Tag: Xavier Nwankpa

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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Kirk Ferentz dissects Xavier Nwankpa’s humility, development with Iowa football

As he faces five-star expectations, Xavier Nwankpa has been the model of humility.

One of the most highly-anticipated players on the Iowa Hawkeyes this year resides in the secondary. Safety Xavier Nwankpa enters his third season with the Hawkeyes and many believe this could be his breakout year.

The former five-star recruit in the class of 2022 chose the Hawkeyes over the likes of Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Alabama. He came out of South East Polk High School in Pleasant Hill, Iowa as the No. 1 ranked safety and No. 25 overall recruit per 247Sports.

With that recruiting profile, expectations are bound to follow. Today, Kirk Ferentz was asked about how Xavier Nwankpa is handling those expectations and growing from them.

“He’s doing great. I know five stars and all of that. We don’t get a lot of those, but you would never know with him in the building, five star, three star, two star. He’s a quality young guy, first and foremost. Really does a nice job that way,” Ferentz said during his press conference about how Nwankpa carries himself.

“It’s been fun to watch him improve each and every turn, so he’s really doing well. He dealt with a little bit of an injury or medical situation during camp, so he missed some time. He’s not maybe as far along as he would be in normal circumstances but has done a really good job and expect him to have a really good year this year,” added Ferentz.

Listed as the starting safety once again this year, Nwankpa will rely on the experience he gained in 2023 when he started 12 games.

Through two years, Xavier Nwankpa has appeared in 26 games with 13 starts. He has 54 total tackles with 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 5 pass deflections, 2 interceptions, and 1 touchdown.

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Phil Parker updates Iowa football’s preseason defensive health status exiting 2024 camp

Phil Parker updated Xavier Nwankpa and Koen Entringer’s health statuses.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are in good shape on the health front defensively as the 2024 college football season nears.

In his Tuesday meeting with the media, Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker updated the statuses of junior safety Xavier Nwankpa and sophomore safety Koen Entringer.

“Koen’s been practicing the last couple days. He’s doing a good job. I think he’s back. We’re just limiting some of his reps and watching so we don’t overload him. Xavier, it looks like he’s back at it. He should be. I thought he was going to practice here today a little bit, but I think he should be back in the next couple days,” Parker said.

Entringer suffered a knee injury during Iowa’s Citrus Bowl loss versus Tennessee. It required surgery over the offseason.

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz was optimistic about Entringer’s progress ahead of the Hawkeyes’ annual Media Day, but Entringer was held out of Kids’ Day at Kinnick and seen wearing a boot.

“One thing I’m pretty sure of, everybody is different in terms of their healing capacities, pace, all that stuff. He’s broken every record. He’s practicing. We’re not letting him tackle anybody or anything like that. But he’s practicing. He did tweak his ankle this morning, so I don’t know if he’ll practice tomorrow or not, but doing a really good job.

“We’re going to try to be really smart because it takes, what I also know or have learned, when guys get cleared, it takes a while for them to get their confidence back. He’s really kind of running around like there’s no problem, but try to protect him from himself a little bit,” Ferentz said of Entringer at Iowa Media Day.

Nwankpa didn’t participate in Kids’ Day at Kinnick either. It sounds like Iowa is just being cautious with Nwankpa ahead of the season opener against Illinois State on Aug. 31.

“There’s injuries and then there’s pain, you know what I mean? So, what’s the difference? Do you have pain, or is it truly an injury and you’ve got to take care of it? I think that everybody kind of knows the difference of that.

“Sometimes when you’re going out here and practicing in preseason like we are, you get banged up a little bit, hitting each other, stuff like that, so there’s soreness but there’s nothing more. We’re pretty healthy here on defense I think right now,” Parker said.

Parker said Iowa’s defense has no other health issues at the present moment. The longtime Hawkeye DC also hasn’t minded the opportunities it’s provided for younger Iowa players.

“We try to manage them during the preseason here where we need some younger guys to step up. I like to see some of them third-team guys, making sure they’re getting developed. It was a good opportunity for them to understand the defense.

“Some of these guys are really experienced and the experience that Jay and Nick have at the linebacker position and Fisher, I mean, these guys are just like a coach out there on the field and they’re coaching the younger guys. Until you get out there and do it yourself, I mean, I think that’s what the younger guys need,” Parker said.

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Kirk Ferentz updates Iowa football injuries after Kids’ Day at Kinnick

TJ Hall exited Kids’ Day at Kinnick with an injury, but Kirk Ferentz indicated it isn’t serious.

Fans got an extended look at the Hawkeyes during Iowa’s 2024 Kids’ Day at Kinnick.

In the open practice, the biggest microscope was on graduate quarterback Cade McNamara’s health and effectiveness and on junior transfer quarterback Brendan Sullivan from Northwestern. That duo’s performance generated the most takeaways and the most social media reaction from the open practice.

Still, there was plenty else to take in, too. The starting cornerback position opposite graduate Jermari Harris is being hotly contested by junior TJ Hall and sophomores Deshaun Lee and John Nestor.

Hall got the first look on Saturday and performed well. The 6-foot-1, 187 pound defensive back from Fresno, Calif., broke up a pass intended for senior wide receiver Kaden Wetjen.

Hall was shaken up on the play, though, and exited the Hawkeyes’ Kids’ Day at Kinnick scrimmage.

Afterwards, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said the early prognosis was that it was a minor injury for Hall.

