Tag: Kaden Wetjen

Three Iowa football players named Sporting News All-Americans

Sporting News tabs three Iowa football stars as 2024 All-Americans.

As the college football regular season has officially come to a close, Sporting News released its end-of-season All-American teams, with three Iowa football stars highlighting the announcement.

In the release, Hawkeyes‘  senior linebacker Jay Higgins, running back Kaleb Johnson, and punt returner Kaden Wetjen were recognized. Higgins and Johnson both were named to the first-team All-American roster, while Wetjen landed on the second-team squad.

As a result of the nominations, Higgins became a unanimous consensus All-American, while Johnson became a consensus All-American.

As for Higgins, the 6-foot-2, 232-pound senior was also honored as the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten.

A semifinalist for the Lombardi, Lott IMPACT, and Butkus awards, Higgins has racked up 118 total tackles this fall, which ranks second most in the Big Ten and 13th-most nationally. He also is the only player in the nation with over 100 tackles and four interceptions (tied for the most amongst linebackers from a Power 4 conference).

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Johnson’s impressive honors include a first-team All-America honoree by Walter Camp, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Sporting News, and second-team by the Associated Press (AP) and American Football Coaches Association of America (AFCA).

The junior running back was also voted Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten, and finalist for the Doak Walker Award. He posted school single-season records in points (138), total touchdowns (23) and rushing scores (21). Johnson (6-foot, 225 pounds) rushed for 1,537 yards in 12 games, sixth-most in the country and third-most in program history.

Regarding Wetjen, the second-team Sporting News honoree was tabbed a first-team All-American punt returner by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and was previously awarded the 2024 Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten, and is a finalist for the Jet Award.

Wetjen, a 5-foot-10, 196-pound senior, is second in the FBS in punt return yards (312) and sixth in kickoff return yards (576) this season, including an 85-yard punt return touchdown against Northwestern.

These honors now provide Iowa with the distinction of being the only school to have a consensus All-American each of the last six seasons.

In program history, the Hawkeyes now have 33 consensus All-Americans, including 18 total in the Kirk Ferentz era and 12 over the last 11 seasons. The Hawkeyes have had multiple consensus All-Americans seven times throughout their illustrious history (1981, 1984, 2002, 2003, 2017, 2023, and 2024).

Iowa will play in the Dec. 30 TransPerfect Music City Bowl vs. No. 19 Missouri in Nashville, Tenn., at 1:30 p.m. CT, with the game televised on ESPN and on the Hawkeyes Radio Network.

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Trio of Iowa football stars named to USA TODAY Sports All-American team

Three Hawkeyes find themselves among the nation’s best.

Football is the ultimate team game with 11 players on the field for both teams at all times, but it can’t be missed that star players make teams better.

This season, the Iowa Hawkeyes had three stars that stood out not only against their opponents but among the entire college football world.

In the USA TODAY Sports All-American Team, Iowa is represented by three players between the first and second team selections.

Kaleb Johnson and his historic season was selected as a First-Team All-American running back alongside Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty.

Jeanty ran for at least 128 yards in every game against FBS competition and closed with a 209 yards and a score in the Mountain West championship game against UNLV. Johnson led the Big Ten by a wide margin in rushing yards (1,537) and touchdowns (21). – Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

Johnson carried the ball 240 times for 1,599 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He added 22 receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

Kaleb Johnson set Iowa’s single-season touchdown record with 23 total touchdowns and is now headed to the NFL Draft, where he will almost certainly hear his name called early.

At linebacker, Jay Higgins represents Iowa as a First-Team All-American selection. He is joined by Chris Paul of Ole Miss and Jalon Walker of Georgia.

Paul (88 tackles, 11 for loss) had a terrific second half to the regular season as the Rebels came up just shy of the playoff. One of the most productive linebackers in Iowa history, Higgins (118 tackles) finished second in the Big Ten in stops. Walker stepped into a full-time starting role as a junior and came up big in Georgia’s biggest games, tallying a combined four sacks in two wins against Texas. – Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

Jay Higgins once again led the Hawkeyes in tackles this year and had arguably his best all-around year with the program. Higgins tallied 118 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, four interceptions, five pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and forced two fumbles.

