Iowa Football QB Jeremy Hecklinski to Start vs. Washington: What Can We Expect?

After much speculation this week around the Iowa Hawkeyes and their quarterback situation, which was in flux starting last Saturday afternoon, we have our starter against the Washington Huskies.

Jeremy Hecklinski is getting the nod on the road for his first career start for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Starting quarterback Hank Brown is nursing a sprained AC joint that he suffered against the Ohio State Buckeyes last weekend, which is keeping him sidelined. This opens the door for Hecklinski to step in, as he did against Ohio State, going 5-for-5 in limited action, and to command the offense.

NEW: Iowa will start QB Jeremy Hecklinski at Washington tonight, @PeteNakos reports.

Hank Brown is dealing with an upper-body injury.https://t.co/1VxRr6YZb4 pic.twitter.com/JfpNEEmp6i
— On3 (@On3) October 9, 2026

The good news? Iowa has known Hank Brown's health was in question all week. Hecklinski was repping with the first-string offense most of the week and has plenty of reps from Iowa's quarterback battle during training camp.

Even with those reps, what should we expect from Iowa's offense tonight?

What will Iowa's offense look like with Jeremy Hecklinski under center?

Overall, I don't expect the scheme to drastically change. For one, it's the Iowa Hawkeyes we're talking about. They only shake things up so much. Don't expect a complete overhaul. Secondly, Hecklinski isn't entirely different than Brown in what he brings to the table.

What I do expect to look a bit different is the possibility of seeing some increased mobility from the quarterback. I would not at all be surprised to see Tim Lester bring back some of the run-pass options that he ran with Mark Gronowski last year.

Hecklinski is a little bit more mobile than Brown, which could be a nice wrinkle to the offense and potentially catch Washington off guard. Look for more rollouts, play-action bootlegs, and getting Hecklinski into space to throw the ball as well, due to his shorter stature than Hank Brown.

The blessing in disguise for Iowa

Iowa knows it has to run the ball better. This could be the exact thing that the running backs and offenisve linemen need to get it clicking.

They know they can help out Jeremy Hecklinski by making life easier with a strong ground game. It keeps the pressure off Hecklinski, and when Iowa wants to throw it, he should see some favorable matchups.

Hecklinski's legs could open up the run game as well. He has shown some wiggle on the ground, which could be the key to getting Iowa's ground game going. If he can turn in a few first down runs on scrambles or quarterback-designed runs, it's hard to overstate how big that would be for Iowa.

How will the passing game look?

Here's where things get fun with Jeremy Hecklinski. He is going to let it rip when he sees a target open, and he likes the look. You can't coach that out of a quarterback. It's a blessing and a curse that Iowa hopes blesses them tonight.

I expect a heavy dose of Tony Diaz and DJ Vonnahme in the passing attack. Hecklinski has repped with them all training camp and has a level of comfort with Iowa's top two pass catchers. And that's more than fine. Go to your best, trust them, and lean on playmakers to make plays in space.

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