The Big Ten Network made its annual stop through Iowa City on Friday evening for its “B1G Football Training Camp” series.
Big Ten Network host Ashley Adamson and analyst Gerry DiNardo caught up with Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz and Hawkeye offensive coordinator Tim Lester.
Naturally, Ferentz and Lester were asked about Iowa’s offense. Specifically, Ferentz was asked about the progression of his quarterbacks. Graduate Cade McNamara and junior transfer Brendan Sullivan are battling for the starting quarterback job.
“Some ups and downs, which is kinda expected. On Cade’s case, he’s missed two years, basically. He’s thrown 7-on-7, things like that but it’s still not real football. You have to get out there and you have to operate. You’ve got to be on the field with 11 people on your side and their side. So I think he’s really making progress right now. Every snap right now in my mind is important for him. I think he’s having a good week this week and hopefully, we just keep pushing that forward.
“Brendan’s been a great addition. Just a great young guy and he’s learning every day. It’s a little different for him. He got here in June so he’s playing catch-up that way. But I think he’s really a good prospect,” Ferentz said.
Lester echoed those sentiments from Ferentz on McNamara and Sullivan.
“Those two guys have been battling, Cade and (Sullivan). Cade’s really had a good week this week. He kind went through ups and downs coming back from a knee injury. Everyone kinda knows how that goes of confidence in the pocket, bodies falling all around you. Was a little skittish early on, calmed down. He’s better in phase two moving around the pocket now. Sully’s natural in the pocket.
“Both have played a bunch of Big Ten football games, so that’s a huge advantage. It’s been fun. I think they both make each other better. We’ve got a long way to go,” Lester said.
McNamara is making his way back from a second consecutive season-ending injury. The 6-foot-1, 210 pound quarterback tore his left ACL scrambling out of the end zone in Week 5 of last season versus Michigan State. McNamara’s 2022 season with Michigan ended with him having surgery on his right knee.
In his four-plus games of action with the Hawkeyes in 2023, McNamara completed 51.1% of his passes for 505 yards with four touchdown passes.
Meanwhile, Sullivan completed 63.6% of his passes for 714 yards with six touchdown passes at Northwestern last season. The 6-foot-4, 220 pound quarterback appeared in 13 games with the Wildcats and started four last season.
Sullivan’s best game in 2023 came in a 33-27 win over Maryland in which he completed 16-of-23 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Sullivan also rushed 14 times for 56 yards in that win over the Terps.
In the lone public look at the two throughout fall camp, McNamara completed 8-of-24 passes for 20 yards with one interception at Kids’ Day at Kinnick per Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register’s unofficial stats.
Sullivan completed 10-of-21 passes for 76 yards in the Kids’ Day at Kinnick scrimmage.
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