Rounding out the Hawkeyes’ selection is a special teams player who burst onto the scene for Iowa this season. Kaden Wetjen was selected as USA TODAY Sports’ Second-Team All-American returner.

Kaden Wetjen returned 23 kickoffs this year for an average of 25 yards per kick return. His bigger impact came in the punt return game. He returned 25 punts averaging 12.5 yards per return to go with a season-long 85-yard punt return touchdown.

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Iowa’s Kaden Wetjen named Big Ten Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year

Kaden Wetjen is the Big Ten Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year.

After the departure of star punt returner Cooper DeJean to the NFL last year, the Iowa Hawkeyes were looking for answers in the return game.

What they found this season was that and then some in Kaden Wetjen.

The 5-foot-10 lightning bolt and Iowa native out of Williamsburg High School in Williamsburg, Iowa found his way to Iowa through determination.

Wetjen had dreamed of being a Hawkeye and to do so, he spent time in the JUCO ranks at Iowa Western Community College. He succeeded there and got the attention of Iowa. He joined the Hawkeyes before the 2023-24 season.

His addition proved to pay off tenfold. This year Wetjen proved to be dynamite with the ball in his hands in the return game constantly improving Iowa’s field position.

His success in the return game has earned him the honor of being named the Big Ten Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year.

This season, Wetjen averaged 25 yards on his 23 kick returns. The greater impact he had was in the punt return game. Kaden Wetjen averaged 12.5 yards per punt return and had an 85-yard touchdown.

Wetjen’s ability to flip the field and essentially grant Iowa a first down each time he returned a punt was vital this year. He made life easier on the offense, the punting game flipping the field, and ultimately the defense by making opponents lose the field position battle.

Kaden Wetjen is a classic Iowa story in a world of transfers. He took the hard road to Iowa and it paid off.

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Iowa specialist named Jet Award finalist

Kaden Wetjen is a Jet Award finalist.

Senior Kaden Wetjen was honored on Tuesday as one of the nation’s premier return specialists.

Wetjen was named a finalist for the Jet Award, which is presented to the nation’s most outstanding return specialist in college football. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Jet Award Foundation.

Wetjen joins Keelan Marion of BYU and Kam Shanks of UAB.

The 5-foot-10, 196 pound senior leads the nation in combined kick return yards with 807. Wetjen ranks third in the FBS in punt return yards with 287 and seventh in kickoff return yards with 520.

Wetjen tallied 100-plus return yards in three straight games during Iowa’s stretch against Washington, Michigan State and Northwestern.

After registering an 85-yard punt return touchdown in the Hawkeyes’ 40-14 win over Northwestern, Wetjen was recognized as the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.

Wetjen finished that contest with four punt returns for 111 yards and the one score and three kickoff returns for 65 yards.

“He’s got a good energy, too. That’s never been an issue with him. Consistency has been an issue, and not in a bad way, but he goes. He goes and he sometimes is a ready, fire, aim guy.

“I don’t mind telling you going into the season I was a little worried about him, judgment, fielding balls. I’ll say that. I’ll admit it now. But he’s certainly earned my trust. He’s doing a really good job back there.

“I’ll say this, too. People don’t realize how hard a job that is. I think that’s one of the hardest jobs on the football field maybe outside of playing quarterback is obviously really tough and challenging. But making good judgments back there and keeping the ball from hitting the ground, all those kinds of things, just start there. If you just field balls clean, you’re ahead of the game typically in the punt return game, and then he’s doing that plus I think I said he’s trying to get somewhere every time. He’s got the ball, he wants to score.

“His teammates did a really nice job, too, but to have a good returner who’s got an aggressive attitude like that, that’s a big part of being successful, so I can’t say enough about what he’s playing right now, and I think he’s having a lot of fun doing it, too, which is neat to see,” Ferentz said of Wetjen’s impact following the Hawkeyes win over Northwestern.

