Hawk-Item – – Recorded 270 career tackles to tie for 20th in career stops . . . ranked sixth in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.6) and seventh in tackles for loss (1.04) in 2013 . . . led Big Ten and ranked fifth in the nation in tackles per game (11.2) in 2012 . . . recorded 10 or more tackles in seven of 11 games in 2012 and six games in 2013 . . . one of six seniors named to 2013 Leadership Group . . . one of nine true freshmen to see action in 2010.
2013 Honors – – Roy J. Carver Most Valuable Player, Defense . . . Hayden Fry ‘Extra Heartbeat’ Award, Defense . . . second team all-Big Ten by league coaches . . . honorable mention all-Big Ten by league media . . . second team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele . . . third team All-Big Ten by College Sports Madness . . . named CFPA honorable mention Linebacker of the Week vs. Michigan . . . selected by College Sports Madness as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his play in win at Iowa State . . . named second team mid-season All-Big Ten by Phil Steele . . . named honorable mention mid-season All-Big Ten by BTN.com . . . 2013 Preseason Honors – – Named to Butkus Award and Rotary Lombardi Award preseason watch list . . . named preseason third team all-Big Ten by Phil Steele and College Sports Madness. . . 2013 – – started all 13 games at weakside linebacker . . . led team in tackles for second straight season (112), while ranking second in tackles for loss (13.5-21) . . . also had two sacks, two forced fumbles and two pass break-ups, one recovered fumble and one interception and four QB pressures . . . started at weakside linebacker in 30-27 opening loss to Northern Illinois . . . recorded 13 tackles vs. NIU, including six solo stops and seven assists, a shared tackle for loss and one QB pressure . . . started at weakside linebacker in 28-14 win over Missouri State as defense held MSU to 197 yards total offense . . . led team with eight tackles vs. Missouri State, including two solo stops, six assists . . . also collected career-best two tackles for loss, one QB sack and one pass break-up . . . started at weakside linebacker in 27-21 win at Iowa State as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards . . . recorded 10 tackles vs. ISU, including six solo tackles and four assists, and one shared tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 59-3 win over Western Michigan as defense allowed just 209 yards total offense . . . recorded three solo tackles and three assists vs. WMU, including one tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 23-7 win at Minnesota as defense allowed just 165 yards total offense and 30 net rushing yards . . . led team with 10 tackles at Minnesota, including two solo tackles, eight assists and a shared tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 26-14 loss to Michigan State . . . recorded 12 tackles vs. MSU, including four solo stops, eight assists and one tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 34-24 loss at Ohio State . . . recorded 11 tackles at OSU, including three solo stops and eight assists . . . started at weakside linebacker in 17-10 OT win over Northwestern . . . recorded nine tackles vs. Northwestern, including six solo tackles and two tackles for loss, along with a forced fumble . . . started at weakside linebacker in 28-9 loss to Wisconsin . . . recorded seven tackles against the Badgers, including 1.5 tackles for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 38-14 win at Purdue, recording one solo tackle for loss, as defense allowed just 53 net rushing yards . . . started at weakside linebacker in 24-21 win over Michigan as defense allowed just 60 net rushing yards and 158 yards total offense . . . shared team lead with eight stops vs. Michigan, including five solo tackles and three assists . . . also had three tackles for loss, two QB pressures and forced and recovered Michigan fumble in final two minutes to secure the victory . . . started at weakside linebacker in 38-17 win at Nebraska as defense allowed just 89 net rushing yards . . . recorded seven tackles, including five solo stops and two assists, along with first career interception for 18 yards and a pass break-up and a QB pressure . . . started at weakside linebacker in 21-14 Outback Bowl loss to LSU . . . led team with 10 tackles vs. LSU, including seven solo stops and three assists, with one shared tackle for loss.
