturday, but the answer to the million-dollar question remains a mystery only four days until kickoff.
Ferentz told us last week that it was possible that one quarterback may see slightly more reps with the No. 1s than the other as the week progresses, but after talking to Brown and Hecklinski, it's clear that nothing has changed and both are taking equal snaps at this point.
"We're gonna continue to split reps throughout the week, and then they'll make the call when that time comes," Hecklinski said.
Though Ferentz would prefer to have a clear-cut starter by game day, the odds of that happening are very unlikely. Ferentz was asked about the quarterback battle numerous times during his press conference, and the answer slowly turned from the gridiron to the baseball diamond.
The hope is to have the quarterback to take the first snap from scrimmage selected by Friday afternoon at the latest, and Iowa fans should expect to see the quarterbacks alternate every 2-3 drives.
"There's no right way to make a decision at this point. We'll figure that out between now and Saturday," Ferentz said. "And again, I think we just probably need more evidence and the next step is see how guys play in ball games."
"I heard Iowa City gets pretty wild on game day"
Transfers L.J. Phillips Jr. and Tony Diaz have received a lot of hype from fans and media members alike for their explosive playmaking skills at running back and wide receiver, respectively, but the time has now come for them to turn that hype into big plays for Tim Lester's offense.
Phillips rushed for a Division I-best 1,920 yards and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award (best offensive player in the FCS level) at South Dakota last season, while Diaz tallied 875 receiving yards to help Texas Rio Grande Valley to a 9-3 record in its inaugural season of existence.
Both could be in very different situations come Saturday afternoon. Phillips figures to see a high volume of carries against an unknown Northern Illinois defense, but Diaz is in a different bout. He too could receive a heavy workload, but it all rests on good quarterback play.
Uncertainty at the quarterback position is usually a concern for wide receivers, especially transfers, but Diaz is confident everything will work out.
"Whoever goes out there is going to give it their all. They're great players," he said.
Workloads aside, there's one main thing both Diaz and Phillips have in common - Saturday will be their first game at Kinnick Stadium. Both have heard positive things about the environment from their teammates, but they won't truly understand it until they take the field.
"I know Kinnick gets pretty wild. I know Iowa City gets pretty wild on game day. So I'm excited to see that," Diaz said.
"You hear everyone talk about the fans and everything, so I'm really excited to witness that. We will swarm with my brothers and go out there and have a ball," Phillips said.
Walk-Ons Can Play, Too
When Iowa released its Week 1 depth chart on Monday, four walk-on players - center Cael Winter, kicker Caden Buhr, defensive tackle Will Hubert, and long snapper Ike Speltz - cracked the starting lineup.
Ferentz was asked about Winter's rise from a walk-on to starting center (more on that later), and after he praised Winter's consistency at the position, a follow-up question came about how the Hawkeyes manage to successfully develop walk-ons year in and year out.
Guys like Joe Evans, Quinn Schulte, Kaden Wetjen are recent examples of walk-ons that eventually became starters in Iowa City. Ferentz's formula for making it work is simple.
"Ever since we've been here, if you're on the team, you're on the team. That's always been our approach and philosophy," Ferentz said. "So whether you're the 105th guy, whoever you are on the team, if you want to be coached, we're going to coach you."
Injury Updates
Defensive back Tyler Brown and offensive tackle Trent Brown will miss Saturday's game due to injury. Both have been battling soft tissue injuries over the last few weeks, but Brown's has lingered throughout the summer.
Ferentz hopes to get Wilson back next week against Iowa State. Brown's status remains week-to-week.
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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]
