KADEN “THE JET” WETJEN
Graduate Kaden Wetjen was named the recipient of The 2024 Jet Award, which honors the most outstanding return specialist in college football. He was the first Hawkeye to receive the distinction.
• The Williamsburg, Iowa, native led the country by a wide margin, finishing with 1,055 combined kick return yards. He ranked first in the FBS in kickoff return yards (727) and second in punt return yards (328). Wetjen had two return for scores in 2024 — a 100-yard kickoff return against No. 19 Missouri in the Music City Bowl and an 85-yard punt return in the win over Northwestern.
• He was the only player in the nation to have both a kickoff and punt return for a touchdown.
• During the regular season, Wetjen returned a punt 85 yards for a score against Northwestern, the seventh-longest in school history. He had 100+ kickoff return yards in three straight games (Washington, Michigan State, Northwestern) — a first by a Hawkeye since at least 1978.
STEVENS APPROACHES RECORD
Senior Drew Stevens moved into third place in program history in career field goals with his two makes in the season-opening win over UAlbany. The South Carolina native is a perfect 5-for-5 in field goal attempts this season, giving him 58 field goals in his career.
• He has made 14 consecutive field goals dating back to Week 10 last season.
1. Nate Kaeding (2000-03) 67
2. Mike Meyer (2010-13) 61
3. Drew Stevens (2022-pres.) 56
• Stevens connected from 28 and a career-long 55 yards in the victory over the Great Danes. The 55-yarder is tied for the fourth longest kick in school history and it was Stevens’ ninth career make from 50+ — extending his school record.
• Stevens enjoyed a breakout 2024 season, making 20-of-23 field goals, which were a career high and the sixth-most in program history. He was 5-for-5 from 40-49 yards and had four makes from 50+.
• He tied Kyle Schlicher’s program record that was set in 2004, making five field goals in the road win at Maryland on Nov. 23. The five makes also tied the SECU Stadium, which led to him being named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.
• Two of Stevens’ makes came from 54 and 50 yards, making him the first Hawkeye since Tim Douglas (at Illinois, 1998) to make multiple 50+ yard field goals in the same game.
• Stevens has four career games where he has made at least four field goals and he has three career game-winning field goals (21-yarder with 28…