There’s plenty of questions about exactly what the Iowa Hawkeyes‘ offense will look like in 2024.
After finishing with the nation’s worst total offense (234.6 yards per game) and the country’s second-worst scoring offense (15.4 points per game), Iowa athletics director Beth Goetz ensured that the Hawkeyes made a change at offensive coordinator.
Enter former Western Michigan head coach and Green Bay Packers analyst Tim Lester.
To be fair to the Hawkeyes, quarterback Cade McNamara was hurt early in Week 5 versus Michigan State and Iowa also lost star tight ends Luke Lachey and Erick All for the season.
For McNamara, it marked a second consecutive season that ended prematurely with a season-ending injury dating back to his time at Michigan. The 6-foot-1, 210 pound quarterback finished his four-plus games last season with 505 passing yards and four passing touchdowns against three interceptions with a 51.1% completion rate.
The injury history, McNamara’s abbreviated 2023 season with the Hawkeyes and the unknowns surrounding his recovery make McNamara a tough quarterback to evaluate heading into the 2024 season.
In Athlon Sports’ preseason Big Ten quarterback power rankings, McNamara checks in at No. 13. Or, in the bottom third of the conference to start.
With J.J. McCarthy entrenched as Michigan’s No. 1 quarterback last season, McNamara transferred to Iowa for a chance to start and build a resume for the NFL. However, the Nevada native was limited to five games due to a season-ending injury suffered against Michigan State on Sept. 20. In McNamara’s five appearances, he threw for 505 yards and four touchdowns for a struggling Hawkeyes’ attack.
McNamara’s recovery was a source of uncertainty at times this offseason, but the senior is on track to return to full strength by the opener. And in case there is a setback, Iowa can turn to Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan under center. New coordinator Tim Lester should help the Hawkeyes improve overall offensively this fall. – Steven Lassan, Athlon Sports.
McNamara’s Kids’ Day at Kinnick performance didn’t inspire much optimism for his 2024 prospects. Still, that’s one open practice and there’s been mixed reports coming out on how McNamara has looked and how the quarterback competition is shaking out in fall camp.
McNamara should be expected to start the season opener versus Illinois State on Aug. 31 and that he will be given every opportunity to make good on the expectations that he arrived with from Michigan. Iowa did find some quality insurance in the form of Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan.
The top five in Athlon Sports’ Big Ten quarterback rankings feature Oregon‘s Dillon Gabriel at No. 1, Penn State‘s Drew Allar at No. 2, Ohio State‘s Will Howard at No. 3, USC‘s Miller Moss at No. 4 and Washington‘s Will Rogers at No. 5.
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