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Happy training camp, football fans!
It's technically called fall camp at the college level, but nobody cares about correct terminology right now.
I've just returned from a relaxing Florida vacation, but from what I've heard from everyone back in Iowa, it sounds like I missed some football weather while I was gone (sigh).
There's no question the smell of football is in the air though, which means it's time to start previewing the 2026 Iowa football season.
We're now officially in the second week of fall camp, which means Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes are hard at work determining who will fill several key open positions. Quarterback is obviously the biggest slot to fill, but there's plenty of other position groups to keep an eye on as fall camp rolls along.
The winners of these respective position battles likely won't be revealed until the Week 1 depth chart gets released on game week, but in the meantime, here are my thoughts on each position group as fall camp continues:
Quarterback: Ferentz has been no stranger to quarterback battles during his career, but no race has been as close as this one. Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown both have legitimate cases to win this job, and I believe this battle will go very, very deep into fall camp. Both earning starting snaps in Week 1 is a possibility, too. I would lean towards Hecklinski earning the job, but again, anything can change between now and Sept. 5.
Running back: This has the potential to be one of Iowa's best running back rooms in a long time. Kamari Moulton is likely going to be the main man come game day, but don't be surprised to see South Dakota transfer L.J. Phillips, Xavier Williams, and Nathan McNeil get plenty of action, too. The Hawkeyes should be an excellent rushing team in 2026.
Tight end: Iowa can't ask for a better group of tight ends to work with this year. DJ Vonnahme is obviously entrenched as the No. 1 option, but Addison Ostrenga, Zach Ortwerth, and highly-anticipated redshirt freshman Thomas Meyer could all be involved in Tim Lester's playbook as well. Tight End University is going to be just fine, folks.
Wide receiver: This has been one of the Hawkeyes' biggest weaknesses for years. They need to prove it on the field first, but this group of wideouts is arguably Iowa's best since it had Brandon Smith, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, and Tyrone Tracy in 2020. Ferentz has high expectations for Texas Rio Grande Valley transfer Tony Diaz, but don't forget about returners Reece Vander Zee and Dayton Howard, too. These guys could serve as a perfect security blanket for whoever is under center.
Offensive line: George Barnett's crew has undergone a lot of turnover this year, but I don't think Hawkeye fans should be worried about this unit in 2026. Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper should be near the top of the national list at their respective positions, and while there's some questions about the rest of this group, there's enough experienced players like Michael Myslinski to be just fine in the trenches.
Defensive line: Iowa has never been known for boasting great pass rushing under Phil Parker (26 sacks in 2025), but its going to need to find answers very quickly at this position. Aaron Graves, Ethan Hurkett, Brian Allen, and Max Llewellyn are all gone, which means it's time for some new faces. Iose Epenesa, Kenneth Merrieweather, and Elon transfer Kahmari Brown are the names to watch here, but don't be surprised to see other names emerge during fall camp.
Linebacker: Great linebacker play each year is almost a guarantee in Iowa City, but that is going to be tested this year. Jayden Montgomery is the face of this new-look room, but he's the lone man with starting experience of the bunch. Cam Buffington and Preston Ries have showed promise in limited action, but we're not really going to know much about this group until they take the field against Northern Illinois. Working with Parker and linebackers coach Seth Wallace should give you enough optimism, though.
Defensive backs: This group is in a very similar position to the other defensive position groups. Zach Lutmer is going to be a force in the secondary if he stays healthy, but who will be his sidekicks? Senior Deshaun Lee is definitely going to be one of them, but others will have to emerge in fall camp. With that being said, I think they're going to be fine.
Special teams: New special teams coordinator Chris Polizzi has his work cut out for him. Every position in this unit is up for grabs right now, but I would lean towards Eli Ozick and Lutmer taking over at kicker and kick returner, respectively. Iowa's special teams foundation is so strong that it should be fine here, but I'm really curious to see what pans out at punter. Simpson College transfer Tanner Philpott and Australian Boston Everitt are battling for the spot, so it will be interesting to see who emerges from that race.
HawkeyeRoundtable is giving away TWO tickets to Iowa's season opener against Northern Illinois on Sept. 5!
This is easily the biggest giveaway we've ever done on this site, and it's a great opportunity for two lucky fans to experience the joy of attending a Hawkeye football game at Kinnick Stadium.
Click here to automatically become a member to enter the contest! Additional contest details can be found in our community section, too!
HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]
Continue reading...
