Northwestern transfer QB Brendan Sullivan commits to Iowa Hawkeyes

Boom! Brendan Sullivan is a Hawkeye.

The Iowa Hawkeyes got fantastic news on Wednesday afternoon.

After visiting Iowa City and the program on Tuesday, Northwestern transfer quarterback Brendan Sullivan announced his commitment to Iowa.

Sullivan provides some much-needed depth and experience for the Hawkeye quarterback room. Now, with the addition of Sullivan, Iowa is back up to three scholarship quarterbacks on campus. That number will grow to four scholarship quarterbacks once class of 2024 signee James Resar arrives this summer.

The 6-foot-3, 225 pound quarterback has appeared in 13 games over his career and started eight with Northwestern the past two seasons.

Northwestern had a 2-2 record with Sullivan as its starting quarterback last season, including his career-best performance against Maryland on Oct. 28 where he completed 16-of-23 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Sullivan also added 56 yards on the ground in the 33-27 win over the Terps.

In his career, Sullivan has completed 68.7% of his passes for 1,303 passing yards with 10 touchdowns against five interceptions. Sullivan has also rushed for 257 yards and three touchdowns.

Sullivan joins an Iowa quarterback room that features former Michigan transfer Cade McNamara and class of 2023 signee Marco Lainez.

McNamara began the 2023 season as Iowa’s starting quarterback. The 6-foot-1, 205 pound signal-caller started each of Iowa’s first five contests last season before suffering a torn ACL early in the Hawkeyes’ 26-16 win over Michigan State.

McNamara ended his inaugural Iowa season with 505 passing yards, four passing touchdowns against three interceptions and a 51.1% completion rate.

McNamara has been hampered by back-to-back season-ending injuries and looked visibly slowed in Iowa’s open 2024 spring practice as his rehabilitation continues.

Lainez, Iowa’s other scholarship quarterback, has made just one career appearance for the Hawkeyes. That came late in Iowa’s 35-0 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl loss versus Tennessee this past January.

Lainez completed 2-of-7 passes for four yards. He also carried six times for 51 yards.

The addition of Sullivan is pivotal for the Hawkeyes as Iowa looks to build depth in its quarterback room for new offensive coordinator Tim Lester.

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