IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Tim Lester has had nearly six months to come up with potential fixes for the moribund Iowa offense, but the key for the Hawkeyes' new offensive coordinator might be just having a healthy starting quarterback.


That should be Cade McNamara, who started five games last season before a knee injury and subsequent surgery sidelined him for the rest of the year. It's why McNamara, in his sixth college season, made sure to emphasize Tuesday that he is "100%" healthy during summer workouts, as he and the rest of the Hawkeyes go through the process of learning Lester's new offense.  

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"Overall, in general, I feel pretty good," McNamara said. "This is my first time at Iowa where I'm able to participate in every training phase, every activity, every drill. So far, I'm a little more sore than I usually am. But so far, my body has handled it well." 

 

Iowa won 10 games and the Big Ten West Division title last season despite having an offense that ranked last among Football Bowl Subdivision teams in total offense and team passing efficiency, 129th in scoring offense at 15.4 points per game and 127th in passing offense. That led to the midseason decision to fire offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, the son of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, although he was allowed to finish the season.


McNamara, who transferred from Michigan before last season, was expected to put some life in the Hawkeyes' offense after it posted similar numbers in 2022. But McNamara was limited by a quadricep injury suffered in camp in August, then the knee injury suffered in a 26-16 home win over Michigan State on Sept. 30 ended his season.

11 Super Bowl 57 Players Who Played College Ball In South Dakota, Iowa, or Nebraska

Super Bowl 57 is coming our way on Sunday. Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs are looking for their second Super Bowl titles in recent memory, and both have rosters featuring lots of Midwestern talent.

An obvious South Dakota connection on the Eagles is South Dakota State's Dallas Goedert. Goedert was drafted by the Eagles in the year immediately following their Super Bowl win after the 2017 season.

Gallery Credit: Bert Remien

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