Who will be the Iowa Hawkeyes starting QB in 2023? Exploring the QB battle between Cade McNamara, Deacon Hill, and more
College football season is finally upon us, and the question about who will be the Iowa Hawkeyes' starting QB for 2023 will undoubtedly be something fans would love to know. The Hawkeyes finished last season with an 8-5 overall record with a 5-4 record in the Big Ten conference.
According to CBS Sports, the Iowa Hawkeyes is the best college football team in the state of Iowa in comparison to the Iowa State Cyclones.
Kirk Ferentz is entering his 25th season as the coach in Iowa. And this offseason, he's used the transfer portal to improve the quality and performance of his offense.
Here is the quarterback depth chart for the Iowa Hawkeyes heading into the 2023 season.
Iowa Hawkeyes QB depth chart: How does it look like?
The Hawkeyes added new talents from the transfer portal to fight for the starting quarterback position. Cade McNamara, who transferred from the Michigan Wolverines last December, is one of those players.
McNamara has an excellent record in Michigan, leading them to the Big Ten title and a place in the CFP berth in 2021. But a year later, their head coach Jim Harbaugh decided to swap J.J. McCarthy as the preferred QB instead of McNamara, who also suffered a leg injury in week 3.
Apart from McNamara, we've also seen Wisconsin quarterback Deacon Hill join the QB room in Iowa for 2023. Hill just played one game for Wisconsin, a win against New Mexico State. After that, he decided to enter the transfer portal, ultimately leading him to join the Hawkeyes.
Joe Labas probably has the only experience playing for Ferentz. Last season, he debuted during their 21-0 Music City Bowl victory against Kentucky. Unfortunately, he missed all the training camps because of an injury, opening the opportunity for true freshman Marco Lainez to get second-team reps in practice.
Cade McNamara: Stats and records
While McNamara has yet to play for the Hawkeyes on the gridiron, he put up impressive numbers in Michigan before succumbing to an injury. The 2021 saw him rack up 2,574 yards with 15 TDs and six interceptions while playing in 14 games for the team. He also led the Wolverines to their first Big Ten title since 2004, opening the pathway for them into the college football playoff games.
Who will the Iowa Hawkeyes start at QB for 2023?
Given the circumstances, Cade McNamara is the preferred choice to become the Iowa Hawkeyes starting QB in 2023. Even though he suffered an injury during a scrimmage earlier this month, there is a possibility of becoming healthy ahead of their season opener.
While he continues to rehab, Deacon Hill has been taking the first-team reps in practice. So if McNamara fails to be at the top of his game, then maybe Ferentz will decide to go with Hill in the first game against Utah Utes on September 2, while Marco Lainez remains as the backup option until Joe Labas recovers from his injury as well.