⚡ CFB Dashboard

- Iowa believes three years of continuity in Tim Lester's system will let an offense with improved depth play faster and create more explosive runs and passes. - Hank Brown is expected to receive significant snaps against Northern Illinois because of his consistency, arm strength, cadence and lower-risk decision-making. - Jimmy Hecklinski strengthened his case by completing 17 of 25 passes for 205 yards and five touchdowns in public fall practice while throwing several incompletions away to avoid sacks or risky attempts. - Iowa expects its offensive line, four-deep running-back rotation and tight end DJ Vonnahme to be strengths, while improved receiver play must help a passing game that ranked 127th nationally last season.

- Iowa center Kade Pieper enters 2026 as an AP preseason first-team All-American after anchoring the 2025 Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line. - With Pieper leading the front, Iowa outrushed nine of 13 opponents in 2025 and allowed an average time to pressure of 2.8 seconds, fifth best nationally.

- Walk-on Cael Winter won Iowa's starting center job, moving Kade Pieper back to right guard. Coaches cite Winter's technique, consistency and leverage after he added roughly 55 pounds, framing the change as Winter earning the role rather than Pieper losing it. - Evan James emerged as a top-three receiver during camp, showing separation speed, smooth breaks and repeatable production in the open practice; he joins Tony Diaz as a meaningful new variable in Iowa's passing-game ceiling. - Converted high school quarterback Brody Schaffer remains developmental at receiver but raised his stock through athleticism and learning pace. Freshman quarterback Tradon Bessinger also impressed, though the report says there is little chance he plays in 2026.

- Iowa's schedule carries a difficult top end with Indiana, Oregon, Washington, Ohio State, and a road trip to Illinois. - Against Nebraska, the hosts favor a possession-heavy approach built around Iowa's improving offensive line, sustained rushing volume, and an elite linebacker group supporting the defensive front. - Iowa's upgraded quarterback play gives that formula more margin than in recent seasons; the host described the starter as the program's best quarterback in a decade. - The stated matchup prediction was Iowa by roughly 14 to 17 points over Nebraska, reflecting the host's skepticism about the Cornhuskers.

- QB: Give each kid a full quarter and part of the 3rd and then we better be up big enough for the reserves in the 4th.

- Injury: BAU And that unfortunately seems to be part for the course for Kirk, barring the years where the stars align in terms of the schedule, and the roster all being veteran and healthy at...

- QB/LB: a 1000 yard receiver likely won't happen without a 3000 yard passer.

- Injury: Many running QBs, particularly at the college level, don’t make it through the season without some type of injury.

- QB/WR: On paper, Iowa has plenty of weapons to compete if they stay healthy.

- QB: Kirk realizes how important the passing game is, and I give him credit for changing with the times.

- University of Iowa football consensus All-American Dallas Clark has been named to the 12-member committee for the John Mackey Award to select college football’s most outstanding tight end.

- BY: Matt Weitzel, Iowa Athletics Communications IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa fourth-year offensive lineman Kade Pieper has been named an Associated Press preseason first-team All-American, the announcement was made Tuesday by the AP. - Comment: Koi Perich being on that list is laughable.

- University of Iowa fourth-year offensive lineman Kade Pieper has been named an Associated Press preseason first-team All-American, the announcement was made Tuesday by the AP. - Pieper has earned preseason first-team All-America recognition at center from Walter Camp, Sporting News, Athlon and Phil Steele, while also being named to the watch lists for the Outland Trophy, Rimington Trophy and Lombardi Award.

- TE: Crazy how our number 5 guy in burt would likely be a starter at most other schools.

- QB: "He's answering questions in the room where a lot of 18-year-olds probably aren't answering.

- Pick/market: Anyone expecting the offense to suddenly look different this year probably hasn’t been watching Kirkball for the last 27 years.

- QB/LB: I should have leveraged my two punt, pass and kick titles more aggressively.

- Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown are competing directly for Iowa's quarterback job, with neither presented as having separated decisively. - The staff's Family Day scrimmage in Iowa City provided the latest evaluation point for the competition. - Iowa is replacing its quarterback alongside other offensive pieces, but the supporting run game is expected to remain reliable. - Much of last season's offensive improvement came from quarterback rushing, especially in the red zone, making mobility and designed QB runs important traits in the eventual starter.