A native of Williamsburg, Iowa, Wetjen joined the Hawkeyes by way of Iowa Western Community College.

The Jet Award is named in honor of Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers. The winner of the 2024 Jet Award will be selected by a panel of voters, including media members from the Football Writers Association of America, former recipients of the Jet Award, and two of our founders, Johnny Rodgers and William Reed.

Iowa returns to action in its regular season finale on Friday, Nov. 29 with a rivalry date against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT with the game televised on NBC.

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Iowa Hawkeyes return specialist Kaden Wetjen named Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist

Kaden Wetjen is among an elite group in all of college football.

Once again, LeVar Woods and the Iowa Hawkeyes have done it by finding another electrifying returner for the special teams unit. Cooper DeJean manned the duties before his departure to the NFL.

The responsibilities were handed over to Kaden Wetjen, a lesser-known JUCO transfer, who has taken them and ran with them all the way to the end zone.

The senior return specialist from Williamsburg, Iowa, and Iowa Western Community College has found his role with Iowa and owned it. His return abilities have landed him as a Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist.

Every year, the Burlsworth Trophy is awarded to college football’s best player who began their career as a walk-on student-athlete.

Wetjen has been a weapon for Iowa in the return game. He has found the end zone and has helped win the field position battle.

This season, Wetjen has returned 21 punts for an average of 12.9 yards per punt return with one 85-yard return for a touchdown against the Northwestern Wildcats that erupted Kinnick Stadium.

He has also been a factor in the kick return game. Wetjen has returned 19 kickoffs for an average of 25.3 yards per return to help give the Iowa offense some breathing room to start their drives.

As Iowa continues their Big Ten slate with two more games, Wetjen will surely have more opportunities as he looks to break a game open with the ball in his hands.

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Iowa football applauds Kaden Wetjen’s growth, success

Kaden Wetjen finally broke down the barrier last week with a touchdown. It has been long overdue. Kirk Ferentz applauded his growth.

Special teams are an afterthought to many, but when they show up in football games, they show up in a huge way. Senior Kaden Wetjen and the Iowa Hawkeyes proved that last week.

Wetjen got free and returned a Northwestern punt 85 yards for a touchdown which continued the second-half avalanche Iowa poured on the Wildcats en route to a 40-14 dismantling.

The return earned Wetjen the honor of Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. The touchdowns and those honors lead to Kirk Ferentz applauding the growth and success he has seen from Kaden Wetjen this year.

“I’ll start with that. He’s got a good energy, too. That’s never been an issue with him. Consistency has been an issue, and not in a bad way, but he goes. He goes and he sometimes is a ready, fire, aim guy.

“I don’t mind telling you going into the season I was a little worried about him, judgment, fielding balls. I’ll say that; I’ll admit it now. But he’s certainly earned my trust. He’s doing a really good job back there.

“I’ll say this, too. People don’t realize how hard a job that is. I think that’s one of the hardest jobs on the football field maybe outside of playing quarterback is obviously really tough and challenging. But making good judgments back there and keeping the ball from hitting the ground, all those kinds of things, just start there. If you just field balls clean, you’re ahead of the game typically in the punt return game, and then he’s doing that plus I think I said he’s trying to get somewhere every time. He’s got the ball, he wants to score.

“His teammates did a really nice job, too, but to have a good returner who’s got an aggressive attitude like that, that’s a big part of being successful, so I can’t say enough about what he’s playing right now, and I think he’s having a lot of fun doing it, too, which is neat to see,” Ferentz said when detailing Wetjen’s year.

Wetjen has returned 17 kickoffs with an average of 25.4 yards per return. He is No. 12 in the nation in average kickoff return yardage.

He has returned 19 punts for 13.7 yards per punt return and one touchdown. Wetjen’s 13.7 yards per punt return is good for No. 8 in all of college football.

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Iowa Hawkeyes’ Kaden Wetjen named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week

Kaden Wetjen, the Iowa Hawkeyes’ electrifying return specialist, has been named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.

