IOWA CITY -- When Cade McNamara transferred to Iowa from Michigan in the winter of 2022, the College Football Playoff-level quarterback was expected to come in and help right the ship for the Hawkeye offense.
In Year One, he went down with an ACL tear. In Year Two, the Hawkeyes — who entered the season as darkhorse Playoff candidates — have started 3-2 (1-1 in Big Ten play), and McNamara has still yet to throw a touchdown pass against Power 4 competition as a Hawkeye, in five-plus* games of action.
*McNamara suffered his ACL tear on the second drive of the game against Michigan State, with Iowa leading 3-0. The Hawkeyes won that game 26-16.
On Saturday against Ohio State, McNamara completed 14-of-20 passes for 98 yards, an interception and two lost fumbles on sacks. Iowa lost 35-7.
"I think right now I'm playing pretty solid," McNamara said at Tuesday's media availability. "Obviously, there are some things I want to clean up, but these last couple weeks I've found a good rhythm, and I'm getting through my progressions really fast. There are maybe a couple accuracy things, but I mean, that's going to happen."
Head coach Kirk Ferentz and McNamara appear to be on the same page as far as his progression is going this season.
"I think Cade is improving, I really do," Ferentz said following the loss to Ohio State. "He seems more comfortable and better. He was getting the ball out well in the first half. We have to improve as a collective offense."
"Right now, I'm just getting better every single week," McNamara agreed on Tuesday. "That's the best thing I can do to help the team win."
McNamara has posted six turnovers and zero touchdowns since throwing for three scores against Illinois State in the first game.
Meanwhile, Northwestern transfer quarterback Brendan Sullivan has provided a spark to the offense in the red zone, while completing a one-yard touchdown pass against Troy and punching a QB sneak in for a score against Minnesota. He also led the lone scoring drive against Ohio State over the weekend, sparked by his 30-yard rush to start the drive.
Yet the staff intends to stick with McNamara as the starter at quarterback.
"Ultimately, it's about putting players on the field in situations where you think it gives you your best chance to win," Ferentz said. "When those times come where you're going to make a change or sub somebody out, then you do it. Again, we discuss that pretty much on a daily basis. ... We're talking constantly about the state of our team, where we're at, what do we need to be thinking about. We just take it a day at a time, try to give ourselves the best chance to be successful."
According to Ferentz, the coaching staff and McNamara recognize the mistakes that the senior QB made over the weekend.
"Turning the ball over, and then certainly the pick -- that was just a bad mental play on his part. That was the most disappointing play in my mind," Ferentz said. "He'd love to have it back, too, but sometimes you don't get that choice. You have to factor in the level of competition. You have to factor in the way the game is going at that given point."
Taking the good with the bad appears to be the outlook at the moment for McNamara as Iowa's signal-caller.
"He has done a lot of good things, too, and I would venture to say he played a pretty good half in the first half [against Ohio State]," Ferentz said. "He was efficient, and I made that comment that he seemed more comfortable, more decisive in his play. Keep in mind, too, we've got a new offense, so there's a lot of new things going on. ... The most important thing is I don't think his confidence has been shaken."
McNamara's next opportunity will come this weekend, as Iowa hosts Washington (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) on Saturday, October 12 (11 AM CT, FOX).