“Sounds like an ankle. It doesn’t sound like a big one, so that’s good news. So far, so good,” Ferentz said.

Iowa was also without starting safety Xavier Nwankpa and starting tight end Luke Lachey in the scrimmage. It didn’t sound like those injuries for Nwankpa and Lachey were deemed as serious ones either.

“Yeah, Xavier’s had, he’s been nursing an injury not the whole camp but part of camp. Luke came up a little sore the other day, yesterday, so we just held him out, but he’s fine. He’s doing good. He’s gotten a lot of work obviously,” Ferentz said.

Ferentz said on Friday during Iowa Media Day that senior running back Leshon Williams was working his way back from a soft tissue injury.

“So we’ve got four or five guys that have been out with soft tissue injuries and stuff like that, and unfortunately Leshon is one of them, so you triggered a thought there.

“We know who he is, and we’ve got total confidence in him, but he hasn’t been able to go. Hopefully we’ll get him moving here pretty quickly. But he’s working through some stuff. Nothing long-term,” Ferentz said of Williams.

The 5-foot-10, 214 pound running back was the Hawkeyes’ leading rusher last season with 170 carries for 821 yards.

Sophomore defensive back Koen Entringer was listed as Iowa’s backup strong safety behind Nwankpa on the Hawkeyes’ defensive depth chart prior to Big Ten Media Days.

Ferentz noted on Friday that Entringer has been back practicing with Iowa after sustaining a knee injury in the Citrus Bowl versus Tennessee that required offseason surgery. But, Entringer tweaked his ankle on Friday morning and was held out of the Kids’ Day at Kinnick scrimmage and seen with a boot on his left foot.

“One thing I’m pretty sure of, everybody is different in terms of their healing capacities, pace, all that stuff. He’s broken every record. He’s practicing. We’re not letting him tackle anybody or anything like that. But he’s practicing. He did tweak his ankle this morning, so I don’t know if he’ll practice tomorrow or not, but doing a really good job.

“We’re going to try to be really smart because it takes—what I also know or have learned, when guys get cleared, it takes a while for them to get their confidence back. He’s really kind of running around like there’s no problem, but try to protect him from himself a little bit,” Ferentz said of Entringer.

Other notable names that sat out during Kids’ Day at Kinnick included junior wide receiver Seth Anderson, redshirt freshman wide receiver Dayton Howard, redshirt freshman defensive back Kahlil Tate and freshman defensive back Jaylen Watson.

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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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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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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.

6 days to kickoff: 6 bold predictions for the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2023

It has officially become game week and there are just six days to kickoff. Here are six bold predictions for the Hawkeyes in 2023.

It is game week. For the first time in over nine months, it is time to get ready for the Iowa Hawkeyes to strap up their helmets and play a game inside Kinnick Stadium. The buzz around this team is palpable this year and there is a sense of urgency for Iowa to perform with the immensely talented roster they have. The schedule is set up nicely, the Big Ten realignment hasn’t occurred yet, and this is Iowa’s chance to show something.

To perform at those levels and live up to their expectations, it is going to take some primetime efforts from primetime players. Each year a few select individuals step up, some units come together when it matters most, and teams find a way to win.

With the 2023 college football season just six days away for the Hawkeyes, the countdown is truly on now. As we approach kickoff, today looks into six bold predictions for the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2023.

WATCH: Xavier Nwankpa gets mic’d up at Iowa Hawkeyes’ practice

An ascending star in Iowa’s defensive backfield, safety Xavier Nwankpa gave fans an inside look at Hawkeyes practice as he was mic’d up.

Iowa fans can’t wait to see what five-star defensive back Xavier Nwankpa does next.

A Southeast Polk product out of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, the in-state star showcased just a taste of what might be to come in his first career start in the Hawkeyes’ 21-0 TransPerfect Music City Bowl shutout of Kentucky.

Nwankpa reeled in a Destin Wade pass for his first career interception and proceeded to race 52 yards for a pick-six. The 6-foot-2, 210 pound safety also tallied eight tackles against the Wildcats, which was the second-highest total in the contest for Iowa.

On Thursday, Nwankpa went ahead and treated fans to a behind the scenes look at practice by tossing on the microphone. With Nwankpa mic’d up, Iowa Hawkeyes fans get a look at the sophomore defensive back singing, interacting with his teammates as he gets his work in and a special cameo from a famous Hawk.

Nwankpa is listed as Iowa’s starting strong safety and will be an integral piece in Hawkeye defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s defensive backfield. The sophomore joins a group of safeties that also includes Sebastian Castro, Quinn Schulte and Koen Entringer.

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz talked about how Nwankpa is progressing and the group of safeties recently at Iowa’s media day.

“He’s doing a good job. He’s out there competing, and still on the back end, (Quinn) Schulte is the veteran guy if you will, kind of the stabilizer right now, and then we’ve got a bunch of other guys competing.

“Xavier is doing a good job and making good progress. (Koen) Entringer is the same way. He’s doing a good job, as well Castro has been practicing well, played his best in the bowl game. That’s kind of us. We’ve got some young guys coming along, and we’ve got an older guy like Castro who finally got some traction in that bowl game and really looked like a Big Ten safety, not just a specialist, if you will. So I think we have good competition back there,” Ferentz said.

Iowa kicks off its season in under two weeks on Sept. 2 when it welcomes in Utah State at 11 a.m. on FS1 from Kinnick Stadium.

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