Auburn QB transfer Hank Brown commits to Iowa football: What it means for Hawkeyes

Posted by Admin December 13, 2024 Football

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IOWA CITY — Iowa football has landed its first commitment of the transfer portal recruiting cycle.

Former Auburn quarterback Hank Brown pledged to the Hawkeyes, he confirmed to the Register on Friday. On3 was the first to report the news.

Brown appeared in five games during his career with the Tigers, including two starts, before entering the transfer portal. At Auburn, he was 34-of-52 passing (65.4%) for 535 yards with six touchdowns and three picks.

Brown was recently in Iowa City. His visit coincided with Northwest Missouri State defensive line transfer Langden Kitchen, who is also being targeted by Iowa. Both were seen at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the Iowa men’s basketball game against Iowa State on Thursday.

Brown was a 3-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He was originally committed to Liberty but followed head coach Hugh Freeze when he took the job at Auburn.

Brown appeared in just one game in his first season with the Tigers, allowing him to maintain his redshirt. He will come to Iowa with three seasons of eligibility remaining. Brown is considered a 3-star transfer portal prospect, according to 247Sports. He is listed at 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds.

One of first-year offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s highlights as a coach is his experience with quarterbacks. He was a prolific passer himself at Western Michigan and has mentored the position extensively during his coaching career.

Iowa’s quarterback development has lacked severely in recent history. Since the departure of Nate Stanely, the Hawkeyes’ quarterback play has not been remotely close to where it needs to be.

This season, it was arguably the biggest factor holding back Iowa’s offense. The Hawkeyes made meaningful strides under Lester, largely due to running back Kaleb Johnson and the offensive line. Though injuries didn’t help the cause, quarterback play fell flat.

“Not up to par,” Lester said in November of Iowa’s passing game. “I would like to use the word terrible. Because we have a long way to go.”

It’s still too early in Lester’s tenure to judge the progress he’s made with signal callers, but the hope is that Lester can help improve the position.

Brown should be a fascinating case study for it.

The best game of Brown’s career came against New Mexico this season. He was 17-of-25 passing for 235 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions in the 45-19 victory. But the very next game, his second career start at Auburn, he threw three interceptions in the first half.

Brown is not the flashiest transfer portal addition, nor the most experienced, but there is long-term potential. There is also clearly still a long way to go in his development.

This should be a test of Lester’s ability to turn an unfinished product into something much more polished. Right now, time is on his side thanks to Brown’s three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Brown also gives Iowa depth at a position it needs.

The Hawkeyes, who started three quarterbacks in 2024, are now enduring attrition at the position yet again.

Cade McNamara and Marco Lainez entered the transfer portal. Iowa also moved quarterback prospect James Resar to receiver before he entered the transfer portal.

Iowa will likely now have just two players whose primary position is quarterback available for the upcoming Music City Bowl against Missouri — Brendan Sullivan and Jackson Stratton. Sullivan is the only scholarship quarterback left.

Iowa signed a pair of quarterbacks in its 2025 recruiting class — Jimmy Sullivan and Ryan Fitzgerald (preferred walk-on). Brendan Sullivan could still be a viable immediate option for getting Iowa’s quarterback play pointed in the right direction, but the Hawkeyes didn’t let that deter them from trying to bring someone else in.

Iowa is expected to have at least three quarterbacks on next season’s roster with starting experience. Brendan Sullivan has started multiple games in each of the last three seasons, the first two of which were at Northwestern. Stratton and Brown are less seasoned but there is still something to be said that they each made two starts this season.

Lester is laying a foundation in the quarterback room. The question now is whether he can build it into something bigger and better.

Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com