#96 Matt Nelson Season 2016-17

Hawk Item – – Missed 2018 spring practice due to injury . . . one of six seniors named to 2018 Leadership Group.

2018 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten for fourth year . . . honorable mention All-Big Ten by both league coaches and media . . . Comeback Player of the Year . . . Team Hustle Award, defense . . . 2018 – – Tied for third on the team in pass break-ups (6) while collecting 31 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack . . . started at defensive tackle in 33-7 win over Northern Illinois as defense allowed just 211 yards total offense . . . recorded one solo tackle and three assists vs. NIU, along with one pass break-up . . . started at defensive tackle in 13-3 win over Iowa State  as defense allowed just 19 net rushing yards and 188 yards total offense . . . recorded three tackles vs. ISU, with one solo stop and two assists, including one sack . . . started at defensive tackle in 38-14 win over Northern Iowa, recording one solo tackle as defense allowed just six net rushing yards and 222 yards total offense . . . started at defensive tackle in 28-17 loss to #18 Wisconsin, recording one solo tackle . . . started at defensive tackle in 48-31 win at Minnesota, recording two solo tackles as defense allowed jusst 86 net rushing yards . . . started at defensive tackle in 42-16 win at Indiana as defense allowed just 67 net rushing yards . . . recorded one solo tackle and one pass break-up at Indiana . . . started at defensive tackle in 23-0 win over Maryland as defense allowed just 39 offensive plays and115 yards total offense . . . recorded one assisted tackle and one pass break-up vs. Maryland . . . started at defensive tackle in 30-24 loss at #17 Penn State . . . matched career best with six tackles at Penn State, including two solo stops and four assists . . . totals included shared tackle for loss, one pass break-up and one QB pressure . . .  started at defensive tackle in 38-36 loss at Purdue . . . recorded three tackles at Purdue, including two solo stops and one assist . . . started at defensive tackle in 14-10 loss to Northwestern . . . recorded two tackles vs. Northwestern, with one solo stop and one assist, to go with one pass break-up and one QB pressure . . . started at defensive tackle in 63-0 win at Illinois, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 216 yards total offense . . . started at defensive tackle in 31-28 win over Nebraska . . . two solo tackles and one assist vs. Nebraska, along with one pass break-up . . . started at defensive end in 27-22 Outback Bowl win over #18 Mississippi State . . . recorded four tackles vs. MSU, including one solo stop and three assists, with a shared tackle for loss.

2017 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten . . . 2017 – – Recorded 23 tackles, including 10 solo stops and 13 assists . . . also had two tackles for loss, one sack and three pass break-ups . . . saw action in 24-3 win over Wyoming, recording one QB pressure as defense allowed just 233 yards total offense . . . saw action in 44-41 OT win at Iowa State, recording three solo tackles . . . saw action in 31-14 win over North Texas, recording two assisted tackles . . . saw action in 21-19 loss to #4 Penn State, recording one solo tackle and one assist . . . saw action in 17-10 loss at Michigan State, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 45-16 win over Illinois, recording one solo tackle and one pass break-up . . . started at defensive tackle in 17-10 OT loss at Northwestern, for first start at this position . . . four tackles vs. Northwestern, including two solo stops and two assists, with one sack and one tackle for loss . . . started at defensive tackle in 17-10 win over Minnesota as defense allowed just 281 yards total offense . . . recorded two solo tackles vs. Minnesota, including one tackle for loss . . . started at defensive tackle in 55-24 win over #3 Ohio State, recording one assisted tackle and one pass break-up . . . started at defensive tackle in 38-14 loss at #6 Wisconsin, but had no statistics . . . started at defensive tackle in 24-15 loss to Purdue, recording one assisted tackle . . . started at defensive tackle in 56-14 win at Nebraska as defense allowed 67 rushing yards and just 267 yards total offense . . . recorded one assisted tackle and one pass break-up at Nebraska . . . started at defensive tackle in 27-20 Pinstripe Bowl win over Boston College as defense allowed just 21 net rushing yards and 102 yards total offense in second half . . . recorded career-best five assisted tackles and one QB pressure vs. Boston College.

