Tag: Brendan Sullivan

Kirk Ferentz details genesis of Iowa football’s Brendan Sullivan goal line package

Iowa might have something here.

The Iowa Hawkeyes rolled out a new offensive package on Saturday afternoon versus Troy.

During Iowa’s eventual 38-21 win over the Trojans, the Hawkeyes turned to junior quarterback Brendan Sullivan in place of starter Cade McNamara in several goal-to-go situations.

Sullivan, an offseason transfer from Northwestern, completed his one and only pass on the day on a short flip forward to junior tight end Addison Ostrenga for a 2-yard touchdown strike in the third quarter.

It was the Hawkeyes’ first points of the second half and ultimately put Iowa in front to stay.

After the Hawkeyes’ win, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz was asked about the genesis of the goal-to-go package for Sullivan.

“During camp, both guys get reps for the most part pretty much with everything. Brendan is a really good athlete, worked hard. This week when we were talking about those situations, we just thought maybe it would be good to have that in our pocket. How much we utilize it or not utilize it, we’ll figure that out as we go.

“He did a good job during the week. That was part of our plan coming in. If the situation arose, if it’s going to help us in games, we’re going to do it. Thought he did a nice job. Guess he got his first completion on that little flip-out there, too. He’s 1-for-1. Can’t beat that,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz was also asked if there’s a plan to get Sullivan more snaps in the middle of the field as well.

“Do you want me to take the hook on that one? Seriously? No, I get it. You have to ask that stuff. I get it.

“I mean, there’s no big conspiracy theory or purpose. He has practiced well. He’s a really good athlete. We thought if he could give us or provide one more dimension, one more thing to the defenses to have to worry about, might have some benefit.

“There’s no big picture right now, but we are going to try to utilize any one of our guys any way we can if they can help us. That’s a good thing,” Ferentz said.

McNamara had a solid day under center as well, completing 19-of-23 passes for 176 yards.

Iowa returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Minnesota for a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff on NBC for the start of Big Ten play.

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Kirk Ferentz comments on potential Brendan Sullivan QB package

Kirk Ferentz discussed his thoughts on a potential quarterback package utilizing Brendan Sullivan.

Nothing tells you football season is in full swing like the backup quarterback conversation getting started following Week 2 of the college football season.

That discourse is in full effect surrounding the Iowa Hawkeyes and their quarterback room as they prepare to host the Troy Trojans in Week 3.

During his weekly press conference, Kirk Ferentz was asked about utilizing Brendan Sullivan and his mobility in an offensive package in a similar fashion to Brad Banks being utilized in relief of Kyle McCann in 2001.

As usual, Ferentz played his cards very close to his chest but did not shut the door on a potential package with Sullivan.

“We’ll keep an open mind to anything. Obviously if it’s going to help us win games now, that’s the first priority. And secondly, if a player — we rotate at other positions — it’s a little tougher at quarterback. It would take the right guy,” Ferentz said about bringing Sullivan into the action.

As far as a starting quarterback change, that is something Iowa has stayed away from amid questionable quarterback play the last few years and is traditionally hesitant to do.

Kirk Ferentz was also asked if he feels confident in Cade McNamara continuing to be the starter and put to rest any questions of Brendan Sullivan fully takings over the reins.

“I do. We’ve been on the field twice. Yes, so far so good. I’ll stay on the same page I’ve been on. I think he just needs to play. He needs to learn from those experiences. The faster you learn, the better, obviously. He’s missed a lot of time. I think he needs that. It is a new offense for him,” Ferentz commented when asked if he is confident in McNamara.

McNamara started the year off going 21-31 for 251 yards and three touchdowns but followed it up with a rough outing going just 13-29 for 99 yards and two interceptions.

Brendan Sullivan has only seen some mop-up duty for the Iowa Hawkeyes this season as he has yet to register any statistics.

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Iowa football leaning Cade McNamara as starting QB vs. Illinois State

Kirk Ferentz said Cade McNamara would be Iowa’s starting quarterback if the season kicked off today.

The starting quarterback position for the Iowa Hawkeyes has been a hotly debated topic following the open Kids’ Day practice that saw some controversy bubble up.

