Iowa's Seniors Ready For Final Home Game
Nate Wieting remembers one of his first practices with the Iowa football team.
They had just done, as Wieting put it, “skills and drills.”
The team huddled for the breakdown, and then scattered.
“I’m just sitting there looking around saying, ‘Where do I go?’” Wieting said on Tuesday.
Wieting is one of 19 seniors who will be honored before Saturday’s 11 a.m. game against Illinois at Kinnick Stadium, the last home game of the season.
Senior Day brings its emotions, but it’s always interesting to look at the names of the players who will be leaving.
Quarterback Nate Stanley is leaving as a three-year starter. Quarterback Ryan Schmidt has been there for five years and never played a game.
Colten Rastetter hasn’t had a punt this season after being the team’s punter the last two seasons. His replacement, Michael Sleep-Dalton, is a graduate transfer — one season and out.
Defensive back Michael Ojemudia, questionable for Saturday's game with an injury, has two interceptions and 35 tackles this season.
Amani Jones has been working as a stand-up defensive end this season after being a starting linebacker at the beginning of last season. Devonte Young is a defensive back who has been a special-teams standout — he started his career at wide receiver.
Offensive linemen Levi and Landan Paulsen are twins — Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz recalled this week about one of his first recruiting calls to them, and they were working the concession stand at a girls volleyball match at their high school.
Linebacker Kristian Welch leads the team in tackles despite missing three games this season. Defensive back John Milani has been one of the Hawkeyes’ better special-teams players.
Defensive linemen Cedrick Lattimore and Brady Reiff are starters, and have combined for 56 tackles this season. Jackson Subbert is the long snapper, while Nate Vejvoda is his backup.
Fullback Brady Ross got his first career touchdown this season.
Tight end Drew Cook, son of former Hawkeye Marv Cook, came to Iowa as a quarterback. Defensive back Wes Dvorak has three tackles in 10 games this season.
“It's always a bittersweet day for everybody involved, but 19 seniors will be out there on Saturday before the game being recognized with their families,” Ferentz said. “It's always a special thing. And, as always, I have such respect for the guys that run the entire race, that stay here and fight through the adversity they go through, whether it's academically, injury-wise, all the things that are challenging about being a student-athlete at this level.
“It's a really impressive group of guys, and the best thing about it, I'm not going to have to worry about them after they graduate and after they leave and they're all in good shape right now academically, all doing a good job leading our football team. They're a big part of the reason we're having success, and just a lot of really good stories.”
"I think I'll be able to handle (the emotions) well," Lattimore said. "As a D-lineman, I feel like I've got the other guys' backs, and they've got mine. I think they'll be emotional too, Senior Day and all that. But I'll stay focused."
Lattimore talked on Tuesday about how his mother, Carla Spivey, has never missed one of his games.
"That just means something to me," he said. "It's special to me. She always has a special place in my heart. I love my mom.
"It means a lot, the family support. They've always been there, since Day One. No matter what sport I've played, they've been there. I love my family."
Wieting, now on scholarship, redshirted in 2015 as a walk-on.
“I was like a deer in headlights from the very first day,” he said. “I’m looking around, I don’t know anyone. I just tried to show up on time, learn as much as I could, as fast as I could.”
He came into this season with just three receptions in three seasons. Wieting has seven catches for 75 yards this season, the most among Iowa’s tight ends.
Wieting has battled injuries in his career, and last season was behind two future NFL first-round draft picks — Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson — on the depth chart.
He likely will be in the starting lineup on Saturday.
“This is it,” he said. “I’m sure it’s going to be an unforgettable feeling.”
