Which Iowa Will We Get? The Biggest Question Facing the Hawkeyes' Offense in Week 1

Iowa's new-look offense, with a handful of questions, faces one big question that is even more important than the quarterback battle.

Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester watches warm ups Nov. 8, 2025 before a Big Ten Football game against the Oregon Ducks at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The attention is all on the Iowa Hawkeyes' quarterbacks. I get it. It has to be. It's been the story all offseason for the Iowa Hawkeyes, so why wouldn't it linger into the Week 1 matchup versus Northern Illinois?

While that's a big question for Iowa, one looms larger. One question facing this offense tells the story of what the 2026 Hawkeyes will look like, as it is married to the quarterback play.

That question is an overarching picture of what Iowa wants to be on offense.

What will Iowa's offense look like in 2026?

A lot of offensive coordinators have their scheme and stick to it. For Iowa, Tim Lester has proven malleable to his players and has maximized their skills. It's what has turned Iowa's offense around the last two years.

Those years are vastly different pictures of success, though. The 2024 Iowa offense looked much different than the 2025 version, and what we see in Week 1 could be telling for 2026.

What a 2024 Iowa offense would look like

The 2024 offense is very easy to describe. It was a lot of downhill runs, with Kaleb Johnson making one lateral cut, then getting upfield.

This was a lot of zone blocking, which is part of the NFL coaching tree that Lester comes from. This was a lot of under-center snaps, tosses, stretch plays, and a pro-style offense.

This offense fits the 2026 Iowa roster. It requires an offensive line that can create running lanes, as well as running backs to get upfield in a hurry.

That is what Kamari Moulton and L.J. Phillips Jr. bring to the table. Moulton gets north and south in a hurry, while Phillips is unafraid to go between the tackles. This scheme plays to DJ Vonnahme very well. It demands safeties and linebackers keying the offensive line, which could give him the one-step advantage he needs.

What a 2025 Iowa offense would look like

Last year's offense was vastly different, in large part due to Mark Gronowski's unique skill set at quarterback. Being a true threat to run the ball, Iowa was in shotgun much more often.

The Hawkeyes incorporated more motion, more run-pass options, and some creativity that gave defenses different looks, while still keeping their run game principles.

Iowa could provide some of this to us in 2026. I think it incorporates more of Kamari Moulton's lateral speed out of the shotgun if Lester decides to go this route, but could include more rotations with Xavier Williams and Nathan McNeil.

This offensive scheme also opens up the passing attack for Tony Diaz and Reece Vander Zee. It makes it easier to get the ball out quicker and in space, as well as pre-snap reads against one-on-one coverage.