IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa football star defensive back Cooper DeJean will miss the remainder of the 2023 season due to a lower leg injury, coach Kirk Ferentz announced in a statement Wednesday.
“This is truly heartbreaking for Cooper,” Ferentz said in a statement. “He has played extremely well and is a real playmaker on our team. We will all support Cooper during his recovery, which will continue into the new year.
“This has been a season filled with challenges for our team. I am proud of how our players have responded with tremendous grit and determination. We are focused on Saturday.”
Ferentz said during his Wednesday night radio show that DeJean was injured after he planted his foot and twisted his leg during Wednesday’s practice. Ferentz said the estimated recovery time is 6-8 weeks.
This is a significant loss. DeJean is not just one of the best defenders for the Hawkeyes, but also in the nation. He was in the running for a handful of national honors, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded to the best defender in Division I college football. After DeJean put together a remarkable 2022 season, there was a considerable amount of hype entering this season and DeJean lived up to it. In USA TODAY Sports’ latest NFL mock draft, DeJean was projected as a first-round pick.
Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean had been named a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is presented to the best defensive player in college football.
Cooper DeJean also valuable special teams player
But it’s not just the defensive side where DeJean holds importance to Iowa. He was a key part of Iowa’s special teams. During Iowa’s game against Michigan State, DeJean had an electrifying punt return touchdown in Kinnick Stadium to give Iowa the lead in the fourth quarter. He nearly did it again in the game against Minnesota…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/iowa-hawkeyes-football-star-cooper-034740436.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2023-11-16 03:47:40
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
