Kirk Ferentz returns for his 28th season as head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, the longest-tenured coach in Power conference football by a wide margin. The Hawkeyes will look to replace QB Mark Gronowski with either Jeremy Hecklinski, who has only 2 career pass attempts, or Hank Brown, who has two starts under his belt. Kamari Moulton returns as the top running back after averaging 80 yards per game on the ground in 2025. The Hawkeyes don’t have a lot of high-volume receivers but do return their leading pass catcher DJ Vonnahme from a year ago. The Hawkeyes return two starters from last season in Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper, but are one of the lightest units in Power Four football.

Phil Parker enters his 15th season as defensive coordinator and will certainly have his work cut out for him as the Hawkeyes return just three of their top eleven tacklers from a season ago. Six of the top tacklers from a season ago are on a current NFL roster. The Hawkeye front seven returns just one starter in Jayden Montgomery—the secondary returns Deshaun Lee and Zach Lutmer.

First-year special teams coach Chris Polizzi has a tall task ahead, replacing kicker Drew Stevens and punter Rhys Dakin. Replacing one of the best return men college football has ever seen, with Kaden Wetjen now with the Steelers in the NFL, will be a hard challenge. Kirk Ferentz will continue to stress mistake-free football, but with major questions at quarterback and significant defensive turnover, 2026 presents a challenging path for the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten.