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Should Cade McNamara be a certainty to be the starting QB?

Assuming he's healthy, I'd say he at least has the pole position in the race. Despite the opinions of another poster in another thread, can Lainez develop over the spring and summer to challenge Cade? He ought to get the majority of the work with the No. 1's this spring while Cade is rehabbing. The Hill era needs to be done. You cannot judge Lainez's passing performance yesterday (down 28 points, lining up with 5 wide, no backs) as any indication of what he is capable of as a passer. We saw he has mobility, something Hill does not have. Mobility is not a luxury in a QB anymore, it's a necessity. Let him get real time this spring with the 1's and see what he can bring to the table. If he shows progress, let there be a real competition for the starting QB in the fall. Great Cade is coming back, but that does not mean he's guaranteed the top spot.
Cade wasn't that great when he played. 51% completion rate. He won't be running either for fear of getting hurt
 
Cade wont be a runner after 2 damaged knee injuries. He might see the field better then Hill but that's not saying much.
Right. If we fix some things so that Cade has a pocket and open receivers, I believe he has elite timing and accuracy. If we don't get those things fixed, he won't be successful.
 
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Assuming he's healthy, I'd say he at least has the pole position in the race. Despite the opinions of another poster in another thread, can Lainez develop over the spring and summer to challenge Cade? He ought to get the majority of the work with the No. 1's this spring while Cade is rehabbing. The Hill era needs to be done. You cannot judge Lainez's passing performance yesterday (down 28 points, lining up with 5 wide, no backs) as any indication of what he is capable of as a passer. We saw he has mobility, something Hill does not have. Mobility is not a luxury in a QB anymore, it's a necessity. Let him get real time this spring with the 1's and see what he can bring to the table. If he shows progress, let there be a real competition for the starting QB in the fall. Great Cade is coming back, but that does not mean he's guaranteed the top spot.
He will be our starter barring injury no matter how he performs. I would not renew Hills scholly. See ya Deacon. Marco is the backup with Resar the 3rd.
 
Assuming he's healthy, I'd say he at least has the pole position in the race. Despite the opinions of another poster in another thread, can Lainez develop over the spring and summer to challenge Cade? He ought to get the majority of the work with the No. 1's this spring while Cade is rehabbing. The Hill era needs to be done. You cannot judge Lainez's passing performance yesterday (down 28 points, lining up with 5 wide, no backs) as any indication of what he is capable of as a passer. We saw he has mobility, something Hill does not have. Mobility is not a luxury in a QB anymore, it's a necessity. Let him get real time this spring with the 1's and see what he can bring to the table. If he shows progress, let there be a real competition for the starting QB in the fall. Great Cade is coming back, but that does not mean he's guaranteed the top spot.
I find it interesting that there are still some Hawkeye fans that think KF plays the most talented/best QB on the team. He never has until he is out of options, or the noise gets too loud.
 
Fanatics are an interesting breed. Two years ago Alex Padilla comes in and leads Iowa on a TD drive and Iowa fans scream that he wasn't playing over Petras and are certain AP will lead Iowa to the promise land.

Then it was Labas, now it's Lainez.

Look, I'm all for Marco turning into Patrick Mahomes, but he was 2/7 yestetday with two completions a Jr high QB could make.

Pump the breaks. Let's be honest with ourselves here, his eyes were as big as dinner plates; great survival scramble runs but at this point all we know is he's more athletic than what we've seen at the position. At some point a QB has to throw the ball.

Cade is easily the starter and anyone suggesting otherwise is a fool.

This is a totally fair point but this is exactly why he needed more real reps earlier. Even with his throws being off he didn't turn the ball over and his running got us into field goal range. His running alone was an asset that Deacon couldn't give us.
 
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Right. If we fix some things so that Cade has a pocket and open receivers, I believe he has elite timing and accuracy. If we don't get those things fixed, he won't be successful.
That's a problem right there.

Even good O-lines don't regularly give a clean pocket for more than 3.5 seconds.
So for even an "elite timing and accuracy" slinger who is hobbled they are going to need "elite" level receivers with the ability to quickly get separation.
Or, like just about every other program has figured out in upper level FBS, it is a requirement to have a qb that can run.
 
