In just a matter of days, Iowa will return to Kinnick Stadium to open its 2026 college football season against Northern Illinois.
With the season opener on the horizon, the Hawkeyes gave fans a glimpse of what things will look like on Saturday with the release of their Week 1 depth chart
. The first depth chart of the season is always filled with interesting notes and eye-opening decisions. This year's edition is no different.Iowa has some position battles coming down to the wire and this depth chart offered a first look at who has the pole position in those battles. What did we learn from the Hawkeyes' first depth chart of the 2026 season?
Here's a look at some takeaways from the Week 1 depth chart.
Quarterback battle remains undecided
The biggest thing fans were curious to see was
which quarterback was listed as the starter. Kirk Ferentz made it clear that the battle is still ongoing. He listed Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski as the starter with the "OR" tag tying them together. It appears the starting quarterback battle will linger into Week 1, with both guys getting significant reps in the game.
Transfer wide receivers get huge opportunity
Iowa is entrusting its newest transfer wide receivers with a massive opportunity to open the season. Tony Diaz and Evan James were both listed as starters alongside Reece Vander Zee. Diaz has been one of the darlings of the offseason and looks primed for a big year.
James has been a fast-riser and ended up earning a starting role over other more experienced options. The wide receivers will be near the forefront of everyone's attention on Saturday.
Offensive line gets locked in
Fans now know which five players will start up front for Iowa on Saturday. Trevor Lauck, Leighton Jones, Cael Winter, Kade Pieper and Jack Dotzler make up Iowa's offensive line from left to right.
Winter is a great story, as he earned the starting center spot as a walk-on. Led by Lauck and Pieper, this group should remain a contender to repeat as Joe Moore Award winners.
Zach Lutmer's role revealed
Lutmer is the ultimate Swiss Army Knife for defensive coordinator Phil Parker to utilize. His role for the Hawkeyes' defense in Week 1 will start at the free safety position. With Tyler Brown still nursing an injury, Iowa is choosing to slot Lutmer in at safety alongside Anthony Hawkins.
Jacob Wallace will be the starter at CASH, where Lutmer excelled last season. Expect Lutmer to play all over the place this season for Parker's unit.
Surprise at kicker
With All-American kicker Drew Stevens off the NFL, Iowa picked up North Dakota State transfer Eli Ozick in the transfer portal. Many thought Ozick was a shoo-in to win the job.
Ferentz revealed an ace up his sleeve on Monday by naming second-year Caden Buhr as the starting kicker in Week 1. Buhr redshirted last season and hasn't attempted a collegiate field goal yet. The Hawkeyes know special teams and believe Buhr to be the best option at kicker. That should be enough for fans to give the Bettendorf, Iowa, native a chance.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Takeaways from Iowa football's Week 1 depth chart vs. NIU
