Hawkeye Report Podcast 795

We continue our Hawkeye Report Summer Podcast series as we are joined by Iowa quarterback coach Billy VandeMerkt, who took over that position earlier this year. 

The pod opens with getting to know VandeMerkt better. His upbringing in Illinois and how Tim Lester attempted to recruit him to play quarterback for him at Elmhurst College, where he was the head coach at the time. We then discuss his journey into coaching and how it got started thanks to a coach who is now an NFL coach. How that coach is now an NFL head coach and how his rise led to VandeMerkt becoming a coach for the New York Jets. 

Then we dive into VandeMerkt and how he ended up at Iowa in 2025 and the role that he filled last year as a senior analyst and what his responsiblities were. Then this year he is elevated to the quarterback coach job. What that has been like for him? What does he look for in a quarterback in terms of traits that make them successful? 

We also discuss the race at quarterback this spring between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski. How did they manage and plan everything this spring and did they manage it as well as they had hoped? How will the offense change this season with a different style of quarterback this year? When do they want to make a decision regarding the starting quarterback position? 

Also, who are some of the receivers that impressed him this spring and thoughts on the passing game. We get his thoughts on the other quarterback including Jimmy Sullivan, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Tradon Bessinger and we wrap up talking about learning from Tom Moore and Kirk Ferentz.