Iowa Football Welcomes in New Era of Player Leadership

With the modern era of college football dominated by the transfer portal and NIL, leadership can be a forgotten attribute for many teams. It is absolutely no fault of their own. They are playing by the rules that have been set for them.

Those rules allow teams to bring in high-dollar transfers, build rosters upward of $20 million, and overhaul teams each year in an effort to win. The days of recruiting, developing, and turning 18-year-old freshmen into 21-year-old starters are going away.

That is, unless you are the Iowa Hawkeyes. One of the few teams in the country that still recruits out of high school, spends a few years developing in-house, and trusts the process, Iowa relies on the old-school process with plenty of success.

Iowa dips its toes into the transfer portal from time to time and has found success, but the 2026 roster will be heavily reliant on players who have been in the program for some time.

That turns the attention to Iowa's leadership.

The top players will be counted on more than ever this year with key departures this offseason. The Hawkeyes are replacing their starting quarterback, three offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, a starting linebacker, a starting cornerback, and a duo of safeties.

The Iowa Hawkeyes will rely on their newly announced leadership council to provide direction and guidance for the rest of the roster.

Iowa Football Leadership Council

Iowa will turn to its leaders in the locker room to replenish that production and get the most out of the new faces dotting the starting lineup this fall. That duty is on Iowa's Leadership Council, which is composed of a group selected by the coaching staff and players.

The University of Iowa football program has named 17 players to the 2026 Leadership Council, per release.

Players selected assist in formulating policies and help out with team decision making throughout the year.

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— Brad Schultz (@BradMSchultz) May 28, 2026

This group consists of at least one player from each position group on offense and defense, which is highlighted by quarterbacks Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown, who are in a quarterback battle that will linger into fall camp before a starter is named.

What is Iowa Football's Leadership Council

Iowa's Leadership Council differs from the traditional role of a captain. While the Hawkeyes will still have four weekly captains on gamedays, the leadership council acts as a much larger group to assist in more of the day-to-day actions of the entire roster.

Per the Hawkeyes' official release, the role of this group is to "assist in formulating policies and being involved in team decision-making throughout the year."

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