C. J. Beathard
Beathard (16) against Wisconsin in 2015
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| Iowa Hawkeyes No. 16 | |
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| Position | Quarterback |
| Class |
 Senior
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| Major | Recreation and Sport Business |
| Career history | |
| College |
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| Bowl games | |
| High school | Franklin (TN) Battle Ground Academy |
| Personal information | |
| Date of birth | November 16, 1993 |
| Place of birth | Franklin, Tennessee |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 209 lb (95 kg) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Casey J. Beathard (born November 16, 1993) is an American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.
Beathard entered the public eye in the Iowa football community in the 2014 season when he was the backup to then-2-year starter Jake Rudock. In the first half against Pitt, Rudock suffered a minor injury and C.J. Beathard took the field to begin the second half, with the Hawkeyes trailing 17-7. While Pitt had been dominant throughout much of the first half, the team gained a new energy in the second half with Beathard under center. Beathard would take the Hawkeyes to a 24-20 victory.
After a last-minute loss to non-conference in-state rival Iowa State, who would eventually go 2-10 (winless in conference play), fans in the community were vocal with their criticisms of the Iowa coaching staff, citing the conservative play calling, unused potential of players, and the apparent apathy of head coach Kirk Ferentz, who was in his 16th year of coaching the Hawkeyes, and whose contract as head coach was guaranteed until 2020, an extension offered after their 2010 Orange Bowl victory against Georgia Tech when the Hawkeyes finished their season 11-2. Iowa fans were impressed by Beathard's energy against Pitt, and his comeback victory sparked debate about his position as a starter.
Beathard started the following game against Purdue, where Iowa won 24-10. Following their bye week, Rudock was declared healthy by Ferentz, and returned as a starter against Indiana, where they won 45-29. Fan criticism of the program continued throughout the season, as the team continued to lose against the better part of their schedule.
The criticism, informally called the "Iowa quarterback controversy", revolved primarily around Beathard being the deserving man of the starting spot, while some fervent fans called for the firing of Ferentz. The public criticism of the coaching staff was so strong that Iowa athletic director Gary Barta spoke publicly on multiple occasions in support of Ferentz in regards to the issue.
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