#25 Akrum Wadley Season 2016-17

Hawk Item – – Set Iowa bowl record with 171 kickoff return yards in Pinstripe Bowl win . . . named Pinstripe Bowl MVP after collecting 283 all-purpose yards and scoring one touchdown . . . selected to participate in Senior Bowl . . . one of four running backs in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in consecutiuve seasons . . . 252 rushing attempts in 2017 rank seventh best for single season, while 1,109 yards ranks 12th and 10 rushing touchdowns toed as 10th best . . . recorded three touchdown runs of 50 yards or more in 2016 and has four in his career . . . tied single-game school record with four rushing touchdowns in 40-10 win at Northwestern in 2015 . . . 204 rushing yards in 2015 win at Northwestern ranks as 14th-best single game total in school history . . . 176 rushing yards in 2016 win at Purdue ties as 33rd best single-game total in school history . . . rushed for over 100 yards in 14 career games, including five games in 2017 . . . ranks fifth in career rushing yards with 2,872 yards . . . ranks ninth in career all-purpose yards (3,904),  10th in career scoring with 210 points (28 rushing, 7 receiving) and fourth in career rushing attempts (536) . . . 28 career rushing touchdowns ranks fourth and 35 total touchdowns rank second all-time . . . average per carry (5.4) ranks near the top among Iowa running backs with over 1,000 career rushing yards.

2017 Honors – – Pinstripe Bowl Most Valuable Player . . . named to SI.com All-Bowl team for 2017 . . . Roy J. Carver Most Valuable Player, offense . . . third team All-Big Ten by league coaches and media . . . Big Ten Conference co-Offensive Player of the week vs. Nebraska . . . Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week vs. Nebraska by College sports Madness . . . Paul Hornung Award Honor
Roll vs. Iowa State . . . Maxwell Award preseason Watch List . . . Doak Walker Award preseason Watch List . . . preseason second team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports and Colege Sports Madness . . . 2017 – – Saw action in all 13 games . . . led team in rushing with 252 attempts for 1,109 yards and 10 touchdowns . . . 28 pass receptions for 353 yards and three touchdowns . . . averaged 30.1 yards on nine kickoff returns, with a long of 72 yards . . . started at running back in 24-3 win over Wyoming . . . led rushing attack with 116 yards on 24 attempts vs. Wyoming, with a long of 23 yards while surpassing 100 yards for 10th game in career . . . also added one KO return for 30 yards, the first of his career . . . started at running back in 44-41 OT win at Iowa State . . . career-high 28 rushing attempts for 118 yards and one touchdown at Iowa State, along with four receptions for 72 yards and one score . . . scored on one-yard run in third period . . . added 46-yard scoring reception to tie the game with 1:09 remaining in fourth quarter, the longest pass reception of his career . . . also added three KO returns for 70 yards at Iowa State to total 260 all-purpose yards . . . started at running back in 31-14 win over North Texas as offense gained 435 yards total offense . . . rushed eight times for 24 yards and had two receptions for 80 yards vs. North Texas before leaving game in second quarter due to injury . . . started at running back in 21-19 loss to #4 Penn State . . . led rushing attack vs. Penn State with 19 carries for 80 yards and one touchdown, while also leading receivers with four receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown . . . 70-yard scoring reception is longest in career . . . 35-yard touchdown run gave Iowa 19-15 advange in final two minutes . . . started at running back in 17-10 loss at Michigan State . . . led offense with 30 rushing yards and three receptions for 17 yards at MSU . . . scored only touchdown at MSU on nine-yard run . . . saw action in 45-16 win over Illinois . . . led rushing attack with 23 carries for 115 yards and added two receptions for 14 yards . . . scored on a two-yard reception and an 18-yard run . . . started at running back in 17-10 OT loss at Northwestern . . . led rushing attack with 26 attempts for 90 yards at Northwestern, with a long of 22 yards . . . also had three receptions for five yards . . . started at running back in 17-10 win over Minnesota . . . led rushing attack with 16 attempts for 70 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown on Iowa’s first possession . . . also had one reception for five yards . . . started at running back in 55-24 win over #3 Ohio State . . . rushed 20 times for 118 yards vs. Ohio State, along with grabbing three receptions for 40 yards . . . started at running back in 38-14 loss at #6 Wisconsin . . . rushed eight times for 23 yards and had two receptions for two yards at Wisconsin . . . started at running back in 24-15 loss to Purdue . . . led rushing attack with 22 rushing attempts for 78 yards vs. Purdue, along with one reception for 11 yards . . . scored on two-yard run for Iowa’s first touchdown of the game . . . started at running back in 56-14 win at Nebraska as offense rushed for 313 yards and gained 505 yards total offense . . . led rushing attack with 19 carries for 159 yards and three touchdowns . . . scored on runs of 20, one and 29 yards, along with collecting one reception for eight yards . . . started at running back in 27-20 Pinstripe Bowl win over Boston College . . . led offense with 283 all-purpose yards vs. Boston College, including 171 KO return yards, 88 rushing yards and 24 receiving yards . . . rushed 22 times for 88 yards and one touchdown, along with two reeceptions for 24 yards . . . 27-yard run led to game-winning touchdown in fourth quarter . . . career-long 72-yard kickoff return led to Iowa’s first touchdown . . . 171 kickoff return yards on five kickoff returns.