Cade McNamara, the Michigan transfer, struggled during Kids’ Day at Kinnick with a low completion percentage and a couple of turnovers. Brendan Sullivan, a transfer from Northwestern, had a better day and gained some ground on McNamara.

With Iowa’s season opener just over a week away, head coach Kirk Ferentz stated that right now the starting quarterback job for their game against the Illinois State Redbirds belongs to Cade McNamara.

“If we were playing tomorrow, Cade would be one, Brendan would be two, Marco would be three,” Ferentz told the media.

McNamara is returning from a torn left ACL that cost him much of the 2023 season, but he has continued to claim he is healthier than he has been in a while.

Behind him is Sullivan who is closing the gap and doing so fast. After being listed as the third quarterback in Iowa’s preseason depth chart, he is up to the second string and closing in.

Sullivan provides more mobility than McNamara and has ties to new offensive coordinator Tim Lester from his high school days when Lester was recruiting him.

Rounding out the quarterback depth chart is redshirt freshman Marco Lainez who has played sparingly but did flash some athleticism when he did play. At 6-foot-2, 228 pounds, Lainez showed some speed with six rushes for 51 yards in Iowa’s bowl game against Tennessee last season.

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CBS Sports analyzes Iowa football’s QB competition

Iowa may have a quarterback competition on their hands. May the best man win.

Things have taken a turn in Iowa City with the 2024 college football season just over two weeks away. Following their Kids’ Day practice, the Iowa Hawkeyes may have a quarterback competition on their hands.

The incumbent starter, Cade McNamara, struggled mightily at the open practice completing roughly a third of his passes along with an interception returned for a touchdown and fumble issues, both of which are big no’s in Kirk Ferentz’s offense.

Behind him, and closing in quickly, is Brendan Sullivan, a transfer from Northwestern, who came to Iowa to try and play rather than be a backup. His performance and McNamara’s struggles seem to be leading to a QB competition.

CBS Sports dove into what the competition looks like.

Most assumed entering Iowa’s fall camp slate that former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara was well-entrenched as the starting quarterback. After all, the veteran opened the 2023 season as Iowa’s starter before tearing his ACL in late-September vs. Michigan State.

While McNamara is still first in line to run the offense, a recent uninspiring performance at Iowa’s Kids’ Day Practice has left the door at least slightly ajar for other options. Iowa did bring in Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan, who has started games in the Big Ten and provides some upside as a rushing option. – Will Backus, CBS Sports

Sullivan, a career 68.7% passer, with 10 touchdowns to five interceptions in his career, does provide a boost on the ground over McNamara. Sullivan has run for 257 yards in his career.

Where he does lack is experience. He has only appeared in 13 games over the last two years with the Wildcats. That said, there is a tradeoff. He knows Tim Lester, Iowa’s offensive coordinator, from his time being recruited out of high school. Chemistry exists there and that could go a long way.

There is still a sense that McNamara won’t be dethroned before Week 1 but could see his starting job up for grabs soon thereafter if Sullivan continues to string good days together.

McNamara is still Iowa’s starting quarterback and will likely be the starting quarterback in Iowa’s season opener against Illinois State on Aug. 31. However, Sullivan has made things interesting and could continue to push for the QB1 job the next few weeks. – Sean Bock, 247Sports

The Hawkeyes should welcome a quarterback competition right now. They have not had steady quarterback play in a few years and this competition could lead to pushing McNamara to be better or force the staff to realize that Sullivan is the way to go.

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Wisconsin primary rival in midst of unexpected quarterback competition entering 2024

Wisconsin primary rival in midst of unexpected quarterback competition entering 2024

The Wisconsin Badgers are, at least publicly, in the midst of a quarterback competition between Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke and redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke.

It being called a true ‘competition’ feels a bit performative given Van Dyke’s experience and track record, and the Badgers’ eagerness to land him in the transfer portal last winter.

Van Dyke will be the team’s starter in Week 1 barring something unforeseen. That inherently makes it not much of a true competition.

Related: Ranking all 18 Big Ten football programs by most pressure to win in 2024

The Iowa Hawkeyes, on the other hand, may actually be in the midst of a quarterback battle between sixth-year senior Cade McNamara and Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan.

That is due to reports from the team’s open practice on Saturday. Those reports saw McNamara struggle mightily — 7/21 passing for 20 yards, one interception, one sack and one fumbled snap.

