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USA Today
02-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Quartet of Iowa football key contributors earn Preseason All-American Honors
As the Iowa Hawkeyes continue to approach the kickoff of the 2025 season, the summer months pull the season closer inch by inch. In those summer months, the anticipated stars and success stories of the new season start to garner some attention. For Iowa, four of their stars are receiving notoriety as they find themselves among the Athlon Sports Preseason All-American teams entering this year. Making their marks as second-team All-Americans per Athlon are center Logan Jones, punter Rhys Dakin, and kick/punt return star Kaden Wetjen. Gennings Dunker earned marks as a third-team selection. The four individuals only exacerbate the success that Iowa expects to have among the offensive line and in special teams, two of their strengths annually. Logan Jones and Gennings Dunker figure to be two of Iowa's key cogs up front, as they are experienced and leading the charge for an offensive attack entering its second year under offensive coordinator Tim Lester. After a 2024 season that saw Iowa blossom into a downhill running team, expectations are high in 2025. On special teams, Iowa has a weapon in the return game with Kaden Wetjen. The Iowa native and junior college product had a kick and punt return touchdown last year while averaging 12.6 yards per punt return. In the punting game, Rhys Dakin, the Aussie, averaged a booming 44.1 yards per punt with 29 of his punts landing inside the opponent's own 20-yard line. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Iowa football special teams star given lofty predictions from CBS Sports
Strong special teams are synonymous with the Iowa Hawkeyes. LeVar Woods, Iowa's special teams coordinator and arguably the best in the country, has transformed the unit into one that has won games for Iowa and often dictates field position in Big Ten battles. One way Iowa helps its offense and defense is with the punting unit. While it isn't flashy or always the most fun, Iowa does it more effectively than just about anyone in the country. They back their opponents up to help the defense, which in turn creates short fields for the offense to work on. Advertisement Leading the charge for Iowa in the punting game is the Australian, Rhys Dakin. Entering his second year with Iowa, Dakin knows he is a vital part of Iowa's success and is hoping to take the next step forward after a strong freshman campaign. If he can continue his punting prowess, CBS Sports believes he could take home the Ray Guy Award as college football's top punter. Ray Guy Award (Top Punter) Prediction: Rhys Dakin, P, Iowa Iowa is a punting factory. The Hawkeyes have another really good one in Dakin, who averaged 44.1 yards per boot as a true freshman last season while totaling 2,822 yards with his leg, ranking eighth nationally. He also led the Big Ten with 29 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. - Will Backus, CBS Sports Rhys Dakin punted 64 times for Iowa in the 2024-25 college football season with a booming average of 44.1 yards with a season-long of 61 yards. More impressively, Dakin dropped 29 of his punts (45.3%) inside the opponents' 20-yard line, which puts them against the odds on pure yardage, let alone going against Phil Parker's Iowa defense. Iowa will continue to punt and play the field position game as a more conservative team in the country. When done right, as Iowa so often does, it can win games. Advertisement Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football, Rhys Dakin land Ray Guy Award prediction from CBS
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa football special teams star given lofty predictions from CBS Sports
Iowa football special teams star given lofty predictions from CBS Sports Strong special teams are synonymous with the Iowa Hawkeyes. LeVar Woods, Iowa's special teams coordinator and arguably the best in the country, has transformed the unit into one that has won games for Iowa and often dictates field position in Big Ten battles. One way Iowa helps its offense and defense is with the punting unit. While it isn't flashy or always the most fun, Iowa does it more effectively than just about anyone in the country. They back their opponents up to help the defense, which in turn creates short fields for the offense to work on. Leading the charge for Iowa in the punting game is the Australian, Rhys Dakin. Entering his second year with Iowa, Dakin knows he is a vital part of Iowa's success and is hoping to take the next step forward after a strong freshman campaign. If he can continue his punting prowess, CBS Sports believes he could take home the Ray Guy Award as college football's top punter. Ray Guy Award (Top Punter) Prediction: Rhys Dakin, P, Iowa Iowa is a punting factory. The Hawkeyes have another really good one in Dakin, who averaged 44.1 yards per boot as a true freshman last season while totaling 2,822 yards with his leg, ranking eighth nationally. He also led the Big Ten with 29 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. - Will Backus, CBS Sports Rhys Dakin punted 64 times for Iowa in the 2024-25 college football season with a booming average of 44.1 yards with a season-long of 61 yards. More impressively, Dakin dropped 29 of his punts (45.3%) inside the opponents' 20-yard line, which puts them against the odds on pure yardage, let alone going against Phil Parker's Iowa defense. Iowa will continue to punt and play the field position game as a more conservative team in the country. When done right, as Iowa so often does, it can win games. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald
