Hank Brown takes starting quarterback role for Iowa against Northern Illinois

Hank Brown is expected to start at quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes in their season opener against Northern Illinois today at Kinnick Stadium. Coach Kirk Ferentz stated throughout the preseason that Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski were competing closely for the starting job with little separation between them. Ferentz noted that while Brown initially led the competition, Hecklinski performed strongly at Kids Day in August, leading to an inconsistent back-and-forth between the two quarterbacks. Both players are expected to receive playing time during the game as the team assesses their performance in live action. Brown joined the team in 2025 as a transfer from Auburn, while Hecklinski arrived from Wake Forest. The decision comes after both players served as backups to Mark Gronowski during the previous season, though Ferentz indicated that prior performance is not the deciding factor in the current competition.

• 2:53 PMYahoo Sports — Hank Brown expected to start at quarterback for the Hawkeyes today