2016 Honors – – Team Hustle Award, offense . . . third team All-Big Ten by Big Ten coaches, Athlon Sports, and Phil Steele . . . honorable mention All-Big Ten by Big Ten media . . . Big Ten Conference Player of the Week vs. Michigan by the Rose Bowl Game . . . 2016 – – Saw action in all 13 games, with one start . . . led team in rushing with 168 attempts for 1,081 yards and 10 touchdowns . . . second on team in receiving with 36 receptions for 315 yards and three touchdowns . . . led team in scoring with 78 points . . . led rushing attack with 12 attempts for 121 yards vs. Miami, including touchdown runs of 11 and five yards . . . also had three receptions for 21 yards . . . saw action in 42-3 win over Iowa State as offense gained 435 yards total offense . . . rushed nine times for 49 yards vs. ISU and had one reception for 26 yards . . . scored two touchdowns vs. ISU, scoring on three-yard run and 26-yard reception, for second receiving touchdown in last three games . . . saw action in 23-21 loss to North Dakota State . . . four rushing attempts for 20 yards and one reception for seven yards vs. NDSU . . . saw action in 14-7 win at Rutgers, playing in his home state for the first time . . . led rushing attack at Rutgers with 12 attempts for 84 yards, and also had two receptions for 38 yards . . . scored game-winning touchdown on 26-yard run in the fourth quarter . . . started at running back in 38-31 loss to Northwestern . . . rushed 14 times for 35 yards vs. Northwestern, scoring on runs of five and six yards . . . also had one reception for one yard . . . saw action in 14-7 win at Minnesota . . . led rushing attack with 14 attempts for 107 yards and a touchdown at Minnesota, including 54-yard touchdown run with 5:28 remaining for winning score . . . saw action in 49-35 win at Purdue as offense rushed for 365 net rushing yards and gained 520 yards total offense . . . led rushing attack at Purdue with 15 rushes for 176 yards and a touchdown, a 75-yard scamper that ranks as his longest career rushing attempt . . . also had two receptions for 25 yards . . . saw action in 17-9 loss to #10 Wisconsin . . . led team in rushing with 10 attempts for 44 yards, and reached career receiving highs with seven catches for 72 yards . . . saw action in 41-14 loss at #12 Penn State . . . rushed nine times for 28 yards at PSU, along with five pass receptions for 32 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown reception . . . saw action in 14-13 win over #2 Michigan . . . led rushing attack with 23 carries for 115 yards . . . also led receivers with five receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown . . . three-yard pass reception resulted in Iowa’s only touchdown, that coming on a fourth and goal situation . . . saw action in 28-0 win at Illinois as offense rushed for 262 yards and gained 342 yards total offense . . . rushed 13 times for 82 yards and a touchdown at Illinois, with two receptions for three yards . . . scoring run covered two yards for final touchdown of the game . . . saw action in 40-10 win over #25 Nebraska as offense gained 264 net rushing yards and 408 yards total offense . . . rushed 11 times for 105 yards and a touchdown vs. Nebraska, and added two receptions for 19 yards . . . scored on 75-yard run in the first quarter vs. Nebraska for first points of the game, matching his caree-longest run . . . saw action in 30-3 Outback Bowl loss to #17 Florida . . . led rushing attack with 22 carries for 115 yards vs. Florida, while adding four receptions for 21 yards.

