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5 young Hawkeyes to watch for in Iowa football’s bowl game preparation against No. 14 Vanderbilt
The Iowa Hawkeyes are anticipated to have the entire time available for the New Year’s Eve bowl game.
Dec. 17, 2025 5:04 pm, Updated: Dec. 17, 2025 6:10 pm
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IOWA CITY — One of the most intriguing parts of bowl game preparation is getting an early, but small, glimpse at what head coach Kirk Ferentz and his staff have in mind to begin Iowa football’s 2026 season.
The Hawkeyes’ matchup against No. 14 Vanderbilt should have both teams readily available for a top 25 matchup in Tampa, Florida — according to both head coaches following the bowl announcement.
But bowl games are also about the future, and who will take on what roles next season.
There’s some players that are more obvious: defensive back Zach Lutmer, wide receiver Reece Vander Zee, linebacker Jayden Montgomery and offensive linemen Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper all bring a wealth of experience from 2025 alone. Those five among others, will be key pieces against the Commodores and beyond.
The players waiting in the wings, however, are already being evaluated for spring ball and next season.
Here’s five Hawkeyes who could catch your eye during the ReliaQuest Bowl preparation and game on New Year’s Eve.
QB Jeremy Hecklinski
This one seems almost too easy, but the Hawkeyes need to find out who will become the next starting quarterback now the starter Mark Gronowski is at the end of his collegiate career.
Redshirt freshman Jeremy Hecklinski made the jump as a back-up quarterback for Gronowski, particularly after the graduate’s knee injury earlier this year.
General manager Tyler Barnes said during National Signing Day that Iowa doesn’t anticipate searching for a quarterback in the transfer portal, given the current QB room. Iowa has a total five quarterbacks for the 2026 season, including incoming freshman Tradon Bessinger.
Hecklinski’s made two appearances this season, against Wisconsin and Minnesota, scoring his first career touchdowns against the Golden Gophers in October.
RB Nathan McNeil
Freshman Nathan McNeil’s redshirt year was burned quickly because of running back room injuries, and he’ll make a return to his hometown for the final game of the season.
The Tampa native played in nine games this year, picking up 169 yards on the ground over 37 carries.
Iowa’s running back room this season had a plethora of depth, particularly once the entire room was healthy in the latter half of the year. For the bowl game, McNeil has an opportunity to gain more in-game experience in his young career, while the Hawkeye coaching staff determines what his role will be in 2026.
WR KJ Parker
Redshirt freshman KJ Parker, similarly to McNeil, has flashed some potential throughout the regular season. Parker has mainly had appearances on special teams, including a pancake block that led the way for returner Kaden Wetjen to score a punt return for a touchdown against Minnesota.
Parker’s proven he can make an impact — partially blocking a punt in that same game — but hasn’t had a ton of targets when playing at receiver.
The Hawkeyes’ passing game wasn’t at the level the team had hoped it’d be this year, but Parker could be a potential wideout option behind a veteran receiver like Vander Zee.
DL Iose Epenesa
The last name alone grabs your attention, but the former five-star recruit hasn’t fully showed off his potential yet. He played 28 snaps this season, recording just one tackle against Minnesota.
The true freshman will be a part of a defensive line losing lots of maturity this offseason. Ferentz and Barnes have both said Iowa will look for some maturity in the portal, but also made it clear players like Epenesa have a chance to work their way into the rotation between now and next fall.
LB Cam Buffington
Outside of Montgomery, Iowa isn’t returning any linebackers from this season. That’s where redshirt freshman Cam Buffington can make an impact.
He made six appearances this season, recording seven tackles and an interception. More importantly, Iowa has proven its ability to develop players.
Buffington saw his first collegiate snaps this year, and linebackers coach Seth Wallace has praised Buffington for his progress throughout the season.
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