That's a problem right there.

Even good O-lines don't regularly give a clean pocket for more than 3.5 seconds.
So for even an "elite timing and accuracy" slinger who is hobbled they are going to need "elite" level receivers with the ability to quickly get separation.
Or, like just about every other program has figured out in upper level FBS, it is a requirement to have a qb that can run.
I agree it's most likely that Iowa needs a QB that can run.
 
To me, if Iowa goes out and gets a starter level QB in the portal, then McNamara is getting pushed to the side. I don't know exactly how you thread that needle, which means it's probably unlikely KF and Co. will do it.
Use NIL money as a lever. We have to bring in another QB to avoid a repeat of this year. Pull some $ from one to give the transfer. Things are different now than the way it looked a year ago. Cade is even more banged up now and has now only played in like 3/4 games the last 2 years. We want him healthy but the risk is too much to put all our eggs in one fragile basket.
 
We should be going after a backup QB in the portal.

Hill should in no possibility be an injury or two away from starting next year.
Injury or two away? He's the starter right now, and will be until he's not lol.
 
He should not be a certainty but will be as long as he is somewhat healthy. As others have pointed out with all the injuries the last couple years esp with knees the odds of staying healthy all season are not great.
Regardless of his health Iowa needs a mobile QB. Not someone to run 100yds a game but someone who can escape pressure and move freely in the pocket and gain a 1st down if open.
If you look at his only season playing at Michigan his stats are pretty much the exact same as Nate Stanley's worst season at Iowa. He did have a higher comp% then him but that is about it.
comp%. yds. td. int.
CM. 64.2. 2576. 15. 6.
CM (IA) 51.1. 500. 4. 3
NS. 55.8. 2432. 26. 6
NS. 59.8. 2852. 26. 10
NS. 59.4. 2951. 16. 7
 
I find it hard to believe that anyone puts any stock in a QB who came here after a knee injury at the previous school and has had two more injuries of knee/lower leg by just falling down all by himself.
 
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I find it hard to believe that anyone puts any stock in a QB who came here after a knee injury at the previous school and has had two more injuries of knee/lower leg by just falling down all by himself.

His legs even look weak. I wonder what he squats.
 
Cade. like Jake Ruddock, is as good as the team around him. That is why CJ was a better QB for Iowa at that time, and Jake was a better fit for Mich. CJ could make plays by himself to win games. Jake could not.

I don't think Cade will ever be a good QB at Iowa for reasons beyond his control. He should have transferred to a team with better offensive players.
 
He probably should medically retire for his own wellbeing.
Being able to walk at 40yo is a good goal.
 
Perhaps it's time to stop regarding McNamara as some modern Moses who will lead us to the promised land. In this case, Moses has had two knee repairs, a bad quadricep and has been mediocre at best in his brief playing time during the last two seasons.
McNamara and Hill are not the solution to the offensive problems at Iowa.
 
I feel WR and OL are as big of a problem as QB. Brown was the only WR able to get open this year, and he dropped half the balls thrown to him. If we don’t fix those problems then QB doesn’t matter. But yeah, Hill should never play another down at Iowa. Insane how long they stuck with him.
 
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All I can say is, you reap what you sow.

Iowa's pitiful offense is a national punchline. High school skill position players and those seeking the portal would just as soon commit to a Division II or NAIA team than play under KF's antiquated philosophy.

I can only hope that our next OC has the autonomy to call his own shots, but I'm not holding my breath.
 
All I can say is, you reap what you sow.

Iowa's pitiful offense is a national punchline. High school skill position players and those seeking the portal would just as soon commit to a Division II or NAIA team than play under KF's antiquated philosophy.

I can only hope that our next OC has the autonomy to call his own shots, but I'm not holding my breath.
Bag of cash and offer for playing time, there is nothing more needed to get a player here.
 
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Perhaps it's time to stop regarding McNamara as some modern Moses who will lead us to the promised land. In this case, Moses has had two knee repairs, a bad quadricep and has been mediocre at best in his brief playing time during the last two seasons.
McNamara and Hill are not the solution to the offensive problems at Iowa.
Fix the OL and then let's see.
 
