Iowa’s Charlie Jones named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week
Jones returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of Iowa’s victory over Michigan State.
Iowa wideout Charlie Jones takes a handoff during a football game between Iowa and Michigan State in Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. The Hawkeyes dominated the Spartans, 49-7.
November 9, 2020
Iowa wide receiver and punt returner Charlie Jones has been named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.
Jones returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown in Iowa’s 49-7 victory over Michigan State and finished the game with 105 total punt return yards. The score was Iowa’s first punt return touchdown since 2018.
The junior is seeing his first game action of his Hawkeye career this season after transferring from Buffalo in 2019. Jones sat out last season because of transfer rules and now sees playing time as a kick and punt returner and a wide receiver for Iowa.
“It’s something we’ve been talking about in meetings,” Jones said after Iowa defeated Michigan State. “[A big return] definitely brings a ton of energy to the sideline. It brings up everyone’s energy. So, yeah, it definitely had an impact on the game.”
This is the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of Jones’ career, and the first time a Hawkeye has earned the honor since kicker Keith Duncan did so on Nov. 25, 2019.
