Iowa
Kirk Ferentz: Iowa football’s offense ‘starting to click a little bit’ as season nears
Video: Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, Beth Goetz address recruiting violations
Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz and athletic director Beth Goetz address recruiting violations.
IOWA CITY — Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz didn’t definitively announce a starting quarterback Thursday for the Aug. 31 season opener against Illinois State. He did, however, offer what the current pecking order would look like if Iowa were playing this week:
- Cade McNamara
- Brendan Sullivan
- Marco Lainez
That’s on par with what has largely been expected.
The quarterbacks’ performance during the Aug. 10 Kids Day at Kinnick open practice stirred some concern externally, particularly about McNamara, who struggled mightily. But Ferentz sounded optimistic about what he has seen recently.
“There’s been some back and forth, some ups and downs, those types of things,” Ferentz said Thursday. “But both guys this week have just looked more comfortable and they’ve done a lot of good things. Cade’s done a really nice job. I think he’s had a really good week. And I think Brendan’s done the same thing.”
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The last two years have been tumultuous for McNamara, who suffered consecutive season-ending knee injuries. He has appeared in just eight games combined over the last two seasons, so there are bound to be bumps on the road as he gets set for the 2024 season. The hope is that leads to results in the end.
“It’s just good to see him the last couple days look more relaxed,” Ferentz said. “He wasn’t pressing, trying to force things and things like that. And I’m no expert on quarterback play but I know you can’t do that stuff. And it’s the first time I’ve seen him, stand there on the field with him, where he looked like he’s more comfortable. And just maybe a little bit more feeling better about his whole world, if you will.”
Ferentz said both McNamara and Sullivan have been getting reps with the first-team offense, indicating there isn’t a wide gap between the two. Ferentz was asked on Thursday if Iowa would consider going into a game with a plan of using both.
“We’ll consider anything,” Ferentz said. “The game plan would probably look a little different for either guy … Our preference is to have a 1, 2, 3. We’ll see how that shakes out. But we’re gonna keep an open mind all season long about our entire football team.”
Around this time last year, Iowa’s quarterback room was not in a great place, something that became brutally clear as the season went on. But now with the health of McNamara, the addition of Sullivan and the development of Lainez, it seems to be trending upward.
“The big takeaway is we’re much healthier at that position in terms of game experience, depth, those types of things,” Ferentz said. “And Marco’s doing a good job, too.”
Seeing growth on offense
Despite the fact that Thursday was marred with talk about recruiting violations and suspensions, Ferentz shared a fair amount of promising updates. Ferentz seemed encouraged by what he’s seen as the Aug. 31 season opener rapidly approaches, notably pertaining to development on offense under new coordinator Tim Lester.
“I actually think things are maybe starting to click a little bit,” Ferentz said. “We’ve pushed past the ‘We’re in camp’ mode and seeing some cleaner execution. Defensively, we’ve got a lot of veteran presence there. Offensively this is all new. And I think it’s starting to click a little bit for them.
“We’re gonna have some ups and downs when we start playing competitively. But I think we’re making progress and the guys have been nothing but willing and anxious to learn. Most importantly, they’re demonstrating that it’s starting to resonate a little bit with them.”
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Beyond the quarterback position, wide receiver is another question mark on offense. On top of that, Kaleb Brown will miss the season opener against Illinois State as punishment for a June arrest on charges of OWI and possession of a fictitious license, ID card or form. Wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr is also suspended for the game, along with Ferentz, due to a potential recruiting violation.
Still, Ferentz has continued to talk up the wide receiver unit. It’s somewhat surprising given the struggles of that group over the past few seasons, coupled with the fact that they are young and unproven entering this campaign.
“I’m really optimistic about that group,” Ferentz said. “I don’t know what it’s gonna look like here the first couple of weeks, literally like who’s gonna be playing or how much, that type of stuff. But I think the potential right now for growth in that room and the potential for that becoming a really productive unit, I think it’s there for us.”
One name Ferentz spoke at length about was receiver Jacob Gill. The Northwestern transfer didn’t come in with eye-popping numbers, but apparently he has carved out a niche on the offense leading up to the season.