Perhaps it's time to stop regarding McNamara as some modern Moses who will lead us to the promised land. In this case, Moses has had two knee repairs, a bad quadricep and has been mediocre at best in his brief playing time during the last two seasons.
McNamara and Hill are not the solution to the offensive problems at Iowa.
Exactly why Kirk should step up and name Marco as the starter going into the offseason. Cade isn't going anywhere, and at this point if he does who cares.
 
What to do regarding a QB is interesting to discuss. I would prefer Cade if he's healthy, but a big risk IMHO. It's difficult to judge Marco on what we have seen, but he had great statistics (76%) in HS and he is the type of QB that I've been hoping for for several years. I do not want to see him scrambling like he did on Monday, but rather someone who can make something happen on a broken play, something we do not have now period, and most every team we play does. I do not ever want to see Deacon Hill take another snap at Iowa.

A discussion regarding our O line and an overhaul of the offense might be more appropriate.
 
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Injury or two away? He's the starter right now, and will be until he's not lol.
IMO Cade will be penciled in as the #1 going into next season, provided he's not injured. He was the #1 in 2023, until he got hurt. I doubt Hill is the new #1 just because he filled in for McNamara.

Not that I think McNamara has done enough to have earned that spot no matter what.. But that's my prediction.
 
I feel WR and OL are as big of a problem as QB. Brown was the only WR able to get open this year, and he dropped half the balls thrown to him. If we don’t fix those problems then QB doesn’t matter. But yeah, Hill should never play another down at Iowa. Insane how long they stuck with him.
wr and OL are MUCH bigger problems than QB. without big improvement it won't matter who is at QB.
 
Exactly why Kirk should step up and name Marco as the starter going into the offseason. Cade isn't going anywhere, and at this point if he does who cares.
Right? 2 of 7 for 4 yards is enough for me to name him a starter for next year.
 
48.6% completion rating, 5 TDs to 8 INTs....LMFAO. Yup I'll take Marco right now.
Yeah he's bad. We've seen nothing to suggest that Marco is any good either. Certainly not good enough to ordain as next year's starting QB just because the bar has been set so low.
 
Yeah he's bad. We've seen nothing to suggest that Marco is any good either. Certainly not good enough to ordain as next year's starting QB just because the bar has been set so low.
the lack of o-line development added to injury questions with Cade tell us all we need to know. A mobile quarterback isn't just an addition it is necessary. He had nearly 80% completion in high school and was moved up to 2nd string. I'm sure Deacon is a great kid, but **** him, he can sit 3rd string, or better yet, transfer out.

10:45 is the start, and it is easy to see why there is excitement.

 
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the lack of o-line development added to injury questions with Cade tell us all we need to know. A mobile quarterback isn't just an addition it is necessary. He had nearly 80% completion in high school and was moved up to 2nd string. I'm sure Deacon is a great kid, but **** him, he can sit 3rd string, or better yet, transfer out.

10:45 is the start, and it is easy to see why there is excitement.

A QB that can run (not necessarily a running QB) simply adds another dimension to the offense. Despite Kirk's statement that offense is complicated, I will cite to an earlier oft-used statement of his, football is not "rocket science". A mobile QB requires the defense to pay attention to that threat, and in doing so, distracts them from other assignments they have. Simple, not complicated.

His passing stats in the bowl game are essentially meaningless, he was tossed into a no win situation. Tennessee figured that Iowa would do nothing but throw at that point, and Iowa did nothing to shake them from that belief. Here you go, Marco, I know you haven't played a single down up to now, and I know that you haven't spent any (meaningful) time practicing with the first team, and I know that we're going to line up in five wide with no additional pass protection without even a hint that we'll try something else, but go out and see what you can do with this pile of crap we've left you with. And oh, by the way, if you're not immediately successful in that situation, you'll be branded a failure, with no hope of improvement or possibility of success, by some. I'm not saying he's destined for greatness, but he deserves the reps this spring with the starting unit to see what he can do. We know what Hill can do, and we don't need any more of that.
 
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