Tag: Jay Higgins

Iowa Hawkeyes’ Jay Higgins and Luke Lachey crack CBS Sports’ Top 100 Players for 2024

As they always do, Iowa is reloading with talent once again. Jay Higgins and Luke Lachey are among CBS Sports’ Top 100 Players for 2024.

Talent seems to always find a way to shows its head for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Sometimes it is highly-recruited talent that comes in and delivers upon the expectations. But, for Iowa, it is often under-recruited talents that develop and thrive with the Hawkeyes.

Two Hawkeyes happen to fall into the latter category as they are continuing to blossom into high-level talent and producers for this team. Those two are linebacker Jay Higgins and tight end Luke Lachey. Each are at two positions that the Hawkeyes are known for producing at.

The two of them find themselves among CBS Sports’ Top 100 Players for 2024 across college football. Higgins cracks the top 25 and finds himself ranked as the No. 21 player in America while Luke Lachey, who will return from a leg injury, is heralded as an incredibly talented player as he comes in as the No. 69 player in the nation.

21. Iowa LB Jay Higgins

Higgins is an extremely productive player who has a nose for the ball and seems to be involved on almost every tackle. He led the country last season with 171 tackles in his first season as a true starter, including 18 against Penn State.

A good athlete who seems to always be in the right spot and is a sure tackler, Higgins only missed seven attempts on the season. He is solid in coverage as well. My hunch is the NFL takes notice in 2025. – Blake Brockermeyer, CBS Sports

As CBS mentions, Higgins was a tackling machine for the Hawkeyes. He seemed to be in the mix on almost every play. Jay Higgins could have went to the NFL but joins seven other starters that are returning to one of college football’s top units. It is only a matter of time before Jay Higgins is playing on Sunday.

69. Iowa TE Luke Lachey

Lachey is one of the better in-line tight ends in the game, we just haven’t seen much of it as he’s coming off a shortened season where an injury held him to three contests. Lachey is a plus-blocker who can hold his own in the zone and gap schemes and is a large target to work the middle of the field in the passing game. Tight End U needs Lachey healthy. If he is, he will be a huge part of Iowa’s success. – Brockermeyer, CBS Sports

One of the highest compliments to a player and showing how much a team needs him is what happens when they aren’t on the field. Iowa struggled mightily in the passing game when Lachey went down last year. The Hawkeyes are going to utilize him as one of the top target in their passing attack this year and could have Lachey as the next Iowa tight end heading to the NFL.

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Guessing the top 10 highest-rated Iowa Hawkeyes in EA Sports College Football 25

Ahead of the return of EA Sports College Football 25, here is a guess at who may be the top 10 highest-rated Iowa Hawkeyes in the game.

After a decade-long wait, the return of one of the most highly-anticipated video games is finally coming. EA Sports has announced that this summer will be the official return of EA Sports College Football 25.

The game was discontinued after NCAA Football was released in 2013. This pause came amid the strife around paying players for their name, image, and likeness. Obviously, it goes without saying that NIL has taken leaps and bounds to allow players to be correctly compensated.

With the return of the video game, fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes are eager to see their favorite team and its best players as they lead them to glory in dynasty mode. This is every Hawkeyes’ fans chance to light up the scoreboard and put up truly “video game” numbers on offense.

Ahead of the release, here is a guess at who are the top 10 highest-rated Iowa Hawkeyes in EA Sports College Football 25.

CBS Sports tabs Iowa LB Jay Higgins as one of the top returning players in 2024

Jay Higgins’ choice to come back to the Iowa Hawkeyes for another year is massive. It has him among CBS Sports’ top returners in 2024.

Jay Higgins was an unstoppable force last year for offenses that the Iowa Hawkeyes faced. Rarely did Higgins miss a tackle as he was always filling in the open gaps in the run game and cleaning up any free runners.

Higgins led Iowa and the entire country in tackles last year, which is a testament to his instincts and nose for the ball. With an NFL roster spot awaiting him if he left, Higgins chose to come back to the Hawkeyes for one more year to continue their defensive dominance.

His decision to come back has him among CBS Sports’ top 20 players who could have gone to the NFL but chose to return to the collegiate ranks. Higgins is ranked as the No. 5 best-returning college player.

Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa:

Higgins was one of the leaders of a defense that carried the offensively inept Hawkeyes to the Big Ten West title. He led the nation in tackles with 171, had five tackles for loss and picked off one pass. The 6-foot-2, 233-pound senior from Indianapolis, Indiana, was awarded first-team All-American honors from multiple outlets. – Barrett Sallee, CBS Sports

Higgins is the leader of the Iowa defense that is dominant each year under Phil Parker. He will be the heart and soul of the defense once again in 2024 that is reloading, not rebuilding, by returning eight of their starters.