2016 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten for second year . . . 2016 – – Started all 13 games, recording 19 solo tackles and 24 assists . . . season totals include 6.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and two recovered fumbles . . . started at defensive end in 45-21 win over Miami . . . recorded two solo tackles and two assists vs. Miami, along with a fumble recovery and four-yard return . . . started at defensive end in 42-3 win over Iowa State as defense allowed just 291 yards total offense . . . recorded two solo stops and one assist vs. ISU, including one sack for seven yards . . . started at defensive end in 23-21 loss to North Dakota State . . . matched career-best with five tackles vs. NDSU, including one solo stop and four assists, and one sack . . . started at defensive end in 14-7 win at Rutgers as defense allowed just one touchdown . . . career-high six tackles at Rutgers, including four solo tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks . . . started at defensive end in 38-31 loss to Northwestern, recording one assisted tackle, along with his second fumble recovery of the season that led to an Iowa touchdown . . . started at defensive end in 14-7 win at Minnesota, recording one solo tackle and one assist as defense allowed just 102 net rushing yards and 268 yards total offense . . . started at defensive end in 49-35 win at Purdue, as defense allowed just 47 net rushing yards . . . recorded two solo tackles and one assist at Purdue, including a shared sack . . . started at defensive end in 17-9 loss at #10 Wisconsin, recording one solo tackle and two assists . . . started at defensive end in 41-14 loss at #12 Penn State . . . recorded two solo tackles and two assists at PSU, including one sack . . . started at defensive end in 14-13 win over #2 Michigan, recording two assisted tackles as defense allowed just 201 yards total offense . . . started at defensive end in 28-0 win at Illinois as defense allowed just 61 net rushing yards and 198 yards total offense . . . recorded five tackles at Illinois, including one solo stop and four assists . . . started at defensive end in 40-10 win over #15 Nebraska, recording three solo tackles and two assists as defense allowed just 90 net rushing yards and 217 yards total offense . . . started at defensive end in 30-3 Outback Bowl loss to #17 Florida, but had no statistics.

2015 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten . . . 2015 – – Saw action in 13 games, recording 14 tackles, with 1.5 tackles for loss, one QB sack and one forced and one recovered fumble . . . saw first action of career in 31-14 win over Illinois State, recording one solo tackle and one assist as defense allowed 35 net yards rushing 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 . . . did not see action in 27-24 win over Pitt . . . saw action in 62-16 win over North Texas, recording two solo tackles . . . saw action in 10-6 win at Wisconsin, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed no touchdowns and just 320 yards total offense . . . saw action in 29-20 win over Illinois, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 46 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 40-10 win at Northwestern, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 51 net rushing yards and 198 yards total offense . . . saw action in 31-15 win over Maryland, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 35-27 win at Indiana, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 40-35 win over Minnesota, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 40-20 win over Purdue . . . career-best five tackles in win over Purdue, including four solo stops and one assist, with a caused and recovered fumble . . . saw action in 28-20 win at Nebraska, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 16-13 loss to Michigan State, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 45-16 Rose Bowl loss to Stanford . . . recorded one solo stop and one assist vs. Stanford, including first career QB sack and 1.5 tackles for loss.

2014 – – Redshirted.

High school honors – – Named to Elite All-State team as a senior and first team all-state as a junior . . . first team all-conference as a senior and second team all-conference as a junior . . . selected for Iowa Shrine Bowl . . . Career – – Two-year letterman as defensive end and tight end . . . helped prep team post two-year record of 25-2 while reaching Class 4-A state title game in consecutive years . . . recorded 43 tackles as a senior, with 13 tackles for loss and nine sacks . . . collected 47 tackles as a junior, with 19 tackles for loss and 11 sacks . . . recorded 13 receptions for 146 yards and four touchdowns as a senior, with 14 receptions for 162 yards and eight scores as a junior . . . team captain as a senior . . . three-year basketball letterman.

Personal – – Born 12/19/95 . . . biology major . . . mother is Julie Palmer and father is Jay Nelson . . . Academic All-State . . . four-year member of prep Honor Roll . . . one of three players from Cedar Rapids on Iowa roster . . . attended same high school as ATH Bryce Schulte . . . high school coach was Duane Schulte.