You don’t have to be a football savant or even a diehard Iowa Hawkeye fan to know the formula this team has used for years now. Entering Kirk Ferentz’s 24th season in charge of the team and with Brian Ferentz as their Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach, we all knew Hawkeye’s offense would be tough to watch.
The Hawkeyes entered the season with some realistic expectations. They wanted to become Bowl-eligible, try and win at least nine games, see if they could upset Ohio State or Michigan, and maybe score some touchdowns. Well, while their season was mildly successful and there is still the Music City Bowl on the last day of the year, it will be at best a consolation prize.
Still, that doesn’t mean the campaign was a full failure. The 8-5 record was unimpressive, and the offense was historically bad. But as boring and inefficient as they were on that side of the field, their defense has a case for being the greatest in program history.
Swarm With Us. #Hawkeyes
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) December 28, 2022
Nominees For Best Player Of 2022
The naked eye may not tell the true story about the Hawkeyes’ historically good season. But this team was one win away from another trip to the Big Ten Championship Game despite not having a 1000-yard rusher and with starting QB Spencer Petras throwing for 1,725 (6.1 yards per pass), 5 TD, 5 Picks, and a 55% completion percentage.
So, considering those numbers, you could even argue that Iowa had the best defense in all of college football, and that was with just seven starters coming back. They held their rivals to 13.3 points per game (2nd-best in the nation) and 270.8 yards of total offense (3rd-best). They regressed in terms of forced turnovers (23 to 30 in 2021) and interceptions (15 to 25) but turned almost every single one of their rivals into punting machines.
Three of their five losses came by a single possession, and they only allowed more than 10 points three times in the season. That 54-point explosion by the Ohio State Buckeyes was the only outlier in an otherwise incredible season. And, as great as the Hawkeyes’ defense was, there’s just no chance they would’ve been able to do it without sophomore DB Cooper DeJean.
This is Hawkeye Country. pic.twitter.com/TE6D9bMxEr
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) August 31, 2022
Our Hawkeyes’ Best Player In 2022: Cooper DeJean
The 6’1’’ tweener had a second year for the ages. He was tied first for most tackles (59), third in total tackles (75), eleventh in assists (16), second in passes defended (8), and led the team in both interceptions (5) and pick-sixes (3). In fact, on a sad yet impressive note, he actually scored more touchdowns than any Iowa wide receiver last season.
Cooper became an All-Big Ten selection despite flying under the radar for most of the preseason and should be a consensus All-American in next season’s preseason rankings. He was a beast no one saw coming, both literally and figuratively.
More than that, he was a key guy in keeping the locker room together and the players locked in throughout the season. Even after being named MVP, he claimed it was more of a team award and credited his colleagues for helping him be in a position to succeed:
“He’s the same guy every day,” coach Ferentz said of Cooper “He’s just one of those guys. He’s just really grounded. He’s really steady, very humble and, you know, a lot of really good players I’ve been around, that seems to be one of the trademarks. You know, they’re really humble guys. And, you know, I think he’s probably thinking about what he can do to get better, but, you know, it’s been impressive. Watching him play is impressive. He’s just a football player.”
Cooper, a two-sport athlete in college, has wowed his teammates with his athleticism and versatility, which is unsurprising considering he also used to play wide receiver during his days at OABCIG high school in Ida Grove, Iowa.
Excited to announce that I will be committing to play football at the University of Iowa! I want to thank my family and friends for all of their support along the way! #swarm21 #GOHAWKS 🐤 pic.twitter.com/XCBfttxwSU
— Cooper DeJean (@cdejean23) March 17, 2020
What Doesn’t Coop Do?
“What doesn’t Coop do?” fellow DB Merriweather told The Athletic. “You saw him on the punt return, athlete. Corner, athlete. Cash, athlete, Y’all didn’t get see him play safety yet, but he did in fall camp, athlete.”
“You have someone who’s just talented and a student of the game and is always wanting to learn and even when he makes mistakes,” Merriweather added “he’s always finding a way to bounce back and correct those mistakes, you’re going to have a very talented player. I think the ceiling for him is the sky wherever he wants to take it.”
So, yeah, the 2022 season may not have been a treat to watch for offense lovers. But witnessing Cooper DeJean turn into one of the best defensive playmakers in the nation was most definitely worth it.
137 touchdowns in high school.
Three in college – where Cooper DeJean doesn’t play offense.
What a kid. pic.twitter.com/FASMGaGpFj
— Mitch Fick (@MCFick) December 31, 2022
Credits on Featured Image: Phil Roeder/Flickr/Commercial Use Allowed