It had been bubbling for weeks and it was only a matter of time until the eruption happened. That eruption was both the fans inside a packed Kinnick Stadium cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes as well as the 85-yard punt return by Kaden Wetjen.

Wetjen, the Hawkeyes’ return specialist, has been on the cusp of breaking one all year with seemingly being one block or broken tackle away on a handful of occasions. He did return a punt earlier this year for a touchdown but it was ultimately called back by a penalty.

This past weekend, he finally got what was long overdue when he creased the Northwestern Wildcats and sent Kinnick Stadium into a frenzy. The punt return touchdown has also earned Kaden Wetjen the honor of being named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.

The senior Iowa native from Iowa Western Community College by way of Williamsburg High School has been explosive for Iowa this year.

Wetjen has returned 17 kickoffs with an average of 25.4 yards per return. He is No. 12 in the nation in average kickoff return yardage.

He has returned 19 punts for 13.7 yards per punt return and one touchdown. Wetjen’s 13.7 yards per punt return is good for No. 8 in all of college football.

Kaden Wetjen has gone from a sparingly used gadget player on offense to a weapon that the Hawkeyes can boast on special teams and can flip a game on its head in an instant.

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Iowa football’s Kaden Wetjen named to Jet Award Midseason Watchlist

Iowa football’s Kaden Wetjen has been named to the Jet Award Midseason Watchlist, presented annually to the nation’s top return specialist.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have found something electrifying in Kaden Wetjen.

The 5-foot-10 senior wide receiver and return specialist has caught the attention of folks nationally, too.

After a standout performance in Iowa’s 40-16 win versus Washington, Wetjen has been named to the Jet Award Midseason Watchlist. The award is presented annually to college football’s most outstanding return specialist.

Wetjen returned four kickoffs against the Huskies for 93 yards, including a long of 26. But, it was Wetjen’s 37-yard punt return against Washington that really had jaws dropping.

Wetjen reeled in a Washington punt off the one-hop and proceeded to dash outside behind blockers before cutting it back inside for more yardage late. The 37-yard return set up Iowa at the Washington 35-yard line and led to graduate quarterback Cade McNamara’s 18-yard touchdown pass to junior running back Kaleb Johnson.

On the season, Wetjen has returned 15 punts for 149 yards, nine kickoffs for 222 yards and has tallied 421 all purpose yards.

The announcement was made Monday by the Jet Award Foundation. The award is named in honor of Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers. The winner of the 2024 Jet Award will be selected by a panel of voters, including media members from the Football Writers Association of America, former recipients of the Jet Award, and two of our founders, Johnny Rodgers and William Reed.

Wetjen and Iowa return to action this Saturday with a road trip to Michigan State. Kickoff between the Hawkeyes and Spartans is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC.

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ESPN picks one under-the-radar sleeper for the Iowa Hawkeyes

It just takes one chance.

Sometimes all a player needs is to be given a chance. One chance can turn into a season of chances if taken advantage of and handled properly.

The Iowa Hawkeyes need someone on offense to take their chance and run with it in 2024 for the team to become a more explosive offense that can score quickly or move the ball with chunk plays.

With the 2024 college football season just around the corner, ESPN has identified a player on each top 25 team who is a sleeper but could blossom into a big-time contributor.

For the No. 23 Iowa Hawkeyes, that player is wide receiver and kick returner Kaden Wetjen.

23. Iowa Hawkeyes

Sleeper pick: Kaden Wetjen

The Hawkeyes have to produce more pop and walk-on receiver Kaden Wetjen showed signs in the spring that he could give Iowa just that. Wetjen’s speed could parley him into a bigger role offensively, on top of returning kicks and punts. The Hawkeyes had just 20 passing plays go for more than 20 or more yards last year. That ranked last among Power 5 offenses last season. — Trotter

Wetjen, the 5-foot-10 senior from Williamsburg, Iowa, played high school football for Williamsburg High School and went to Iowa Western Community College before joining the Hawkeyes in 2023.