“He’s been really just a great addition,” Ferentz said of Gill. “The (transfer) portal’s an interesting place. We don’t live there full-speed. But we thought he’d be a guy that could maybe help our football team, and he’s just been a great addition. Really focused, really mature. He’s got a veteran presence and really workmanlike the way he goes about what he does, how he practices, how he prepares, everything about him in this building. Really exemplary and not a loud demeanor, but just shows up every day and really performs. So he’s been a really good influence on a very young group.”
A couple other areas of note are depth on the offensive and defensive lines. On the O-line, Ferentz mentioned Tyler Elsbury and Nick DeJong as players not expected to start who could add quality depth. On the defensive line, which arguably has bigger holes to fill, Ferentz pointed to Max Llewellyn, Brian Allen and Jeremiah Pittman as reserves who could play key roles.
Other notes
- Leshon Williams has returned to practice, though he is being limited in terms of volume. Coming off the best season of his college career, the running back has missed time leading up to the 2024 campaign with an injury but now seems to be trending in the right direction. “He made a really nice blitz pick-up coincidentally (Thursday) morning, which allowed us to have a good completion on a play,” Ferentz said of Williams. “So he’s been paying attention, he’s been doing a good job. Hopefully he’ll be good to go.”
- Koen Entringer, expected to be one of Iowa’s top reserves at safety, has been back at practice after missing a significant amount of time due to injury (defensive coordinator Phil Parker already confirmed such earlier in the week): “He looks like he’s fully healthy out there and he is,” Ferentz said of Entringer.
- Redshirt freshman running back Kamari Moulton suffered what seems to be a minor leg injury. Ferentz is hopeful that Moulton will return soon.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
The Iowa State Cyclones are going to be preparing soon for the 2026-27 campaign, and they will be relying on some returning players to take a step forward.
It was a fantastic season for the most part for the Cyclones last year. This was a team that was one of the best in the country and was ranked as the number two overall team in the nation at one point.
The Big 12 was one of the most challenging conferences in the country, and even though Iowa State had some bumps along the way, they were still a real threat heading into March Madness.
There was plenty to like about the team, with this being a group under T.J. Otzelberger that was really good not only defensively, but on the offensive end of the court as well. Unfortunately, the team was eliminated in the Sweet 16 with the absence of their star Joshua Jefferson being too much for the team to overcome.
Now, as they get ready to head into next season, the roster is going to look a lot different, but they do have one returning player who did show some signs of improvement at the end of the year.
Killyan Toure Has Star Potential
Coming off such an impressive NCAA tournament, it could end up being Toure who will be the next star of the Cyclones. This was a team that lost a lot of talent both in the transfer portal with Milan Momcilovic leaving, but also due to graduation.
As they prepare for next season, there are going to be a lot of new faces on the roster. Otzelberger was active in the transfer portal, bringing in talent, and it will be needed to fill some holes. However, they do have a returning starter who could be a player to watch.
After being a starter as a freshman, Toure is very experienced and now knows what it takes to be successful. Right off the bat, the young guard proved as a freshman that he was one of the best defenders in the conference. With speed and length at the position, he was able to guard most players and was a real problem when it came to opposing guards.
However, if he is going to take the leap toward stardom, it will be the offensive end of the court that will be key. Hopefully, the end of the season was something that Toure can build upon heading into year two. If he improves offensively to go along with his already elite defensive skills, he will be one of the best guards in the Big 12.
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Football season continues to grow closer, and a clear sign of that is the preseason recognition for top talents coming to life.
The Iowa Hawkeyes once again have a roster featuring future NFL talent that can compete at the highest level in the collegiate ranks.
Entering 2026, the Hawkeyes feature five stars making an appearance on the preseason All-American and All-Big Ten teams from Phil Steele, one of the nation’s top college football analysts.
