Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz benched starting quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski during the first half of a 13-10 loss to Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 25, and the 14th-ranked Hawkeyes left Minneapolis without the Floyd of Rosedale trophy for the first time since 2014.
Hecklinski was pulled after five offensive series and replaced by Hank Brown, according to Yahoo Sports. The move came after an interception in the red zone, a missed touchdown throw to tight end Tony Diaz, and a stalled Iowa attack that never found a rhythm.
How the quarterback swap unfolded
Ferentz named Hecklinski the starter heading into the rivalry game, but the leash proved short. Brown entered on Iowa's sixth offensive series and immediately faced the same problems: pressure, dropped passes, and an offense unable to establish the run against a veteran Minnesota front.
Hecklinski finished 9 of 16 for 62 yards and one interception. Brown completed 11 of 21 passes for 136 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Brown's best moment came on a fourth-quarter drive that tied the game. He connected with Diaz twice on the march, including a 37-yard touchdown pass to Reece Vander Zee that evened things at 10.
It wasn't enough. Iowa's special teams gave up a blocked punt on the opening series, one of several self-inflicted wounds that decided the outcome, USA Today reported.
What Kirk Ferentz said after the game
Ferentz met with reporters afterward and did not sugarcoat the performance.
Certainly a disappointing outcome for us. I thought both teams really played hard and competed hard, expectedly, and I think that's what we saw. Realistically, you got a blocked punt right off the bat and end up with four turnovers, it's really unrealistic to think we were going to win a conference game doing that.
He also pointed to four additional loose balls that Iowa was fortunate to recover, calling the mistakes uncharacteristic of his program.
Asked whether he considered going back to Hecklinski in the second half, Ferentz was blunt.
Not strongly. You consider everything, but, no, not strongly.
Why Iowa benched Hecklinski
Ferentz said the decision to turn to Brown was a combination of Hecklinski's struggles and a search for a spark.
Well, yeah, probably a combination of both. You know, it just wasn't going well, so we figured that was the best thing to give us a chance to win. And we went with it. We'll reassess everything tomorrow.
That reassessment will matter. Iowa has five conference games remaining, and the quarterback position is suddenly unsettled again, according to On3, which had noted the Hawkeyes' quarterback change leading into Saturday.
Run game and injuries add to concerns
Iowa's rushing attack, long the foundation of Ferentz teams, never got on track against a Minnesota defensive front that featured nine seniors.
They're a veteran team. They've got nine seniors out there. They played hard, did a good job, and they were active with the blitzes, which was not a surprise to us. I thought we were prepared for that, but we really never could get any consistency going quite frankly.
Running back Kamari Moulton left the game with an injury. Ferentz had no update beyond saying he would know more when the team meets Tuesday.
Costly penalties and a three-point defeat
A goal-line stand by the Iowa defense was wiped out when Jaylen Watson jumped offsides, extending a Minnesota drive, USA Today's live coverage showed. The Gophers eventually pushed the ball to the 1-yard line behind quarterback Drake Lindsey's runs before an Iowa stand held.
Ferentz acknowledged the penalty hurt but said it did not decide the game.
Things happen in football. We had a lot of things happen today, but you've got to keep pushing forward. That didn't decide the game. The things we just talked about I think were bigger factors quite frankly.
What's next for the Hawkeyes
Iowa fell to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play. Minnesota improved to 5-2 and 3-1, and the Gophers reclaimed the bronze pig trophy that had sat in Iowa City since 2015.
Ferentz said the staff will review the film Sunday and the players must move on quickly with five conference games left on the schedule.
You're not going to win in this conference turning the ball over. We're +2 turnover, takeaway margin on the year, which is not bad, but you'd like to be a little bit better in that. Today was a big step backwards obviously.
FAQ
Who is Iowa's starting quarterback after the Minnesota loss?
The job is unresolved. Ferentz said the staff will reassess everything the day after the game, with Hecklinski at 9 of 16 for 62 yards and Brown at 11 of 21 for 136 yards in the loss.
Why did Iowa lose the Floyd of Rosedale trophy?
Minnesota beat Iowa 13-10 on Oct. 25, aided by a blocked punt, four Iowa turnovers and four additional loose balls. It is the first time since 2014 the Hawkeyes lost in Minneapolis.
What is Iowa's record after the Minnesota game?
Iowa is 5-2 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play with five conference games remaining.
Is Kamari Moulton injured?
Moulton left the Minnesota game and Ferentz said he expected to know more when the team meets Tuesday.