1. Mark Gronowski’s Iowa debut
The Cade McNamara experiment turned into a disaster for Iowa, but the Hawkeyes hope Gronowski will finally be the quarterback they have desperately needed for some time. Gronowski brings a wealth of experience with him to Iowa City after spending four successful seasons with South Dakota State.
The 6-foot-3 Gronowski led the Jackrabbits to back-to-back FCS national championships in 2022 and 2023 and earned the Walter Payton Award in the latter season, given to the most outstanding offensive player at the FCS level. The Naperville, Illinois native had looks from other schools when he entered the transfer portal last winter, but opted to play for Kirk Ferentz and Iowa.
Gronowski’s talent is well-known, but how will it translate to the Big Ten? Saturday’s season opener against Albany won’t completely reveal that answer, but it should be a good opportunity for the veteran signal caller to settle in against a weak opponent before taking center stage against Iowa State next week.
2. New-look Iowa running back room
With Kaleb Johnson off to the NFL, the attention now shifts to young backs Jaziun Patterson and Kamari Moulton. Both Patterson and Moulton have shown flashes of their potential, but Saturday’s contest will mark their first year as the featured backs under new running backs coach Omar Young.
Hawkeye fans got a glimpse of the future in the 2024 Music City Bowl, where both running backs posted impressive showings. Moulton racked up 96 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Patterson collected 74 yards on just nine carries of work.
It’s hard to replace a workhorse like Johnson, but if Moulton and Patterson continue to showcase their potential, then the Hawkeyes’ rushing attack could be potent again in 2025.
3.Linebackers get their chance to shine
Iowa enters the season with many questions on the defensive side of the football, but arguably the biggest hole is the linebacker room, which lost the services of stars Nick Jackson and Jay Higgins to graduation in the offseason.
Seniors Jaxon Rexroth, Karson Sharar, and Jaden Harrell might not be the household names Hawkeye fans have grown accustomed to over the years, but each of these players feel that they have what it takes to fill the massive shoes of those that came before them.
4. JoJo Uga
Albany doesn’t boast a star-studded lineup, but a name the Hawkeyes will certainly gameplan for is second-year running back JoJo Uga. Uga immediately carved out a role for himself as a true freshman in 2024, totaling 422 yards and six touchdowns on 100 carries of work. Those numbers
With questions at multiple key positions, the Great Danes will likely rely on Uga to produce some offensive firepower against Iowa, but Uga will have to battle a ferocious Hawkeye defense that looks to make a statement of its own.
5. Ferentz chases history
Kirk Ferentz has received numerous accolades in his 26-year tenure in Iowa City, but the 2025 season will mark his most historical milestone yet. Ferentz is two wins away from passing legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes as the all-time winningest coach in Big Ten conference history, and he would tie the record with a win on Saturday.
If the Hawkeyes take care of business on Saturday, expect Ferentz to get extra-emotional on the sidelines with his players and staff.