“The one thing about Jay that’s been so consistent since he’s gotten here is his attitude. That’s what we liked about him in recruiting quite frankly. You meet him face to face, get to visit with him a little bit, you just feel like there’s something there that maybe other people are missing and I think he’s shown that throughout his career…

“This year, we thought he’d play really well, we knew he’d be a strong leader. I think it’s safe to say he exceeded our expectations, all the tackles he’s made. So, that’s really been impressive… To have his leadership back is important. Obviously, he’s a good football player and the more guys that come back for the right reasons, it’s a good thing for us,” Kirk Ferentz said of Jay Higgins return.

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Two Iowa Hawkeyes make ESPN’s Top 100 Players of 2023

A year led by the Iowa Hawkeyes’ defense sees two of their stars make the list of ESPN’s Top 100 Players of 2023.

The defense of the Iowa Hawkeyes did everything in their power to will the team to 10 wins during the 2023 college football season. It was a group effort and included standout performances from different players each week.

But, week in and week out, two players stood out among the rest and didn’t let themselves miss a beat. Those two stars are cornerback Cooper DeJean and linebacker Jay Higgins.

The dominant performances of Higgins and DeJean have landed them inside ESPN’s Top 100 Players of the 2023 college football season. DeJean is touted at No. 19 overall in the rankings and Higgins finds himself at No. 66.

19. Cooper DeJean

CB, Iowa, Junior

Notable 2023 stats: 26 solo tackles, 2 INT, 5 PD
Preseason ranking: 46

A vital piece of an Iowa defense that does a lot of things right, DeJean, No. 13 on Kiper’s Big Board, was the linchpin. DeJean, a unanimous All-American, recorded 41 tackles (26 solo), 2 interceptions and 5 passes defended for the country’s fifth-best defense (274.8 YPG). – ESPN

DeJean was a riser in these rankings, climbing 27 spots from No. 46 to cracking the top 20. The Iowa native did it all for the Hawkeyes whenever he touched the field. He took away one side in the passing game, made teams pay when throwing at him, and delivered knockout blows on punt returns.

Still to be determined is DeJean’s fate moving forward. He has yet to announce if he will return to the Hawkeyes for one more year or declare for the 2024 NFL draft where he will surely be a first-round pick.

66. Jay Higgins

LB, Iowa, Senior

Notable 2023 stats: 79 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 INT
Preseason ranking: NR

Higgins, a Butkus Award semifinalist, was a first-team All-Big Ten selection for a stingy Iowa defense that spearheaded a 10-win regular season. His 171 tackles (79 solo) this season led the Big Ten, ranked second nationally and was the most by a player from a Power 5 conference. – ESPN

Higgins went above and beyond for the Hawkeyes this season. Not only did he have 79 solo tackles, he tied Andre Jackson’s Iowa record for most total tackles in a single season with 171. He was stout in the run and flashed at times in the passing game and pass rushing department.

Higgins has announced his plans moving forward. Those plans include another year leading the Hawkeyes’ defense with the decision to return. Higgins has the opportunity to stamp his name into the Hawkeyes’ legacy with another massive year.

One glaring miss from the top 100 players is that of punter Tory Taylor. Taylor was the best punter in America and a true weapon of field position that set up the Iowa defense. It is not hyperbolic to say that the Ray Guy Award winner is the sole reason that Iowa came out on top of a few games.

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Kirk Ferentz reacts to Jay Higgins’ decision to return to the Hawkeyes

Kirk Ferentz reacted to the great news of Jay Higgins’ 2024 return to Iowa football.

The Iowa Hawkeyes‘ prospects for the 2024 season already feel like they’ve been handed a jolt with All-American linebacker Jay Higgins’ decision to return to Iowa for next season.

The Butkus Award semifinalist revealed that news on Tuesday. In his first season as a full-time starter, Higgins filled the void that Jack Campbell left admirably.

Entering the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl versus Tennessee, Higgins has racked up 155 tackles, five passes defensed, four tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and one interception.

Those 155 tackles rank third nationally and are tops among Power Five players. It also ranks third-most all-time among the Hawkeyes’ individual season bests, trailing only Andre Jackson’s 171 in 1972, Abdul Hodge’s 158 in 2005 and Chad Greenway’s 156 in 2005.

Higgins should supplant both Hodge and Greenway rather quickly in the Citrus Bowl. A final monster effort would push him past or even with Jackson’s 171 if he can register 16 or more tackles versus the Volunteers.

Talking with reporters after Iowa’s practice today, Hawkeye head football coach Kirk Ferentz discussed what Higgins’ return means for Iowa in 2024.