2012 Honors – – Honorable mention All-Big Ten by league coaches and media . . . second team All-Big Ten by CollegeSports Madness.com . . . named by CollegeSportsMadness.com as Big Ten defensive Player of the Week for his play in win at Michigan State . . . 2012 – – started all 11 games in which he played, missing one game due to injury . . . led team with 124 tackles, including 56 solo stops and 68 assists . . . collected 5.5 tackles for loss and one QB sack . . . started at weakside linebacker in 18-17 win over Northern Illinois . . . recorded eight tackles vs. NIU, including four solo stops and four assists . . . started at weakside linebacker in 9-6 loss to Iowa State . . . collected career-best 19 tackles vs. ISU. including six solo stops and one tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 27-16 win over Northern Iowa . . . led team with 10 tackles vs. UNI, including four solo stops and six assists . . . started at weakside linebacker in 32-31 loss to Central Michigan . . . led team with 14 tackles vs. CMU, including six solo stops and eight assists, including one tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 31-13 win over Minnesota as defense allowed just 299 yards total offense and collected four turnovers . . . recorded four solo tackles and eight assists vs. Minnesota, including one QB sack . . . started at weakside linebacker in 19-16 win at Michigan State . . . led defense with 15 tackles in win at MSU, including six solo stops, nine assists and one tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 38-14 loss to Penn State . . . recorded eight tackles vs. PSU, including three solo stops and five assists . . . started at weakside linebacker in 28-17 loss at Northwestern . . . recorded four solo tackles and two assists at Northwestern . . . started at weakside linebacker in 24-21 loss at Indiana . . . led team with 14 tackles vs. Hoosiers, including career-best eight solo tackles . . . added six assists and 1.5 tackles for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 27-24 loss to Purdue, recording five solo tackles and three assists . . . did not see action in 42-17 loss at Michigan due to injury . . . started at weakside linebacker in 13-7 loss to Nebraska, recording six solo tackles and four assists.
2011 – – Saw action in eight games, recording 14 solo tackles, 11 assists and one recovered fumble . . . saw action in 34-7 opening win over Tennessee Tech, recording seven assisted tackles . . . saw action in triple-overtime loss at Iowa State, recording two solo tackles and two assists . . . saw action in 31-27 win over Pittsburgh . . . recorded six solo tackles and one assist vs. Pitt . . . saw action in 45-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe, recording one solo tackle as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards . . . did not see action in 13-3 loss at Penn State due to injury . . . did not see action in 41-31 win over Northwestern due to injury . . . did not see action in 45-24 win over Indiana due to injury . . . did not see action in 22-21 loss at Minnesota due to injury . . . did not see action in 24-16 win over 13th-ranked Michigan due to injury . . . returned to action in 37-21 loss to Michigan State, but had no statistics in limited playing time . . . saw action in 31-21 win at Purdue as defense allowed just 282 yards total offense . . . recorded three solo tackles and recovered fumble on Purdue KO return, the first of his career . . . saw action in 20-7 loss at Nebraska, but had no statistics . . . saw action in Insight Bowl loss to Oklahoma, recording two solo tackles and one assist as the Iowa defense allowed just 275 yards total offense.
2010 – – Saw action in 10 games, recording one solo tackle and eight assists . . . saw first action of career in 45-0 win over Ball State as defense allowed just 112 yards total offense . . . recorded two assisted tackles vs. Ball State . . . saw action on special teams in 24-3 win over Penn State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 38-28 win at Michigan, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 31-30 loss to Wisconsin, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 37-6 win over fifth-ranked Michigan State, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just 31 net rushing yards and 258 yards total offense . . . saw action in 18-13 win at Indiana, recording two assisted tackles as defense allowed just 91 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 21-17 loss at Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 20-17 loss to Ohio State, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 27-24 loss at Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 27-24 Insight Bowl win over 12th-ranked Missouri, recording one solo tackle and one assist.
High school honors – – Named first team all-state, all-county and all-conference as a junior and senior . . . earned Lorain County Golden Helmet Award . . . named area Player of the Year by Lorain Morning Journal . . . Career – – earned four varsity letters as a linebacker, running back, kick returner and punt returner . . . team captain as a junior and senior . . . holds school records for points in a season and career and most career yards . . . collected 154 career tackles, including 12 QB sacks . . . recorded five interceptions, forced six fumbles, recovered six fumbles and scored four defensive touchdowns . . . collected 76 tackles and eight QB sacks as a junior . . . had 76 tackles, with three QB sacks, as a senior . . . also had 3,864 career rushing yards and 52 touchdowns on 519 rushing attempts . . . collected 16 career pass receptions for 213 yards and four touchdowns . . . scored two touchdowns on kickoff returns . . . led high school team to a 10-1 record and a state championship as a junior . . . also lettered in basketball and track.
Personal – – Born 6/10/92 . . . leisure studies major . . . Merit and Honor Roll member . . . parents are Norma and Anthony Hitchens . . . one of two players from Lorain on Iowa roster . . . high school coach was Mike Collier.