Tag: Jay Higgins

Jay Higgins graded as Pro Football Focus’ top Week 2 linebacker

Jay Higgins is tops in the nation.

Some guys have it. They are always in the right spot and always making the right play. For the Iowa Hawkeyes, senior linebacker Jay Higgins is one of those types of players.

While Iowa did fall to Iowa State 20-19 in Week 2, it was little at the fault of the play of Jay Higgins. As usual, as he has done throughout his career at Iowa, he put together another great performance.

Jay Higgins is Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded linebacker across college football in Week 2.

Higgins led the Hawkeyes in tackles against the Iowa State Cyclones with 11 total tackles. He also reeled in an interception and was credited with a forced fumble. He was doing it all to will Iowa to a victory.

This type of performance is par for the course for Higgins, the senior out of Indianapolis, Indiana.

The interception was the second of his career as was the forced fumble. The 11 tackles have him with a total of 18 tackles through two games this season.

The heart and soul of Phil Parker’s defense, Higgins is tasked with setting up proper alignments, getting the play call out to the rest of the defense, and then finally doing his job, which he does so well.

Jay Higgins has a career total of 236 tackles, 4 pass deflections, 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions.

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Jay Higgins accepts blame for coverage bust on Jaylin Noel’s 75-yard Iowa State touchdown

Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins took the blame for the Hawkeyes’ coverage bust on Iowa State receiver Jaylin Noel’s 75-yard touchdown grab.

One of the game-changing plays in Iowa’s shocking 20-19 loss versus Iowa State on Saturday was senior Cyclone receiver Jaylin Noel’s 75-yard touchdown.

To most, it appeared that Noel burnt Iowa junior safety Xavier Nwankpa. Fifth-year Hawkeye linebacker Jay Higgins went to bat for Nwankpa after Iowa’s defeat, though. Higgins said that the blame for the coverage bust can be laid at his feet.

“Yeah, so I got to get a better jam. Xavier, his job versus my job in that coverage is a lot harder than mine. We work on it every day. Coach (Seth) Wallace teaches us to jam receivers, so my job is to take some speed off that receiver running right at X.

“I mean, he’s guarding the whole field. X is counting on me to slow that guy down, re-route him, slow the timing off. I didn’t do that on that play. Everybody’s going to look at X and blame him, but it was on me. I’ll definitely make sure I’m more aware next week. Just try to eliminate those mental error plays where you don’t think the details matter, because obviously that play, just got to slow that guy down. That’s a detail play that an Iowa linebacker should make every time,” Higgins said.

That 75-yard touchdown from Noel was a one-play, immediate response to Iowa’s 7-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard Kaleb Johnson touchdown run.

Noel finished with five catches for 133 yards with the one score. The 5-foot-11 receiver from Kansas City’s final grab was even more back-breaking.

Noel managed to work free from the coverage of graduate Iowa CASH Sebastian Castro down the sideline for a 30-yard reception to set up redshirt freshman kicker Kyle Konrardy’s 54-yard game-winner.

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Three Iowa Hawkeyes in CBS Sports’ top 151 college football players for 2024

The Hawkeyes once again have top-end talent.

Everyone knows that the Iowa Hawkeyes are often a deep, experienced, veteran roster. It is a huge part of what makes the program so successful. But, like any great program, that requires top-end talent.

Iowa has top-end talent on both sides of the ball and has a few guys that they can count on to make big plays and show up when it matters. That is why they have three players among CBS Sports’ top 151 college football players for 2024.

Those three stars are Sebastian Castro, Luke Lachey, and Jay Higgins. Coming in at No. 104 on the list, which is a bit underrated, is Iowa defensive back Sebastian Castro.

104. Iowa DB Sebastian Castro

One of the top returning corners in the country on a Hawkeye defense that’s always stifling and suffocating. Excellent coverage skills and rarely allows much space before or after the catch, Castro is also a physical presence in run support. c

Castro does it all for Iowa and he proved so last year. He has the ability to cover in the slot and take the ball away but one of his most promising traits is his ability to tackle in the open field, which is often lost among defensive backs.

