Tag: Quinn Schulte

Pro Football Focus asks if Iowa football boasts best secondary in America

It’s a no-fly zone in Iowa City.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have been and are still built upon their defense. It is just how they play the game and how they win a lot of them.

The defense entering 2024 could be primed up to be one of the best they have had in years, despite a historic run of NFL talent coming and going from the ranks. The 2024 Iowa defense is highlighted by eight returning starters.

A large part of the experience and talent of this defense comes in the secondary where Iowa is returning veterans. They bring back safeties Quinn Schulte and Xavier Nwankpa, deploy CASH defender Sebastian Castro, and have a quarter of Deshaun Lee, Jermari Harris, TJ Hall, and John Nestor manning the cornerback position.

With that, Pro Football Focus has begun asking if the Iowa Hawkeyes and defensive coordinator Phil Parker boast the best secondary in all of America heading into 2024.

Nestor did not see defensive time last year as a true freshman, but the other five saw considerable snaps and each graded out above 70 per Pro Football Focus.

The group combines for 84 starts in their careers with appearances in a combined 170 games. This group has seen a lot of different offenses and has incredible depth.

The six defensive backs have 13 interceptions and 54 pass breakups to their names. The group gets their hands on the ball and when they do, they make opposing cornerbacks pay.

Iowa has the potential to be a very good team in 2024. With a strong year from this secondary, they have the ability to be the best in America and elevate this team to great.

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Jay Higgins raves about Quinn Schulte’s leadership for Iowa football

There’s no higher praise than that of your teammates. Jay Higgins had a hearty tip of the cap to Quinn Schulte at Big Ten Media Days.

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.

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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Iowa football announces three players attending Big Ten Media Days

Sending the veterans.

The Iowa Hawkeyes successes are built upon veterans showing up on the field and their offseason presence is going to be felt in the same manner.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have announced their three members attending Big Ten Media Days later this month and it is a trio of seasoned Hawkeye veterans.

Heading to Indianapolis to represent the Hawkeyes is a trio of tight end Luke Lachey, linebacker Jay Higgins, and safety Quinn Schulte. The group exudes experience and will all play a considerable part in Iowa’s 2024 season.

Between the three players, they carry a whopping 12 years of collegiate experience with the Hawkeyes and are all entering their fifth year with the program.

The three have appeared in a combined 116 games with 56 starts to their names. They are anchors on the offensive and defensive side of the ball and have high expectations to be top performers this year.

Luke Lachey is returning from a lower leg injury that limited last season to just three games but is still viewed among Iowa’s top pass-catching targets for Cade McNamara in Tim Lester’s new offense.

Defensively, Schulte fortifies the back end as a safety manning the passing game with Higgins in front of him stopping anything in the run game coming off a 171-tackle season in 2023.

Iowa’s session at Big Ten Media Days is set for Wednesday, July 24th at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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CBS Sports stamps Iowa Hawkeyes as top-three DB room in America

No fly zone.

It feels like each year there is hype and expectations that the Iowa Hawkeyes are somehow going to be just as good, if not better, on the defensive side of the football.

This is largely due in part to the wizardry of defensive coordinator Phil Parker and his ability to shut opposing offenses down. Another large part of the equation is the experience Iowa breeds in its secondary.

Iowa is returning four starters to the secondary this year: Quinn Schulte, Xavier Nwankpa, Jermari Harris and Sebastian Castro. The four of them have the Hawkeyes as one of the best defensive back units in America.

CBS Sports has slotted the Iowa Hawkeyes as the No. 3 defensive back room in the country ahead of the 2024 college football season.

Here’s what Cameron Salerno had to say about the Hawkeyes.

Iowa’s defense starts with reigning Broyles Award winner Phil Parker, who is considered one of the best defensive coordinators in the country. Parker will coach a group led by the top slot cornerback in the nation, Sebastian Castro. With DeJean off to the NFL, Castro headlines a unit that ranked No. 15 in passing yards allowed (172.2) and No. 4 in scoring defense (13.2) in 2023.

Xavier Nwankpa is a breakout name to watch, and Quinn Schulte slots next to him on the back line. Jermari Harris recorded 42 tackles and an interception in 12 starts, while Deshaun Lee made six starts at corner last season. With some moderate improvements to last year’s lackluster offense, the defense could propel Iowa to a spot in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. – Salerno, CBS Sports.

Ahead of Iowa are the Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 1 and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at No. 2. The rest of the top five after Iowa is the Georgia Bulldogs at No. 4 and the Michigan Wolverines at No. 5.

Iowa’s group of defensive backs is returning substantial production. The group combined for 216 tackles, 22 pass breakups, 13.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions and even contributed two sacks.

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Quinn Schulte named to 2024 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List

Add Quinn Schulte to the watch list.

Iowa safety Quinn Schulte has been named to the 2024 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List as announced by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation on Friday.

The Lott IMPACT Trophy, established by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, is a prestigious award presented to the defensive IMPACT player of the year. IMPACT is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

The foundation aims to find not only the best player on the field, but off the field as well. The acronym IMPACT stands for integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity, which are all attributes of the award’s namesake Ronnie Lott.

The award is presented annually to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of athletics and recognizes college football’s Defensive Player of the Year who best exemplifies the IMPACT acronym.

Schulte began his career at Iowa as a walk on. Through hard work and determination, he has become one of the mainstay starters in Phil Parker’s defensive backfield.

Schulte has appeared in and started 27 games for the Hawkeyes the last two seasons, compiling 136 total tackles, 12 passes defensed and two interceptions. Schulte earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition in 2023.

Schulte has been very active off the field, volunteering in several charitable activities. Last year, Schulte was honored as an Academic All-American and was a National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society honoree.

