Cooper DeJean Happy to Keep Taking Offensive Snaps

IOWA CITY -- All it took was Brian Ferentz finding out he wasn't coming back next season -- and two and half years showing off play-making on defense and special teams -- and Cooper DeJean finally got snaps on offense. Two, to be exact.

In the second quarter of Saturday's matchup with Northwestern at Wrigley Field, Iowa fans got what they've been feverishly asking for, and DeJean took a carry to the right side of the field for an eight-yard gain.

"It was a lot of fun," DeJean said on Tuesday. "It's been a while since I've played on the offensive side of the ball, but as soon as I found out I was going to get a couple reps I was pretty excited."

He had prepared for the moment, but the play-call that sent him out on the field was as much of a surprise to him as it was to anyone else.

"I knew that it was in the playbook, but I didn't know for sure if we were going to run it or not in the game," he said. "I got a little nervous there. I hadn't taken a handoff in a while. My main thing was that I didn't want to fumble the handoff. But other than that, it was just kind of all natural."

"I don't know the last time I took a handoff in a game. Like, middle school, maybe? It's been a while."

For the most part, Kirk Ferentz has appeared to be against the idea of giving DeJean offensive snaps since the topic first came about. The Odebolt, Iowa native already plays a significant amount of snaps between special teams and defense -- getting snaps on offense could increase the risk of injury that much more.

It doesn't phase DeJean.

"At the end of the day, I think it's just going out and playing football," he said. "That's something I love to do. I enjoy being on the field at all times, whether it's offense, defense, or special teams. I'm not too worried about the toll it'll take on my body. I'm just excited to be out there and help out in any way I can."

Though DeJean is ready and willing, he's not positive as to how many snaps he could handle on offense at this point.

"I'd have to test it out to really know how much I could take," he said. "It's difficult switching back and forth. When you're playing defensive snaps and you're on special teams as well, it's a little tough. I think my love for football really overrides me being tired."

The one burning question remains: Will we see more DeJean on offense?

"Of course I want to," he said. "If they ask me to, I'll do it again."

And who knows what he'll provide the next time around, should it come to fruition? As a high school quarterback at OABCIG, DeJean amassed 9,520 total yards of offense and scored 132 total touchdowns between his junior and senior seasons.

"I can still throw it a little bit," he said. "We play catch every once in a while out on the field, so yeah. I can throw it a little bit. But, I don't know if I can share [if I'll play more offense]. We'll see."