#31 Aaron Mends Season 2016-17

2017 – – Saw action in 24-3 win over Wyoming, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 233 yards total offense . . . saw action in 44-41 OT win at Iowa State . . . matched career-best with two tackles at ISU, recording one solo tackle and one assist . . . saw action in 31-14 win over North Texas, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 21-19 loss to #4 Penn State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 17-10 loss at Michigan State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 45-16 win over Illinois, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 17-10 OT loss at Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 17-10 win over Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 55-24 win over #3 Ohio State, recording one solo tackle and one assist to match career high . . . saw action in 38-14 loss at #6 Wisconsin, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 24-15 loss to Purdue, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 56-14 win at Nebraska, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed 67 rushing yards and just 267 yards total offense . . . saw action in 27-20 Pinstripe bowl win over Boston College, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 21 net rushing yards and 102 yards total offense in second half.

2016 – – Saw action in 12 games, recording two solo tackles and two assists, including one QB sack . . . saw action in 45-21 win over Miami, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 42-3 win over Iowa State, recording one solo tackle and one assist as defense allowed just 291 yards total offense . . . saw action in 23-21 loss to North Dakota State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 14-7 win at Rutgers, but had no statistics as defense allowed just one touchdown . . . saw action in 38-31 loss to Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 14-7 win at Minnesota, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 102 net rushing yards and 268 yards total offense . . . saw action in 49-35 win at Purdue, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 47 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 17-9 loss to #10 Wisconsin, but had no statistics . . . did not see action in 41-14 loss at #12 Penn State . . . saw action in 14-13 win over #2 Michigan, but had no statistics7 as defense allowed just 201 yards total offense . . . saw action in 28-0 win at Illinois, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 61 net rushing yards and 198 yards total offense . . . saw action in 40-10 win over #15 Nebraska, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 90 net rushing yards and 217 yards total offense . . . saw action in 30-3 Outback Bowl loss to #17 Florida, recording one solo tackle on a QB sack.

2015 – – Saw action in 13 games, recording four tackles and a blocked punt . . . saw action in 31-14 win over Illinois State, recording two assisted tackles as defense allowed 35 net rushing yards and 231 yards total offense . . . saw action in 31-17 win at Iowa State, but had no statistics as defense allowed no points and just 66 yards total offense in the second half . . . saw action in 27-24 win over Pitt, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 55 net rushing yards and 282 yards total offense . . . saw action in 62-16 win over North Texas, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 10-6 win at Wisconsin, but had no statistics as defense allowed no touchdowns and just 320 yards total offense . . . saw action on special teams in 29-20 win over Illinois, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 46 net rushing yards . . . did not see action in 40-10 win at Northwestern . . . saw action in 31-15 win over Maryland, recording a blocked punt in the second quarter that led directly to Iowa touchdown . . . saw action on special teams in 35-27 win at Indiana, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 40-35 win over Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 40-20 win over Purdue, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 28-20 win at Nebraska, recording one QB pressure . . . saw action in 16-13 loss to Michigan State, recording one assisted tackle, which was a sack and tackle for loss . . . saw action in 45-16 Rose Bowl loss to Stanford, but had no statistics.

2014 – – Redshirted.

High school honors – – first team all-conference and all-state as a senior . . . first team all-conference, second team all-metro and third team all-state as a junior . . . first team all-conference and first team all-district as a sophomore . . . Career – – Career totals include 210 tackles on defense, with 1,790 rushing yards and 140 receiving yards and 29 total touchdowns . . . recorded 50 tackles as a senior, with 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, with one forced fumble and a pass break-up . . . rushed 69 times for 285 yards and five touchdowns, while collecting six receptions for 28 yards . . . collected 74 tackles as a junior, including 38 solo and 36 assists, with 7.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one pass break-up and one blocked kick . . . rushed 131 times for 758 yards and 14 touchdowns . . . as a sophomore collected 60 tackles, including 30 solo and 30 assists, with six tackles for loss and three sacks, with one forced fumble . . . rushed 125 times for 747 yards and nine touchdowns . . . collected 26 tackles as a freshman . . . team captain as a junior and senior.

Personal – – Born 10/13/95 . . . health science major . . . parents are Anne and Othello Mends . . . one of two players from Kansas City on Iowa roster . . . high school coach was Sterling Edwards.