The last Hawkeye to win the Lott IMPACT Trophy was Josey Jewell in 2017. Last year, Cooper DeJean was a Lott IMPACT Trophy semifinalist.

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Iowa Hawkeyes top the nation in one of On3’s position rankings

Experience and athleticism put the Hawkeyes at the top.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are set up for another special year on the defensive side of the football. The last two years have been a run ride led by Jack Campbell, Lukas Van Ness and Cooper DeJean. This year’s group has the chance to be the best yet.

Iowa’s defense is returning a whopping eight starters to a unit that was at or near the top in almost every major defensive statistical category last year. The unit is a year old, a year stronger and has another offseason of Phil Parker teaching them.

Two players who will benefit greatly are at the back end of this defense. Quinn Schulte and Xavier Nwankpa enter their third season playing alongside each other and are ranked as the No. 1 safety unit in the country by On3’s Jesse Simonton.

  1. Iowa

Junior Xavier Nwankpa and senior Quinn Schulte might be the most valuable safety duo in 2024, as Iowa’s returning starters compliment each other perfectly, and are excellent individually, too.

Nwankpa is an elite cover safety (fourth-best coverage grade, per PFF), while Shulte is a thumper who also graded highly as both a run-defender and cover-guy. The Hawkeyes have the best insurance safety in the country as well, as outstanding nickel Sebastian Castro could slide back to safety in a pinch. — Jesse Simonton, On3

Schulte was fourth on the Hawkeyes in tackles last season with 65 total tackles. He added an interception and pass breakup. Schulte, who could have left, but is returning, is known for an extremely high-level football IQ. He doesn’t need to be in the play every down, but he is part of the reason the Hawkeyes are always in place to make the play elsewhere.

Nwankpa oozes with athleticism and it has been shown in flashes of brilliance. He tallied 27 tackles and an interception last year. The rangy safety should continue to come into his own as he gets more comfortable in Parker’s defense and confident in his own skills.

The Hawkeyes are loaded on defense at all three levels. With one of the best safety units in the entire country, the front seven can play very free and fast knowing they have this group behind them.

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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.

Brains and Brawn: Iowa Hawkeyes safety Quinn Schulte named an Academic All-American

Quinn Schulte has both the brains and the brawn. The Iowa Hawkeyes veteran safety has been named an Academic All-American.

Quinn Schulte does it all. He mans the backend of the secondary for the Iowa Hawkeyes and he brings it in the classroom as well. He is the true epitome of a student-athlete. His most recent recognition only extends Iowa’s ability to produce talented football players and young men.

The veteran safety, who is returning to Iowa next year in 2024 for one final season, has been named an Academic All-American. The distinction is voted on by the College Sports Communicators. Schulte is a member of the second team.

During the 2023 season, Schulte has 65 tackles, four pass breakups, and an interception. He was Phil Parker’s eyes and ears in the secondary with his experience being vital alongside Xavier Nwankpa, who has benefited greatly from Schulte next to him.

Schulte is among five defensive starters returning for the 2024 season which gives Iowa a ton of experience to rely on. An already stout and stingy defense is reloading with their key players and should be among the tops in the nation once again.

The Academic All-American recognition Schulte is receiving does tie directly into his play on the field. The safety is seemingly always in the right spot, helping make checks to counter the offense’s schemes, and rarely ever gives up the big play. His smarts are just as important as his talent and he combines them both to be a fantastic safety.

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Don’t rebuild, just reload: Safety Quinn Schulte is returning to the Iowa Hawkeyes for 2024

Rather than hit the portal, the Iowa Hawkeyes are keeping their own to reload a stout defense. Safety Quinn Schulte is returning for 2024.

Luke Lachey. Jay Higgins. Nick Jackson. Sebastian Castro. Jermari Harris. And now Quinn Schulte.

In an era of searching outside the building for talent and bringing in players from the transfer portal, the Iowa Hawkeyes are bucking the trend and keeping their own talented players in the building.

Rather than rebuilding, the Iowa defense is simply reloading. Safety Quinn Schulte is the latest Hawkeye to be confirmed to be returning to the Hawkeyes in 2024.

The Iowa defense was among the best in the nation this past season and is returning much of that production, minus Cooper DeJean who is slated to be a first round pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

During 2023, Schulte tallied 65 tackles, five pass breakups, 2.5 tackles for loss and an interception in the Hawkeyes’ 22-0 shutout of Rutgers. He started all 14 games for Iowa.

Schulte will be returning for his fifth season with the Hawkeyes. Throughout the previous four seasons, he has totaled 141 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and three interceptions in 41 games. He has appeared in at least 11 games over the last three seasons and started 27 in his career.

Schulte returning provides Phil Parker and the Iowa defense with an extremely reliable and intelligent player on the back end of the secondary. Schulte brings loads of experience to a unit that is only maturing.

His return to the Hawkeyes should see him paired with up-and-coming fellow safety Xavier Nwankpa as the men in the secondary for Iowa.

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Gettin’ it done: 5 most impactful ‘glue guys’ for the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2023

A “glue guy” isn’t always the standout, but they do the little things right that add up. Iowa’s five most impactful glue guys of 2023.

Every team has the guy who does the little things that go unnoticed. They get less shine than other players and their contributions might not be as lauded in comparison. But that’s okay for those guys and you often see them embrace that role. Those are your “glue guys” and every team needs a handful of them.

In a way, some may say that the majority of the Iowa Hawkeyes‘ roster are made up of these players that do their job, don’t need the recognition, and just always gets it done. Even in that capacity, some guys hold things together by their contributions coming at the right time or when it matters most.

The Hawkeyes have a handful of these players that turn up in big moments, always are in the right place, or make life easier for those around them. Here are the Hawkeyes’ five most impactful “glue guys” entering the 2023 season.

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