Iowa Coach Reveals Concerning Take on Hawkeyes QB

Iowa Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz thinks his quarterback has quite a bit to improve upon heading into 2025.
Dec 30, 2024; Nashville, TN, USA;  Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Brendan Sullivan (1) scrambles against the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Dec 30, 2024; Nashville, TN, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Brendan Sullivan (1) scrambles against the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
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Brendan Sullivan had a great opportunity in the Music City Bowl to establish himself as the favorite to win the Iowa Hawkeyes' starting quarterback job next season.

However, Sullivan may not have made any movement one way or the other.

The 22-year-old went 14-for-18 with 131 yards, a touchdown and an interception while carrying the ball 12 times for just six yards in Iowa's 27-24 loss to the Missouri Tigers.

Most of his damage came in the first half, as the Hawkeyes managed just three points over the final 30 minutes of the contest.

After the game, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz dropped a rather concerning take on his signal-caller, saying that Sullivan may be a bit too emotional.

“He's really wound tight,” Ferentz said, via Chad Leistikow of The Des Moines Register. " ... You have to be able to bottle that enthusiasm and the energy sometimes and make it work for you and not against you. I think when he gets running hot a little bit sometimes, it kind of gets out of whack there a little bit."

Ferentz did add that he "saw some progress" in Sullivan, but it seems pretty clear that he is not entirely enamored with the Northwestern Wildcats transfer moving forward.

Sullivan took over as the starting quarterback back on Nov. 2 following a head injury to Cade McNamara. However, his reign as the top dog was very brief, as an ankle injury against UCLA the following week ended his regular season.

He was healthy enough to return for the bowl game, but it seems very evident that the Hawkeyes still have some major questions to answer under center for 2025.


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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.