Coming in at No. 69 and set up for a big year coming off of an injury is tight end Luke Lachey.

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

Another year, another great tight end for the Hawkeyes. When healthy and playing, Lachey has flashed his brilliance. He has unfortunately been behind Sam LaPorta who is an NFL star and was off to a great start in 2023 before a lower leg injury.

If Lachey can stay healthy, he completely changes this offense and opens things up in the middle.

Coming in highest on the list for the Hawkeyes is returning linebacker Jay Higgins at No. 21.

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. – Brockermeyer, CBS Sports

Choosing to forego the NFL draft last offseason and return to Iowa has bolstered this defense to another level. Higgins is the center of Phil Parker’s unit and does everything right.

Jay Higgins is primed for another massive year and could skyrocket himself up NFL scouts’ draft boards.

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Jay Higgins, Sebastian Castro honored as preseason Associated Press All-Americans

Iowa defensive stars Jay Higgins and Sebastian Castro were each named to the preseason Associated Press All-America teams.

Iowa defensive stars Jay Higgins and Sebastian Castro have been recognized by the Associated Press in the preseason.

Fifth year linebacker Jay Higgins and graduate CASH Sebastian Castro were each named to the AP preseason All-America teams on Monday.

Higgins was selected as a preseason AP first-team defense All-American, while Castro was chosen as a preseason AP second-team defense All-American.

Higgins tied Iowa’s all-time single season tackles mark last season with 171. The 6-foot-2, 232 pound linebacker also added five tackles for loss, five passes defensed, two sacks and one interception.

Castro finished his 2023 season with 67 tackles, 11 passes defensed, eight tackles for loss, three interceptions and one pick-six in Iowa’s 20-13 rivalry win over Iowa State.

It’s the latest bit of preseason pub for each. Higgins was also named a preseason first-team All-American by USA TODAY Sports last week. Both Higgins and Castro earned the nod from ESPN as top 100 players heading into the 2024 season.

Higgins was the nation’s No. 36 player nationally and Castro was the country’s No. 19 player according to ESPN.

Similarly, 247Sports tabbed both Higgins and Castro as top 20 defensive players nationally entering the 2024 campaign.

Higgins is Phil Steele’s preseason national defensive player of the year and a preseason first-team All-American by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports and Walter Camp.

Higgins has been named to the Bronko Nagurski, Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch lists.

Castro is a preseason second-team All-Big Ten choice by both Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. The Oak Lawn, Ill., product has been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Jim Thorpe Award and Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch lists.

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Jay Higgins, Sebastian Castro among 247Sports’ top 20 college football defensive players

Jay Higgins and Sebastian Castro are top 20 players defensively per 247Sports.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are well known for the brand of defense they play and house in Iowa City.

The Hawkeyes are physical, fundamentally sound and tend to surrender very little to opponents. In 2023, Iowa was among the tops nationally in a number of key defensive categories.

Iowa ranked fourth in scoring defense (14.8 points per game), fourth in passing efficiency defense (102.13), fifth in passing yards allowed (170.7 yards per game) and seventh in total defense (282.5 yards per game).

The Hawkeyes also ranked 15th in rushing defense (111.8 rushing yards per game), 15th in third down conversion percentage defense (.313) and 16th in red zone defense (.758). Iowa did all of that despite ranking just 97th nationally in turnovers gained.

Obviously, teams don’t accomplish all of that just based on scheme and coaching alone. Iowa has the star power to make it all work.

Fortunately for the Hawkeyes, all of that star power save for cornerback Cooper DeJean opted to return to Iowa for the 2024 season. Iowa’s defense boasts a collective 192 career starts.

247Sports recognized a pair of Iowa’s stars in its list of the top 20 defensive players in college football headed into the 2024 season. Fifth-year Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins and graduate CASH Sebastian Castro were each honored by 247Sports as top 20 defensive players.

Higgins is the No. 12 defensive player nationally per 247Sports’ Grant Hughes.

