Tag: Drew Stevens

Iowa Hawkeyes’ Drew Stevens earns the title of Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week

After a game-winning field goal to move the Iowa Hawkeyes to 7-2, Drew Stevens has been named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.

The money man for the Iowa Hawkeyes once again came through in the clutch as he has done so many times before. Drew Stevens saved the day for Iowa in their 10-7 victory over the Northwestern Wildcats on a blustery day at Wrigley Field.

The 52-yard field goal proved to be the game-winning kick to put Northwestern to bed. The kick was the most important play of the day for the Hawkeyes and may prove to be one of the most important plays of the season with the trajectory it could put the Hawkeyes on. The kick was also good enough to earn Drew Stevens honors as the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.

Stevens has been a luxury for the Hawkeyes this year. He is proving to be one of the most consistent players on this team and one of the best kickers in America. On the year he is 14-18 on field goal attempts with a long of 53 yards while being a perfect 16-16 on extra points.

Drew Stevens has been great since the day he began at Iowa. In just his second season, Stevens has a career mark of 30-36 on field goals while being automatic on extra points by connecting on all 40 tries.

Iowa is going to be in tight ballgames the rest of the way and each kick coming off of Stevens’ right is going to be amplified. He has answered the bell every time so far with ice in his veins.

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Drew Stevens named to Lou Groza Award Watch List

After a freshman season that cemented his job as Iowa’s kicker, Drew Stevens has been named to the Lou Groza Award Watch List.

After a freshman campaign that saw him cement himself as Iowa’s kicker due to his accuracy and consistency, Iowa Hawkeyes kicker Drew Stevens will look to expand on that during the 2023 season.

Stevens’ ability to handle pressure last year was crucial for the Hawkeyes down the stretch of many games and his consistency gave the coaching staff trust to kick field goals. That combination has earned Stevens a spot on the Lou Groza Award Watch List. The award is given out annually to the nation’s best placekicker in college football.

During the 2022 season, Drew Stevens was stellar for the Hawkeyes. He was automatic in converting 100% of his extra points, going 24-for-24. On field goal attempts, Stevens delivered a 16-for-18 performance for Iowa, converting nearly 89% of his tries. He had a long of 54 yards.

Stevens also proved he can handle the clutch moments when he converted the game-winning field goal against Minnesota with under a minute to go.

Last year saw Christopher Dunn of the NC State Wolfpack take home the award. Drew Stevens will look to join Nate Kaeding as another Iowa Hawkeyes kicker to capture the Lou Groza as Kaeding was presented the award in 2002.

Stevens’ first chance to make his mark will come on Sept. 2 when Iowa kicks off its season at home in front of a sellout crowd against Utah State. In an ideal world, Stevens is handling low-stress extra point duties much more often than long, late-game field goal attempts.

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Iowa Hawkeyes 2023 Snapshot Profile: No. 18 Drew Stevens

Drew Stevens entered last year as a backup for Iowa football. Now, the sophomore kicker is one of the Hawkeyes’ fastest-rising stars.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have found their next star kicker in South Carolina native Drew Stevens!

A year ago, placekicker was a position of question for the Hawkeyes. Caleb Shudak had an extremely successful 2021 season, finishing as one of the most accurate kickers in school history. He was able to provide great stability after the departure of Keith Duncan the year prior. Duncan was one of the most successful kickers in program history, so Iowa really lucked out to have such a suitable replacement waiting in the wings.

Heading into the 2022 season, the Hawkeyes did not have their replacement for the graduated Shudak yet. There was a competition between junior Aaron Blom and true freshman Drew Stevens. We didn’t know who the placekicker was leading into the season’s first game.

All that changed quickly for the Hawkeyes. Stevens entered the season as the backup kicker but would earn his starting spot. The North Augusta product turned in a debut season for the record books, setting an Iowa freshman record with 16 made field goals.

Stevens was a player who joined the Iowa football program as an unknown walk-on. By the end of the year, he earned second-team All-Big Ten status from the league’s media, the Associated Press and Phil Steele. Stevens also was a second-team freshman All-American by College Football News. He was one of only two freshmen to be a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.

