Insider Exercises Caution On Iowa QB Situation

The Iowa Hawkeyes may have a new quarterback, but we probably shouldn't get too excited just yet.

Oct 26, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Brendan Sullivan (1) runs for yardage against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes may very well have a new quarterback in Brendan Sullivan, as Iowa benched Cade McNamara in favor of Sullivan in the team's win over the Northwestern Wildcats this past Saturday.

While everything is coming up chocolates and rainbows at the moment thanks to Sullivan leading the Hawkeyes to a 40-7 victory, it may not be that easy for Sullivan going forward.

There is obviously a reason why Kirk Ferentz and Iowa's coaching staff was so hesitant in benching the struggling McNamara for Sullivan, and Adam Jacobi of The Hawkeye Beacon feels that Sullivan's inability to consistently make simple throws could be the reason why.

No specific intel on this take, but I *strongly* suspect this helped keep Iowa coaches gun-shy on Sullivan, especially when Cade was completing 75% of his throws within 10 yards of the LOS. https://t.co/JqTVwaNX2m

— Adam Jacobi (@adam_jacobi) October 27, 2024

We can lambast Ferentz all we want for not sitting McNamara sooner, but let's remember: he is seeing the quarterbacks and his players in practice on the daily. We aren't.

Clearly, there was something that Ferentz did not like about Sullivan, which is why he stuck with McNamara for so long.

Through eight starts this season, McNamara has thrown for 1,017 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 60.5 percent of his passes.

He had gone 7-for-13 with 73 yards and a pick-six against Northwestern before being benched.

McNamara has thrown for under 100 yards four times this year and has been a massive disappointment since transferring over from Michigan in 2022.

Sullivan is a transfer himself, having come over from Northwestern (ironically enough) heading into 2024. He had been used in specific goal-line packages for Iowa this season before ultimately supplanting McNamara as the starter.

We'll see if Ferentz stays with Sullivan against the Wisconsin Badgers next Saturday.