It's technically called fall camp at the college level, but nobody cares about correct terminology right now.
I've just returned from a relaxing Florida vacation, but from what I've heard from everyone back in Iowa, it sounds like I missed some football weather while I was gone (sigh).
There's no question the smell of football is in the air though, which means it's time to start previewing the 2026 Iowa football season.
We're now officially in the second week of fall camp, which means Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes are hard at work determining who will fill several key open positions. Quarterback is obviously the biggest slot to fill, but there's plenty of other position groups to keep an eye on as fall camp rolls along.
The winners of these respective position battles likely won't be revealed until the Week 1 depth chart gets released on game week, but in the meantime, here are my thoughts on each position group as fall camp continues:
Quarterback: Ferentz has been no stranger to quarterback battles during his career, but no race has been as close as this one. Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown both have legitimate cases to win this job, and I believe this battle will go very, very deep into fall camp. Both earning starting snaps in Week 1 is a possibility, too. I would lean towards Hecklinski earning the job, but again, anything can change between now and Sept. 5.
Running back: This has the potential to be one of Iowa's best running back rooms in a long time. Kamari Moulton is likely going to be the main man come game day, but don't be surprised to see South Dakota transfer L.J. Phillips, Xavier Williams, and Nathan McNeil get plenty of action, too. The Hawkeyes should be an excellent rushing team in 2026.
Tight end: Iowa can't ask for a better group of tight ends to work with this year. DJ Vonnahme is obviously entrenched as the No. 1 option, but Addison Ostrenga, Zach Ortwerth, and highly-anticipated redshirt freshman Thomas Meyer could all be involved in Tim Lester's playbook as well. Tight End University is going to be just fine, folks.
Wide receiver: This has been one of the Hawkeyes' biggest weaknesses for years. They need to prove it on the field first, but this group of wideouts is arguably Iowa's best since it had Brandon Smith, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, and Tyrone Tracy in 2020. Ferentz has high expectations for Texas Rio Grande Valley transfer Tony Diaz, but don't forget about returners Reece Vander Zee and Dayton Howard, too. These guys could serve as a perfect security blanket for whoever is under center.
Offensive line: George Barnett's crew has undergone a lot of turnover this year, but I don't think Hawkeye fans should be worried about this unit in 2026. Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper should be near the top of the national list at their respective positions, and while there's some questions about the rest of this group, there's enough experienced players like Michael Myslinski to be just fine in the trenches.
Defensive line: Iowa has never been known for boasting great pass rushing under Phil Parker (26 sacks in 2025), but its going to need to find answers very quickly at this position. Aaron Graves, Ethan Hurkett, Brian Allen, and Max Llewellyn are all gone, which means it's time for some new faces. Iose Epenesa, Kenneth Merrieweather, and Elon transfer Kahmari Brown are the names to watch here, but don't be surprised to see other names emerge during fall camp.
Linebacker: Great linebacker play each year is almost a guarantee in Iowa City, but that is going to be tested this year. Jayden Montgomery is the face of this new-look room, but he's the lone man with starting experience of the bunch. Cam Buffington and Preston Ries have showed promise in limited action, but we're not really going to know much about this group until they take the field against Northern Illinois. Working with Parker and linebackers coach Seth Wallace should give you enough optimism, though.
Defensive backs: This group is in a very similar position to the other defensive position groups. Zach Lutmer is going to be a force in the secondary if he stays healthy, but who will be his sidekicks? Senior Deshaun Lee is definitely going to be one of them, but others will have to emerge in fall camp. With that being said, I think they're going to be fine.
Special teams: New special teams coordinator Chris Polizzi has his work cut out for him. Every position in this unit is up for grabs right now, but I would lean towards Eli Ozick and Lutmer taking over at kicker and kick returner, respectively. Iowa's special teams foundation is so strong that it should be fine here, but I'm really curious to see what pans out at punter. Simpson College transfer Tanner Philpott and Australian Boston Everitt are battling for the spot, so it will be interesting to see who emerges from that race.
You Can Win FREE Tickets To Iowa's Season Opener!
HawkeyeRoundtable is giving away TWO tickets to Iowa's season opener against Northern Illinois on Sept. 5!
This is easily the biggest giveaway we've ever done on this site, and it's a great opportunity for two lucky fans to experience the joy of attending a Hawkeye football game at Kinnick Stadium.
Click here to automatically become a member to enter the contest! Additional contest details can be found in our community section, too!
HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]
Continue reading...