2015 Honors – – Named Big Ten Conference offensive Player of the Week by Big Ten and College Sports Madness, for his play in 40-10 win at Northwestern . . . 2015 – – Saw action in nine games, with three starts . . . rushed 83 times for 496 yards and seven touchdowns, with six receptions for 94 yards and one touchdown . . . saw action in 31-14 win over Illinois State as offense gained 431 yards total offense . . . rushed three times for 17 yards vs. Illinois State, with a long of 13 yards . . . did not see action in 31-17 win at Iowa State . . . did not see action in 27-24 win over Pitt . . . saw action in 62-16 win over North Texas as offense gained 488 yards total offense . . . five rushing attempts for 18 yards vs. North Texas, including a two-yard touchdown . . . did not see action in 10-6 win at Wisconsin . . . saw action in 29-20 win over Illinois, but had no statistics as offense gained 278 rushing yards and gained 478 yards total offense . . . saw action in 40-10 win at Northwestern as offense rushed for 294 yards and gained 492 yards total offense . . . tied school single-game record with four rushing touchdowns at Northwestern, with career-bests of 26 rushes for 204 yards and four touchdowns . . . rushing touchdowns covered 35, 4, 2 and 4 yards . . . started at running back in 31-15 win over Maryland for first career start . . . led rushing game with 19 carries for 67 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown . . . started at running back in 35-27 win at Indiana as offense rushed for 234 yards and gained 467 yards total offense . . . led rushing attack with 120 yards on 12 attempts, including 65-yard touchdown on second play of the game . . . did not see action in 40-35 win over Minnesota due to injury . . . saw action in 40-20 win over Purdue . . . rushed four times for 23 yards vs. Purdue, with a long of 10 yards . . . did not see action in 28-20 win at Nebraska . . . started at running back in 16-13 loss to Michigan State . . . five rushing attempts for 14 yards and career-best three pass receptions for 34 yards vs. MSU . . . saw action in 45-16 Rose Bowl loss to Stanford . . . rushed nine times for 33 yards vs. Stanford . . . matched career-high with three receptions for 60 yards, including 31-yard reception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

2014 Honors – – Honorable mention Freshman All-Big Ten by BTN.com . . . Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week for his play in 48-7 win over Northwestern . . . 2014 – – Saw action in eight games . . . rushed 33 times for 186 yards and one touchdown . . . saw first action of career in 45-29 win over Indiana, but had no statistics as offense gained 426 yarsds total offense . . . saw action on special teams in 38-31 loss at Maryland, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 48-7 win over Northwestern as offense gained 483 yards total offense . . . led rushing attack with 15 carries for 106 yards vs. Northwestern, including five-yard touchdown in fourth quarter . . . two rushes for over 20 yards . . . also recorded one solo tackle on special teams . . . saw action in loss at Minnesota . . . led rushing attack with 68 yards on nine attempts at Minnesota, and also had one reception . . . saw action in 30-14 win at Illinois as offense rushed for 304 yards and gained 587 yards total offense . . . five rushing attempts for 11 yards at Illinois . . . saw action in 26-24 loss to No. 14 Wisconsin, rushing one time for no gain as offense gained 412 yards total offense against top-ranked defense in the nation . . .saw action in 37-34 overtime loss to Nebraska, but had no statistics . . . saw action in TaxSlayer Bowl loss to Tennessee, with three rushing attempts for one yard.

2013 Honors – – Team Leader Award, Offense . . . 2013 – – redshirted. High school honors – – Second team all-state as a senior . . . named Essex County Player of the Year as a senior . . . first team all-conference, all-city and all-county as a senior . . . first team all-conference as a junior while being named offensive Rookie of the Year . . . Career – – Played both running back and defensive back, while also competing in basketball and track as a prep . . . helped team post 9-3 record as both a junior and senior, reaching state championship game each season . . . team captain as a senior . . . holds school record for touchdowns in a season . . . 105 rushing attempts for 1,548 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior, along with 11 receptions for 153 yards and two scored . . . totaled 371 yards and four touchdowns on special teams, including 95-yard return in state championship game . . . recorded two QB sacks and a fumble recovery on defense.

Personal – – Born 3/13/95 . . . communications studies major . . . parents are Sheronda Phelps and John Wadley . . . one of two players from Newark on Iowa roster . . . high school coach was Brian Logan.