Alex Padilla Sees Improvement During Spring

Iowa Quarterback Competing for Top Job

Iowa quarterback Alex Padilla throws a pass during the team's final spring practice on April 23, 2022 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

IOWA CITY, Iowa - The decision to come back and compete for Iowa’s starting quarterback job was easy for Alex Padilla.

Padilla started three games for the Hawkeyes last season, but it was Spencer Petras, who was the starter until he got injured, who got the nod when Iowa played in the Big Ten championship game and in the Citrus Bowl.

It would have been understandable, then, for Padilla to decide to transfer, even as coach Kirk Ferentz said the competition for the QB job would be open heading into the spring.

But it was a message from former NFL coach Jim Caldwell, speaking at an Iowa alumni panel, that resonated with Padilla.

“He really said if you’re transferring for reasons that you’re not playing or something like that, you’re really running away from your problems,” Padilla said after Iowa’s open practice on Saturday. “That’s kind of not the way I was raised. I’m not going to shy away from competition. I feel like this situation was really good for me, to come back into a competition. I feel like running away from that wouldn’t be good for me.”

The competition is still open, Ferentz said, and that’s fine with Padilla.

“I love it here, I love the coaches, I love the guys on the team,” he said. “I was very comfortable with my decision to come back.”

Padilla was an unofficial 5-of-7 passing for 66 yards during his reps in Saturday’s practice. But it’s not about the number of snaps or passing attempts for Padilla.

It’s about getting better.

“With the reps you get, you want to make sure you get the most out of them,” Padilla said. “Decision-making, ball placement, footwork. I feel like I’ve done a great job of that so far.”

“I think all three have made a lot of progress,” Ferentz said. “Alex had some injury issues he was dealing with the first couple weeks. His work was limited.

“I think all three are growing.”

Padilla completed 55 of 112 passes for 636 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, last season. He took over the quarterback job early in the November 6 win at Northwestern when Petras, who was injured the week before in the loss to Wisconsin, struggled in the first quarter. He started the wins over Minnesota and Illinois, but was replaced by Petras in the second half of the win at Nebraska.

“I’m sure (transferring) crossed a lot of guys’ minds, if you’re not playing,” Padilla said.

It took Padilla about a week after the Citrus Bowl loss to Kentucky to decide to come back.

“It didn’t take long,” he said.

Padilla said entering the NCAA’s transfer portal doesn’t have any guarantees of finding a new school.

“You’re playing with fire if you go in there,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

His comfort level at Iowa played the biggest role in his decision.

“It really comes down to football at the end of the day, but there are a lot more factors that influence that,” Padilla said.

Padilla has adjusted to offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz also working with the quarterbacks. But Padilla also thinks he made improvement on the field.

“I feel like I’ve done a lot better in so many different ways,” he said.

Padilla echoed what Petras said at the beginning of practice — that he doesn’t view this as a competition.

“For Spencer and Joe, and myself, we’re all focused on our personal improvement,” Padilla said. “Just improving in areas we need to work on.”

The QB battle goes on, and Padilla wants to keep fighting.

“The coaches have said from the jump that the best man is going to play,” he said. “That’s the way it goes not just for the quarterback position, but any position.”