The Iowa Hawkeyes have a number of great leaders back, especially defensively.
If you listen to one of Iowa’s top defensive playmakers and leaders in linebacker Jay Higgins, it’s one of his fellow teammates that he and others turn to.
Asked what it meant to him that safety Quinn Schulte was accompanying him at Big Ten Media Days, Higgins took the moment to really rave about what Schulte brings to the Hawkeyes and Iowa’s defense.
“I’ll be transparent with you. Ever since I got on the leadership council, Quinn Schulte’s got my vote for captain since the day I could start voting. I’ve always voted for Quinn. I’ve always seen him as a leader. The guy shows up every day.
“Obviously, if you sat down in a meeting room with coach (Phil) Parker and you understood how our defense works, the free safety position at Iowa’s a big deal. What we ask this guy to do, the guys we ask him to run with and then the guys we ask him to tackle, it’s like dude just plays linebacker but a little bit more pass coverage. We ask him to do a lot,” Higgins said.
I asked Jay Higgins what it means for Quinn Schulte to be here with him at Big Ten Media Days.
An answer worth 90 seconds of your time: pic.twitter.com/JSEebBiHbs
— Blake Hornstein (@BlakeHornTV) July 24, 2024
Higgins admires Schulte’s Hawkeye journey, too.
“He’s got to show up every day. He’s the leader of that room. Just where he came from. Starts on as a walk-on, shows up every day, works his way up in the depth chart and just does a great job. Somebody I can count on.
“If these dudes come out in a crazy formation where the offensive lineman’s out about to catch a pass and the quarterback’s lined up at receiver, I’m looking at Quinn Schulte before I look to the sideline. I mean, that’s the type of guy he is. Any answer I need answered, he’s the guy I’m going to first,” Higgins said.
That’s hefty praise from Higgins who is a magnificent player in his own right. Higgins matched Iowa’s single-season tackles record last season with 171 tackles and was a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, Phil Steele and Sports Illustrated.
Phil Steele tabbed Higgins as its 2024 Preseason National Defensive Player of the Year.
But, Schulte is no slouch either. As the backbone of the back end of Iowa’s defense, Schulte is a massive cog in the Hawkeyes’ success.
Schulte racked up 65 tackles, five passes defensed, 2.5 tackles for loss and one interception last season en route to honorable mention status from the Big Ten coaches and media.
Schulte is a preseason second-team All-Big Ten choice per Athlon Sports.
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