Phil Steele Preseason All-America/All-Big Ten
First-Team All-America Third-Team All-America First-Team All-B1G Second-Team All-B1G Third-Team All-B1G Fourth-Team All-B1G — HawkeyeFBNotes (@HawkeyeFBNotes) June 15, 2026
▪️Kade Pieper
▪️Zach Lutmer
▪️Kade Pieper
▪️Trevor Lauck
▪️Zach Lutmer
▪️Eli Ozick
▪️DJ Vonnahme
Phil Steele Preseason All-American selections
Receiving the highest honors of the bunch is Iowa offensive lineman Kade Pieper, a Phil Steele Preseason First-Team All-American.
Pieper, who snubbed the NFL draft this past year, which would have seen him drafted, elected to come back to the Hawkeyes for another season. His talent is through the roof, and he is garnering first-round NFL buzz as well.
Getting a nod as a Preseason Third-Team All-American is the versatile Zach Lutmer, who will do a little bit of everything for Iowa, from playing cornerback to safety to even a linebacker-esque role at times.
Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten selections
Phil Steele’s Preseason All-Big Ten honors, of course, include Kade Pieper and Zach Lutmer, First-Team and Second-Team All-Big Ten selections, respectively.
Also appearing as a Preseason Second-Team All-American is another Iowa offensive lineman, Trevor Lauck. Returning, just like Pieper, Lauck enters 2026 with expectations higher than before to be a steadying presence up front.
Eli Ozick, Iowa’s kicker who transferred in from North Dakota State, earned Third-Team All-Big Ten recognition, while tight end DJ Vonnahme received a nod as a member of the Fourth-Team All-Big Ten team.
Did Phil Steele get it right?
Yes and no.
Kade Pieper belongs in the All-American conversation. He is that good and should be dominant for Iowa on the offensive line. This is the good.
Putting Zach Lutmer as a Third-Team All-American is understandable, but a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection feels like we are underselling just how good Lutmer can be for Iowa this year.
The one that stands out the most is where DJ Vonnahme is slotted in. Leading Iowa in receiving yards last year with limited action, he proved he can be the go-to target in the passing game.
With an offseason under his belt and more time in Tim Lester’s offense, Vonnahme looks to be a featured weapon for the Hawkeyes’ offensive attack.
I am not sold the Big Ten has four tight ends that will be better or featured more than DJ Vonnahme will be for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
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IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa City Community School District Board of Education has hired Amy Kortemeyer as the district’s new interim superintendent, effective July 1, 2026.
Kortemeyer brings more than three decades of experience in education, including several leadership roles within ICCSD.
She previously served as the district’s deputy superintendent from 2021 to 2023, assistant superintendent from 2016 to 2021, and director of elementary schools in 2015.
As of recent, Kortemeyer served as superintendent of the Linn-Mar Community School District.
Background and qualifications
Kortemeyer has held leadership roles in both Iowa City and Linn-Mar, serving as a superintendent, district-level curriculum leader, elementary principal and a classroom teacher.
She holds a superintendent’s certification and a master’s degree in elementary reading and language arts from the University of Northern Iowa, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Iowa.
In 2020, Kortemeyer was named a School Administrators of Iowa Central Office Administrator.
In 2016, she was selected for the American Association of School Administrators Aspiring Women Leaders Program.
Board response
“Amy brings a wealth of experience, a deep understanding of our district, and a proven record of educational leadership,” said Ruthina Malone, president of the Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors.
“We are confident her leadership will bring stability to the district and gain confidence back from the community in our financial situation. Amy has the skillset to really serve our district well as our interim superintendent, and we are excited to work with her.”
Kortemeyer said she is honored to return to the district.
“I am honored by the opportunity to return to the Iowa City Community School District as interim superintendent,” Kortemeyer said. “Having previously served here, I know firsthand the dedication of our educators, staff, students, families, and community members. I am grateful to work in collaboration with the Board and our employees to provide leadership during this time of transition as we support student success, strengthen relationships, and prepare the district for its next leader.”
Role and responsibilities
As interim superintendent, Kortemeyer will work with the Board of Directors, district staff, students, families and community partners.
Her role will include supporting the district’s strategic priorities and preparing for the transition to a permanent superintendent.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
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