IOWA CITY — It's important not to fall into the tempting trap of overreaction when evaluating Iowa football's open spring practice on April 25.
Blowing things out of proportion is something we have become accustomed to. And with the 2026 Iowa football team, it's not like there is a huge sample size to go off. This is the most competitive, game-like scenario that will be open to the public until Kids' Day at Kinnick in August.
It's important to qualify what happens on the field Saturday.
Yes, this player had a really good day, but it was just one day.
Yes, this player had a really bad day, but it was just one day.
More: 5 spring things we learned from Iowa football's Tim Lester | Leistikow
The 2026 season-opener against Northern Illinois is still months away, meaning there is time for improvement between now and September.
Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker alluded to that when speaking about redshirt freshman defensive lineman Iose Epenesa.
"Iose's doing good," Parker said. "He's making some progress. Obviously, he's a young kid that has a lot of expectations on him, and I think he's done a good job as far as improving. There are sometimes you sit there and say, 'Hey, I wish he was farther along,' but I think he keeps on working. It's not like we're playing a game this Saturday. So, it gives us time for more growth."
So, it's best not to jump to conclusions based on one day in April.
That said, it's fun to get a snapshot of where the Hawkeyes stand.
Here are some things to watch during Saturday's practice.
Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest storylines going into the 2026 season is who takes over at quarterback.
After Mark Gronowski elevated Iowa's quarterback play last season, the Hawkeyes will look to continue that upward trend. But exactly who takes the reins is still up in the air.
Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown are locked in competition for the starting job, and there's no definitive end to the battle in sight.
"There's really not a time frame," said offensive coordinator Tim Lester. "There's part of me thinking, 'Man, it would be great if it was clear by the end of spring,' and it's not even close to clear. It's a good problem to have. It's definitely going to go into camp. It could go into the season. I don't really know. But I like where they're both at."
More: Jeremy Hecklinski brings swagger to Iowa football QB battle | Leistikow
We will get a small window into how both quarterbacks look during Saturday's open practice. More broadly, Iowa's passing game, which includes its receivers, will be in the spotlight. The Hawkeyes have made progress in two seasons under Lester, but the passing game has still left much to be desired.
Hecklinski and Brown are the headliners, but they are not the only quarterbacks on Iowa's roster. Jimmy Sullivan and Ryan Fitzgerald are entering their redshirt freshman seasons. Both are worth keeping an eye on when it comes to the longer-term outlook of the quarterbacks room.
"Jimmy Sullivan has really taken strides, too," Lester said. "Watching him and (Fitzgerald) is doing a great job. (Fitzgerald) is on time, on target, really smart football player. Jimmy is extremely talented and the game is slowing down for him. He got here spring last year, so it's his second spring, although he's a true freshman. He's got an unbelievable arm. His feet and his timing are getting better."