A year ago Stevens, wasn’t even projected to start. Now, he is a preseason first-team All-Big Ten choice by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. Here is a look at Iowa’s newest star kicker Drew Stevens.

9 Hawkeyes highlight Pro Football Focus’ preseason All-Big Ten team

Nine Iowa Hawkeyes made Pro Football Focus’ preseason All-Big Ten team, including five first-team selections.

Pro Football Focus released their preseason All-Big Ten teams, and judging from the results, it looks to be a big year for Iowa!

Last year, nine Hawkeyes received All-Big Ten honors. Despite five of those honorees moving on to the next level, Iowa once again has nine All-Big Ten preseason members for the 2023 season. Five players headline the group as first-team selections. Only two of those five are returning first-teamers from last year.

In all, Iowa has six players looking to make their debut on an All-Big Ten team in 2023. There are also a couple of notable omissions, players who weren’t featured but play a crucial role for this Iowa team. A little spoiler, there are two players we feature who absolutely should have made an All-Big Ten team, including someone who actually has made one before!

Here’s a look at the Hawkeyes featured on PFF’s preseason All-Big Ten team and where they ended up.

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Top three kickers in the Big Ten for 2023

Big things are expected of Parker Lewis, but does he make the list of top kickers? #GoBucks #B1G

The Big Ten is usually fairly strong in the kicking department, but not this season as there are more than a few new faces. All three of the players chosen for this list are arguable and you could move them around as you see fit. I wouldn’t argue much, but there is some big-time potential on this list.

It is tough to discuss special teams without Iowa, so its kicker was an obvious selection and Ohio State is expecting big things from its transfer from USC. The last selection was a consistent leg from Illinois that deserves more recognition. That’s enough of a preview, let’s dive into the top three kickers in the Big Ten.

2023 Buckeyes Wire Preseason All-Big Ten team: Specialists

There are some intriguing specialists in the Big Ten and one special Buckeye returner. #GoBucks #B1G

The 2023 college football season is right around the corner and the Big Ten is loaded with top-notch talent and predicting who will end up on the All-Big Ten has proven challenging. Not only was it hard to choose one player over another, but it was also hard to admit that some of Ohio State’s most prominent rivals have some serious dogs on their squad.

This list will dive into the specialists — and as expected — the Big Ten has some dominant specialists that make it very hard to narrow it down to just one at each position. This list may appear biased considering the amount of Buckeyes who made the list, but it would be hard for the most objective fan to deny the insane talent that was chosen.

In the age of the transfer portal, it is possible for a complete dark horse to rise as a frontrunner, but we will do our best to provide the most educated guess based on previous performances and situations.

Iowa Stock Index: Hawkeyes’ stock report after win over Minnesota

Iowa got the job done in a 13-10 win over Minnesota. Whose stock is rising, whose stock is falling after the win over the Gophers?

The Iowa Hawkeyes officially control their own destiny in the Big Ten West. A sentence more or less unfathomable just a month ago is a very real situation and a reality that is fully upon us. Next Friday is a win-and-in game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

At 7-4, following a rivalry victory over the Minnesota Badgers for the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy, the Hawkeyes are one win away from returning to Indianapolis. Their turnaround is nothing short of miraculous.

The four-game win streak they are riding right now has seen efforts from all three units at different times and has Iowa with a large preseason goal sitting right in front of them. The opportunity is theirs to take.

Quite a few Hawkeyes have had their hands in the mix helping create this winning streak, but there are a few that are seeing their stock rising as we continue down the final stretch of the season.

Iowa Stock Index: Hawkeyes’ stock report after win over Wisconsin

Iowa got the job done in a 24-10 win over Wisconsin. Whose stock is rising, whose stock is falling after the win over the Badgers?

The Iowa Hawkeyes essentially have the driver’s seat in the Big Ten West. A sentence more or less unfathomable just a month ago is a very real situation and a reality that is fully upon us.

