Eliot and Ross breakdown the impact of the Hawkeyes landing South Dakota State transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski in the transfer portal.

Is Gronowski immediately QB1 or Iowa?, how he elevates the floor and the ceiling of the QB room, why his accomplishments set him apart from previous Iowa transfer targets and acquisitions, shout out to Tim Lester/Brad Heinrichs/Tyler Barnes, what’s next with the Hawkeyes and the portal, plus more.

IOWA CITY — On Tuesday, Kaden Wetjen was announced as the winner of the 2024 Jet Award, which honors the most outstanding return specialist in college football.

Wetjen became a weapon on special teams in 2024 as the Hawkeyes’ full-time punt and kickoff return man. He took a punt for a touchdown against Northwestern in October. Then he returned a kickoff to the house in Iowa’s matchup against Missouri in the Music City Bowl.

Wetjen finished the 2024 season amassing more than 1,000 combined kickoff and punt return yardage.

A standout at Williamsburg High School, Wetjen’s recruiting process in high school was not chock-full of college football’s elites. Division III programs wanted him. NAIA-level Grand View offered. Seth Wallace talked to Wetjen about walking on at Iowa. 

But Wetjen opted to go to junior college, taking his talents to Iowa Western. His time there earned him some recruiting attention but it still was relatively limited. Iowa came around again.

More: Iowa football: How overlooked, undersized Kaden Wetjen has become nation’s top returner

Ultimately, Wetjen decided on a preferred walk-on opportunity with the Hawkeyes over scholarship offers elsewhere, the most prominent of which was FBS-level UMass.

Wetjen worked his way into a bigger role at Iowa over time. He didn’t play in his first season, but in 2023 he led Iowa in kickoff returns and filled in at punt return following Cooper DeJean’s season-ending injury. In 2024, Wetjen had his best season and became one of the nation’s premier returners.

For the second consecutive season, a Hawkeye was named Big Ten’s Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year. DeJean took the honor in 2023, Wetjen did it in 2024.

Ahead of the Music City Bowl, Wetjen indicated he was likely to return to Iowa in 2025, but not yet certain.

“The plan is to come back,” Wetjen said in December. “But I’ll say I’m 98% sure.”

If Wetjen does return, Iowa is projected to return multiple key pieces of its 2024 special teams unit.

Drew Stevens, who was 20-of-23 on field goals last season, is set to come back, along with punter Rhys Dakin, who gained meaningful experience as a freshman.

Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com

Associated Press

Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten) at Iowa Hawkeyes (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten)

Iowa City, Iowa; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hawkeyes -3.5; over/under is 159.5

BOTTOM LINE: Iowa plays Nebraska after Drew Thelwell scored 25 points in Iowa’s 116-85 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers.

The Hawkeyes are 8-1 in home games. Iowa averages 89.4 points and has outscored opponents by 12.3 points per game.

The Cornhuskers are 2-1 in Big Ten play. Nebraska has a 9-2 record against teams over .500.

Iowa averages 10.4 made 3-pointers per game, 1.9 more made shots than the 8.5 per game Nebraska gives up. Nebraska has shot at a 46.2% rate from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points fewer than the 46.4% shooting opponents of Iowa have averaged.

The Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers square off Tuesday for the first time in conference play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Owen Freeman is shooting 65.2% and averaging 16.8 points for the Hawkeyes.

Brice Williams is shooting 49.1% and averaging 18.8 points for the Cornhuskers.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hawkeyes: 6-4, averaging 90.1 points, 29.3 rebounds, 19.1 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 79.6 points per game.

Cornhuskers: 9-1, averaging 76.6 points, 33.8 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 7.7 steals and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.2 points.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.