- QB: GTFOH with this 💩@Mods - please delete and ban this clown Done

- Offense: I know I wasn’t the only one, but I have called out Evan James a couple times as someone not to overlook.

- QB: Each game we’ve lost over the years has been to teams whose QB extended plays and broke us down accordingly.

- Injury: Can’t transfer except once per year in Dec/Jan when the transfer portal opens.

- RB: "Don't have to get ready if you stay ready" A day with @CoachJayNorvell and the RB room.

- QB: Ryan Fitzgerald, a 2nd year QB potentially battling for a third string spot, with a nice toss to a diving Isaiah Oliver

- Moon Family Head Football Coach Kirk Ferentz spoke with reporters Friday to preview the 2026 Iowa Hawkeyes at Media Day. - We're making progress obviously, seeing some things, but still a lot to be determined in terms of what our depth chart is going to look like here two, three weeks from now as we get ready to start the season.

- Pick/market: Diaz has kept up his stellar play during camp.

- QB: L&L: @ChadLeistikow and @ScottDochterman preview Kids' Day and break down all the key questions heading into Iowa's annual open practice.

- QB: I could see MG making a team as third string but I don’t see an argument for being a starting NFL QB.

- QB: Thank you for the ongoing series of Public Service Announcements about the the risks of anonymous people posting random thoughts on a message board that no one (other than posters) cares about.

- Offense: Otto, with all due respect.

- TE/LB: IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa third-year tight end DJ Vonnahme has been named to the John Mackey Award Watch List on Wednesday.

- Pick/market: If we had an experienced qb, I'd go 4-2 but not having that...3-3.

- QB: Given that you have me on "ignore", just curious what you have deemed to be ban worthy behavior from me

- DB: From UI: 3 Hawkeyes Named to Preseason FWAA Watch Lists Three University of Iowa football student-athletes were named to preseason watch lists, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Tuesday.

- QB/OL: #25 or not ranked, a few too many unknowns as in QB, DLIne, some OLine spots, a few new Dbacks and Lbkrs

- QB: Actually, there are plenty of reasons, all of which have been noted on this board multiple times, but hiring his son as OC and QB coach and refusing to fire him despite having the...

- WR/LB: In the ANF podcast with Tim Lester, he mentioned there are a couple playsets they haven’t been able to run because they didn’t have the right WRs for them.

- QB: Iowa hasn't had a qb throw for more than 2k in a season since Stanley as well.

- WR/TE: Add in the group of studs at TE.

- DL/LB: we haven't played a game and its likely to be the worst DL in a decade.

- Pick/market: My Prediction Iowa beats Michigan Michigan had 30 portal transfers and has yet another head coach, Kyle Wittingham.

- RB/WR: Love the additions at WR, but in this poll, I voted for the guy who has highest PFF rating at RB, of all Big10 running backs, going into this season.

- Injury: If we get to 9 or 10 wins…our QB will play will have us pretty dang happy.

- QB: Iowa is one of two Power 4 programs with a full QB competition without a portal addition.

- QB/OL: In short - If we have a quarterback that is half decent this can definitely be a playoff team.

- QB: The starter at qb.

- Injury: I don't disagree, but I would add some nuance.

- QB: It is crazy to hear an Iowa OC discuss things like route adjustments, and actual QB coaching.

- OL/LB: Pieper has been getting reps at C in practice for two years even while playing G.

- Top Betting/Intel Takeaways - Iowa's QB competition is still live after the final open spring practice. The hosts thought Hank Brown had the better day, especially because he pushed the ball downfield more than expected. - Brown's most important signal was style, not box score: he stood in well, kept cleaner fundamentals under pressure than last year, and trusted backup receivers on vertical throws. - Jeremy Hekielinski still sounds like the hosts' longer-term pick because of ceiling, mobility, and playmaking outside the pocket, but his open-practice work was more uneven and included throws that could become turnovers against Big Ten defenses. - The hosts expect Kirk Ferentz/Tim Lester to let the QB battle run deep into camp, possibly close to game week. That keeps Iowa's early offensive projection less settled than the rest of the roster.