Iowa found a diamond in the rough in Higgins, a former three-star recruit who rated as the No. 63 inside linebacker in the class of 2020. He led all FBS defenders in 2023 with 985 snaps and ended the year with 171 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He was also active in coverage, notching five pass breakups and an interception. – Hughes, 247Sports.

Castro is ranked even higher. The 5-foot-11, 205 pound defensive back is regarded as the nation’s No. 9 defensive player.

Castro arrived at Iowa as the No. 111 safety in the class of 2019. He moved into the Hawkeyes’ “cash” position and has blossomed, racking up 74 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions last season. He allowed an NFL passer rating of 43.7 when targeted in coverage. – Hughes, 247Sports.

Both Higgins and Castro should be in the mix for national awards this season. Higgins is Phil Steele’s preseason national defensive player of the year and a preseason first-team All-American by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports and Walter Camp.

Higgins has been named to the Bronko Nagurski, Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch lists.

Castro is a preseason second-team All-Big Ten choice by both Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. The Oak Lawn, Ill., product has been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Jim Thorpe Award and Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch lists.

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Two Iowa football players crack ESPN’s top 100 players for 2024

Iowa is back again with star power.

The Iowa Hawkeyes don’t play a selfish style of football. In fact, they embody the epitome of team football with each player taking care of their individual responsibility in an effort to win.

That said, you can’t be as good as the Hawkeyes’ defense is each year without some star power mixed in. Iowa has a few stars on their defense and two of them have cracked ESPN’s top 100 college football players for 2024.

Coming in at No. 36 on the list is Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Jay Higgins.

36. Jay Higgins

LB, Iowa, Senior
2023 stats: 79 solo, 2 sacks, 1 FF
2023 ranking: 66

Iowa’s defense has carried the team recently, and Higgins has been at the center of it. He led the Big Ten and ranked third nationally with 171 tackles last season, matching the team’s single-season record. The All-America selection was always around the ball, forcing a fumble, intercepting a pass and recording five pass deflections. – ESPN

Higgins is primed for another big year at the center of Phil Parker’s defense. He has a nose for the ball and is constantly in on tackles, which he very rarely misses.

Continuing the climb, Iowa’s next star defensive back, Sebastian Castro, comes in at No. 19 on the list.

19. Sebastian Castro

S, Iowa, Senior
2023 stats: 47 solo, 1 FF, 3 INTs
2023 ranking: NR

Castro was everywhere last year with 74 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. Among Big Ten DBs with at least 70 tackles, he led the league surrendering just 3.4 yards per passing attempt as the primary defender. He also allowed a completion rate of just 40% as the primary defender in coverage.

Castro blossomed in 2023 with his ability to take the ball away, play in open space, and make open field tackles on skill players to thwart big gains.

With an experienced secondary around him, Sebastian Castro will be able to play freely in 2024 and should see his name ascend on future NFL draft boards.

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Iowa footballs’ top linebacker duo on Butkus Award Watch List

Could the Butkus becoming back to Iowa City?

The best linebacker duo in all of America and college football may be residing in Iowa City with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Already named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list and the Nagurski Trophy watch list, big things are in store for Iowa linebackers Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson in 2024.

The two also find themselves named to the preseason Butkus Award watch list.

The Butkus Award, named after one of the greatest linebackers of all-time Dick Butkus, is given out to the best linebacker in college football.

Instituted in 1985, The Butkus Award® is one of the elite individual honors, originally given each year to one player in college football: the most impactful linebacker in the game. – Dick Butkus Award

Dick Butkus, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame left a legacy on the game. He was a unanimous All-American, two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, five-time First-Team All-Pro, and eight-time Pro Bowl selection who had his number retired by the Chicago Bears and the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Higgins and Jackson are looking to capture the Butkus Award and bring it back to Iowa City like Jack Campbell did in 2022 after his special season that he put together.

Jay Higgins had 171 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, an interception, 2 fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble in 2023. Nick Jackson had 110 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles in 2023.

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Iowa football’s Jay Higgins named to USA TODAY Sports’ preseason All-America team

Iowa football star linebacker Jay Higgins was named to USA TODAY Sports’ preseason All-America team.