Last year, Wetjen touched the ball almost exclusively on special teams. When he touched it, however, he made it worth it. He averaged 23.9 yards per kickoff return and 9 yards per punt return when filling in for Cooper DeJean. He added in four rushes for 20 yards.

Wetjen’s burst could be unlocked in Tim Lester’s new offense this year due to his ability to make a defense defend sideline to sideline in the running or passing game.

If Lester is going to use motion more, Wetjen could be his guy to fill in that spot and be utilized on jet sweeps, quick screens, and other unique ways to get him the ball.

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Why Iowa’s wide receiver group will survive, and even thrive, after Charlie Jones’ departure

Let’s analyze the Hawkeyes’ receivers after the departure of Charlie Jones and see why the group won’t just survive, but thrive post-Jones.

Yeah, Charlie Jones left the Iowa Hawkeyes unexpectedly and went to Purdue. So what? It happened. It’s over. No point in crying over spilled milk. Time to move on from his contributions to the Hawkeyes and take a look at the receiver group that can, and will, pick up that slack.

As Hawk Central discussed, the receiver group really can be sorted into three groups. More or less, it is the known contributors of Keagan Johnson, Arland Bruce IV, and Nico Ragaini in one group. After that, we find a group that could best be described as having the talent and potential yet just awaiting the opportunity. That includes sophomores Brody Brecht and Diante Vines along with incoming freshman Jacob Bostick.

Last, but certainly not least, and even more so in Iowa, there are walk-ons that could blossom. That group includes Jackson Ritter, who has seen time, Kaden Wetjen, who chose Iowa over scholarship offers, Jack Johnson, and Alec Wick.

Johnson, Bruce IV, and Ragaini will continue their ways of being the main guys in the offense. Johnson and Bruce IV saw significant playing time as last season went on and that may have been the writing on the wall for Jones to depart.

He may have been passed up by those two. Ragaini has been a consistent receiver for Iowa the last three seasons. Combined, the three contributed 69 receptions for 767 yards and seven touchdown grabs in 2021 and those numbers should only increase. This group will be more than fine.

Brody Brecht and Diante Vines have the luxury of a year in Iowa’s system and an understanding of the playbook. As it’s very well known, experience is important regardless of position on a Kirk Ferentz team.

Vines was a sparkplug in the open spring practice as he reeled in a long touchdown from Alex Padilla. Vines could join Johnson and Bruce IV as the next young receiver to have his number relied upon.

Bostick joins Iowa as the only incoming scholarship wide receiver. That alone shows a lot about his talent and what the staff thinks he can bring to the table. In no world would it be surprising for one or multiple of these receivers to prove themselves and provide some significant outputs to the Hawkeyes’ offense.

Lastly, but certainly not least, is maybe my favorite group: the walk-ons. This group is not just a bunch of guys who were good in high school. There is serious talent here.

Starting with Jackson Ritter, he’s seen live action and even contributed. He is no stranger to the field and the staff’s trust in him with his experience could be relied on if anyone goes down or he steps up, which he is more than capable of.

Kaden Wetjen comes to Iowa from Iowa Western where he spent two years. He averaged 25 yards per catch. Yes, that is correct. Seriously, 25 yards per catch.

He has big-play ability and one would be naive to think he chose to join Iowa as a walk-on over scholarship offers from Central Arkansas, Southern Illinois, and others. Wetjen believes he can play at this level and as has been shown many times before, Iowa is a place where walk-ons come to be great.

Alec Wick and Jack Johnson round out the receiving group. Johnson redshirted last year after a high school career that saw him earn All-State honors. Wick also redshirted. His senior year saw him haul in 75 receptions for 1,401 yards and 16 touchdowns. These two aren’t any walk-ons. They can play.

So, yes, Charlie Jones did leave. But, there is every reason to believe this group doesn’t need to reload. The Iowa Hawkeyes receivers have rebuilt. Rebuilt themselves stronger, more experienced, and ready to take the next step in 2022.

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