Sullivan wasn’t much better, finishing 10/21 for 76 yards. But McNamara’s struggles opened the door for Sullivan to possibly contend for the job.

This is a surprise given the context surrounding each quarterback’s situation.

McNamara is back for a sixth collegiate season after missing most of 2023 with a torn ACL. He once led Michigan to the College Football Playoff in 2021, but has not had a full healthy season since that campaign.

Sullivan, meanwhile, transferred to Iowa this offseason after starting a majority of the 2023 season for Northwestern. He completed 63.6% of his passes for 714 yards, 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions a season ago and would have likely won the Wildcats’ full-time job in 2024.

All expectations were McNamara would start in 2024 and Sullivan would be developed to start the following seasons. That plan may still happen. But McNamara’s struggles could open the door, at least, for Sullivan to get a chance.

New offensive coordinator Tim Lester is looking to improve the Iowa offense from its No. 132 ranking in points per game (15.4) and No. 133 in yards per game (234.6). There are only 133 teams in the FBS, for the record. The team was the single-worst offense in the entire country, Power Five and beyond.

Lester’s presence certainly gives the Hawkeyes some urgency on that side of the football. Years of the offense holding the team back are expected to be in the past, which could force the OC to make a quicker move if the starting quarterback struggles. That dynamic could see Sullivan take over the position during the season, even if McNamara wins the Week 1 job.

This is a story worth monitoring for Wisconsin fans. The Badgers and Hawkeyes will meet in Iowa City on Nov. 2. Luke Fickell’s program will need a better showing than in its 15-6 loss last season. The opposing starting quarterback will be a significant variable in that equation.

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Iowa Hawkeyes among best Big Ten transfer portal grades for 2024 season

Addition by subtraction.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have been involved in the portal quite a bit this offseason. As is nowadays in the modern era of college football, arrivals and departures are happening with each team as frequently as an airport.

Iowa’s offseason was headlined by a few transfer portal happenings. The first, and biggest impact, was the addition of Kadyn Proctor only to shortly be followed by his second departure.

Following that saga, Iowa was able to add two quarterbacks in the portal, Brendan Sullivan from Northwestern and Jackson Stratton from Colorado State, to fill out the QB room after Deacon Hill left in the portal.

Iowa had 13 departures additions in the portal, but CBS Sports’ transfer portal recap has them as the No. 4 best net rating gain in the Big Ten behind just Ohio State, Purdue, and Nebraska.

Despite losing 13 players to the portal, the average transfer rating of those coming to Iowa was 88.75 and the quality of the arrivals vastly outweighs that of the 13 departures. The Hawkeyes had a net rating gain of 3.57.

The transfer portal additions for Iowa include the aforementioned Sullivan and Stratton in the quarterback room but also see reinforcements coming elsewhere on the offensive side of the ball.

Joining the two quarterbacks are Jacob Gill, a wide receiver coming from Northwestern like Sullivan, and Cade Borud, an interior offensive lineman coming from North Dakota who has the ability to immediately plug-and-play up front.

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Iowa Hawkeyes in hopeful spot in ESPN’s QB tier rankings

It can only go up. Right?

The quarterback situation for the Iowa Hawkeyes is beginning to feel like the never-ending topic of discussion that finds itself with the same result at the end of each season.

Could the 2024 college football season be different? There is some optimism. For the first time in a while, Iowa appears they may have two capable quarterbacks on the depth chart in Cade McNamara and Brendan Sullivan, a transfer receiving some hype.

No one is expecting Iowa to be one of the elite quarterback rooms in the country. But that’s okay. If they can steady the ship and be in the middle of the pack, they’ll be just fine with their defense.

As far as where they rank among all 134 schools, ESPN slotted all schools into 20 tiers and placed Iowa into Tier 13, “Year II, Part II” in their recent QB rankings. This tier is described as teams who need a big step forward.

Well, each of these likely starters fits the bill, returning for Year 2 in a familiar place with a chance to take a big step forward. It’s just that step needs to be a bit bigger than other Year 2 transfers. – David Hale, ESPN

Fortunately for Iowa, forward seems like the only way that they could go with more depth and a new offensive coordinator in Tim Lester. Other schools in this tier include Auburn, Houston, and fellow Big Ten members Illinois and Purdue.

