Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill has entered the transfer portal, according to multiple reports.

Hill made multiple starts last season after Cade McNamara went down with a knee injury midway through the season. With McNamara set to return for the 2024 campaign, Hill is now entering the portal in search of a fresh start.

Hill mostly struggled in his time as the starter. He completed under 50% of his passes and had a TD-to-INT ratio of 5-to-8. He also averaged just 4.8 yards per attempt in the passing game across 251 total pass attempts.

There’s optimism that Iowa’s offense will be significantly improved in 2024. The Hawkeyes parted ways with former OC Brian Ferentz and brought in Tim Lester to fill that role.

McNamara does have a relatively strong track record of success. Before arriving at Iowa, he spent 3 seasons at Michigan and averaged 7.5 yards per attempt during his time with the Wolverines. That number dipped to 5.6 during his pre-injury stint with the Hawkeyes in 2023.

Redshirt freshman Marco Lainez III is now the only other scholarship quarterback on Iowa’s roster. That’s a tenuous position for the Hawkeyes to be, especially considering McNamara’s injury history. Lainez signed with Iowa as a 3-star prospect out of New Jersey in the class of 2023. He attempted 7 passes as a true freshman last year — all in Iowa’s bowl game loss to Tennessee.

It’s possible Iowa will look to add another backup quarterback in the transfer portal this spring. The Hawkeyes have only added one transfer so far this offseason (offensive lineman Cade Borud).