Iowa Football Quarterback Competition Could Come Down to One Unlikely Figure

They have the running backs. They have the offensive line. They have the wide receivers.

Can Iowa find the quarterback? It remains the eternal question for the Iowa Hawkeyes as they seek the answer to fully unlock the Rubik's Cube puzzle of consistent offensive success.

Iowa's quarterback answers could be with one unlikely source

Back in May, the Iowa Hawkeyes and head coach Kirk Ferentz brought on Tom Moore, the incredibly experienced collegiate and NFL coach, to help with the offense. Moore has been around football since the 1950s, when he played quarterback for Iowa from 1958-1960.

Moore has spent time as Peyton Manning's offensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts and as an offensive consultant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when they brought in the legendary Tom Brady for a Super Bowl run.

The guy knows quarterbacks. And the hope is that he helps the Iowa Hawkeyes figure out the ongoing quarterback battle.

Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown are listening to Tom Moore

Tom Moore's presence around Iowa's quarterback battle between Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown is a comforting yet experienced presence that can help the Hawkeyes find the right answer.

In time with the media, both Hecklinski and Brown commented on what they have both felt Tom Moore has already brought to the Hawkeyes' quarterback situation.

"It's super fun to have him in our room this spring, just sitting in, sharing his wisdom and knowledge. Then, also, he has a ton of different stories about old times with Peyton Manning, the Colts, and all the different QBs he's been with.

"Obviously, with Baker Mayfield and the Bucs, it's been fun to hear, for sure," Hank Brown said of Tom Moore.

A couple of months after returning to @HawkeyeFootball, Tom Moore is already sharing plenty of his 60+ years of coaching experience with the Iowa quarterbacks. pic.twitter.com/mRlUqyIqBJ
— Mitch Fick (@MCFick) July 15, 2026

"He sits in on our quarterback meetings. He gives his tips and his tricks of the trade, stuff like that. He's been wonderful.

"Having some of the legends that he worked with and having him coach us is unreal. He coached Tom Brady, he's been with Baker Mayfield, Peyton Manning. You don't think about it, but why is he coaching me when he's coached all of these great guys? It's awesome," Jeremy Hecklinski added.

Riley Donald's Thoughts on Iowa's QB Competition

Kirk Ferentz is going to lean on Tom Moore's advice and thoughts throughout this quarterback competition during training camp.

Ferentz is not too proud to ask for assistance from another resource, and Tom Moore is as resourceful as they come in the world of quarterbacks.

Where Tom Moore can help Iowa is not as much within the scheme of offensive coordinator Tim Lester, but in the world of commanding the huddle, responding to adversity, bouncing back from a turnover, and keeping the backup ready.

The quarterback battle for Iowa is going to be a long way from finished even when Week 1 rolls around, and Tom Moore can provide immense value when things get dicey.

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