“You know, it’s interesting. I was going to say his experience, but you think about it, it’s not like he was a three-year starter, but it feels that way. The one thing about Jay that’s been so consistent since he’s gotten here is his attitude. That’s what we liked about him in recruiting quite frankly. You meet him face to face, get to visit with him a little bit, you just feel like there’s something there that maybe other people are missing and I think he’s shown that throughout his career,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz and Iowa knew Higgins would be good this season, but the 6-foot-2 linebacker’s incredible production in 2023 has even caught the coaching staff a little by surprise.

“He’s been a good special teams guy. Last year, played a lot of snaps, scrimmage snaps and that’s with two other guys that were pretty good players playing. This year, we thought he’d play really well, we knew he’d be a strong leader. I think it’s safe to say he exceeded our expectations, all the tackles he’s made. So, that’s really been impressive. To get a player back like that…

“And I go back two years ago, you got (Sam) LaPorta, (Jack) Campbell came back. We had that little break getting ready for this game and they both came back from that little break and both walked in my office within a half hour of each other and said they were coming back. It was like, ‘That’s good.’ Just because of who they were. Not only good players, but who they were. So, to have his leadership back is important. Obviously, he’s a good football player and the more guys that come back for the right reasons, it’s a good thing for us,” Ferentz said.

Higgins and Iowa battle Tennessee in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day at noon CT.

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All-American Jay Higgins returning to Iowa in 2024

Jay Higgins is coming back to Iowa! The star Hawkeye linebacker revealed he’s back with “more to prove” in 2024.

The Iowa Hawkeyes got fantastic news on Tuesday night.

Star linebacker Jay Higgins revealed he’s returning to the Hawkeyes and Iowa City in 2024. After a breakout season in his first full-time duty as one of Iowa’s starting linebackers, Higgins weighed the opportunity to turn pro against the chance to come back and put more on tape for NFL evaluators.

In the end, one more trip around the sun in the black and gold was what Higgins settled on.

The announcement from Iowa’s official X account was captioned with three simple words: “Run It Back.”

Higgins had a simple message to Iowa fans and the college football world in the social media reveal as well: “I got more to prove.”

A Butkus Award semifinalist this season, Higgins was also selected as a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, Phil Steele and Sports Illustrated. The 6-foot-2, 233 pound senior linebacker was a first-team All-Big Ten choice by both the league’s coaches and media.

After making a pair of starts in 2022, Higgins got his chance to run the show in 2023 with Butkus Award winner Jack Campbell and fellow longtime starter Seth Benson moving on. The Indianapolis native bided his time, and has delivered in a big way this season once the spotlight was his.

With the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl versus Tennessee still to be played, Higgins has racked up a whopping 155 tackles thus far this season. Those 155 tackles rank third nationally and are tops among Power Five players. It also ranks third-most all-time among the Hawkeyes’ individual season bests, trailing only Andre Jackson’s 171 in 1972, Abdul Hodge’s 158 in 2005 and Chad Greenway’s 156 in 2005.

Higgins should supplant both Hodge and Greenway rather quickly in the Citrus Bowl. A final monster effort would push him past or even with Jackson’s 171 if he can register 16 or more tackles versus the Volunteers.

Higgins has also registered five passes defensed, four tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and one interception in 2023.

The Indy native’s return in 2024 can’t be overstated. It’s massive news for the Hawkeyes’ fortunes in the first season of the new-look Big Ten and 12-team College Football Playoff.

Higgins’ return could very well lead to fellow star linebacker Nick Jackson deciding that one more season in Iowa City is the right move for him, too. Jackson just got his waiver for an additional season approved by the NCAA. The 6-foot, 237 pound linebacker currently has 99 tackles on the season with the bowl game left to be played.

While addressing the media on the first day of the early signing period, Tyler Barnes, Iowa’s director of recruiting and NFL liaison, made it clear that recruiting players like Higgins and Jackson back would be he and the Hawkeyes’ first priority over the NCAA transfer portal.

“I have done nothing this December but recruit the six guys on our roster to come back. They’re probably tired of hearing from me. It’s probably why they block my phone number at this point. Those are the priorities,” Barnes said.

This is an initial win for Iowa. The Hawkeyes also await decisions from Jackson, cornerback Cooper DeJean, defensive back Sebastian Castro and tight ends Luke Lachey and Erick All.

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Led by defense and special teams, four Iowa Hawkeyes named AP All-Americans

Carried by defense and special teams, the Iowa Hawkeyes have four players represented on the Associated Press All-American teams.

For a season that was carried by incredible defensive and special teams efforts, it is only right that those top performers are rewarded with recognition. The Iowa Hawkeyes have four players receiving notoriety for their efforts.

