Iowa quarterback Brendan Sullivan enters transfer portal

IOWA CITY — Iowa quarterback Brendan Sullivan is entering the transfer portal, a team spokesman confirmed to The Gazette on Friday evening.

Sullivan, a 2024 transfer addition from Northwestern, departs after one season with the Hawkeyes. He appeared in 10 games and started in the Hawkeyes’ win over Wisconsin and losses against UCLA and Missouri.

The fourth-year quarterback completed 71.7 percent of his passes in 2024 while throwing three touchdown passes and three interceptions. He also had four rushing touchdowns.

“I have loved and enjoyed every second I spent here,” Sullivan said on social media. “Thank you to the coaching and support staff, my teammates and the fans. You have all made this an awesome experience. After continued prayer and conversations with my family, it is in my best interest to enter the transfer portal for my final year of eligibility. Thank you, Iowa!”

The portal departure leaves Iowa with five quarterbacks on the roster ahead of the 2025 season. That most notably includes ex-South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski although the two-time FCS national champion has been sidelined from spring practices while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

Sullivan was officially listed as the first-team quarterback on Iowa’s spring depth chart, but Gronowski — the 2023 FCS Walter Payton Award recipient — appeared to be poised to claim the top spot at quarterback once he fully recovers from his injury in June.

“(Gronowski has) played the most, and he has that production,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said last month. “That’s a starting point. Then the guys in the room we’re excited about, but none of them have played 20 games or 30 games.”

Iowa’s other quarterbacks for 2025 will be walk-on Jackson Stratton, Auburn transfer Hank Brown and incoming freshmen Jimmy Sullivan and Ryan Fitzgerald. Brown, who arrived in time to participate in pre-bowl practices, was the second-team quarterback on Iowa’s spring depth chart.

Brendan Sullivan is the fourth Iowa quarterback to enter the portal since the end of the 2024 season, following Cade McNamara, Marco Lainez and James Resar. (McNamara committed to East Tennessee State, and Lainez committed to Elon.)

“Someone is gonna get a great dude and a hell of a competitor in Sully!” said Tyler Barnes, Iowa football’s general manager and chief of staff, in a tweet after news broke of Sullivan’s departure.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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