It’s another set of well-deserved praise for star Iowa football linebacker Jay Higgins.

On Monday, Higgins was named to USA TODAY Sports’ preseason All-America team. Higgins earned preseason first-team All-American honors from USA TODAY Sports.

Higgins joins a first-team defense from USA TODAY Sports that features Tennessee defensive end James Pearce, Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, Notre Dame defensive tackle Howard Cross III, LSU linebacker Harold Perkins, Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke, Georgia safety Malaki Starks and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

Higgins was sensational a season ago for the Hawkeyes. The 6-foot-2, 232 pound linebacker racked up a program-tying single-season tackles record with 171 tackles in 2023.

In his first full season starting, the Indianapolis native emerged as one of the country’s best defensive players. Higgins was recognized as a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, Phil Steele and Sports Illustrated last season. The Indy product was also a Butkus Award semifinalist.

Entering the 2024 season, Phil Steele has tabbed Higgins as its preseason defensive player of the year nationally. Athlon Sports, Phil Steele and Walter Camp have each also tabbed Higgins as a preseason first-team All-American.

Higgins had a decision to make at the end of last year, but he opted against the 2024 NFL draft and instead chose a final season in the black and gold. His decision set off a series of returning dominoes to a defense that brings back a wealth of talent and experience.

“Being a good recruiter that I am, I took those guys out to dinner, I sat them down. When I posted I was coming back, I thought they would respond a little bit faster, so I got a little nervous that they waited until after the bowl game to say they were coming back,” Higgins said recently at Iowa’s Media Day.

After a breakout season in 2023, Iowa fans can’t wait to see what Higgins has in store with the encore act in 2024.

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Trio of Iowa football defenders on the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List

As usual, the Iowa defense is leading the way.

Another year, another loaded defensive unit for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Once again they are boasting one of the nation’s most anticipated defensive units at all three levels.

Three of those stars on the Hawkeyes’ defense reside at the linebacker and defensive back position. Those three stars, just like being named to the Nagurski Watch List, have also been named to another watch list.

Linebackers Nick Jackson and Jay Higgins along with defensive back Sebastian Castro make up the trio of Hawkeyes on the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list.

Presented by the Maxwell Football Club, the Bednarik Award is handed out each year to the College Football Defensive Player of the Year.

Established in 1995, the Chuck Bednarik Award is named after Chuck Bednarik. He was a former NFL All-Pro and current member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Despite their dominant defenses for the better part of the last decade, the Iowa Hawkeyes have yet to have a defender get their hands on the Chuck Bednarik Award at season’s end.

The trio of Castro, Jackson, and Higgins figure to be staples of Phil Parker’s defense and constantly around the ball. The three have a proven nose for the football with their ability to make countless tackles in space and force turnovers.

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Three Iowa Hawkeyes named to Nagurski Trophy Watch List

Trio of Hawkeyes tabbed for the Nagurski Trophy Watch List.

Not one, not two, but three.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have found themselves with three players on the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Trophy. The trio includes Nick Jackson, Jay Higgins, and Sebastian Castro.

The Nagurski Trophy is awarded each year to the nation’s most outstanding college defensive football player. The Football Writers Association of America and Charlotte Touchdown Club present the award.

Created in 1993 by the Football Writers Association of America, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the best defensive player in college football and is presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club. The award was established to complement the Heisman Trophy Award, which at the time had never been presented to a defensive player. – Charlotte Touchdown Club

Xavier Watts of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish won the award last year and once again finds himself on the watch list for those in contention. The Iowa Hawkeyes have not had a player be awarded the Nagurski Trophy since its inception.

Of those seeking the award for the Hawkeyes for the first time, they have a good chance as all three are starters that are returning for on more year as opposed to the NFL draft.

Nick Jackson and Jay Higgins combine to make Iowa’s stout linebacking group that is being regarded among the best, if not the very best in America. Sebastian Castro makes up part of Iowa’s secondary and is looking to build on his 2023 breakout season.

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