IOWA CITY, Iowa — Nine practices into training camp, the Iowa football roster looks improved nearly everywhere on offense. Quarterback, however, has shifted from an answer to a question and in turn has become a competition with the potential to become a controversy.
At an open practice Saturday at Kinnick Stadium, Brendan Sullivan thoroughly outplayed Cade McNamara so clearly that coach Kirk Ferentz and new offensive coordinator Tim Lester must reconsider their pecking order. It’s not that Sullivan, who arrived in June from Northwestern, was special; he completed 10 of 21 passes for 76 yards with a pair of drops. It was that McNamara struggled to the point where Iowa cannot go down this path again.
McNamara, a sixth-year senior, completed just 8 of 24 passes for 20 yards and threw an interception that was returned for a score by free safety Quinn Schulte. McNamara looked unsure, indecisive and inaccurate. Outside of two out-routes, every completion was either a swing, a checkdown or a hitch.
That McNamara would be rusty is understandable. He played in three games in 2022 at Michigan before suffering a season-ending knee surgery. At last August’s open practice, he suffered a torn right quad muscle that inhibited him for the first month of the season. Then early in the Hawkeyes’ fifth game, McNamara tore his left ACL on a no-contact scramble.
That’s barely eight games played over two full seasons. McNamara was cleared for a full return in June and the Hawkeyes have a different offense under Lester. There are plenty of reasons and excuses to make for the early inconsistencies. But it has to improve — fast. That’s not just my opinion; it’s also shared by Ferentz.
When asked whether the quarterbacks’ performances Saturday were similar to other practices so far, Ferentz said, “It’s probably a fair assessment. Like everything, it’s not consistent enough at this point, and we’re just going to keep working. Every snap is really important for us.”
McNamara, who stands 6 feet 1 and weighs 210 pounds, previously spent four years at Michigan and helped the Wolverines win the first of their three straight Big Ten championships in 2021. After his 2022 surgery, McNamara transferred to Iowa. Whether it was his quad injury, Iowa’s receivers or the offensive scheme — or a combination of all three — McNamara struggled last year in his four starts. He completed 51.1 percent of his passes for 505 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. Those numbers were sterling for Iowa compared with what came after McNamara’s injury. Despite winning 10 games and a Big Ten West title, the Hawkeyes ranked last nationally in total offense.
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While McNamara was recovering from knee surgery, the Hawkeyes lost three quarterbacks to the transfer portal, including backup Deacon Hill. In May, the Hawkeyes landed Sullivan, who was looking for a new opportunity. Sullivan started four games for Northwestern last year and played in seven. He completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 714 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 160 yards and two scores.
The 6-4, 220-pound Sullivan arrived at Iowa understanding the situation. With two years of eligibility remaining, Sullivan wanted to compete but he also knew McNamara was the likely starter. He also has running skills that Ferentz mentioned in July might allow Lester to create specific packages for him.
“I think I’m a versatile quarterback, a gritty guy, played through some things and bring that type of mentality,” Sullivan said before camp opened. “I think that’s what’s kind of separates me from a lot of guys.”
It’s notable that in both May and July, Ferentz remained committed to McNamara as his starter. The initial depth chart had McNamara on top with Sullivan listed third behind redshirt freshman Marco Lainez III. Now, more than a week into practice, the coach has eased off declarations at that position.
“With quarterbacks, you just got to let them keep playing and see what they can do,” Ferentz said. “But we’re going to keep giving all three guys good reps.
“The good thing with (McNamara), we’ve seen him do it on film against good competition, so it’s just a matter of working back there and getting there. And Brendan, kind of the same way. He played great against Maryland a year ago before we played him (with Northwestern). So he’s done it. And now, for like all players, how consistent can you be doing it? That’s the challenge all of us run.”
It’s never easy to assess Iowa’s offense when it competes against its defense, which led the nation in yards per play allowed and ranked in the top 10 in several other categories last fall. The tight coverage on Saturday often prevented receivers from getting open, although the running game battled the defense better than it had in an open practice since perhaps 2016. But the practice’s best series came with Sullivan at the helm.
With a mix of starters and backups on both units, Sullivan engineered a solid two-minute drill. He completed 5-of-6 passes for 51 yards to put the offense in position for a field goal.
“Considering he got here in June, he’s making up for some lost ground,” Ferentz said. “You compare the two guys, Cade hasn’t played in two years, basically, whereas Sully has played. He’s been out there and playing a little bit. So that’s where the repetitions are really important for us right now, especially in team. Team situations are really important.”
Sullivan had a few series against Iowa’s first-team defense but primarily faced the second unit. McNamara’s roles were reversed. There could be some alterations in the near future, which includes a major closed scrimmage next Saturday.
“We’ll figure the numbers up, but we want to keep working,” Ferentz said. “Obviously, that’s the other part of the equation. Don’t read too much into it, but to get a fair assessment of a guy, you’ve got to let them work.”
Based on what we saw Saturday, Sullivan deserves to split first-team reps the next two weeks. With one of the nation’s top defenses, an offensive line that finally looks the part and some quality running backs and tight ends, Iowa sits in a good spot entering the season. Quarterback could elevate the Hawkeyes to the expanded College Football Playoff — or knock them to Big Ten also-ran status in a hurry.
(Photo of Cade McNamara: Julia Hansen / Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA Today Network)
