The Hawkeyes will have a new starting quarterback next season, and Iowa doesn’t plan on taking one from the transfer portal. Instead, offensive coordinator has been working with Iowa’s two backups to help determine who might get the starting job next season.
After Hank Brown stepped in at quarterback against Indiana, Iowa’s offense had to expand its playbook, and is continuing to do that throughout the bye week.
Compilation of interviews from coaches and players during Iowa Football Media Day August 8, 2025
One of Tim Lester’s past colleagues said the Iowa offensive coordinator is “one of the smartest coaches I’ve ever coached with.” The Hawkeyes are beginning to see that for themselves after an impressive first season in his Shanahan-style offensive system.
Iowa nearly doubled its opponents’ scoring in the third quarter during the 2024 season. Offensive coordinator Tim Lester explained one reason for the Hawkeyes’ third-quarter success.
Many of Iowa’s offensive metrics rose dramatically in 2024, but Tim Lester believes the Hawkeyes were never “even close to being able to truly take the gloves off offensively” in the first season with his Shanahan-style system.
Hawk Off the Press Podcast: Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester
Tim Lester noted that Iowa’s quarterbacks “got a long way to go,” but the second-year offensive coordinator is “happy where the room is at right now.”
Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s quarterback makeover is beginning to take shape.
No power-conference team has run the ball more frequently than the Hawkeyes in 2024.
Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester sees value in looking at “every position, every year” in the transfer portal in the current era of college football.
Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester, “against the popular opinion,” believes Cade McNamara’s performance against Minnesota “was one of his best games.”
Gerad Parker and Tim Lester were both on the staff at Purdue in 2016. Lester’s one year with Parker left quite the positive impression on Parker.
Tim Lester made some Hawkeye history in his first game as Iowa’s offensive coordinator.
New offensive coordinator Tim Lester is exuberant about the Iowa offense’s potential in 2024.
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