Four Iowa Hawkeyes have been named as Associated Press All-Americans. The representatives are cornerback Cooper DeJean, punter Tory Taylor, linebacker Jay Higgins, and defensive back Sebastian Castro.

Cooper DeJean and Tory Taylor find themselves as AP First-Team All-Americans. DeJean, despite missing the final two games with a leg injury, recorded 41 tackles to go with five pass breakups and two interceptions. Tory Taylor dominated the punting conversation in America averaging 47.9 yards per punt with 36 punts beyond 50 yards and 30 of them dropped inside the opposing 20-yard line.

Jay Higgins had a monster year and was named as an AP Second-Team All-American linebacker. Higgins was everywhere for the Hawkeyes this year tallying 155 tackles, an interception, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble. His presence in the middle of the defense was critical.

Sebastian Castro is the fourth Hawkeyes to receive honors. He was named an AP Third-Team All-American defensive back which is rather incredible considering this was his first year getting this much time. He had 61 tackles, three interceptions, and eight pass breakups.

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Trio of Iowa Hawkeyes named to CBS Sports All-American teams

Winning 10 games in the regular season isn’t easy. It takes stars. Iowa has three Hawkeyes that are stars named CBS Sports All-Americans.

The Iowa Hawkeyes needed every single bit of individual effort this year to get to 10 wins in the regular season. It doesn’t happen by luck, but often rather comes from incredible individual efforts week in and week out.

The Hawkeyes could rely on a long list of players who provided tremendous effort every week and played key roles in winning games. Three of them stand out as they were named All-Americans by CBS Sports.

Tory Taylor, punter, and Cooper DeJean, cornerback were named first-team All-Americans by CBS Sports. DeJean was left out of the final two games of the regular season with a leg injury yet showed how vital he was in just 10 games to earn a spot on this team.

Tory Taylor was the best punter in America this year. One could say arguably but there is no argument. He flipped the field for Iowa each week and set Phil Parker’s defense up for success on most possessions. His booming leg paired with pinpoint accuracy cannot be overstated.

Jay Higgins finds himself as a second-team All-American by CBS Sports as a linebacker. Higgins was a monster on defense recording 155 total tackles in just 13 games, an average of nearly 12 tackles per game.

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Next in line: Jay Higgins named a Dick Butkus Award Semifinalist

Jay Higgins is filling the big shoes of being an Iowa linebacker. The Hawkeyes’ defensive leader is a Dick Butkus Award Semifinalist.

Entering this season, the linebacker position might have been viewed as one of the question marks facing the Iowa Hawkeyes and their defense. That question has been answered and then some this year.

Jay Higgins is the answer. The leader of the Iowa defense has waited for his time to shine and taken full advantage of it. The linebacker leads the team in tackles and is among the best tacklers in America.

His play this year has earned him a spot among the nation’s finest linebackers. Jay Higgins has been named a semifinalist for the Dick Butkus Award. The award is given out annually to the most impactful linebacker in America.

Jay Higgins has been every bit of impactful so far this year. He leads Iowa in tackles with 113 tackles through nine games. He averages 12.6 tackles per game. Higgins is third in the nation in total tackles and second in tackles per game.

Higgins is stepping into his role right on the heels of one of Iowa’s best linebackers they have ever seen in Jack Campbell, last year’s Dick Butkus Award recipient. Higgins is looking to be Iowa’s second Dick Butkus Award winner in as many years.

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Four Iowa Hawkeyes named to midseason All-American teams

Four Iowa Hawkeyes find themselves scattered across a number of the midseason All-American teams. Take a look at the midseason honorees.

The Iowa Hawkeyes sit at 6-1 with a strong grip on the Big Ten West. Their road to 6-1 hasn’t been a smooth road trip. Instead, it’s been one with bumps, some stall outs, and a few blown tires. That’ll happen, though, and the Hawkeyes have responded to each one of those and found ways to keep on pushing.

The Hawkeyes’ success has been on the backs of their defense, special teams, and a rushing offense that has seemed to find some new life as of lately on the legs of Kaleb Johnson and Leshon Williams behind a confident offensive line.

While it has been the epitome of a team effort to get to this point, there are always a few who are carrying more weight on their shoulders and performing at an extremely high level. The Iowa Hawkeyes have four of those players.

Those four are cornerback Cooper DeJean, punter Tory Taylor, linebacker Jay Higgins, and CASH Sebastian Castro. Their efforts have them littered across midseason All-American teams from USA TODAY Sports, Sporting News, Fox, the Associated Press, The Athletic (subscription required), CBS, and ESPN.

Take a look below at where each of the four have been honored by outlets nationally.