In the wake of Iowa's dramatic 26-16 win over Michigan State on Saturday night, two Iowa players have received Big Ten Player of the Week recognition as part of the conference's weekly awards. Cooper DeJean was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.
DeJean's special teams play was a big one -- his breathtaking 70-yard punt return touchdown was the game-winning score for Iowa against Michigan State.
And here it is from a different angle:
The 70-yard return was DeJean's only punt return of the game. The touchdown was also the first punt return touchdown of DeJean's Iowa career. It was also the 15th longest punt return touchdown in program history and the first by an Iowa player since Charlie Jones in 2020. Coincidentally, that punt return touchdown also came against Michigan State, in a 49-7 Iowa victory.
The last Iowa player to earn Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week recognition was Tory Taylor, after Week 4 of the 2022 season.
This is the first Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honor for DeJean -- and his first Big Ten Player of the Week honor of any kind, in fact. Despite his dazzling defensive efforts last season, DeJean was never named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
In addition to his 70-yard punt return touchdown, DeJean also had six tackles and an interception (his first of the season) against MSU.
On the topic of Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, Nick Jackson earned Co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors this week.
Jackson had 10 tackles for the second-straight week; it was the second-most on the team, behind Jay Higgins with 12 tackles. Jackson also had a tackle for loss and was credited with the hit that caused a forced fumble late in the fourth quarter.
Ethan Hurkett recovered that ball and Iowa kicked a game-icing field goal a few plays later.
Jackson shared Defensive Player of the Week honors with Michigan EDGE Josaiah Stewart, who have five tackles and two sacks for the Wolverines against Nebraska. This is the first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honor for Nick Jackson. The last Iowa player to receive Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors was Sebastian Castro, after Week 2 of this season.
Since the start of the 2015 season, Iowa is tied with Penn State for the second-most Big Ten Player of the Week honors (51), behind only Ohio State (64).
