Analyst Issues Critical Challenge To Iowa Hawkeyes

An analyst has offered a rather significant challenge to the Iowa Hawkeyes for their upcoming game against the Michigan State Spartans.

Sep 16, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara (12) throws a pass against the Western Michigan Broncos during the fourth quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off of a very impressive 40-16 win over the Washington Huskies last Saturday, but it was clear they were still lacking in one crucial area.

The passing game.

Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara went 8-for-14 with 108 yards and a couple of touchdowns against Washington. Yes, he reached the end zone for the first time since the season opener, but it was still a largely uninspiring effort.

With a Week 8 matchup with the Michigan State Spartans on tap, Chad Leistikow of The Des Moines Register has issued a challenge to McNamara and the Hawkeyes: to complete some deep passes.

"For the season, McNamara is 2-for-8 for 62 yards on throws of 20-plus yards past the line of scrimmage, with both completions being 31-yarders in the season opener vs. Illinois State," Leisitkow wrote. "McNamara has only attempted four 20-plus yard throws in the last four Iowa games."

McNamara has thrown for 794 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 63.2 percent of his passes thus far in 2024.

The 24-year-old has been a game manager, at best, through Iowa's first six games and has finished with under 100 passing yards three times this year.

So, can McNamara finally connect on some big plays with his receivers this weekend?

Based on McNamara's history, it definitely seems like a rather tall task, but if Iowa wants to have any chance of legitimately competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff, it is going to need more from the senior signal-caller.