At 6-4, following a rivalry victory over the Wisconsin Badgers for the Heartland Trophy, the Hawkeyes are tied for first place in the Big Ten West. If they win out against Minnesota and Nebraska, paired with Michigan taking care of Illinois next weekend, the Hawkeyes are returning to Indianapolis.

The three-game win streak they are riding right now has seen efforts from all three units at different times and has Iowa not only tied for first in the Big Ten West, but officially bowl eligible as well.

Quite a few Hawkeyes have had their hands in the mix helping create this winning streak, but there are a few that are seeing their stock rising as we continue down the final stretch of the season.

One honorable mention is whoever played “Jump Around” in Kinnick following the game to really let Wisconsin know who won the rivalry.

Iowa Hawkeyes’ Drew Stevens named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist

Special Teams U. Iowa freshman kicker Drew Stevens is one of the 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award.

Iowa has been known collectively across the college football world in recent years as “Tight End U.” Besides maybe Miami, no other team is more synonymous with the tight end position.

Recent success stories include new Minnesota Viking T.J. Hockenson, and current Mackey Award semifinalist Sam LaPorta.

This season, though, it seems that Iowa is trying to make their case for “Special Teams U.”

We all know just how good of a punter Tory Taylor has been this season. At times the favorite player and somewhat a meme amongst the Iowa fanbase, Taylor has built a case all season as the best punter in the nation. He is third in the nation in total yards with 2,522, averaging 45.9 yards a boot.

He is second in punts downed inside the 20-yard line with 23, and 60% of his kicks result in the opposing team starting it somewhere inside of their own 20-yard line. He is a big-time candidate for the Ray Guy Award for the best punter in the nation.

He is not the only Hawkeye special teamer earning some recognition this season, though. Freshman place kicker Drew Stevens was recently named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. Annually given out to the best place kicker in the nation since 1992, the freshman was one of 20 semifinalists.

Stevens has made 12 of his 14 field goal attempts this season. He is perfect beyond 50 yards, including a 51-yard kick at Rutgers and a 54-yarder against Northwestern. That 54-yard field goal ties as the seventh-longest in program history, per the University of Iowa Athletic’s press release.

He is the sixth Hawkeye to be named a semifinalist for The Groza Award. Last year’s kicker Caleb Shudak was a finalist in 2021. The last Iowa player to win the award was Nate Kaeding back in 2002.

Stevens, despite not being the clear starter at the position ahead of the season, is on a record-breaking freshman campaign for the Hawkeyes this year. His 12 field goals are the most for an Iowa freshman since Mike Meyer booted 14 field goals in 2010. Iowa certainly is in good hands moving forward at the place kicker, despite the position being a bit of a concern before the season.

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Iowa kicker Drew Stevens named Big Ten Freshman of the Week

Iowa Hawkeyes kicker Drew Stevens has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after his outstanding performance against Northwestern.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have themselves another special teams ace it appears. We know about Tory Taylor and his stellar punting ability. We have seen Lukas Van Ness and others contribute in blockings punts. This time we see the special teams working for the Hawkeyes to get points put on the board.

Coming off a perfect game which saw Drew Stevens make all of his extra points to go along with a 4-of-4 field goal performance, he has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

One of Stevens’ kicks came in the third quarter to extend the Hawkeyes’ lead to 23-7. The kick was his career long as it came from 54 yards out. On the season, Stevens is 11-for-12 on field goals and a perfect 12-of-12 on extra points.

“And credit to Drew, especially for the field goals. The 54-yarder was right where LeVar said his line was, and Drew had a really nice kick,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said after the game when discussing the victory.

To go along with the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award, Stevens was also recognized on the Groza Award stars of the week. The Groza Award is an annual award that is given out to the best kicker in the nation and named after former collegiate and NFL placekicker Lou Groza.

Stevens is a weapon for the Hawkeyes offense and should he be able to convert kicks of this distance with consistency, it does take some pressure off of the offense.

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