ESPN Big Ten Blog

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg 

The fourth and final installment of QC takes a look at Iowa, where junior Jake Christensen tries to retain his job after a difficult 2007 season. On Friday, I'll rank the rest of the Big Ten quarterbacks.

Iowa was a mess on offense last fall, and it wasn't all Christensen's fault. Budding wide receiver Andy Brodell suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, and Christensen lost tight end Tony Moeaki in the same game. The offensive line struggled, allowing 46 sacks -- the most in the Big Ten and the sixth most nationally. Still, Christensen didn't solidify his status as the top QB. He took too many sacks and completed just 53.5 percent of his passes. Iowa ranked 109th nationally in total offense and 110th in scoring.

Christensen remains the frontrunner to start the opener against Maine, but he must hold off Ricky Stanzi and Marvin McNutt in preseason camp. The three competed throughout the spring, and coach Kirk Ferentz is keeping the job open, at least for now. Here's a look at the Hawkeyes:

The Candidates

Jake Christensen (6-1, 215, Jr.): Incumbent struggled in his first year as the starter, though he had little at his disposal. He limited his mistakes, throwing just six interceptions versus 17 touchdowns, but had the lowest completion percentage among Big Ten starters (53.5). The left-hander has shown good mobility at times, but he must improve his decision-making and pocket presence.

Ricky Stanzi (6-4, 215, So.): Appeared in two games last fall but didn't complete any of his four pass attempts. Has a decent arm and impressed Ferentz at times during spring practice. Good-sized pocket passer could utilize a healthy Hawkeyes receiving corps.

Marvin McNutt (6-4, 195, Fr.): The potential is there, but McNutt remains a bit raw. He ended the spring a few paces behind the other two, but he'll get a look in camp. Fan favorite with the most athleticism of the three candidates can make big plays, but struggles with his accuracy at times.

Who they're replacing

Jake Christensen: Christensen obviously isn't replacing himself, but he would like to replace last season's struggles with more consistent production. He finished with an excellent TD-INT ratio (17-6) but couldn't get the offense in the end zone enough. Ten of his touchdown passes came in just three games. He completed 53.5 percent of his passes for 2,269 yards.

Spring skinny

Christensen came out of the spring in the lead, but Ferentz wants to take another look this summer before naming the starter. "If we talk about anything right now it is probably consistency," Ferentz said in April. "Jake is number one right now." Christensen's first pass of the spring game was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, but he seemed to settle down afterward. Stanzi completed 8 of 15 passes in the game and found Trey Stross for a touchdown. McNutt, despite being the obvious crowd favorite, completed just 3 of 10 passes.

Summer storylines

• Ferentz said McNutt's summer progress would determine how much of a factor he'll be when the competition resumes in training camp. If McNutt improves his accuracy and showcases his playmaking skills when the team reunites, he'll push both Stanzi and Christensen.
  
• Though Christensen remains the No. 1 quarterback in the coaches' eyes, Stanzi didn't hurt his chances with his spring performance. He lacks game experience, but a strong summer should make the coaches think twice before giving Christensen the nod.
  
• The situation at running back is completely open, with Shonn Greene and incoming freshmen Jeff Brinson and Jewel Hampton joining a group led by walk-on Paki O'Meara. With so much uncertainty, a quarterback can help his chances by proving he's a viable threat to run. Christensen has some mobility; McNutt has a lot.

Prediction

It's hard to see Ferentz not giving Christensen the first nod, but in a critical season for the program, any hangover from last season could result in a change. The Hawkeyes have virtually no experience at running back, so Christensen's full season as a starter, no matter how rocky, should keep him in the No. 1 spot.