By Mark Pszonak
As every college football fan knows, Iowa’s passing offense during recent seasons has been embarrassing. Despite their ability to still win games and stay relevant in the Big Ten, it is something that needs improvement. And if you want proof as to how bad the quarterback play has been, all you have to do is see where departing transfers have ended up and how they’ve performed at their new schools.
Since the 2021/2022 transfer cycle, Iowa has had eight scholarship quarterbacks enter the portal. Here is a quick look at each of the eight:
2022
Deuce Hogan – Kentucky
After attempting only two passes in two seasons with the Hawkeyes, Hogan transferred to Kentucky where he completed 6 of 7 passes for 19 yards in 2022, all during a bowl game against the Hawkeyes. He then transferred to New Mexico State, where he completed 6 of 18 passes for 31 yards and two interceptions in two games this season. In his collegiate career he completed 6 of 18 passes for 31 yards and two interceptions.
2023
QB Alex Padilla – SMU
Padilla redshirted in 2019 before seeing action in 13 games during the next three seasons. He completed 77 of 157 passes for 821 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions with the Hawkeyes before transferring to SMU. In his one season with the Mustangs, he completed 5 of 7 passes for 59 yards in four games.
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QB Carson May – Wyoming
May redshirted in 2022, which led to his transfer in the spring of 2023. He initially intended to play for Coffeyville CC, but a late call from Wyoming during the summer led to his decision to move to Laramie. He didn’t play during the 2023 season with the Cowboys which led to another transfer, this time to Abilene Christian. He once again didn’t play with the Wildcats in 2024.
2024
QB Joe Labas – Central Michigan
Labas played one game during his three seasons with the Hawkeyes. That one game was as a starter during a Music City Bowl victory over Kentucky when he completed 14 of 24 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown. He redshirted in 2021 and then did not see the field in 2023, which led to his transfer to Central Michigan. In his first season with the Chippewas he played in six games, in which he completed 94 of 160 passes for 1,114 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. He will be a redshirt senior during the 2025 season.
QB Deacon Hill – Utah Tech
Hill started his collegiate career at Wisconsin, where he redshirted in 2021 and then played only one game in 2022. After entering the transfer portal, he initially committed to Fordham before flipping to Iowa. In his one season with the Hawkeyes, Hill played in 13 games, including starting the last nine. Overall, he completed 122 of 251 passes for 1,152 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions. He again entered the portal, finding a new home at Utah Tech. Playing in two games during the 2024 season, he completed 25 of 51 passes for 292 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
QB Spencer Petras – Utah State
Petras spent five seasons with Iowa before transferring to Utah State in 2024. With the Hawkeyes he passed for 5,199 yards, 24 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Then in his one season with the Aggies he completed 214 of 327 passes for 2,315 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
2025
QB Cade McNamara – East Tennessee State
McNamara spent his first three seasons with Michigan before transferring to Iowa in 2023. With the Hawkeyes he passed for 1,522 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He transferred to East Tennessee State in December, where he will battle it out with another transfer, Jacolby Criswell (North Carolina), for the starting job.
QB Marco Lainez – Elon
Lainez redshirted in 2022 and then played in one game, the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, in 2023. During his one game he completed 2 of 7 passes for 4 yards. He rushed for 51 yards on six carries. This winter he transferred to Elon.
What is the point of all of this? Iowa needs to do a better job of identifying quarterback talent, both in high school and through the transfer portal. The eight scholarship quarterbacks listed above have combined to complete 54.3% of their passes for 8,856 yards, 43 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. The results become even more depressing if you remove Petras from the equation. At that point, the remaining seven quarterbacks combined to complete 51.6% of their passes for 3,657 yards, 19 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
And as can be seen above, when these quarterbacks leave Iowa via the transfer portal, they continue to struggle. A case can be made for Petras as a success story, but aside from him, it is a long list of disappointments.
The fact that Iowa has still found ways to win games during this stretch is a borderline miracle. But miracles tend to fade away. And to avoid that in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes must hope that the current group of quarterbacks tasked with running the offense (Mark Gronowski, Hank Brown) perform at a much higher level.
Kirk Ferentz has been and continues to be a great head coach. But his accomplishments could have been so much greater if he could solve his quarterback dilemma. Will that finally happen in 2025?
