Inside The Hawkeyes

Iowa Return Specialist Gets Big 10 Special Teams Honor

One member of the Iowa Hawkeyes' roster has earned back-to-back weekly honors from the Big Ten due to his recent success on the field.
Jennifer Streeter|
Sep 19, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (21) returns the opening kick off for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Sep 19, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (21) returns the opening kick off for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

The attention placed on University of Iowa wide receiver and return specialist Kaden Wetjen keeps getting bigger and bigger.

And this is for good reason. In the Hawkeyes' most recent matchup, Wetjen tied an Iowa record with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on Week 3's opening kickoff in the 38-28 road win at Rutgers. This marked the sixth 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in school history and the second of Wetjen’s career, making him just the second Hawkeye to return an opening kickoff for a touchdown.

If all of this wasn't enough, Wetjen is now tied for the most career kickoff returns for a touchdown in school history (with two) and his four career combined return touchdowns (two punt, two kickoff) are tied for the second-most all-time.

The game against Rutgers saw the 5'9", 196 pound player log a game-best 183 all-purpose yards.

His efforts also marked his second straight and fifth career game with 100+ return yards. As a result, he earned weekly honors from the Big Ten; Wetjen was named one of the Co-Special Teams Players of the Week.

Wetjen also recently made history against UMass in the midst of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz becoming the winningest head coach in the Big 10; he is the first Hawkeye to ever notch a rushing, receiving, punt return and kick return touchdown in program history.

Michigan's Dominic Zvada was the other special teams player listed on the release. He earned his accolade for the Wolverines after converting field goals of 21, 46, 56 yards in Michigan’s 30-27 victory against Nebraska.

His 56 yard field goal was also his career long.

Wetjen was also last week's Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. This is the third time of Wetjen’s career to receive the honor, as he also received it once during the 2024 season.

The graduate student's recent success comes after he previously said himself and the entire Iowa franchise were looking to bounce back following the road loss to Iowa State.

"We know [football] is an imperfect game and not everything is going to go your way," Wetjen said on the recent loss against Iowa State. "And I think you've seen in the past, we have a pretty good tradition of responding after adversity ... the standards we have in plans ... since January we've been working and know the team that we have. I have no doubt we will respond to adversity."

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Jennifer Streeter
JENNIFER STREETER

Jennifer Streeter graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M and received her Master of Science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At both schools, she focused on an emphasis of sports reporting. A former athlete herself, "Jenny" was a varsity soccer player and comes from a family who participated in NCAA athletics. She has covered everything from the 2025 Hughes Bowl, SEC football, Ivy League athletics, the 2023 ALCS and the 2023 World Series, the WNBA, and much more.

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