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CBS Sports puts Brendan Sullivan among Big Ten’s top immediate-impact transfers

Could he push for the starting job?

Could the Iowa Hawkeyes have a competition at quarterback during training camp? Or do they simply have some depth at a position sorely needing it? Either way, both are welcome situations for a team desperate for quality quarterback play.

The Hawkeyes have the chance for that this fall. With the addition of Brendan Sullivan, a former QB at Northwestern, the Hawkeyes can hold a competition to push Cade McNamara to his ceiling or find out if Sullivan can win the job. Alternatively, Sullivan provides much better insurance should McNamara go down with an injury.

Regardless, the addition of Sullivan via the transfer portal is one of CBS Sports’ transfers poised to make an immediate impact.

Iowa QB Brendan Sullivan: After the Kadyn Proctor fiasco, there is no bigger name in Iowa’s incoming transfer class than Brendan Sullivan. The former Northwestern QB isn’t a lock to be the starter, but given Cade McNamara’s uncertain status and the lack of other options, the odds are good Sullivan will take meaningful snaps with the Hawkeyes in 2024. – Tom Fornelli, ESPN

Brendan Sullivan has two advantages over McNamara entering this season. He is a bit more mobile to give Iowa the threat of a running quarterback. He was also recruited by Iowa’s new offensive coordinator, Tim Lester, out of high school and has the rapport.

Cade McNamara has possibly the largest advantage, though. He is entering his second year in the program and has familiarity with the receivers, offensive line, and running backs in Lester’s scheme from spring practice. He also has to blessing of Kirk Ferentz for the time being, which weighs mightily.

Should Sullivan see the field this fall, there is a good chance it comes in meaningful action. Having two competent quarterbacks is a problem the Hawkeyes will gladly take on.

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UCLA’s Big Ten opponent lands new quarterback

Iowa lands former Northwestern QB.

When the UCLA Bruins start their first Big Ten season in 2024, one of their opponents on the slate is the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa reached the Big Ten title game a season ago but needed an upgrade in their offense.

When the Bruins and Hawkeyes get together on November 9th, there is a chance UCLA faces off against Brendan Sullivan at quarterback. Josh Helmer of the Hawkeyes Wire made the announcement that after visiting Iowa City, he committed to play for the Hawkeyes. Sullivan played 13 games at Northwestern before entering the transfer portal. He made four starts with the Wildcats. His best start was against Maryland at the end of October with two touchdown passes in the game.

The signal-caller made it official with his Tweet on X:

The Iowa Hawkeyes open up the football season on August 31st, as they play host to the Illinois State Redbirds. Their first Big Ten game is slated for September 21st, on the road at Minnesota.

UCLA hosts Iowa on November 9 at the Rose Bowl.

Iowa lands commitment from former Big Ten West starting quarterback

Big news for Wisconsin’s 2024 schedule:

The Iowa Hawkeyes landed a commitment from former Northwestern starting quarterback Brendan Sullivan on Wednesday.

Sullivan surprisingly entered the transfer portal in late April after three years with the Wildcats. He was the team’s starter for a chunk of last season, completing 63.6% of his passes for 714 yards, 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He was projected to be the full-time starter entering 2024.

Related: Post-spring Big Ten football 2024 power rankings, starting quarterback rankings

Iowa lands Sullivan as it prepares for an important 2024 campaign. Five-year veteran Cade McNamara is back for a final season after missing much of 2023 with a leg injury. He projects to be the starter, though Sullivan could push him for that job.

The Hawkeyes recently saw backup Deacon Hill enter the portal during the spring window, so there was likely some writing on the wall that another quarterback could be entering the room.

Iowa needs to re-shape the position group after several putrid years of offensive production. The program hired Tim Lester to be its offensive coordinator this offseason and expect him to improve the unit from where it was under Brian Ferentz.

Sullivan has two years of eligibility remaining. If he doesn’t win the job this offseason, he’d almost-definitely be the Hawkeyes’ starter in 2025.

Wisconsin visits Iowa on November 2. This news now confirms the team will have better quarterback play than when the two teams met in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Hawkeyes have won the last two in the series and three of the last four.

For more on Wisconsin’s transfer portal activity this spring as Luke Fickell works to improve the roster, check out our 2024 spring transfer portal window tracker.

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