Any Iowa football fan probably watched Hawkeye cornerback Cooper DeJean’s 70-yard punt return touchdown more than once. That play in the fourth quarter against Michigan State not only put Iowa ahead but also showcased the Hawkeyes’ commitment to detail.
As soon as Spartan punter Ryan Eckley booted the ball, Iowa cornerback Jermari Harris began an onslaught of blocks to Michigan State’s gunner, pushing him toward the right sideline. By the time the pigskin landed in DeJean’s hands, Harris’ man was on the ground out of bounds.
Iowa safety Quinn Schulte said Harris’ handiwork reminds him of former Hawkeye standout and current Denver Bronco Riley Moss.
“Playing defensive back, you’re asked to do a lot of things, and that could be special teams as well,” Schulte said at media availability on Tuesday.
Last Saturday night was a memorable performance for Iowa defensive backs, as they not only scored a touchdown but also had three interceptions and assisted in forcing a fumble.
The fumble takeaway in the fourth quarter sealed the victory for the Hawkeyes, as high school teammates Schulte and linebacker Ethan Hurkett combined to make the play. The pair starred at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, winning two 3A state championships while going undefeated over those campaigns.
Schulte said the play was a moment he’ll remember for the rest of his life, adding that his father, Duane, the head coach for the Saints since 1998, would surely be smiling watching two graduates of his program shine on the big stage.
Harris, DeJean, and Sebastian Castro all notched picks against Spartan quarterback Noah Kim, with DeJean and Harris reeling in their firsts of the season.
For Harris, his interception felt good but didn’t detract from his focus on improvement.
“To be honest with you, I had left some plays out there, and those are kind of more on my mind because that’s how I operate,” Harris said. “My eyes, my leverage, just slowing [the game] down, that’s part of the process as I try to make my way back [from a two-game suspension].”
The Iowa defense’s never-satisfied attitude will play a crucial role the rest of the season as the Hawkeyes head into their first Big Ten West game of the season on Saturday against Purdue.
The Boilermakers are 2-3 this season but are coming off a dominant 44-19 win over Illinois. That contest against the Illini showcased the prowess of offensive coordinator Graham Harrell’s Air Raid offense, as eight different Purdue players caught a pass and averaged 27 yards from their respective receptions.
After losing top receiver David Bell to the NFL Draft in 2022, the Boilermakers’ leading pass catcher this season is Deion Burks with 377 yards through five contests. The Belleville, Michigan, native has four touchdowns on the year and averages 18.9 yards per reception, more than what any Hawkeye receiver averages per game.
Harris described how he remembers Bell piling up 240 yards when the Hawkeyes played the Boilermakers in 2021, as well as former Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell from last season. Nevertheless, the cornerback was still cognizant of new Boilermaker signal-caller Hudon Card’s mobility, as well as former Hawkeye Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Tracy Jr. donned the Black and Gold for four seasons from 2018-2021, putting up career-highs in catches and yards in 2019 for the Hawkeyes. After transferring to West Lafeyette in 2022, he shifted to running back. So far this season, Tracy Jr. is averaging 6.3 yards per rush and five touchdowns.
Harris called Tracy a “good friend” and said he looks forward to facing off against his former teammate, who he described as a vocal leader in the locker room.
Even with the talent Purdue has at the skill positions, Schulte is undeterred.
“The standard’s the same for the defense, and that’s our job to go do our job and keep points on off the board,” he said. “We got a bunch of guys in this program that can step up and do their job. We have a lot of confidence in them.”
The Boilermakers’ “D” has undergone an overhaul from new head coach Ryan Walters, who recently took over the defensive playcalling. Iowa center Logan Jones said Purdue will send five rushers onto the quarterback and even stack an extra defender in the box to create a man-advantage.
Iowa’s offense also had issues with drops last weekend, as Hawkeye receivers dropped six Deacon Hill passes against the Spartans. Yet similar to Schulte, the quarterback hasn’t lost confidence in his wideouts.
“I think, you know, in basketball when a shooter is missing, you don’t tell him to stop shototing,” Hill said. “So that doesn’t affect how we do things. I trust them 100 percent to catch the ball.”
Injury Report
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz confirmed at his Tuesday press conference that quarterback Cade McNamara suffered a left ACL injury in the first quarter against Michigan State and will be out for the season. The Michigan transfer will have surgery next week.
Ferentz said Deacon Hill will be the starting quarterback on Saturday against Purdue with Joe Labas as backup. Labas missed much of July and August with a shoulder injury, but Ferentz said his availability would be the same as any other second-string signal caller.
“He’s one play away from getting in the game [in the event of an injury to Hill],” Ferentz said of Labas’ status.
Running backs Kaleb Johnson and Jaziun Patterson were not on Iowa’s depth chart this week, but fellow back Leshon Williams said Johnson practiced on TuesdY. Ferentz said Johnson has a chance to play on Saturday but confirmed Patterson would be out.
As for starting left guard Nick DeJong, who left late in the game last week, Ferentz said the senior is day-to-day but hopes he will be back by the weekend.