Iowa Hawkeyes' Coach Reveals Bold Take On Cade McNamara

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz has spoken out with a bold take about quarterback Cade McNamara.

Sep 7, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara (12) warms up before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Kinnick Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes are still feeling the sting from their brutal Week 2 loss against the arch-rival Iowa State Cyclones. After blowing the lead and losing, the Hawkeyes need to bounce back strong this weekend.

On Saturday afternoon, Iowa will take on Troy. They're expected to dominate that game before heading into their Big Ten schedule.

Starting quarterback Cade McNamara did not play well against Iowa State. That has led to some speculation about whether or not his job could be in jeopardy.

Despite the speculation, head coach Kirk Ferentz has spoken out with a bold take about his quarterback.

“Probably the way I did coming into the stadium today. I think we expect him to be our quarterback and expect some ups and downs. I’ve been saying it pretty consistently. He’s still working his way back into shape, as is our whole team with the offense and whatever. But, we’ll get better. We’ll improve. Our guys have a great attitude, he’s got a great attitude, and we’ll work through this."

McNamara ended up completing just 13 of his 29 pass attempts for 99 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions against Iowa State. A quarterback can't have a much worse game than that.

However, in Week 1, it was a different story. Granted, the Hawkeyes played Illinois State, but he racked up 251 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions, while completing 21 of his 31 passes.

There is no question that McNamara will be able to forget his brutal performance last week. He's focused on bouncing back strong in Week 3. Ferentz clearly has full faith in his quarterback.

Hopefully, McNamara will prove Ferentz right for that faith. With the Big Ten schedule about to get underway, Iowa needs to start firing on all cylinders on both sides of the football. Their matchup with the powerhouse Ohio State Buckeyes is coming up quickly.